Re: Restoration of my 1965 Glasspar Avolon
Ok, Lets dig a little deaper here and for the sake of our discussion I am more curious then trying to prove wrong on the subject. Wisdom goes a long way and I value your guys input very highly. To say you are an old FART is just not soo, maybe a little stubborn but neverless you do have a point.
So motors have changed a little these days right. They have gained more HP at the prop as apposed to the crank, or have they? If you take a motor, any mid size motor and you put some specs together such as weight, HP, options, size, materials used in building the motor. If you take those specs and place them in line from let say mid 70's to current. Do we not see a trend of jumping up in those catagories and a 15-20 HP gain in size on motors as compared to back then? All they have done was change some of the numbers around like musical chairs but the physics are still the same. Weight to HP ratio or energy driven to overcome negative forces such as wind, drag, and water still apply.
Yes, I agree there is a difference between 85hp and 110. But in todays specs a 90-through 115 are all the same size motor and weight. They only changed the carb size, load, and exhaust perameters. Ofcourse props have changed considering they used to mainly use brass, in which we still use today on our ships. To stainless steel wich happens to give the least amount of flex and strength.
We as humans have always found ways to improve technology. From the mechanical abilities to structural strength. But if we can agree that there are millions of products built today in which the boat industy has not dodged is in built quality. Many things of today are flimsy, cheap, poorly made, or built to only last a set amount of years. Unlike the manufacturing of the turn of the baby boomers in America.
Things were built rock solid and to last a LIFETIME. Everyting was made, manufactured and built right here in the United States. That is why your boat and mine as well as thousands of others have brought back from the dead. They have lasted a very long time and for some that have been brutally abused are still chugging along.
In todays society we are about out sourcing, cheapest labor and maximum dollar savings and profits. The clean air movement and recycling. Building products and services with an expected replace or repair life expectancy.
I can remember growing up with gas being .20 cents a gallon and people balking at the myth of the cost of fuel to ever reach a $1 a gallon. Gas was leaded back then which created much more HP and better power to energy ratios then compared to our crappy gas of today. My father works for NASA and has been building the flight controls for 35 years. He cannot wait to retire due to the way business is ran today. He used to build the best parts in the world, now he has to put his signiture on a design for something that was designed to last 5 years. He literally has to design parts to break, what is up with that crap?
Ok back on track here. Motors have not changed much other then more sophisticated electroinics to operate to full potential. Hell I can point out probably 50 people in my office alone that have no clue where there dipstick is in their car. They are oblivious to car maitenance and functioning of what they own. We are a consumer nation not a production nation.
We have to build things DUMMY proof because people are clueless to mechanical engineering and how things work. Point in case, I have a friend at work that literally drove 5 miles after she saw her temp light on red and smoke pillowing out of her hood before coming into work. I asked her why she did not stop and she said she did not want the car to break down. $2800 later from blowing her head gaskets, water pump completely torn from the engine housing and heads warped. She was back on the road again, lord have mercy.
Hell my fathers brand new retirement boat that he has been dreaming about for over 30+ years a 2010 Proffesional Ranger Bass boat of which he paid almost $40,000 for has been out on the lake 3 times. Of those times we broke down twice due to faulty workmanship and pride in building QUALITY products.
So my last point of discussion on this matter. I happen to own in my PERSONAL OPINION the WOLDS BEST sports car ever designed and built, the Chevrolet Corvette. It has a 6.2 liter LS3 motor sitting in its cradle and has a top speed of 189 MPH. With all of its 435 stock HP I could easily take it too its limits. Would I ever go that far, maybe, we all have the choice right. But if we remember back in the 80's when smog testing and pollution was being pushed heavily with the introduction of UNLEADED fuel. The Chevrolet Corvette actually was being produced with less HP then some family sedans and other vehicles of that time era. But people still had the love and passion for the car and most were oblivious to its size and hp ratios. I love the car for what it is and what it stands for. Our boats are living legends of the American heritage of building American Made To last Products.
I feel the same way with this boat here. It just so happens to have a little bit of caution on the side of safety in which it's HP rating is less then preferable. I am not here to question or push the envelope. I want to bring back America and purchase just about everyting I can made from the USA. I like older motors for everything that I have spilled out here in this god awful story. Yes, they have horriable gas mileage, yes they are heavy, yes they have a tendency to not have all of the flashy bells and whistles of todays chineese crap. But it is a whole lot better product then anything they have to offer.
So, Woodonglass my friend and valued boat building Mentor, I have a question for you. As I agree with you that our boats mine and yours most certantly may not need 110 HP as apposed to a 90 in which would be its replacement cohart of this time era. If not pushing the evelope as to put the pedal to the medal or drive it like I stole it attitude. Is it possiable that this motor can be operated safely on the water if we properly prep and prepair the boat for such a set up? With the 90 hp motor being the same size and weight, in apples to apples if a 110hp motor runs to let say the 90 hp motors capabiltieswould things be different?
