13ft fletcher speedboat build

[Fishtigua]

I have a spare dinghy engine on my dinghy. Belt and braces maybe, but I have a Tohatsu 2.5 on standby next to my Yam 15. I live in Guernsey and s**t happens very quickly near big rocks and with big tides.

[mickrick]

Nice to see another nutter restoring a hulk.
There are hundreds of them around, and every time I see one, I always think there´s a nice old boat waiting to be loved.
I keep passing an old Bertram 31 that´s been left to rot. What a lovely thing that would make. Must resist must resist....

You´ve done a great job turning someone's unwanted junk into a nice usable boat. Well done!

[clarkson22]

hi lads thanks for comments, im going to do some digging to see if it is a fletcher, but get cracking looks like a good boat man , theres a few dying boats up at stannah in thornton, id love to do a bigger boat! but the next project is a defender 110 i think , not to sure might be a bigger boat! my freind keeps going on about sticking another superbike engine in a quad so not to sure yet!, but ill update this once i get out on the sea and try get some good videos!

im going to sort photobucket out sometime today and get the rest of the pics on, other seat is nearly trimmed (thanks mum) anyway ill update sat

[clarkson22]

realised i never updated this with videos its still going now but im just in process of reinforcing my boot floor on e46 m3 so cant get out yet but we went in in may and its still good after being stored through winter had loads of fun on it last summer and need to get my car sorted so we can finish this summer off



that was it running day before we first went out last year around july and it still starts very easy

ill upload the videos of it on water tommorow photobuckets taking the piss and taking forever

[clarkson22]

first video of it on water , photobuckets still being gay is taking ages to load but might work hopefully

[clarkson22]

finally got another video of it out on water from last year if anyones still reading hahah,


just some random pics from last year , should be out next week





me (left) and the other owner johnny








the little klapped out boat made the summer so fun, and again will this year lol, thanks for reading ( if there is anyone)

[Fishtigua]

Clarkie, you and the boys have the best of fun.

Simple boating, it's not ruddy rocket science.

[clarkson22]

cheers mate cars nealry on wheels so the boats comming out soon

[Wing Commander]

Looks fantastic fun! Very jealous...

Bravo also on the lifejackets. Many people feel they are unnecessary, right up until they depend on them. On the same vein, don't forget the killcord if you haven't got one Happy motoring!

[clarkson22]

cheers buddy always waer them and always have the kill switch on wrist when the engine is running

[LFB531]

I've just enjoyed a second summer with my mid 90's Fletcher, she's a 16' Bravo with a 90hp Mercury 2 stroke. I'm a newcomer to this game but with a bit of common sense, it's been a blast.



Reading back over the older posts there was some mention of hydroplanes that were getting mixed reactions. I fitted a set half way through the summer and the 'get up and go' was noticeably better especially with a skiier on the back.

[clarkson22]

thought id update this summer lol added a big windscreen ..works perfect and added to cobra bucket seats ..oh and a power trim what a difference the boat is now





few videos



just need the summer to be..well summer lol

[chrisga]

Looks like you're having a lot of fun. In black with the big seats and screen it looks like a James Bond baddie boat!

[Efbe]

love it. really tempted to get my own.

what are outboard engines like to work on? awkward with the whole water thing and sealing?

[clarkson22]

hi mate outboard is super easy to work on, out the water anyway lol but its just a simple 60hp engine lol , and look for a winter project most people sell them after summer

[clarkson22]

well time to update the speedboat! it hasnt been out since summer of 2015 my son was born in feb 2016 and it has been sat in my garden since 2015 my son is now 2 and its time to get it back on the water , the trailer suspension arms were shot so new pair ordered with hubs and wheels , new jockey wheel , the rollers or polybush and still rotate freely so there fine,.....the boat it was full of crap , so we cleaned it all out and had a look at the electrics, ended up re-wiring everything in one weekend , cleaned all the carbs, add some fuel and it started first time, but there was a problem....water wasn't coming from the tell tale hole and that wasnt good, attempted to get gearbox off , snapped 5 out of 5 bolts , got thermostat off and the impeller was missing most its fins, so new everything for the gearbox all seals , welded nuts to the snapped bolts on the main body and managed to get them all out, tapped the threads and thats were we are today, we managed to fit the trailer suspension today, and i fitted my tow bar on the shed, im going to wire the electrics tomorrow and hopefully the gearbox bolts arrive monday and the jockey wheel for its sea test next weekend any way pictures!!!

