Hi all, sorry to have been away for a while (gosh, 2 YEARS?
) but I emigrated to Cyprus in aug 2008 and have been a bit busy with things ever since%%.
If you remember my refurb of the gwen eagle cabin cruiser from 2008, it survived the container sea journey here and was just an ornament for over a year, but then I started to use it again and very quickly got fed up with the 1000 ft turning circle. (its embarrasing having to do a three point turn with a 40" boat in a 5 meter wide pool
)
I tried earlier suggestion like larger rudders, but still no go, or should I say no turn?. I made some brass kort nozzles, but although fun in the making, they were utterly useless.
So, I've made shorter prop shafts, resited them much closer to the underside of the hull, and completely overhauled the electrics. I now have an action kit that turns the inward prop backwards, and a little self build kit that gives me big diesel engine sounds. I've put the big lead acid battery amidships to stop the boat digging in when under way, and now have the internals ready to roll.
Because this boat is now over 50 years old and I'm worried about the heat springing the planking (it gets VERY hot here in july / august) I've fibreglassed the inside hull so that whatever happens it wont sink while out on the water.
I'm now at the stage that I always find the hardest, painting!
I had to fill the original prop shaft openings, and the kort nozzle fixing holes, now am trying to get the bottom of the hull smooth enough to repaint.
Bob
