Very nice boat. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale back in the 50s and 60s and spent my childhood on the water. I had a class AB three point. When you are going 40-50 mph it feels like 100
I raced the small Hudson's and roundabouts since late 60's till 2 years ago. Nothing like a hot hydro! We set a speed record with our 7.5 hp, ran just over 72 mph, used a champion outboard., that retort valve engine kicks serious butt
My ski boat does 40 mph, its hard to imagine going 70 in a tiny boat like that, and then only on 7.5 hp is amazing to me. But, I have one of those old Kirkhaefer Mercury "Lightning", 10 hp, and that motor is a lot faster than you'd think.
I sunk one of these , a big 25 ft cruiser slowed down to see what was cruising around and left a giant wake which i proceeded to hit, catching some air and then catching the other wave with the nose driving the boat under water. I was very quickly all alone with a fuel tank bobbing on the surface. it was in about 10 ft of water so I tied the fuel tank to the rope on the nose and set off swimming for an island. Nice curious folks aboard the cruiser did not stop or bother to offer assistance. This was a great lesson in swimming in open water, the island looked so close but was so far. It took me around 40 minutes of swimming, floating on my back to catch my breath and swimming to finally reach shore. I could barely pull myself out of the water. The old 10hp seahorse and boat still grace the back of the boathouse but hasn't run since. I'd love to fix up the old gal and give her another go.
You could have had those people prosecuted. They MUST aid a vessel and anyone in danger. Then you could sue and get a new boat and engine. Well I raced a DaSylva with a Yamato 302. It did at least 62 because I passed everyone with that thing. It was a B class.
@@Mike383HK it was a different time , I was probably 12 or 13 and it was the late 80's or early 90s. The rest of the story goea, if your interested, When i did get to the island, A group of old fisherman, in a 12ft aluminum with a 2hp honda picked me up, the first thing out of their mouths were "we were watching you swim and saw you stop swimming a couple of times and were wondering if you were having trouble. I thought it was an odd thing to say but explained I had sunk and they drove back to where the boat was submerged. The fuel tank was still bobbing but about at the limit of the hose although it remained attached to the nose line I had also tied off too before setting off swimming. They tugged on it in the 12ft aluminum they were in a few times before making the comment that 4 able bodied men are going to have trouble getting that boat off the bottom. I thanked them for trying and just asked them for a drive back to my cottage. I told them I would come back out and get it myself and not to worry, well the next 45 minutes in that little 12ft with a old 2hp honda with the 3 of us I was told how the boat was sunk and how I was never going to get it. Finally reaching shore, I thanked them for the drive and they left with grins on their faces , Laughing at me no doubt for thinking I was going to recover the craft. We had an old Boston Whaler with a mercury 50, the 13.6 with the low transom and the Merc was one of the 70's Mercury's with the red lettering and "thunderbolt ignition" , probably the most beautiful sounding 2 stroke outboard I still have yet to hear. well , I got into that and passed the 2 old fisherman in the little 12ft aluminum and made it back to the area where the boat fuel tank was bobbing on the surface in maybe a minute, I dove in the water and tied a rope around the boat where the protrusions from the nose narrow and go inwards. I ran the rope under the boat and had it coming out under he nose from its mid point and tied it onto the hooks on the whaler. I got in the whaler and picked up the fuel tank, tightened out the slack in the rope and facing the same direction of the boat underwater I started giving it a little gas. the rope tightened up and within a few seconds it was back on top of the water so I increased the speed and towed in home. I gave a thankyou wave to the fisherman who I passed on the way, the look on those old guys faces was one of those priceless moments that you never forget. But that was it for the fun in the little wooden boat, the old Johnson seahorse and boat still sit at the back of the boathouse where they've remained waiting for someone else to have the courage and time to give it another go.
My knees still hurt from racing of these some 40 yrs ago. Final Hydroplane I drove was a vintage unlimited powered by a Roll Royce Merlin. A far cry from my first boat powered by a Marc Mark 20
I built the same boat in high school in 1974-1975 from the same plans. I like how you covered your top better than me and I like the colors you used. I would like to build another small boat someday.
I agree. Maybe it's the connection to the earth that wood has. But anyone who works with their hands and that has pride in their craftsmanship can achieve a level of contentment that no amount of money can buy. To me it's a spiritual thing that doesn't have anything to do with belief in the supernatural.
I just ordered the plans for the Hal Kelly "Ben Hur" from Clark Craft. I hope I can do a nice job building it, I've never built a boat before. I'm excited to get started. They look like loads of fun. Nice boat that you built!
@@timhudson1846 No, I still have the plans but I do not have anywhere locally to purchase the proper materials. I would have to order everything. Kind of a bummer. Sourcing the wood is my biggest challenge but I still love the design.
My uncle and father raced those in the 50's. They modified those engines to run on fuel. Each boat they took, usually a hydro and a runabout, each ran in stock and modified classes. Very nice job you did!
We built that exact boat (I was around 8 or 10 in the mid 60's). We added pigment to the glass resin instead of paint, and the skegs were fixed. These appear to be retractable (?) and well executed.
I never thought I would tear-up watching a hydroplane build on youtube. Great choice of music and nicely edited. My dad and I ran the same boat ("Mad Dog") with a Mercury H10, H20 and a 25xs. Many fond, crazy memories.
+Chad Baier Thanks for the comment, grew up without the internet my brother and I first saw this boat in the Practical Handy Mans encyclopedia my dad had ( we were 10 years old) and we spent hours dreaming about building the little hydro. Only took about 35 years to actually do it. Thanks again...
