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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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