You mean like who we are, where we are, why we are doing this?
Well, I've lived in the same town/local area for 47 years. Norman/Noble, OK. My grandfather worked on the dam that supports our local lake, now it's a State Park, Lake Thunderbird. I feel close to this lake. It covers up land my family used to walk around on, hunt and fished the river. I can see the place I lived after my folks brought me home in 1961.
I'll have say I do it cause it's the only way to do water. Going fast and the ability to go anywhere. Nothing like the freedom you feel on a big lake at 50mph. The turns you can make and the feel of the engine under your butt. Zoom Zoom!! It's something the entire family enjoys and can hardly wait to do again this summer. "I want to go to the lake" is the common voice around me and my friends and family.
I am a craftsman. I like to make things. Restoring an old boat (or car/truck but I like boats, I think it's the wood and fiberglass) makes me feel like I created something. Even though I didn't create it I made it new again. Then to take it to the lake, well the feeling is awesome. I'm on my fourth boat restoration. It's coming along now. In the past week I've fitted transom, strakes and floor boards. Lots more to go.
I'm Mark Turner and I do it on the water!
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A bad day in my boat is better than any other day!
(( ( Going fast and the ability to go anywhere. Nothing like the freedom you feel on a big lake at 50mph. The turns you can make and the feel of the engine under your butt. Zoom Zoom!! It's something the entire family enjoys and can hardly wait to do again this summer. "I want to go to the lake" ) ))
Mark ... Thats My Story too, and I'm Stickin Tuit ... Well put buddy .
I'm OleRed, I spent 15 years in the Crash Fire Rescue service for several municipalities, beginning in the Army in 1967, Fairbanks Ak, Huachuca Az, Oklahoma City in 1973 at Will Rogers Airport, Wiley Post Okc, Page, Sundance, Madison Wis, LaCross Wis. I negotiated and bid contracts for the second largest private CFR contractor in the world. I negotiated and bid contracts with the City of Ardmore Ok, U.S.Airforce, Japan Airlines, and the McDonald Douglas corp providing the Crash Fire Rescue / Security where I was promoted to Fire Chief and maintained those contracrs for five years.
I began working on boats full time in 1985 at Lake Murray Marina, we lived there on our 48ft houseboat, then moved to Catfish Bay marina at Lake Texoma. I began buying and selling old boats, restorations, mostly the classics, for about 23 years, I sold out my boat business two years ago and now I'm just working on a few of my own and Loving It !
I feel like a 'Pleeb', when compared to these guys, but here I go... My background is in autobody. I found a passion in restoring old things and making them new again, and putting in a little flare of my own! I took a Chevy Beretta that had the front end smashed in, rebuilt it, then painted it pink with a lime green splash job, and gave it to my wife for a wedding gift. My favorite project was my '71 Chevy Chevelle, very COOL! I restored an '82 Honda V-45 Magna that was ready for the recycle yard, turned out amazing! I don't do autobody for a living anymore, but I like doing it as a hobby. I just recently fell in love with boats when an old '58 Glastron Fireflite fell in my lap, and I became totally obsessed with everything boating! I took a boaters safety course, learned all I could about Glastrons, and about restoring fiberglass boats too! Once I got that baby restored and out on the water, my whole family was hooked on boating too! I got three young boys that ask me day and night, "When are we going boating again?" The answer is, that I got wetsuits ready to go when that ice melts!! ;) For more about me, and the resto on my boat, check out my new link called "captainpants place" on the "LINKS" button! (Thanx Glenn!)
"PLEEBS NO MORE!!!"
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
Tyan ... thats a Great Looking FireFlite ya got there and ya done a Great Job in it's restoration. I guess you know the 1958 Glastrons are some of the most desireable because of the sweep on the back of the fin's, the only year they done that, just a little touch that set them apart. That old Merc back there is a Fit ... I'll bet it's a Blast to handle.
Yeah, it's been lots of fun learning about the old Glastrons! Apparantly, they designed them after the cars of that era. So I've wanted to find a '58 Chevy to pull it with! How cool would that be!?! But they are pretty few and far between! I do like my matching Xterra to pull it with for now! Also, I really lucked out to find that old Merc, which was used on the '64 Glastrons. It goes pretty good, and will pull a skier or wakeboard. Although it seems that I'm getting too much cavitation and churning, so I think I'm getting robbed of some power. Do I need a different prop? Any thoughts?
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
Cavitation ? thats kinda odd on that combination, unless the prop blades aren't true, that would sure be something to have checked out, what prop are you running on it ?
I assume it is cavitation. Probably more like too much churning. The prop is like new, no dings or dents. The motor is off a big heavy boat, and I didn't change the prop or adjust the motor in any way. This Glastron is quite light, so that might have something to do with it. I also was wondering if the lower end was hanging down too low or something, but it looks to fit the boat right. It just seems like there is too much churning and splashing going on when that motor is goin'.
