Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

[69starcraft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Bobs your uncle.

Ok I get the Wood block now

What about uncle bob?

Here's a photo my mom just emailed me

She found this in Grandmas closet

If you look behind the two kids you can see the boat back in 1960 something.

AND IT HAS A WINDSHIELD (and enough photo to see how to replicate it)!!!!!


The two kids lived in the camp next door and are now in their late forties early fifties


She is now looking in her closet to see if there are any photos of when I was using it with the 3.5

just too cool eh?


the real shame is that wooded line behind them is now developed and DR and lawyer yuppie type homes....a shame to lose that piece of history

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Hey starcraft, Bob's your uncle is a down under phrase that means "simple as pie," sometimes I forget and slip into Aussie lingo. Those are cool old boats, slick and fast with little power required. Keep the pix coming as you make more progress.

 

[Schmoe]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Looks like you've changed your hair color since then!!!!!

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

That's not him...that's the neighbor. He did learn to smoke though...I am similarly empowered.

 

[spudshaft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Is the neighbor kid smoking? Ah, the good old days. That looks like a great project.

 

[69starcraft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Is the neighbor kid smoking? Ah, the good old days. That looks like a great project.

I looked at that photo again, and OMG it does look like the little blond kid is lighting up, and the little girl is coughing On a seperate note quitting is HIGH on my agenda, but !$%^@ it is hard to do!!! I wish I could go back in time and whup my own *** that day I started smoking!

Installed the Overtons clearance Speedo the other day....filled up that ugly hole in the middle of the dash real nice. Took her out again (4th time now!!) and Speedo measured a whopping 15 miles an hour with my wife, myself, and our son in it. Who cares, it's fast enough for me.

The speedo goes to 65mph which looks real impressive at the dock and I can always lie "Yes sir she can go that fast, but I just like to cruise and I rarely open it up....whats that, can you see it go fast, no not today, don't want to scare the fish. "


I'll take a photo of the dash later today....Will be installing the bilge pump I bought yesterday, and maybe start wiring some things up if I have time

Look what the "first mate" caught the other day...

This is his first fish ever, caught on a little spinner grub that came in the "instant fishing combo" I bought at wally world. It was about a 13 inch Large mouth bass. Not bad for the first fish you ever caught. I think I first caught a sunfish.

I, like when I was a kid, have not caught anything yet

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Good deal...now the first mate is definitely hooked. If you come up dry in your search for remote controls for your motor, check the classifieds at www.aomci.org for an old OMC that will fit the controls you already have. There may be a summer/fall swap meet coming up in your area, too...they are listed on the calendar page at that site. A 15 to 25 hp should push that boat nicely, since you are already getting 15 mph with your current motor. Might find someone at a swap meet who knows how to rig your outboard to OMC controls.

 

[69starcraft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

That is an idea

however the west bend also has family ties so keeping it high priority


Since I have nothing to compare it to does 15MPH with 2 adults and a child (and some gear) seem pretty good?

Eventually she planes up, but not right away

It's fast enough for me, but does this seem good

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

So you're getting 15 mph from a 16 hp outboard pushing 350 to 400 pounds in the boat...that sounds pretty good to me. Used to get about 22-24 mph out of a late 50's Johnson 18 hp pusing my 16-foot tinny, two guys and fishing gear...plenty fast enough for me. You might get it to plane and scoot a little faster by adjusting the motor's trim bar...adjust the angle of the motor in or out from the transon with the moveable bar/pin at the outside bottom of the transom clamp. Ideal is when it rides up over its own bow wave, then flattens out and scoots. Trick is to balance the load till you find that magic, sweet spot...planes quickly and really goes.

 

[69starcraft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

I will play around with the motor level next time we go out. It has 4 adjustment slots so we can see what happens


Meanwhile we started to work on lights and the upholstery girl came by and cut the foam. We are putting in Navy Blue seats to match the Bimini

Here's a pic of the new foam

Old Time Tach (from a different boat) filling the hole in the back where the original Speedo went

The Dash in progress

Test light up at night....

nowhere near done, hopefully today I'll make more progress
Also Installed the bilge pump last night but forgot to take photos of that


more to come

 

[Mark42]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Oh yeah, you got your boy hooked now. Boats and fishing will follow him through life!

Nice night shot of the lights. Great to get out and use the project boats, huh?

 

[Schmoe]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

What's up with that beautiful Porsche you got sitting? That's sweet!!!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Wow....Such a cool boat & as i said the family tie, well is the best.

The 150.00 Starcraft..ya killing me..Nuff said there..

The kid smoking?
Dont y'all remember the candy cigs from back in the day? Come on now..

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Nice work/progress on the feathercraft...like the look of the dashes so far. It'll look sweet when the seats are done. I remember those candy cigarettes...hard to light, not much flavor...maybe that's why I moved on to Pall Mall reds, and my sister chews (not really). You need a dog named Petey to go with that boat and first mate.

