The Resurrection

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Matt Flynn
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The Resurrection

Post by Matt Flynn »

There have been no on-the-water posts from me lately because my boat has been off the water. My dad's old boat - a 4.7m Savage runabout which I have owned for some time - is getting a revamp.

I was going to buy a new one this year but decided to put it off for two years to get ahead on the mortgage etc - also, with more remote area Fish Finder research trips due soon, I would rather tow an already well worked hull down the Gibb River Rd and up Cape York etc than a shiny new one.

So after much wistful looking at Xtremes, Quinnies, Formosas, Barcrushers and the new 4.8m Polycraft I decided to simply make some radical changes to 'The Whale' and keep costs to a minimum.

The Whale was a front steering job with a sad 48L tank and an old model Yamaha 2-stroke 85hp - it originally had a 50hp Johnson 2-stroke which I blew up soon enough. The 85hp is reliable and powerful but noisy, thirsty and fumy, being an old style 50:1 premix two-stroke. With a 15hp aux on the back the hull was back heavy because the transom is not built out - there is only a small pod.

The boat was fine for NT reef and estuary fishing in sheltered waters - but front steering in an alloy boat is awful over chop because you get hammered by the waves, and I much prefer side and centre consoles and tiller steer layouts.

So last month I drew up an unusual plan and started hunting around for a welder - welders are very busy in Darwin at the moment - Allycraft was moving shop, and Fingers had a 4-week waiting list. And the welder next to Quality Marine went to Gove just when my plan was hatched.

I finally got Arafura Welding at Yarawonga pinned down for the work. I got the boat back on Friday and Arafura has done a superb job installing a high casting deck and cutting out the front steering console etc. I had them put a small centre console on the casting platform - perfect height for comfortable steering in all conditions and allowing full access to a huge new dry storage space under the deck and leaving the lower hull clear with sleeping space for two.

I also got Arafura to put in high seat spigots on the bow and stern for casting purposes - they are too high for general travel or for rough weather in this light boat. Crew will sit on seats on the low deck near the console to keep the centre of gravity down during travel.

I have also had a starboard side detachable bait board installed (gotta be careful how you pull it out or it smacks you in the forehead :evil: ) and I will be putting in a detachable outrigger. I'm going to try making the outrigger out of rangoon cane and for a steering wheel I am looking at one of the small old style wooden jobs from BLA, just for a laugh :mrgreen:

The new motor will be a 90hp Tohatsu TLDI from Quality Marine - that's a direct injection motor similar to Evinrude ETEC technology but using Orbital technology low pressure injection instead of high. Tohatsu says this low pressure system puts less stress on the motor and better atomises the fuel for more efficient running.

I had considered a four-stroke but the transom is not suitable for a heavy engine and the Yamaha 60hp 4-stroke - while light enough at 110kg and an awesome motor - was not really enough grunt for my needs. And above this size all 4-strokes tend to jump right up to 160kg plus.

The Tohatsu 90hp is reasonably light at 142kg - not a big difference but it all helps. The fuel figures of these direct injection 2-strokes are impressive - they actually troll using less fuel than a 4-stroke (hard to believe, but that's what the data says) and at wide open and cruise throttle they use similar, if not less, fuel to 4-strokes if the sales data is to be believed. They also are quieter and have far less fumes than old style 2-strokes. They have three idle speeds available at a push of the key for trolling.

Right now I am painting the console and deck and shortly the motor will go on.

I am pulling the wooden floor decking out and will have a much bigger tank put under the floor.

The main wildcard in all this is electrolysis - I looked hard and could not find anything suss in the hull but it was hard checking it with the bottom of the interior of the hull covered in hard gunk.

With a 90hp installed it is going to be fast but most of the time I will be motoring for economy, except during the morning race for the run-offs. The power will be good for carrying full fuel and camping gear, and for towing the sports tube.

Will also add a forward spotlight, deck wash and other gizmos.

I will report shortly with more pix as it is finished and with first impressions of the TLDI motor etc.

I have decided to donate the old motor to Kai Hansen at Goat Island Lodge on the Adelaide River so he has something to power his barge. The motor has many hours of use left in it and will help Kai out a little since he has been flooded out twice at great expense.

