New to the forum/Marine in general

[J13MEX]

9ft 1970's spitfire speedboat project

Hi there, My names Jamie and im from Gorleston near Great Yarmouth on the East Coast. I have recently (saturday) got myself a little 9ft (ish) speedboat project hence joining up.

My plan is to get it looking nice, get a decent outboard and have some fun on the few sunny days of the year we do get in england!

The boat itself is overall in great condition, its fibreglass, no cracks etc (few surface spider web cracks but its being painted anyway) there is one small chip on the hull which I will gelcoat filler (its on a fin and only 1mm or so deep so only cosmetic) the to half is in pretty bad cosmetic state, been painted by brush in a horrible blue colour, poor finish and generally tatty. The inside is pretty much the same story..

So far since having it I have removed any loose paint and sanded the inside and painted it black. Its all covered by the seats and carpets but it would bug me knowing its there!

I am not far off being half way through sanding the top half back (going right back as far as I can so I know the finish will be spot on) I have spent easily 10 hours on this so far with a little power mouse and hand rubbing! (will laugh when you see how little has actualy been done)

Could anyone identify the boat for me please? its 9ft. Full fibreglass and I can not see any markings anywhere to give me a clue?

Here are a few pics for you..

All the best, Jamie.

When I got it home, ready to jet wash all the moss and algea off!

Before I set to work on the loose paint inside!

after the first day it looked like this.. you can get an idea of the outside condition on the rear half.

during wet sanding..

after a quick wipe down to check how its looking..

how I packed up today, can see the floor, the bow half of the boat sanded right back..

Next on the list is finish the sanding, get it painted and during the week at work I will be making a new windscreen as the old one was yellowed and cracked..

All the best, Jamie

 

[J13MEX]

Looked at a Suzuki 2 stroke 16hp outboard last night, seems perfect for this? one worry was the controls, it had tiller control throttle etc, is there a way around this? many thanks

 

[lisilou]

Hi Jamie. Can't offer you any advice I'm afraid but looks a nice project to me. Anyway, welcome to the forum and keep posting the pics through the stages.
Lisa

 

[rafiki_]

Good luck with this Jamie. can't help with the make, but she looks good to me. With a 16 hp engine, she should fly. You can get controls to steer and throttle from the helm seat. Try ASAP Supplies in Beccles, just down the road from you. They are vey helpful and stock huge ammounts of parts for all sorts of boats, and are good value too.

Painting over spider crazing will not fix these, they need routing out with a Dremmel or similar, and filling. Not difficult, but time consuming.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[aquapower]

I had one of those about 20 years ago, and think it is called a Spitfire, cant remember who made them.

 

[lovezoo]

The boat looks like it will be huge amounts of fun, but it will have to be really flat calm conditions. Be prepared for many trips down to the sea, where you will just sit there watching, because its not worth putting the boat in the water.

 

[lisilou]

Just googled spitfire boats (I was bored lol):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmMX2yd_fJ8&feature=relmfu

 

[jfm]

Good cal by aquapower on the spitfire. yours is not the same deck mould as the one in the youtube but it is the same hull and of course has the distinctive flat bow copied 20 years later by Azimut I think yours is a late model spitfire with an update deck mould

Anyway, welcome, and great project. 15 hp would be fine with 2 passengers and 20hp would be very fast.

If you buy a tiller outboard you can diy convert it to remote control but it's quite a job and you need access to a metals workshop. A few models will have manufactuer remote kits available, eg the yamaha 15hp which is a very nice engine. You need to get an older 2 stroke I'd suggest - a 4 stroke will be too heavy

There's a really importnat point if you are buying a used outboard: they come in two lengths, 15inch "short shaft" and 20 inch "long shaft". You MUST get the right one. Measure vertically from the top edge of your transom to the bottom of the V of the keel. It will be 15 or 20 inches and that tells you whether to buy a "short" or a "long" outboard

Then when you buy the outboard you are measuring from where it hangs on top of boat transom to the flat plate immediately above the propeller - the so-called "anti cavitation plate" which ALL outboards have (ok, apart from jets and piercers but let's not worry about specialist outboards).

Good luck and thanks for the pics

 

[FalconSteve]

I'd love to see more pictures as you progress, you're set for a whole heap of fun when she's finished. you might run out of time for the weather this season though, you seem to be doing a proper job. look forward to next year though and you'll be ready for the good weather (1day in August if we're lucky).

Welcome on board

 

[PCUK]

I thought it was a Spitfire too. I seem to remember max recommended horse-power at 25 which I'd fit if I were you. You don't need to use the power all the time but on that one flat day - Yeeehaaa!

 

[Cosmographer]

Nice parking spot!

 

[Croc]

It is a Spitfire and they were made in Diss in the early 1970's .... spectacular performance with a 25hp but needs proper steering and throttle controls.
I seem to remember the company that made them came originally from the edge of London and moved up to Norfolk because life and labour were cheaper.

 

[Robg71]

That looks like its going to be proper good fun

 

[J13MEX]

Thanks for the replys, been very busy with it over the last few days. Lots of sanding really! It's nearly ready for paint. I will get a few up to date pics up when I switch to the laptop in a bit.

It's great to know what it is. Will help out in the future im sure. I will stick with under 25hp 2stroke then. Although I have been offered a Honda 10hp 4 stroke with low hours for 350pounds!?

Luckily for me, the sea is well under 5 minutes away from my house so not far to walk down and check conditions before I haul the boat down..

Check back soon. Pics will be up within the hour

All the best and thanks again for the kind comments.

Jamie

 

[SailorBill]

I can't believe I'm subscribing to a Motor Boat Forum thread. Will somebody please shoot me

Looks like a great little project Jamie. Keep the progress updates and pics coming.

 

[landlockedpirate]

Thanks for the replys, been very busy with it over the last few days. Lots of sanding really! It's nearly ready for paint. I will get a few up to date pics up when I switch to the laptop in a bit.

It's great to know what it is. Will help out in the future im sure. I will stick with under 25hp 2stroke then. Although I have been offered a Honda 10hp 4 stroke with low hours for 350

Jamie

The Honda could well be a bargain ( depending on age and condition ) but a four stroke is really too heavy for a boat like that.

Look for a 15-25hp 2 stroke.

 

[DougH]

I can't believe I'm subscribing to a Motor Boat Forum thread. Will somebody please shoot me :

BANG

 

[J13MEX]

Didnt have as many pictures as I first thought as I finished late in the evenings and it was dark most times Im working on it!

The front half is now totally sanded back, the part behind where the windscreen fits is now totally back to original material too. Just litterally the dipped area at the back (whats the name of this please?) left to do then getting her painted up!

The steering system on it seems VERY basic, but it works and it smooth. Its run of cable and pulleys which I beleive is a fairly old set up? Is it worth changing as it does its job? My plan is too get it out on water this year just to have a taster then either sell it on and buy something bigger or keep it and fully do the inside (actual seats rather than a bench as such) and new steering etc.

Cheers guys. Enjoy the pictures (well, 2 of them anyway)

Just found a bonus picture! the hull, you can see why im not painting it (it hadnt been cleaned in this pic) but its pretty much spotless! sorry for the boarderline night time pic too!

 

[J13MEX]

Also, not sure if anyone has any interest in motorsport on here? But here is the reason no matter how god the boat looks, it wont ever be my number 1 toy!

 

[lisilou]

Excuse my ignorance on this but the sanded back areas look shiny and new now and doesn't look like it needs painting at all t me. Is it as shiny as it looks in the pic Jamie?
Lisa