Arneson shafts
 

I rebuilt the #8 ASD's. Talking to Rik @ Arneson, they manufacture a shaft to fit a SM#6 props. A lot better than trying to find props to fit the ASD's.

I also changed the gear ratio from 1:1 to 1 1:32.

If you need a set of 4 blade Rolla's or a set of ASD prop shafts I can help.

The dash will back together and the drives will be hung in the next two weeks. Will post some more pics.

Spent Saturday screwing the cabin back together. About 6 different people stopped by to watch/talk and an 8 hour day turned into about 1.5 hours of work getting done.

Everybody is excited. Everybody also wants a ride.

Expresscat39,
Lock the doors! My friends all have hotrod shops and do nothing but talk. Everyone likes to waste your time. I still have to redo my heads before I spash the boat.

Just decided over the weekend to go for the NY poker run. How do I get the boat there. Can I go onto the toll roads or is it the back roads all the way there? The stop and go will kill me.

While pricing a new Pick-up, I found out the 250/350 Ford is getting a new look and may be availble by mid/late summer. I like to wait a year when buying new engines. This is new sheet metal.

Mark Smith

permits
 

Because your boat width is 11.5 foot beam, it will require road permits and daytime drving only. Even on the back roads the cops will get you.

You have to have red flags at all corners of the boat which indicate the widest or most exteneded corners of the boat/trailer. My trailer has holes to post the flags.

I have (had, but still have access to) an 89 Ford dually, dual cab, international deisel engine which I can use to pull. I used it so little I gave it to my buddy who drives it daily, does the maintenace, pays insurance etc. Actually a better deal for me for all I use it.

I still plan to have it done by mid May. Pouring the $$$$$ to it makes the work go faster.

For me New York is too far. I will just do the SOTW and then take it to FL this winter.

My TOp Gun is coming back up from FL in two weeks.

Expresscat39,
My trailer was manufactored with flag and "wide load" sign holders. My question is will the boats fit through the toll booths in Indiana, Ohio, and Penn.? I will not fit through the Illinois toll booths.
Mark

toll booths
 

Never ran a toll road before but that is a good point. From Chicago you could take 57 south to 30 and 30 east to Indiana then north to GH.

We are coming to Chicago this weekend. We are staying at the Hard Rock and going to see the Phantom.

Welcome to Chi-Town
 

Expresscat39,

I don't know what day or time your show is, but on Saturday there is a COPS party(Chicago Offshore Powerboat Squadron) at Hammond marina.

I am going to the New York Poker Run, and I am going to get a permit. I am sure I can get through the tollbooths in Ohio and Indiana. They will let me know when I apply for the permit.

Call me if you think that we can hook-up 708/207-6555.
Mark Smith

Chicago
 

We are leaving sometime Friday mid afternoon. Flying into Midway. Takes about 1.5 hours from Port Clinton.
Taking the L uptown. The show is Friday evening so we have all day Saturday.

Only plans on Saturday is to do some suit shopping downtown and drink our way through the afternoon and evening.

If I remember correctly Hammond is south of the city? Is the marina on the river?

Expresscat39,

Hammond is south quite a bit. It is where all of the gambling boats are located. The party was suppose to be at the Diversy Yacht Club, but they wanted to charge us bull**** fees. Hammond Marina is really nice and can handle all of the members.

When you are "downtown" chicago, the bars are open to 4am on Friday and 5am on Saturday. Many of the happening bars are packed all the way to closing. I don't what type of bars you like, there are many to choose from.

Mark

Saturday
 

I appreciate the invite. Since we don't have a car and want to slowly drink our day away through Chicago we will probably just hang out downtown, shop, drink and have appetizers. I know Chicago pretty well. Used to love it when they had Miegs field open. We used to buzz in for breakfast at the Hilton, lunch at Schuckers(which is closed now), shop then hop back in the plane and buzz back home at dusk.

Daily tore up the field a week before a trade show I was going to attend at McCormick. That was the first time I used Midway.

I am usually in bed by 10-11 pm so the late night life is not me. Fortuantely my girlfirend is the same schedule. I usually get up around 5 am everyday and at work @ 5:30 or so. Usually stay until 6-7 every evening unless it is summer then I am out boating.

We run to Put In Bay a lot, a a mjaor drinking Island in lake Erie. We call it the Disney World for alcoholics. One of the few places you can go and if you are not drinking by noon everybody thinks you are a stick in the mud. Just a few minutes from my house by boat.

toll booths
 

I am really curious if you can run the pike with a wide load?

