My Project Boat. Glasspar Flying V-17

An old Glasspar flying v boat was given to me, as a gift, it needs some minor repairs in the engine, hull and electrical system. I already have most of the parts, and I will do most of the repairs I can handle, with some help from my poppy. I removed the carburators and will install the kits. They are clean, they just need to be upgraded to run Ethanol, so called "environmentaly safer fuel" Yeah, Right. I commented on the radio about how Ethanol can be murder on older Marine engines. At our shop, I have tinkered with rebuilding small motors. I even rebuilt the com end side of a Ford alternator for a customer. He needed it fixed, our workers were on vacation, only me and my Poppy was there. My Poppy told him he could not get to it, he looked at me then asked "what about the kid he can fix it, he fixes Chevy alternators." So I said OK come back after lunch. I would assemble the 10Si Com end side of Delco alternators. It was easy, the insides fit together like a puzzle, it was like building legos. The Ford was no different.

So my Poppy yanked the com end off of the Ford, gave me the picture book, it is like building a model, and gave it to me to fix. I replaced the brush and regulator assembly, and tested the stator and rectifior. It was good, and i had it ready. My Poppy put the com end back on the drive end, and put it on the stand. I plugged it in, and spun it up and it worked. Of course, it was a free bie repair for one of our regular customers who is also our friend. Everything was fine until two weeks, he came back and said the alternator blew up. However he admitted he changed out his battery while the engine was running and so he blew up the diodes. First thing I learned was never disconnect the battery with the engine running. Alternators do not work like old generators. I have torn stuff down and put it back together since I was 4. I took a Power Wheels Jeep that my neighbor gave me, it needed new brushes in the electric motors, my Poppy showed me how to change them, then he put a Group 58 HP battery under the hood, took valve springs from a chevy V8 and welded it to make it higher suspension, then put real rubber tires. I would drive it around the shop. You could say it was my first car ha ha. But I started to learn mechanical and electrical from that day onward. I guess it is natural when your family owns and operates a shop that fixes everything from Military to racing vehicles, my Poppy even rebuilt an electric motor for a research submarine. I would go to work there when I was little. I started by pushing a broom when I was 4.

So, back to my boat. I started painting the trailer and ripping out the bad parts inside the boat. Well, since I was the only person small enough to go under the front where the electric box and wires were, it had to be me. It needs new seats but for now the old ones will be patched up to last the summer. I will have more pictures later so check back. Most of the systems were corroded, But I already have a large collection of boat parts. I added new lights and switches, the hardest part will be replacing the fuel tanks, they are metal and heavy so I cant lift them alone. But running the new fuel line is easy, My Poppy said when he was my age, he did the same thing, he was the only one small enough to go under the deck and run new wires, change out breakers and fuses. I guess if a Spartan warrior starts when he is 5 years old, he is a trained warrier as young as 10 years old. So plumbing fuel line and running wires, then spraying the trailor with pait is really childs play compared to a ancient spartan child.

I hope to have it water ready for summer. I will try to repair the anchor light because I like the look of the old style light better than the new ones. It will need a new horn but for now I will get a small air horn until I can find another electric horn in my budget.  It will be good enough to float around in my favorite lake. Check back later I will post some pictures.

Sorry it has been a long time since an update. The boat is running. I did 70% of the work with my own hands. The big stuff is what i needed help with.  Strange that when I started this project I got a few insulting emails. Ha Ha OK I agree, Flannel pants does not go with woodland camoflage. But I was painting and i was not going to wear good clothes. So I wore stuff that was ready for the rag bin.  I am still growing a bit so that is why I was "Flooding" Anyway I did appreciate the emails and the tips, and thanks for the guy who sent me a took kit. I was surprised when the radio station told me I had a package and it wasn't ticking. Occasionaly a fan will send me something. Which is cool, especially the Brand new Mavica Camera that stores the pictures on a built in disc drive.  Here are some videos of the GOBLIN X3 under power.  By the by, my boat blew away my uncle's V8 Corvette engine powered Ski boat. We raced in a lightning storm on Lake Trinity, yep crazy idiots we were. But after my boat was in the water, we just could not wait, and we talked up a storm all week before we went. One of those "my boat is faster than yours"  But my estimate was right. I caculated that my boat had a higher power to weight ratio. Cast Iron V8 4 stroke, 21 foot, Vs an Aluminum V6 Two Stroke 17'.5"

I did not drive for the race, since it was the first time my boat was in the water in its new configuration, my Poppy took the helm to get the feel of the handling and to figure out the safe range of the trim. So I had to wait until the sun came out.