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By Glynn Sirmans - Milledgeville, Georgia - USA

After many woodworking projects for Family members over the past years I decided to try building a boat. I found plans on the Internet of a small runabout that was first published in the Science and Mechanics Magazine in 1962.

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The hull uses one sheet of ¼ inch plywood with a “V” pattern cut out of one end to form the curved hull. I used Gorrilla glue for construction and “fiberglassed” the seams. The interior and exterior are coated with primer and oil base enamel.

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Total cost was approx 285.00$ (less the outboard) The outboard is a 8hp Merc. These boats should do well with 10-15hp Short-shaft outboard engines. I get more attention “trailering” around town
than running up and down the lake.

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Steering: I at first ran the steering cable's below deck,(in pictures) but recently move them above deck, this decrease's resistance and wear. The steering drum is made from a 2 inch PCV pipe coupling with a curved cap on one end and a ¾ inch pipe bushing on the other. The ¾ inch pipe nipple fits a Murray lawn mower steering wheel.

I found the pulley's, springs and cable at lowe's but it looks like "ya'll's" (duckswork) are a better quality. "Glen-L" boat plans may have had a steering kit that had a hub included.

The PCV steering hub is working satisfactory so far, The wheel doesn't make a complete 360 deg turn to get full travel of the
Outboard.

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Here is a pic of the homemade throttle. Just a broom handle "sandwiched" between two pieces of 1/4 inch luan. Saved me about 100 $.

P.S. I have couple of videos of my little red hydro-plane. They're about 2 megabites. Video-1 - Video-2

More articles by Glynn Sirmans:

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