10 ft hydroplane

[halestorm]

only the sea doo jet ski trailer remains

trailer sold!

[25xs]

for all you Hal Kelly "Wetback" fans...

Found this video of building the boat; http://youtu.be/7Yj51tAe-JQ

[ZUL8TR]

Wetback

Nice carpentry and finish. Fir ply throughout, left out the lightening holes per plan in the ribs and main girders, then fiberglassed. It should last but must really be portly!

What is really strange, min 1:20 - 1:25 there are 2 turn fins, one on the bottom offset left as Kelly plans show per 50's racing and a rear sponson fin on the right sponson, how does that work?

[johnsonm50]

What happens is when the sponson fin airs out in a turn the center ? [bottom fin] tries straighten the boat so you get the feeling of the nose releasing & re-grabing in the bumpy stuff. After eliminating the bottom fin its like a normal hydro, holding a turn fairly steadily. This I experienced in my pal Reeve's Wetback that came with the bottom fin.

[ZUL8TR]

What happens is when the sponson fin airs out in a turn the center ? [bottom fin] tries straighten the boat so you get the feeling of the nose releasing & re-grabing in the bumpy stuff. After eliminating the bottom fin its like a normal hydro, holding a turn fairly steadily. This I experienced in my pal Reeve's Wetback that came with the bottom fin.

But why the sponson fin on the right sponson back? Only right turns. My Wetback ran 1 fin off the left sponson (APBA circuit), fin off water in the straights and tip in on the turns is all I needed.

[BillCNC]

Hey guys,

I put this boat (boat in this thread), against my Glen-L Spartan The Wetback turns are slightly tighter, ... but the Spartan is definitely smoother on the straights in smother water. The Wetback can take a little rougher water, but it bounces like there's no tomorrow. I ran the Wetback with the Mariner that came with it and the Spartan had my 102 on it. I wanted to swap the engines, but it wasn't that easy until I rewired the Wetback which I have done. I was going try the motor swap but after inspecting BOTH boats, ... I broke them both!!!

Some mods to the cockpit of the Spartan are being made and almost done. The Wetback needs to have the sponson bottoms replaced, ... as the plywood is cracking.

Turns out, ... the Wetback never saw a thread of glass.

I guess we know what I'll be doing this winter, ...

Bill

[johnsonm50]

But why the sponson fin on the right sponson back? Only right turns. My Wetback ran 1 fin off the left sponson (APBA circuit), fin off water in the straights and tip in on the turns is all I needed.

That I don't know, Reeves's was always on the left & had a roll up type center fin about where a runabout would.

[johnsonm50]

Now I'm thinking [after looking again] that it would do the same thing Reeves' did. The throttle appears to be right too so probably the same besides whatever the prop direction might add.. not much tho with the bottom fin to hold it.

[3autility]

wetback

I built a Wetback back in 1977 and ran it with a 20H popper. The boat was a dog. Slow as molasses. The turn fin was, as it should be, on the left sponson. I am not sure about the set up on this boat, although the workmanship is very nice.
In any case, why is the owner running the hydro without a jacket or helmet, no matter how slow it may be?

[johnsonm50]

"In any case, why is the owner running the hydro without a jacket or helmet, no matter how slow it may be?"

It isn't a good choice but IS his choice if not required locally.