How was Chi-Town?
 

Expresscat39,

I hope you had a great time in Chi-Town.

I have been to Put-n-Bay and Kelly Island. I was also at the Flats. I heard that they do not like the go-fasts at the Flats.

I will be going to a LEOPA Poker Run in Monroe, MI. It is at the end of July sometime. I heard it was a good time. Will you be attending this run?

Boot said that he has towed his boat on the turnpike all the way to Jersey. I will find out the details when I call for a permit.

Mark Smith

Chicago
 

Had a great relaxing time. Besides seeing the Phantom, we just bummed around form restaurant/bar to etc etc.

Sunday morning went to the Hilton for breakfast. Used to be outstanding, not anymore. The clientele also degredated. Things change.

We can do the LEOPA out of Monroe. We have several local ones. Time for a change. We will do the Monroe LEOPA run.

I talked to a guy who has towed a lot of cats. He said the turnpike is out becasue of the wide load and when you file for your permit they give you the routing. I did see Boot's note that he towed down 80/90 with a single axle 350.

Flats
 

You are correct regarding the flats. If you go there make sure your mufflers are working well.

Also Put In Bay and Sandusky have cracked down on noise and wake. As long as you ar not being an idiot and revving near shore/town the other authorities will not bother you.

Permit tow
 

Expresscat39,

I called the permit company today. I can tow in Indiana and in Ohio. Ohio requires a trail car with a wide load sign and communication(cb). The Penn turnpike is $1.75 per mile. Fooorrrgggeeettt about it! They told me to take the freeway instead. That will get me closer to New Jersey anyway. I think I will have 8 people on my boat for this event.

Mark Smith

PA PIKE $1.75/mile!
 

You could actually pick up 6 or 20 before entering Ohio and work your way to 90 just before you hit Cleveland.

I looked up the LEOPA web site and did not see a Monroe, Mi run listed.

Update
 

Just another update for you.

Should receive the gauges back from Livorsi today.
Also the new toggle covers, steering wheel, hub and LED lights.

Still have not received the new ratio sleeves and shims from Arneson.

Probably will go ahead and mount drive plates and drop in the engines and trannies next week.

This weekend we will start screwing everything and anything in the cockpit and cabin back together.

Still trying to have ready in May.

Poker Run
 

According to Poker Runs America, July 31, 2004, LEOPA's Thunderfest Poker Run, Monroe, MI. This is what I am using as a source. My friends attended the run 2 years ago and said it was great but long.
Mark Smith

monroe
 

Probably includes Put In Bay.

The one we usually have done for 10 + years leaves Sandusky Ohio and goes through Detroit to Lake St. Clair on the Canadian side (160-70 miles round trip) or to Leamington Ontario (110 miles RT), a little town just straight north of us in Canada.

Since 9/11 Customs in the states has become such a ***** I try to avoid the Canadian runs.

There are several poker runs out of Cleveland that come to Kelly's Island or Put In Bay, go to Toledo then back to Cleveland. That is almost 200 miles round trip.

The problem boating in Erie is on any given day you are going to have some rough water. It is too shallow.

Expresscat39,

I talked with Rockne Smith's "wife" and she said that it goes out of Monroe MI. It includes Fri. dinner, Sat. B, L, D and Sunday breakfast for $250 per boat for 2. $125 per additional person. Boating at my budget.

Mark Smith

MONROE
 

That is a better deal than the one's I have been on. Count me in for that. What is the address of that web site that has the info?

I looked under Poker Runs of America and did not see it.

pokerrun
 

Expresscat39,

If you look on Pokerrunsamerica magazine, they only show their sanctioned events. If you get the magazine, they list almost all the pokerruns in the country. It is on page 125 of the Bob Oliver issue( no months given?).

If you look at the leopa site, it is the event on July 30,31, and May 1,2004. On their old website, they showed a 39OE in the picture. They get alot of boats in their runs from what she was telling me.

Mark

Progress
 

Finally received the shims and ratio sleeves for the Arnesons.

Went to look at all the parts and pieces today. The local powder coater who I supported last year went out of business last July. I did not get the drives PC'd in time so I had them painted. Just sitting around they have a few bruises and chips. Somebody bought the PC shop and just reopened. I said screw it, I have lost my butt on this thing already it may as well be right. Loaded up all the Arneson parts and took them to be coated. Will have back in one week. Done and done right.

