Fletcher speed boat project

[QBhoy]

Hi all
Just a quick one to express the pleasure that restoring a wee fletcher speedboat can bring.
Long story short, my retired father and I recently bought a mid 90's Fletcher arrowsport 16 which had been abandoned for 3 years. The engine was considered a non runner, the power trim jiggered, steering seized and all he usual issues with such a case.
The main thing was that the boat had been dry stored, hull was good and interior just dirty.
We are now at the stage where the steering has been freed (nightmare), power trim motor stripped and overhauled and working on test bench, at least. Engine oil injection pipe had perished leaving a doubt in my mind, but compression good and she fired up after some oil down the cylinders and some fresh petrol (pre mixed of course)
Hopefully she runs as well in the water as she does in the drive way. Haha.
Still needing a good machine polish etc.
anyway, the main point of the post is to express the pleasure such a thing brings, not to mention some good old fashioned father-son bonding. I can highly recommend it !
Hopeful, within a week or so, she will be close to her former glory. She deserves it.
Lastly, any top tips to remove very untidy anti foul ?
Would love to hear other similar stories...
ATB, Allan

 

[rafiki_]

Great progress, but where are the pictures? ��

 

[capnjack]

Sounds like this is the sort of thing the guys on my forum do. Removing antifoul can be difficult but a few have done it.

 

[QBhoy]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qwt9yodnglrxcru/AABnb4MokE3hFBGkFJLXsRcza?dl=0
Not sure if this will work....here is a link to the fletchers sea trial with my own boat following closely...just in case !
Still have the anti foul to remove and the new shiny 19"p prop to try.

 

[QBhoy]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qwt9yodnglrxcru/AABnb4MokE3hFBGkFJLXsRcza?dl=0
Second attempt. Hopefully all attached now !

 

[Bigplumbs]

Lovely to see another fletcher back to life and on the water that is where they belong. Now all we need to do is get the Fletcher Company back going

Dennis

 

[QBhoy]

Would be nice to see

 

[QBhoy]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vlx4knomqt6ssmf/AADrXy-z9J-GeJD1Jr1US1Hya?dl=0

Test run number two with the new prop and oil injection mix testing. Turned out lovely.

 

[rbcoomer]

Great boats! :encouragement:

Here's ours:

 

[QBhoy]

Great picture. Amazed at how solid the thing is in a chop. Superb wee hull. I'm wondering about the prop set up. The rev counter doesn't work. I have a 19" pitch on it. Was doing about 42 mph trimmed up and light, with the 90 hp. How does yours compare and how the hell did you get the photos on without using a link ?

 

[QBhoy]

Yours an Arrowsport 150 ? Looks the same hull. This is an Arrowsport 16. I'd imagine it's identical.

 

[rbcoomer]

Yes, they played a bit with numbering over the years - she's 15'9". Pics are linked

I get 36.6kts top speed 2 up with 60l fuel (stern tank) just fitted bow tank, so hoping for more!

Same speed with 19p, 20p, 22p & 23p 4 blade! Can't yet break 40kts on gps! Bank in in a few weeks, so lots more testing - the 4 blade ss Trophy has loads if bite, but tries to corkscrew the boat when you land, so need to be quick on helm!

 

[rbcoomer]

P.S. Over-revved with 19p - hit 6000rpm, so be careful!

 

[QBhoy]

Mmm. That's what I'm worried about. Hard to tell what it's doing. It's at least 5000 anyway. What should it be ? About 5500 ? It's a black max 13x19"P. Had a solas stainless 19" on it, but was in bad shape.
Having had a few boats similar sized, can't speak highly enough of the laser 2 prop. Amazing things.
37 knots is pretty brisk. Well over 40mph anyway.
This one still has a really untidy anti foul job on it. That's coming off asap. Should improve things.
Next will be to disconnect the oil injection and just mix the tank. Never trust them after a disaster years ago. Mercury dealer reiterated this to me too.
Seemed really decent on fuel too. I'm used to a monster V8 in my own speedboat though. Haha.