sorry state
20180504_172401 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

old knackered electrics
20180505_152850 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

carbs off
20180504_172409 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

cleaning float and jets off them all
20180506_092740 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

electrics done and testing it out
20180507_172313 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

engine wiring done
20180507_161924 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

got a second hand controll unit for power trim as we got a power trim in 2015 but we had it wired to a switch on dash now it is oem plus the old controller was knackered
20180507_172320 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

alll electrics tidyed up in some kevlar loom wrap
20180509_135659 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

rubber floor matt back in
20180509_141935 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

battery box tidyed up
20180509_141916 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

seats cleaned
20180509_142940 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

new winch
20180510_192412 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

my lad testing the seats
20180512_145551 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

new thermostat and gasket going in
20180517_181810 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

20180517_181838 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

holes were tapped
20180517_183507 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr
marine grease
20180517_183636 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

all done
20180517_183817 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

has a nightmare with the waterpump bolt it snapped and when i welded a nut on i ended up breaking the side of the cast aluminium a bit, jb weld on it and re tapped the thread and it will hold 20nm which is fine for the housing
20180518_174200 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

old suspension units
20180519_133611 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

new ones on rated to 750kg instead of 500kg, we had to re drill the holes but they didnt send bolts so had to use old ones till i get some new ones monday or tuesday
20180519_150305 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr

bit of primer over the bare metal
20180519_194913 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr
otherside
20180519_194932 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr
20180519_195040 by Chris Clarkson, on Flickr
nearly there will try and get gearbox on , on monday when bolts arrive but im back at work wednesday to friday and want to go out saturday!!so need it finished monday or tuesday !

were going to use it for summer take engine off sell the hull and get a 15ft/16ft fishing boat and whack the 60 on it

Edited by clarkson22 on Saturday 19th May 21:32

Edited by clarkson22 on Saturday 19th May 21:34

[Ayahuasca]

Boats don't take long to deteriorate, do they?

[clarkson22]

Yes mate ...if you don't store them properly *cough* but I was in a rush to move house and my lad came I left it as it was !

[clarkson22]

Well just thought I'd update this 2 years ago we put gearbox back on and went out for the remainder f summer and it got dumped at my mums while we moved house and stayed there till a few weeks ago ,
Last time it was on water 2 years ago



We decided to send it down and repaint it and sort the silly windscreen out, I've re done all the wiring ...again and put new trim and tilt relays on and that all works again just been sanding down ready for paint
Sanded the bottom for anti foul paint



Top side sanding nearly done


Going for a blue metallic for the top , going to order some thin plexiglass for the windscreen ,mine and my pals kids are abit older now so they want to come along on the ride aswell!!

[clarkson22]

Nearly there!!!
Just a picture of how we painted the u underside and trailer got a lick of paint


Made a windscreen - miles better than the last just need to smooth edges off




Decided to paint engine lid and engine


Base coat on marine blue metallic

This is where it became fun my clear coat gun decided to play up and was just splattering it all over , must not of cleaned properly last time! Lesson learnt , with clear splattered I poured the clear coat in a cup got a decent brush and brushed it on it turned out ok some brush lines but nothing a wet sand wont sort out. Need a new gun though!

Base coat on the engine , forgetting my gun was fked ....yep out came the brush and 2k

Not to bad for brush but still some brush Marks still nothing a wet sand wont sort

Wet sanded the lid from 1200 1800 2400 3200 4000
And hand polished it I couldn't keep it still with the rotary lol

Cutting compound by hand

Top half polished by hand

Just need to finish the sides with polish as I gave up my arms hurt...I mean kids had to go bed !


Not bad need to wet sand and polish the engine and paint the boat and we can go out!!!!!!!