Last weekend I installed all of the PC'd metal frames on all the access and storage areas. I started to replace all the little access plexiglas door panels and they looked like crap. Removed all the frames and took them to the interior shop. Having vinyl snap on covers made so it looks nice and finished.

The new/rebuilt gauges are all mounted and should be hooked up this week. Still shooting for a May splash.

SLOW PROGRESS ALSO!
 

It's so cold in Chicago that it doe not feel like spring.

Going to visit my vinyl lady. Checking to see how far she progressed on the new cockpit. The chairs will now be high backed in the front. I am going with the white-out look with the OE logo in the headrest of each of the 8 seats.

The new custom exhaust muffler system is underway also. A 4" down tube welded into the bottom of my mufflers with a large washer ring welded on the outer part of my muffler to divert to exhaust through the 14" long down tube. Currently running dry exhaust with mufflers open. When the muffler flaps are closed, the exhaust will go down the downtube. Water will dump into the down tube and will have a baffle in these tubes as well.

The trim cyclinders for the Arnesons are on order.

I am having the flame arrestors and valve covers polished so the upper half of the engines will all be polished chromed.

Mark

Still shooting for May!
 

Sounds great!

I spend at least 2-3 hours a day ordering, planning and chasing down parts, pieces or checking to see how the guys are coming along with what ever they had time to do that day.

That touch to your seats will be a class act.

I have whited out my interior and cabin as well. Except for the gauges and steering wheel(platinum), the only other color is the name of the boat painted on the floor of the cockpit.

I had a buddy do his exhaust like yours and it works well. I still have the dry exhaust with the shotgun mufflers.

Did you order the hydraulics from Twin Disc?

MY WALLET LOST WEIGHT
 

All of these projects just cost big bucks.

The cyclinders from Twin Disc are $4000 each, so I am in the process of installing a modified stock trim cyclinder into the down tube. These will be a large diameter cyclinder for large loads. It is going to be a big project but should help me out.

The seats are being reconstructed. The headrests are going to be about 8-10" taller than the older headrests. I converted my cabin to white last year. My new cabin and cockpit carpet is on the way(red).

Trying to sell my shifters so I can order the new straight arm chrome shifters from Livorsi. I am going with chrome bezels with white gauges.

Did you find the LEOPA-Monroe, MI info?

Monroe
 

Found it. We will plan on doing that one. Boating on the very west part of the western basin of Lake Erie is usually pretty good unless you have an east wind then look out. It should be a good time.

I have figured out over a short period of time that Twin Disc appears to make all of the Arneson parts. the hydraulic cylinders are expensive. However, if you want to save some bucks you can go to an industrial dealer and get the same thing. I work through Applied Technologies(the old Bearings Inc) for all the hydraulic or other in line fittings. Much more reasonable. Also putting hydraulic rams on the hatches. Researching getting those through AT as well.

I have a slight advantage becasue of my company. We use so mcuh stuff fom them their rep comes right to the shop wherer the engines etc are at and makes his own list and orders whatever.

Something else to buy
 

I forgot about the rams. I went to a Warner Distributor and they could not find the ones I am looking for. I did not have a part number. Most boats have Warner cyclinders. If you find a decent set for cheap, let me know. I currently am using a "custom" 1x1x6 piece of wood. I have to mount mine toward the back of the engine compartment. I will need to change or add more hinges.

What about SOTW poker run?



Mark

Rams
 

The hatch hinges were origianlly on the sides. I am moving them to the rear. I will call the company today to see what he has. He finished inventorying all the fittings I would need yesterday. Two weeks to get. More delays/setbacks :mad:

Found out yesterday that the originally promised date of the drives finished being powder coated is now late next week. At the beginning it does not sound bad when one thing is holding up the parade, but when you get several and can't put anything major back together it is really bad.

Will let you know about the rams.

4:22 am ?
 

Don"t you sleep? I hope you have a good local source for fasteners because you are going to need them when you start putting everything together. You are always going to be short a bolt or two.

I think Tizbad or someone else with a 39 in the Ohio area has their hatch hinges mounted on the front like Extreme Exibit. Why be normal.

Oh well, time to go back to bed.

Mark

Bedtime?
 

I usually get to work between 5-5:30 am and leave at 6:6:30, have dinner get home @ 8 or so, go to bed and do it all over again the next day. Occassionally I do get up early like today. Was in at 4.

Luckily I have a large maintenance shop at the plant with everything you could think of. If we do not have it we order it.