 

[69starcraft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Nice work/progress on the feathercraft...like the look of the dashes so far. It'll look sweet when the seats are done. I remember those candy cigarettes...hard to light, not much flavor...maybe that's why I moved on to Pall Mall reds, and my sister chews (not really). You need a dog named Petey to go with that boat and first mate.

Ironically I DO have a dog named "Petey"

This is "Pete the Pit Bull Puppy" aka "Pete Bull" or "Petey"
Ella is the Dalmation (shes old and we think this is her last summer )

What's up with that beautiful Porsche you got sitting? That's sweet!!!

The Porsche is a 1984 928. It belongs to a customer and it is getting a full restoration. Has been sitting for years. That's how I got hooked up with the girl to do my boat seats. Her and her husband have some medical issues, no help from govt or insurance, and are doing the upholstery on the side to survive.

For those with classic boats and want a GREAT deal on upholstery let me know and I can forward her contact info. She says if you make a paper pattern and ship to her she CAN reproduce your classic cushions and ship to you. I think i am going to end up with about $150 in materials and labor for all new seats for my boat.


Dash is getting there....all wired up mostly. Thinking about getting a THIN peice of wood and cutting in a square to go around the speedo to hide the old screw holes where the johnson "start/Choke" buttons were.

I am re-using one of the original buttons (the choke) as a horn button

The blue Neon glow in the photo above is a leftover Neon Gear shift someone gave me. The gearshift plastic broke, but the little neon tube still lights up so I Velcroed it under the dash until it dies. Makes a nice "Neon Moon"

now I just need more neon and some airbags so I can "bounce" in the water true low-rider style

tried to install the antique "ooga" horn but the admiral (pictured abve at the end of the pickup truck talking to the upholstery people) put the Kabosh on the "ooga ooga" horn.

I took it off the scout as I want to put another horn I have picked up that "moos" when you push the button (also makes the Ice cream truck music to fool the local kids )





more to come

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

I know you can teach Petey how to drive the boat, if Ella will let him go...looks like she rules the roost.

 

[69starcraft]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

I know you can teach Petey how to drive the boat, if Ella will let him go...looks like she rules the roost.

Petey is a weird bull. He loves to sit in cars in the yard, but if you come near him with the keys he is outta there. He is not a rideable pit bull.

Unfortunatly this is most likely Ella's last summer with us...she is 13 now, and suffers from degenerative myelopathy. The nerve cells controlling her legs are slowly dieing off and she has trouble walking which will eventually, and is, getting worse. Luckily for her/us it is not painful like hip dysplasia is. Since her nerve cells are dying off slowly she feels no pain, just doesn't understand why her legs don't always go the way she says to. I've had her since a pup



OK another Update:

Dash is in, everything wired up but the horn. The Admiral is still putting the brakes on the ooga ooga (model T) horn.

Another shot at night

The Admiral says I need an eight track player in it. Says the night lights look like an old disco. I LOVE IT


And Finally the Bilge pump (non auto) The Rope in the photo with the green clip is the anchor line

We went out again last night in her. Put in at around 6pm, didn't leave until almost 9:30 and it was dark. We fired up the disco lights and boogied back to the dock.

Engine performed Flawlessly yet again.
Took a buddy and my son, and he brought along about 50 lbs more than the wife weighs and we still clocked at about 15mph

Mark is right...when you can USE the boat at the same time you WORK on the boat is the best.

still more to come...carpet and seats

(eventually ALL this wood will be replaced with Teak or something expensive so I am not worried about rot nor sealing anything at this time)

 

[tommybro31]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Hiya,
Love the boat, I think it's very cool looking

Thoughts on your dash.....

I think it would be a shame to cover up that aluminum with wood; it will ruin the look in my opinion. Why not fill up the remaining holes with some gadgets. The big hole that you have left can use a cigarette lighter (after you quit it can power a light or charge a cell phone) I am sure you can even get a lighted one to add to the Disco effect lol Maybe where you have holes in the top and bottom of existing gadgets you can add another piece of polished stainless or aluminum to hide them. I can't think right now what you would call it but kinda like a light switch cover just not sticking out

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Nice update info...the dash and bilge pump look good. As for Petey and the keys, I know what you mean...my old Chocolate lab retired from hunting a few years ago...he's close to 13 now...and hasn't liked water since. He's a landlubber now, but he still tolerates a bath pretty well. He was getting real stiff and slow, so we now share the glucosamin-chondroitin tabs I take for my old/stiff bones. Seems to help him out, maybe more than it does for me. Used to have a Damatian/Black lab mix...great dog. Are D's as even tempered as labs?

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Here I go again, this time a 1954 Feathercraft

Love the Feathercraft! Helped me recall dragging lots of kids on skiis around Lake Lure, NC in the mid-60's behind a Feathercraft with a 35HP Johnson. I didn't appreciate it then like I do now. In those days, a Glaspar G-3 was the ultimate. Keep up the great work on preserving your family history. Thanks for sharing.