When this old hull falls apart (hopefully not at North Gutter - dual bilge pumps will be installed!) I figure the Tohatsu will be good to go on a nice new Xtreme, Formosa, Quintrex or Polycraft hull. Maybe even a Barcrusher ...
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Last edited by Matt Flynn on Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:19 pm, edited 6 times in total.


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Post by unseen1 »

sweet mod matt ..

question - how do u get to teh anchor well?
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Post by justin »

looks good matt and it will be like a new boat anyhow

was the runabout realy that bad in the chop.
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anchor

Post by Matt Flynn »

How do you get to the anchor well?

From the casting platform.

I think you might have misunderstood the layout - once it is carpeted it should make more sense - right now it looks like 2rods' new cleaning table :rofl:
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Post by unseen1 »

yeah probably all good though :D
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Post by temp »

Should be a nice rig once the reno's are complete :wink:
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Post by Matt Flynn »

Yeh, it looks odd but from a practical point of view I can't think of a better setup for this hull.

Casting lures from up high is great, as you get a better view of the spots you are fishing.

There's still room up back for a big jewie or mack to slap around on the floor.

The centre console is slightly forward with the skipper's seat in the middle of the boat, with the console being the perfect height for standing or sitting. The forward console keeps weight forward which suits this hull and provides the sleeping room on the rear deck.

A side console would probably have been no good - I am heavy and the boat would lean :grin:

I am fitting gas spigot chairs for extra comfort - I don't know why these are not more popular. Maybe they don't last.

Two small eskies will be stored under the casting deck (one for food and one for fish), except during serious meato trips when I will use my large eskie as the skipper's seat. Having eskies under cover means the ice will last longer.

I am also fitting video camera mounts so the fishing action is always being recorded.

But where do I put the Webber?
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Post by Matt Flynn »

I forget to mention that it will also have Humminbird sidescan and a MinnKota remotely steered electric motor, plus Garmin GPS.

And maybe a spud gun :wink:
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Post by Matt Flynn »

Got my boat back from Quality Marine with the new motor on - yeehah!

I've been busy building a new wooden floor, installing dual auto bilge pumps, adding more flotation and other underfloor stuff etc before I put in the deck and add carpet.

I got a great quote from Raysea Marine on welding up a full transom so I went ahead with that - funny how these jobs get bigger and bigger. Could have had the 4-stroke after all, no prob tho.

Also got a second fuel tank.

And three more seat spigots.

Gotta stay away from Bunnings, so many bits and pieces, I tell you what, the bills add up.

Haven't fired up the new TLDI 90hp yet. Can hardly wait.

Will post more as the project develops.
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Last edited by Matt Flynn on Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Gold Can »

Should be no reason why we shouldn't see you up Apsley this weekend :fishing: then.
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Post by justin »

matt looking good so far but i have a question

is the backup motor you have a short shaft and if so does it get alot of wash over it if you do any blue water fishing or no more than the main motor.

i have a 15 short shaft and was thinking of using it as a back up motor myself
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Post by Matt Flynn »

Gold Can - yes I am envious - my boat will not be ready for your Melville trip but I have another planned shortly - by then you guys will have come back with all the good info :mrgreen:

Justin - I had a standard Yamaha 15hp aux on there and she sat a bit low but that was before the transom was built out. The boat was back heavy. I think a short or standard leg would be fine, but certainly a longer leg might be good for a dedicated aux if you want to keep it drier. Auxilliaries do tend to get wet because of the side mount and the boat rocking, plus when you are sitting up the back using the auxillary the boat is back heavy.

I am thinking about getting a smaller aux, maybe an 8hp - something a bit lighter - I need to look at some motor specs - it used to be that 8s and 15s weighed the same.

I had a 3hp outboard once - surprising how it could push a 3.5m tinny along against a 7m tide. And it could probably mix milkshakes too :grin:
Last edited by Matt Flynn on Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:30 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Post by Ray Broughton »

I like it.. Great work :mrgreen:
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Post by Matt Flynn »

I hit the water today for the first test.

The Tohatsu 90 TLDI is like a sewing machine - starts instantly and idles steady without the characteristic ups and downs of a non-injected two-stroke.

Throttle response is instant. At this stage I can only report 30kmh at 3000rpm as I am running the motor in and have not yet gone any faster.

Don't have a fuel meter so can't report fuel use.

But the boat handles better than it ever did as a runabout.

Pic attached - another report later when the motor is run in.
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Post by Gold Can »

should be ready for the next Apsley trip then
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