1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

[motorpsykler]

My boat building project began with a Starcraft SS (http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=360586). I started with the trailer and spent a lot of time on it. So much time, that while working on the trailer, I ran across a Lund VFR on Craigslist that I couldn't pass up. It was engineless and I already had a Yamaha F50 in my garage. A little small for the Lund but OK for now, more on that later. Here is the Craiglist picture:

After bringing the Lund home, I sold the Starcraft, my trusty Lund Pike and the trailer that came with the VFR. At this point I didn't have an operational boat and our season in Wisconsin is short, so I was motivated to get off my duff. First thing to do was to make some adjustments to the trailer to fit the VFR and finish it. I won't repost all the trailer pictures you can see them in the link above, but when I brought the trailer home it looked like this (awful):

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Now the trailer is done, here are some new pics:

I still have to make carpeted guide boards to line the inner fenders.

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

I had to redo the winch tower to adapt it to the Lund. The setup that worked so good with the Starcraft was unacceptable for the Lund:

I had to make it on an angle and quite a bit higher. This is more like it:

Even though the boat is over a foot longer than the Starcraft, I only had to make the bunks 4 inches longer in the rear because the new winch tower moved the boat forward. They are made out of PT 10ft 2x6's, lots of square inches to distribute the weight. Here is a shot of the boat on the trailer. I did everything I could to make the boat ride as low as possible on the trailer. We have a lot of shallow boat ramps here in Wisconsin and I want to be able to launch this boat almost anywhere. I'll let you know later how the first few launches and recovery's went.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

I hate to say it but that Lund looks sweeter than your Starcraft on that custom trailer (don't tell anyone I said that)

The pitch on the Lund bow is sharper, seems like that's why you had to modify the bow stop.

They resemble Valcos a bit and look a lot like an old viking longship on the bow. I've always liked Lunds and we have a bunch here too.

Good luck with the new rig!

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Cool boat Motor... does VFR stand for Very Fine Rig?

TII

 

[douglas1978]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

that boat does have nice lines

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Well, I got the Yamaha all mounted. I converted it from a tiller to a remote motor. I freaked out for awhile when the cannon plug on the remote didn't match the one on the motor.....that is until I realized that there is a sub-harness installed as part of the tiller kit that you have to remove. I got the new Teleflex TFXtreme cables. I wanted Yamaha cables but I couldn't find a source that had more than one in stock, which annoys the heck out of me. Why stock only one? Anyway the Teleflex cables seem high quality enough. The fuel line I bought was too short and the fitting I bought wouldn't fit the tank. Got that resolved and the motor fired right up on the muffs.

So now it was time to hit the water. Got to the ramp and I was shocked at how quickly and smoothly the boat came off the trailer. My trucks' rear wheels where 4 ft from the water when the boat floated off, where they where 1 ft in the water with the trailer that came with the boat. Everything went really well on the water. I'll link my sons' YouTube video of our maiden voyage later. The motor idles a little rough, and it stumbles a little off idle but other than that it was perfect. I'm going to try some new plugs and if that doesn't work I'll probably have to go through the carbs. I saw 30.3 mph on the GPS. Not bad for a 50hp motor on a hull rated at 130hp. It turned really tight and felt so stable, guess that might be the ski part of Fish n Ski. The boat was almost as easy as to reload. I highly recommend these Stolz rollers. The boats keel just falls into that big groove on them and locks in. Plus they are made in USA!

I've got a new GPS I-Pilot Minnkota trolling motor on the way. Can't wait to see that brown truck. I need to get some vinyl for the deck so I can install the pedestal seats.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Looks good with that Yamaha on the transom

You should be seeing some great fuel efficiency with that 4-stroke. 30mph is very good for that setup. How was the hole shot?

Congrats on the maiden voyage

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Wasn't the best holeshot, HA. You can see it here in my son's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy3luD-Sbc4 There is definitely an F115 Yamaha in my future(don't tell SWMBO).

Anybody know why there was so much spray flying up at speed? There is nothing mounted to the transom other than the outboard.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Motor my splash video from last night is identical to yours. I hit 30mph and had some instense spray just like yours while I was planed out.

I took a look back there and it was the tilt cylinders on my Merc that was causing it. I don't remember it spraying like that last November so I'm going to check my old vids.