-- Edited by Captainpants at 22:02, 2009-02-10
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
The cavitation plate on the motor should be about even with the bottom of the hull of the boat, but it's not un-common to see it juas a little lower, maybe an inch. The RPM is really important to get the motor to perform to it's peak also, should be turning at least 5000. If the motor is propped down to push a big heavy boat, you may well be over reving the motor, not a good thing to do, I'd shre check that out, you may need to increase the prop pitch some.
Yeah, I had heard that about the cavitation plate, and it's sittin' about where it is supposed to be in regards to the bottom of the boat. I think you are dead on about the pitch of the prop. So, how do I find out what pitch is on the prop that I have, and what kind of prop do I need to swap it out for? I'm still a'learnin'.
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
Pull the prop. Look along the inner edge of the hub under the prop nut washer for numbers. It may have a part # with the pitch at the end like 48-44499-19 or a diameter and pitch like 14x19. It may be along the side stamped in the hub in between the blades of the prop too.
-- Edited by Thunderjet at 15:39, 2009-02-11
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A bad day in my boat is better than any other day!
Thanx Thunder! So, if it was a 19" prop, would I want a higher #, or lower to correct this problem (to increase the pitch). Also, are all the Merc props pretty generic, and fit most Merc outboards? So I know what to start looking for.
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
A tachometer makes the selection easier and you almost have to have one. The smaller the pitch the more power you will have upon initial acceleration but the slower you will go top end given the RPM's are correct. Max is about 5000 I think. So if your turning the prop at 5000rpm with a speed of 40 with a 19 then that's where you stay. Dropping to a 17 will give you more low end power but will decrease your top speed. If you go up to a 21 you will get little results cause the engine can't turn the 21 enough rpm to notice a speed increase.
However if your turning a 19p prop 6000 rpm then you need to go to a 21 or 23p prop. You'll still have the power but notice an increase on top speed. I'm guessing you need at least a 21 with that set up maybe a 23. A stainless steel prop will give you the best performance. You can also get props with high pitch numbers that have holes drilled in the hub to allow exhaust out and put air along the leading edge of the prop allowing it to gain rpm upon initial acceleration. This gives you a better hole shot and top end both. I don't run aluminum props. Not even my spare.
Stay within the diameter recommended for your motor. Some of the Merc guys may have a suggestion. I run OMC outboard motors and MCM sterndrives. Some props are interchangeable. Prop guys do magic with props these days.
-- Edited by Thunderjet at 09:16, 2009-02-12
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A bad day in my boat is better than any other day!
Hey, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain that to me! There is only so much you can get from a book. Valuable info to say the least! I'm excited to try out a different prop, and see what kind of difference it will make! HURRY UP SPRING!!
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
Hey Thunder, I posted in another thread that I just got a prop off E-bay. It fits perfect, and is in great shape! It is a 21 pitch which is what I think I need to shoot this boat across the lake quite nicely! But it is an aluminum prop, and in your previous post you said that you don't run aluminum props, how come?? I actually thought it was steel when I ordered it cuz it was painted black. When I realized it was aluminum, I sanded it down and buffed it to a nice little shine! Yeah! It looks great on there!
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"A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"...but I just can't keep it down, it tastes horrible!
Here's my take on the prop thing. I have worked around boats since 1979. My first 5 years were at a local dealership where we sold 100's a year. I was the parts and service manager. My job included a shipment to the prop shop every week. 90% were aluminum. I ran the same prop on my boat for 20 years. I never had to rebuild it. SS is stronger. Holds it's shape better. Aluminum will flex. Aluminum will crater under even the mildest encounter. Sand for instance. One dis-advantage, might be, I don't agree, and some will tell you the material will not "give' and hitting something will damage an aluminum prop instead of a gear case or worse because the SS is stronger. I believe if it damages an alum and didn't hurt the gears an SS prop would still perform and the alum will be trash. The hub inside the prop will give before the gears is my belief. Every encounter can produce different results however.
Two main things to remember. Have a spare and pay attention.
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A bad day in my boat is better than any other day!
Here's my take on the prop thing. I have worked around boats since 1979. My first 5 years were at a local dealership where we sold 100's a year. I was the parts and service manager. My job included a shipment to the prop shop every week. 90% were aluminum. I ran the same prop on my boat for 20 years. I never had to rebuild it. SS is stronger. Holds it's shape better. Aluminum will flex. Aluminum will crater under even the mildest encounter. Sand for instance. One dis-advantage, might be, I don't agree, and some will tell you the material will not "give' and hitting something will damage an aluminum prop instead of a gear case or worse because the SS is stronger. I believe if it damages an alum and didn't hurt the gears an SS prop would still perform and the alum will be trash. The hub inside the prop will give before the gears is my belief. Every encounter can produce different results however.
Two main things to remember. Have a spare and pay attention.
I could not agree more. A SS prop will last longer, perform better, handle those bumps along the way, and hell they look cool too!
Yeah, it's been lots of fun learning about the old Glastrons! Apparantly, they designed them after the cars of that era. So I've wanted to find a '58 Chevy to pull it with! How cool would that be!?! But they are pretty few and far between! I do like my matching Xterra to pull it with for now!
