Tweet
Week One: "Building a Better Mousetrap"
Once again, the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, in conjunction with Seattle Outboard Association, has started its annual J Hydro Building Project, where we work with kids and families to help them build their own J/A Hydro. There's some exciting new changes in this year's program:
Last year, Ed Karelsen spent a lot of time helping us build the Sorensen kit boats. As Ed worked on these, he began to envision a J/A Kit Boat that would be easier and faster to build, especially for new racers, or for boat builders who may have little-to-no experience in building race boats.
For 2014, Ed designed a new J Hydro for the program, that not only featured design updates, but would also be constructed in a way that that would allow the boat to be built much fastern and easier. Our 2013 host for the build, Don Kelson, agreed to have us back for 2014, and was instrumental in taking Ed's designs and converting them into an inexpensive, easy to build kit. With the help of a good number of our "2013 Alumni Dads" Jeff Cole, Charlie Marquard, Tyler Ulsh, plus assistance from Dave "Jigsaw" Anderson and Matt Yarno, initial components were cut out in bulk, and ready for assembly when our new builders came for their first session on Saturday, Dec 7th.
It started with a pre-cut bottom....made of 6 mil, with a 4 mil doubler pre-glued to reinforce the inside of the cockpit.
Then, the transom and motor board were attached to the bottom.
Next up were cockpit sides, also pre-cut out. These get attached to the transom, and screwed to the bottom. The Dashboard was added to create a rigid box between the transom and the front end of the cockpit sides.
Following that, the Airtrap/Sponson inside girders got attached top the outside edges of the bottom. They get screwed into the bottom, just like the cockpit sides, and tied into the transom.
Saturday's work concluded with adding internal frame gussets on both sides. In less than 6 hour's worth of work time, the boats' progress is at where we were last year after about 4-5 weeks of work.
Sponson and non trip framing go on next week.
R-19
PS---For some reason these photos did not post in sequential order of constructions...must be a software glitch I guess....
Once again, the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum, in conjunction with Seattle Outboard Association, has started its annual J Hydro Building Project, where we work with kids and families to help them build their own J/A Hydro. There's some exciting new changes in this year's program:
Last year, Ed Karelsen spent a lot of time helping us build the Sorensen kit boats. As Ed worked on these, he began to envision a J/A Kit Boat that would be easier and faster to build, especially for new racers, or for boat builders who may have little-to-no experience in building race boats.
For 2014, Ed designed a new J Hydro for the program, that not only featured design updates, but would also be constructed in a way that that would allow the boat to be built much fastern and easier. Our 2013 host for the build, Don Kelson, agreed to have us back for 2014, and was instrumental in taking Ed's designs and converting them into an inexpensive, easy to build kit. With the help of a good number of our "2013 Alumni Dads" Jeff Cole, Charlie Marquard, Tyler Ulsh, plus assistance from Dave "Jigsaw" Anderson and Matt Yarno, initial components were cut out in bulk, and ready for assembly when our new builders came for their first session on Saturday, Dec 7th.
It started with a pre-cut bottom....made of 6 mil, with a 4 mil doubler pre-glued to reinforce the inside of the cockpit.
Then, the transom and motor board were attached to the bottom.
Next up were cockpit sides, also pre-cut out. These get attached to the transom, and screwed to the bottom. The Dashboard was added to create a rigid box between the transom and the front end of the cockpit sides.
Following that, the Airtrap/Sponson inside girders got attached top the outside edges of the bottom. They get screwed into the bottom, just like the cockpit sides, and tied into the transom.
Saturday's work concluded with adding internal frame gussets on both sides. In less than 6 hour's worth of work time, the boats' progress is at where we were last year after about 4-5 weeks of work.
Sponson and non trip framing go on next week.
R-19
PS---For some reason these photos did not post in sequential order of constructions...must be a software glitch I guess....
Wish it was close to me I would like to help with the build.
Comment