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

There is definitely an F115 Yamaha in my future(don't tell SWMBO).

Anybody know why there was so much spray flying up at speed? There is nothing mounted to the transom other than the outboard.

Hi M-P,

She'd do about 50 with a F115!!

Looks like you have heaps of "down" trim - have you tried trimming up to reduce the spray and let her rev? Just a thought...

TII

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Yeah TII, I trimmed it up until the speed stopped increasing. I'll try to trim it up more next time. I don't have a tach yet, so I hesitate. 50mph, really? That would be awesome. I was figuring 40+, but anywhere near 50 would rock! Your guess would probably be better since you have one.

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Yeah TII, I trimmed it up until the speed stopped increasing. I'll try to trim it up more next time. I don't have a tach yet, so I hesitate. 50mph, really? That would be awesome. I was figuring 40+, but anywhere near 50 would rock! Your guess would probably be better since you have one.

Hmm, if it's creating spray like that trimmed up then check your ventilation plate is level with the skeg at the transom. You can trim up 'til you hear the prop start to loose its bite, then trim down a touch. Without a tach, and providing she's not bouncing off the rev limiter, that'll be about as fast as that prop/motor height combo is going to give you.

Regarding power, let me confirm that yes, I do reckon you'll get close to 50 mph... if the hull behaves itself and you don't start chine walking or porpoising. My GPS is set up for knots and my bargearse (8ft wide and 2600lb) cuddy does 37 kts at 5900 rpm on a still, flat day without the bimini. That's 42.5 mph. With the bimini up it only does 35.5 knots, shows how much drag a 6ft x 6ft piece of canvas creates! So with 115 hp, a lighter, more aerodynamic and slimmer (less wetted area thus, less hydrodynamic drag) boat which can do 30 mph on 50 hp is gonna rock! Be careful!

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Did some preliminary work in anticipation of the trolling motor, which according to UPS tracking has been sitting on a dock in New Jersey for 4 days. It's 1/4" BCX sealed with spar urethane, not the best stuff, I know, but it's not critical and it's what I had. Covered with marine carpet and secured with stainless fasteners. I went with thin plywood so it would follow the slight bow in the bow.

I had to reluctantly remove the bow light. It is retro cool and I love it but it lives right where the trolling motor needs to be. I have a 12" removable bow light and socket on the way that I will install farther back.

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Looks great M-P. Love the way she fits in the garage... that removable tongue is a real space saver. Good luck with the trolling motor... I know one thing for sure, she'll NOT do 50 mph with that!

TII

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Now it's starting to look like a fishing boat.

That's a Minnkota with the new GPS guided, I-pilot, can't wait to try it. There has been nothing but rain here since I put it on. I had to put the Humminbird up front because there isn't enough room on top of the console, the windshield angle is too steep. I have plans to build a deck in the bow that will contain a livewell and storage, but I am going to wait for winter for that project. New carpet/vinyl will also have to wait, our boating season is too short to rip the boat apart that far, I want to enjoy it.

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Just caught up with this, looks great considering it's not a Starcraft and not sporting a Johnson

Just kidding, lund makes some very sweet rides! Congrats!

Luv the Minnkota < me, green again with envy

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Looks good on the bow there...all clean and ready to fish

Did you mount the transducer on the transom? I've had great luck with one of mine that I zip-tied to the lower unit on my Minn Kota. Doesn't collect weeds and it's protected by the skeg.

Did you get the wireless control for that too?

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Yeah the transducer is on the transom. One day, I'd like to get a side imaging sonar with GPS, I'd put that on the console and move the transducer for this one to the trolling motor. But I don't know how that's gonna happen since I have no room on the console.
The Minnkota is an I-Pilot. It doesn't even come with a pedal. It's all wireless. You can control it manually, or you can record and recall up to 2-mile routes that it can follow. Or it can be set to follow a straight line either by compass or by GPS. It also has an electronic anchor function, where it can keep the boat withing a 10ft circle. I've seen it in action on Youtube videos and it looks like the cats-*****.
Here's a pic of the remote:

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1976 Lund VFR 17.5ft

Really nice set up there in the bow. I have a bow mount troller to mount in mine but haven't gotten to it yet.