+Chad Baier Just a side note the T - 24 numbers on the boat are for my wife I called her Trish and her birthdate was January 24th ---- T - 24,,,,, She passed away 2 years ago.
Lovely video and beautifully built boat. They used to race these in the 50's, with a 250cc limit on the engine size, on a boating lake close to where I live in Ramsey, Isle of Man, UK. I am thinking or resurrecting the sport again if the 'elf and safety man will let me. I will attempt to track down the plans that you have listed below. . I am probably going to build my own HP boat this winter. Many thanks for making this film and posting it up.
Those Mercs were awesome. I had a Mark 20, Mark 25, Mark 40 thunderbolt, and a ported wizard 30. I still have my brother's '53 thunderbolt with quicksilver unit, working on carbs after fixing the mag.
very nice work the bottom may not be flat enough if that was fixed it wouldnt porpose. the turning fin is on the wrong side but nice work. I like the aircraft material deck makes it so stalgy
Nice job man Iam a bit jealours, just one tip jou need to get the centre of gravity (COG) a bit forward so the front does not bob up and down/ Maybe put the fuel tank forward. The COG needs to be at approx 1-2feet behind the end of sponson. Have a nice day
Next steps Quicky lower unit, raise the engine on the transom, small fuel tank attached to the back of the engine, dialed in prop and increase speed 10 to 15 MPH.
I am not in the construction industry nor am I a carpenter, I wanted a good guide to help with small projects such as small boat . So there’s a magic which is boat Plan visit here t.co/uM8hFDqZOp This boat Plan covers all my instructions from top to bottom in a step by step manner.
Great Set-up, I love it! The old mini racers are so cool! Thanks for the video! I was wondering if your Mark 20 has neutral or reverse? I have a ( I believe) a 1955 Merc Mark 20 I got from my grandfather and all it has is forward gear. The manual spark advance always adds to the challenge of driving these motors. So much fun. Mine goes on a 1938 Crandall designed 10ft run-about/hydro. Its a small 2 cockpit but with a flat bottom, all marine plywood and brass screws over a hardwood frame. Greetings from Rochester NY.
Why did you run metal channels down beyond the sponsons? I realize that may help keep the air pocket under the boat all the way to the rear but it also looks like it would cause problems with making proper turns.
Beautiful build. Great to watch. Question: how would it run with a larger HP modern outboard ? It that old Merc a 20 HP ? Is that a class motor size ? Anyway, the entire project is just fantastic in my opinion.
Jason not sure how it would run with larger / more HP motor - I am now 67 and when my brother and I were originally looking at this boat in the practical handy man encyclopedia we were 12 years old - dreaming - I found the motor on e bay for $600.00 in Oregon had it shipped - only had issues with gas tank motor is Merc mark 20 only actual 16 HP - take the boat out once a year to a small lake in Michigan - I am sure with a larger motor it would be awesome - Thanks Jason !!
@@blindfth I was just curious because the boat seemed to be slapping in and out of plane on the test drive. Wondered if just a little more HP might keep it up on plane. I watched because as a little kid I inherited a very similar hand build from my brother in-law. I think it was 8 feet long. My father had only a 6 HP trolling motor he put on the little hydro. As you can imagine, it was not much fun.
PLEASE SEND ME A COPY OF THOESE PLANS!!!! I was going to build this project years ago... but i was living at a marina and my books was in storage and got wet and ruined... those books are awesome... lol i will send you my email when you respond... nice boat....
was gunna click on..but HELLS TEETH "Classical Gas".. so I watched. Loved the fabric upper decks. My quest? my ZZR600 Kwaka needs another life and I live on a lake. So build a hydroplane that can propel a 100kg man to over 100mph with a 600cc 100hp inboard engine. You give me hope.. only I can't just bolt on an outboard. But the bike does 270kph with me on board, and in theory a hydroplane has lower drag. In theory a hydroplane is like a motorbike without the friction of wheels - so over 270kph with an efficient prop. If I ever find a solution to this you'll find me in the Guiness Book of Records
The Hydro I had WAS in the Guiness Book of Records for fastest lightweight hydro clocked at 99.09MPH using a 20cc alky engine in a straight line. It was called Mighty-Flighty and was owned by Henry Shakeshaft at the time. My dad used to race with him and bought it from him as a summer project for his boy scout son to build during one summer. We sold it the year before I went to college to help pay for my first year there. Could not have done without the $s we got out of the boat as my parents divorced that year as well.
I've been thinking about building one of these. Yours turned out BEAUTIFUL!!!! I see you're from Illinois too, perhaps if you're close to the LaGrange Park area, I could ask you some questions?
I’ve came across some amazing canisters of old racing film mostly hydroplane races and some auto races from 1959-1961 about 8 reels got it from an old collector in Destin,FL but it also has guntersville Al labeled on a couple reels. In a nice old metalLogan deluxe model carrying case. I haven’t been able to watch but did have a projector and before it went out I saw photos of a miss bergdahl (?) not sure but it was something like that. I’m wanting to sell the collection but not sure who to contact any help much appreciated my grandmother I lived with and took care of just passed away and I’m moving back out west if anyone knows a good contact please reply,thanks
I'm not sure but ,if anyone else wants to uncover yachts plans try Joolaim Rudder Replication (do a search on google ) ? Ive heard some unbelievable things about it and my m8 got excellent success with it.
