6-15-2008

Ongoing Progress

Click on the buttons below to get the updates for those two weeks.

( I'll put the newest information near the top of the page so if you want to read the
whole story, read from the bottom of the page by the dates of the notes.)

Email Bob

June 27, 2008 7:11 PM Another Major Mildstone - Boat & Trailer Finally One

Today my friend, Del Corey came over to help me fit the boat to the new trailer. The template I made was pretty close, but not for the length, it was only for width. Del and I put the boat down and found there were some spots on the right side that were in conflict with the boat and trailer. Fixed one, put the boat back down and found another. Fixed that and when were we happy that there wouldn't be any more un-authorized rubbing, lowered the boat all the way down onto the bunks. A total of three modifications had to be made to the right side bunk and ZERO to the left bunk. Next we attached some motorcycle hold down straps and tilted the boat up to see if it would stay on the trailer. YIPPEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will finish attaching the carpeting and get back to work on the boat. Today's work eliminate another action item from the check list.... that list is getting smaller and smaller - but still way to big to see much light at the end of the tunnel, but when you look back, the length of the tunnel is MUCH shorter....

Kathy (thanks Kathy) took 46 pictures, I won't copy all, but you will get a pretty good idea. If you want to see more of them - come on over - the computer is chucked full of pictures - 1,000's so far.

So for so many pictures, I tried to keep them to a minimum but still tell the story - the dial up people will hate me..... LOL sorry

Thank you for all your encouragement - it is much appreciated.

June 26, 2008 5:31 PM A Little Before, After, but mostly during...

Here are some pictures of before and some after and some during. It has been an interesting transition to me.

The pictures are of the trailer before and after I finished adding this and that to it (the carpet still isn't quite finished, but it will be soon).

The pictures of the engine are from the day I brought it home and after I finished building it.

The boat pictures are mostly just before we brought her home (some are 1982) and during. The center section turned out pretty nice. It still has some battle scares, but those give it character. LOL

And for you computer savvy people, here is our website http://bolamfamily.0catch.com/BEP_Express_Progress.html

Original Trailer

Almost Finished

Engine Parts

Completed Engine

1982 & 2007

April 2007 at Don's Shop

April 2007 Waiting for us to arrive

Getting Ready for NEW, bottom,
new airtraps, new sponson

Ready for varnish

Looking Gooooooooood

It says "Handcrafted by Michael D Hanson"

New Engine stringers, New belly pan
pieces and NEW sealer

New flotation, and sealer,
almost ready for decks

Right pickle deck template

Left pickle deck template

These are a little larger of the freshly finished center section. It looks wet, but it is actually dry.

The belly pan has mahogany doorskin inlaid to cover up many old racing scares. The engine stingers have mahogany doorskin covering many, many holes.

Two coats of West System epoxy to seal the wood.

June 23, 2008 11:59 AM First Lift

Today I tested the new hoist to make sure it will lift the boat high enough to get the boat on the trailer. It will be close, but not a problem.

For those who were not here for the back rollover. The electric hoist froze when we tried to lift the boat with the slings. Luckily we had finished rolling the boat over with the single sling. We decided to check out the slings to see if they were the correct length and level. That part worked, but it just plan stopped lifting with the four point slings. Hence a new mechanical hoist. It is double green - green in color and green because it doesn't use electricity.

The boat bunk carpeting should be here Wednesday from Trailer Boat Parts . com. We will lay the carpet on the trailer rails and slowly lower the boat down to see how the NEW trailer bunks align with the bottom of the boat - make adjustments IF NEEDED and continue on.

Our boat maybe making it's first public debut at a car show. They really want our IN PROGRESS project there with our '55 Chevy. Two vintage (well actually three when you include me) items on display.

A couple of the other pictures are of the NEW belly pan doorskin overlay's. They cover up the battle scars very, very nicely.

http://bolamfamily.0catch.com/BEP_Express_Progress.html Progress website, just click on the dates to see start to current progress.

June 20, 2008 7:27 PM Toothpick Seat

Here are some preliminary pictures of the team toothpick seat temporarily installed for show purposes. Also, our Rod Bourke steering wheel. And our new over kill 5 ton hoist to lift the boat onto the trailer sometime next week. The semi shinning aluminum towards the back is the thrust box I have to build, but I haven't polished it yet, so NO WAY can it be installed.... LOL

Leslie, if you wish to switch the one picture on your website of our boat upside down with one with "OUR" seat in it, I think that would be cool.

You can also see in the pictures our NEW Don Kelson foot pedals. It may not look like it, but we are VERY near to applying the inside finish and move on to installing the decks. YIPPEE

June 19, 2008 7:16 PM Hoist

When we rolled the boat back over a few weeks ago, we had some trouble with the electric hoist. It worked fine until I tried to lift the boat ONE more time after getting back right side up, it basically stopped lifting period. I still need to lift the boat onto the trailer one day and of course we will have to put the motor in and out from time to time.

I've been looking on Craigslist for a manual hoist. This one is over kill, but it was near us and it was very reasonable compared to others and ones that are new.

Today my neighbor and I installed the hoist after I picked it up. Boy oh boy is this one HEAVY and heavy duty.

It seems to work just fine. I will use the electric lift as a back up and the come along and back up to the back up.

This hoist will lift 10,000 lbs, about 9,000 lbs more then I need... LOL It is double green - green in color and uses NO electricity and that is green for the earth.

I just did a search and it says that a new 5 ton JET hoist is $659. MUCH, much more then what I got it for on craigslist.

5 Ton Chain Hoist -

Date: 2008-06-11, 6:23PM PDT

5 Ton Chain Hoist in good shape. This is a big one.

June 17, 2008 3:39 PM Never Being Satisfied

It seems I'm just never satisfied with this project and appear to be looking for MORE things to do (or keep me busy.....).

The engine stringers had lots of pie eye holes, screw holes, and just plain ding and dangs. So I was decide months ago to install doorskin material on both engine stingers to make them look new again.

I don't know which sequence the pictures will be displayed, but you can get the idea of the before, during and after of the wood.

The two new belly pan pieces should be sanded/fitted tomorrow and glued down. Then my favorite task - SAND......

The belly pan wasn't sanding the way I wanted so I decided - since I'm so handy at building engine stringer over lay's (both sides are now glued in place, sanding will resume shortly), maybe I should cut some doorskin material to cover up the heavily damaged/stained belly pan. I still have to sand the edges for proper fit before gluing, but you get an idea of the transition.

We are getting closer and closer to that next scary thing, measure, cut and lay down the new deck. But you know what, it will really start looking like a hydroplane when they are installed.

Bolam's Express - Ongoing Progress

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