There are 4 or 5 39 OE's around here. A couple are not running (for several years), 1 is in great shape but just hasn't been splashed. Have not seen any of them for 5-6 years. i know a guy who knows where they are all at. He insures them!

Hours of work
 

Lets just say that your hours and mine are not the same. I do get the job done. I put in a full 6 hours today which included 1 hour for lunch.

Mark

Wow!
 

I am apparently not smart enough to have those hours.
If I would stay off OSO during work I could probably knock off an hour or so. Whatr is amazing in these early hours is how many people are on OSO! Oh well, No rest for the wicked.
:p

I have a plate full. I am not bit***ing, in fact ilove it.

www.acpo.com


The hydraulic man is coming to the office today to go over the rams for the hatches. Will let you know what happens.

Hatches-cool!
 

Let me know on the hatches, I know that they are not cheap. My 1x1 board needs to be retired.

Nice company. Is it yours and which one are you in the pictures? My wife just got some bondage tape, do you make that stuff?

Mark

Have you guy's considered using air cylinders to open your hatches?

There is a company named "Clippard Minimatic" that makes small air cylinders that would work well for doing the job at hand.

A small air pump and a solenoid valve system can open the hatches fairly simply.

As for hydraulic trim cylinders.

The cost (for me in building my own) is in the transom pad and the trim cylinder yoke. Then add in the machined cylinder tubes, pistons, shaft, caps, polishing and all and the cost adds up to make the cylinder.

Here’s the breakdown:

Transom Pad $538.33
Pivot Ball $207.69
Lock Nut $65.66
Shaft $356.00
Rod Cap $158.64
Tube $631.41
Piston $171.52
Plug $145.50
Adapter $312.13
Yoke $551.28

And there are many more parts to them that I have not listed not to mention any labor to match drill, polish, Chrome or assembly.

The trim cylinder for the ASD8 16” drop box mounted on a 31º angle sell for $2,600.00 ea. non plated or polished.

RIK,

What if I have the transom plate and ball, can I subtract the $700+ from the list?

Mark

Yea, remove what you don't have from the parts break down list, not the assembly price. The list price for the assembly is some $3,157.00 ea. I think.

On the new cylinders on my drives, I have the cylinders chromed and polished. On some of the drives I make the cylinder tubes out of S.S. and polish them up.

On new drives, the cylinder tubes and pads are non plated bronze. Not very attractive to say the least but functional none the less.

Hatches
 

I have prices coming for both air and electric. I have to determine the actual load by using a flat scale and measuring the down pressure exerted by the hatch when partially open by using a board to brace the hatch and the bottom placed on the scale.

The tape I make goes into labels. Examples, the clear film on top of a battery label, labels inside the car door, trucnk, hood, toy labels, milk jugs, ladders, cosmetics, file folder tabs, the shelf talker tabs in grocery stores, etc etc. Make over 2 million lineal ft per day 62 inches wide or a five foot ribbon from here to Chicago everyday, 379 miles.

Bondage tape sound like a more interesting market.

Yes, it is mine. Started from scratch in 1986. I am not in any of the pics. :p However I am on Lip-Ship's web site.

pricing?
 

So you must be Dennis the boss. Nice business! I hope you can get cheap pricing on the hatches. My hatches still open on the sides. Let me know.

Mark

Hatches
 

I have a buddy who has an outdirve business. He has some used outdrive hydraulic cylinders. Maybe able to find a couple used pumps. New ones are a grand and I can get some off that.

After the engines are mounted a bracket can be designed to support the cylinder. My plan would be to mount it near the rear of the hatch so all the weight is forward.
By mounting in the rear the stroke can be much shorter and the elevation of the front can be maximized.

We may be able to find some standard hatch cylinders and pumps through OSO members.

I have no info on electric yet. I am sure they will be back to me by next week.

And yes, that Dennis would be me.

Electric Hatches
 

Here are some electric hatches.

Teague Custom Marine-electric hatches
#500 hatches
12" 18" 24"
$?

Livorsi
#265 hatches
18" - $349 each
24" - $369 each

I personally like the way Teagues look and the mounting brackets are regular and heavy duty. Look up Teague at www.teaguecustommarine.com

Dennis, glad to see that you are going to SOTW poker run. NY is not that far for you.

Do you know Syvelster, Tizbad, or Phatcat? What would look better than 5-6 big cats running together.

Chi-Town Hustler