 

[rbcoomer]

The 19p I had was an alloy, the 20p and 22p are Laser II's and the 23p a Trophy. I also borrowed a 19p Trophy and that was similar but was too choppy to get a good run really. Have my eyes open for a 21p Trophy as I think that will be about right... Will see what the tank move does first.

I also have smart tabs and suspect they lose a couple of mph off top end due to drag. Will try tying up with the rams off and see how she runs too. They were fitted because the boat was so stern heavy, we couldn't get on the plane below about 22kts - now she's planing at around 16/17kts. Again I think this will be better with forward tank - might even see 45kts with a bit of luck!

 

[TheOrs]

Mmm. That's what I'm worried about. Hard to tell what it's doing. It's at least 5000 anyway. What should it be ? About 5500 ? It's a black max 13x19"P. Had a solas stainless 19" on it, but was in bad shape.
Having had a few boats similar sized, can't speak highly enough of the laser 2 prop. Amazing things.
37 knots is pretty brisk. Well over 40mph anyway.
This one still has a really untidy anti foul job on it. That's coming off asap. Should improve things.
Next will be to disconnect the oil injection and just mix the tank. Never trust them after a disaster years ago. Mercury dealer reiterated this to me too.
Seemed really decent on fuel too. I'm used to a monster V8 in my own speedboat though. Haha.

Max rpm for a 1992 90HP is 5500rpm. I think yours is the same.

My Arrowflyte (14' 6") with 75 Merc and 13x19 Laser II runs about 45mph. With a ali 21p it used to run 47mph but would start to chine walk at that speed. With a 20p Hi-Five top end was 40ish mph and acceleration not that great. I bought a 20p Laser II and got it re-pitched to 19p.

Your boat should be slightly faster as it's longer and your 90HP has an extra 250rpm over my 75HP.

37 knots is 42.5mph. That's not bad. Get rid of the anti-foul and finish your fettling and you should see 45mph easily.

 

[QBhoy]

Ideal. Yeah, often wondered why fuel tanks are put in the stern of a boat. Silly idea. I haven't had more than about £30 in the tank, but it was planing with just me in it at around 17mph trimmed down. Probably a different story with folk in the back and a full tank.

 

[rbcoomer]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qwt9yodnglrxcru/AABnb4MokE3hFBGkFJLXsRcza?dl=0
Not sure if this will work....here is a link to the fletchers sea trial with my own boat following closely...just in case !
Still have the anti foul to remove and the new shiny 19"p prop to try.

If you open one picture on drop box and right-click & 'copy link' - then paste the link into your post and [ IMG ] in front and [ /IMG ] (without spaces) after, the image will embed into the post. e.g.

 

[rbcoomer]

Ideal. Yeah, often wondered why fuel tanks are put in the stern of a boat. Silly idea. I haven't had more than about £30 in the tank, but it was planing with just me in it at around 17mph trimmed down. Probably a different story with folk in the back and a full tank.

Yes, we tried all sorts - anchor, bags etc in ski-hole and both stood up leaning over screen with son in between to get to plane with full tank! In the end I fitted the smart tabs that I had for the ArrowFlyte and eureka she planed effortlessly! The stability at speed over confused water is much better too and I suspect less chine walk (assuming I can break the 50mph point as they don't really suffer below that anyway.)

 

[QBhoy]

Ah, I see.
Thanks for that.
The orrs, thanks for the info. Hopefully the anti foul removal will make the difference. It's really rough and flaky. I also think it's the stuff that's meant for slow displacement boats.
I'm sure a decent stainless would make a difference. Another factor is that I wasn't sure about the oil injection, so had the tank mixed at 50/1 and also discovered the oil injection was working too. Really smokey and won't be helping the performance.
Didn't dare trim it up too much because it was a bit choppy and also don't know the boat too well.
One thing I did notice was that if I was to let the steering go at speed, it would spin rather alarmingly to the right !! Would perhaps take an inexperienced helmsman by surprise. I realise that the propeller direction and weight of the outboard will do this, especially since there is no resistance in the form of hyd power steering....just took me by surprise. It's been a while since I had an outboard and couldn't remember.