Project Boat Suggestion

[martin]

Hi All,

My sixteen year old son has decided that he wants his own boat (yep, you would have thought watching me pull my hair out every trip he would know better) and he wants a project (paint it black and put stickers on it i suspect).

He has a budget of £500. We live on the river in Hertfordshire so he can plonk it in and get about on it once he is finished his "refit" but he will need a trailer and engine..I have a Discovery to tow it home...

Now he has been searching the net and come up with loads of stuff but i dont know much about small speedboats...any thoughts on where to start him off? Fletcher Glaston etc..is there much to consider beyond does it float?

 

[mikefleetwood]

Don't know for sure, but I suspect all rivers will be subject to speed restrictions. So, I think a "speedboat" is probably out of the picture. Also, the navigable rivers will need a permit of some kind.

I don't know what part of Hertfordshire you're in, but a mooch round some riverside boat yards is as likely to turn something up as anything else. Probably get some useful advice too.

 

[Sheppy]

If the river will be his main area of use and he's set on a speed boat, maybe a small Fletcher 14 with just 15hp on the back. Fast enough to have some fun, not fast enough get arrested, and quite cheap to buy too. Also, he'll find tons of help/support on the Fletcher forum when he stars his restoration project. He can even come to the South West Fletcher Boat Rally too.

 

[sarabande]

has he thought of sailing boat, something like the little Hurley on ebay for £500.


The possibility of finding a girlfriend who might be interested in pottering around could be a factor !


Cosy little boat.... Especially with the cosy accommodation up for'd


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hurley-Si...&otn=4&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=4794045886830965266

 

[martin]

pottering

yes, I think the girlfriend angle is definately there ;-)

I tried to suggest something with a sailboat or even something with a canopy but he was having none of it..its needs to be sleek and look like its doing a hundred miles an hour even when its moored.

I will definately check out the Fletcher forum..didnt know about that..I think the 15hp is about right. May put a prop guard on it as well just to make sure nobody looses a limb!

We are on the river lea so it will need a BW license..but i am assuming that a simple fibre glass shell with an outboard will be pretty easy to register.

 

[kevin007]

seapanther engine help!!

Hi,
My first time on this sight... I looking for someone to help my on the wiring side of my seapanther diesel engine. I've been working on my freemans 22 mk2 boat for three years. Everything else is done except the engine. The engine has a 12v starter motor, and it turns very slowly. I have been told to change everything to 24v supply, but I feel this is too costly. What I'd like to do is run it off two 12v batteries connecting it to a 24v soleniod thus keeping the 12v alternator. Hoping the engine would fire up... !st question? do I put pos to neg using the other post being poz to supply and the neg to chassis?
2nd question? or can wire the two battries ie the main batt poz to the soleniod and soleniod to starter. The second battery poz to the other side of the post on the soleniod 24v I have a smart com heavy duty to keep the second battery charged thus leaving the 12v alternator to keep the main battery charged. I hope this makes sence to someone as I'm running out of options. Thanks for anyone who can help

 

[Sheppy]

It sounds like he's set his heart on a little sports boat then. The Fletchers 14Arrowflytes look like they're going fast even when in the driveway. They're British too – not that youngsters know what that means these days.
The other option might be a small Dory with a helm - good stable/practical boats for little money.

I'm quite envious that your son wants to get on the water and have his own 'wheels', my children just show so little interest - Grrrr.

 

[Red]

A great place to start would be an ex mod small craft disposal. You could get a nice whaler - an open tiller steered launch, something good to mess around with. Another place to get boats on that sort of budget is Beaulieu Boat Jumble. Many trailed boats turn up and will be waiting to be towed away,

Good luck

 

[VicS]

You must be looking at the River Lee from Hertford down to Waltham Abbey or a little beyond.
I'm not sure a 16 year old in speed boat is going to make many friends among the anglers and other boaters

 

[martin]

U turns

Hi Sheppy..take heart..to date he has always said he hates boats!!!...I have tried not to push them, in fact I spent the first 15minutes of the discussion about his project trying to tempt him into building a go cart... and that approach seems to have worked because out of the blue he has done a complete U turn and now says he has been around boats all his life and has always liked them..so its natural that he wants one of his own ... who knows how its happened but I must confess I am now VERY Excited about helping him restore something.;-)).

The other big U turn has been the lady of the house, who up until now has refused any boats on the premises (not even my sexy 290 SLX Sea ray currently languishing in a yard in Spain)...but then "Mummys little prince" decides he wants one and hey presto..no problem, why not!?

..by the way he was very impressed with the Fletcher forum..more brownie points for me!

Vics, I couldnt agree more..but I dont think he is too concerned about making friends with anglers and other boaters..as long as he obeys the rules and nobody gets hurt I dont see why he shouldnt have some fun with his friends on the river. Anyway....it could be worse ..I may yet get that 290 SLX back here and put that on the river just for fun..

 

[DownWest]

A great place to start would be an ex mod small craft disposal. You could get a nice whaler - an open tiller steered launch, something good to mess around with. Another place to get boats on that sort of budget is Beaulieu Boat Jumble. Many trailed boats turn up and will be waiting to be towed away,

Good luck

Pardon me but: I think you are somewhat out of touch with the aspirations of todays yoof. Far too trad.