25ft BERTRAM PROJECT - blob 70 - IDIOT CONTINUES TO REBUILD BOAT

[@andrewkirtley6565]

Love the way you two interact with each other ❤ beautiful Love

[@Micington]

Thank you. She’s one of a kind!

[@andrewkirtley6565]

​@@Micingtonso are you buddy, never forget that.

[@douglasthompson2740]

Make sure you really want a thin light top. A lot of folks use that surface to carry an inflatable for getting ashore, as well as crab pots, shrimp pots, radar mounts, on and on. All impart a load to that surface. On the bright side you don't have to worry about three feet of snow piling up on it like we do here! Really like your engine lift, Milwaukee style. I was trying to think of a way to multipurpose your outdrive puller so it could open a beer (toss those Coronas, try an extra stout Guiness!)[not a stout, but the extra] but that is a slick tool. I can see the water lapping up your driveway you are getting so close! Happy New Year to you and your model as well as the budding boater!

[@Micington]

I’m sure it’ll end up strong and probably only slightly lighter than the original. I’m hopeless at making things light. I want to run tubes through it for wiring and water. Sounds like a fun challenge opening a beer with the Milwaukee puller outtera and I’ll gladly try an extra stout Guinness! Haha Happy new year!

[@Micington]

I’m sure it’ll end up strong and probably only slightly lighter than the original. I’m hopeless at making things light. I want to run tubes through it for wiring and water. Sounds like a fun challenge opening a beer with the Milwaukee puller outtera and I’ll gladly try an extra stout Guinness! Haha Happy new year!

[@belledetector]

It’s taking shape. Looking really good with the windows in.

[@Micington]

Thanks mate! Hopefully pull my finger out and make it proper soon

[@shoresharp8349]

Man those windows are badass, and the raised hardtop !!!

[@Micington]

Thanks mate! Can’t wait to see what it turns out like!

[@Mike-hb4pc]

Look at that bad boy! She’s really looking good. 👍

[@Micington]

Thank you very much! 🍻

[@bubbleobill267]

A lot of men deal with shafts on massive angles every day of the week. Yours doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem.

[@Micington]

Hahaha 😂

[@andrewgilbert6765]

Good to have support at home for projects. My wife would have left me at this point. 😂

[@Micington]

Hahaha definitely need to splash it soon…fingers crossed 🤞 she can hold out lol 😂

[@stevelovi1668]

Can’t wait to see it on the water mate.

[@Micington]

Thanks! Me too!!

[@texanranger7212]

Mate! Real progress. Look out next summer!

[@Micington]

Ohh yeh baby! Has to get into the water this year!

[@gregforbes2940]

Well done mate. Hard yards but you're getting there. Your comment about "being 25mm too low". Im guessing you're talking about the leg and the position of the cav plate relative to the bottom of the hull???

[@Micington]

Thanks! Yes I was talking about the cav plate! 😢haha too hard to move it up now - neatly! So I’ll just try it where it is to get rest of the boat done asap.

[@gregforbes2940]

@Micington thanks for responding. I did make a comment earlier about the position of the cave plate. I've always run it, in stock form, at 25mm above the bottom of the hull. Outboard or inboard, the same physics apply. It allows more aerated wat3r around the prop to give you a higher top speed with no loss on holeshot.

[@Micington]

@@gregforbes2940 hmmm 🤔 ok. Makes sense. I wish I had researched a bit more. I’ve always made my outboards flush like what I ended up doing. I was worried about cavitation when trying to trim to lift nose up… see how it goes

[@chembrew1822]

It’s going in crooked because there is no engine spline to align it. It doesn’t matter at this point. You will need an alignment tool later to set the correct engine height and position

[@Micington]

I have got the alignment tool. I used it years ago when I made the first hole. I can’t remember how to use it anymore because it was such a long time ago. I don’t remember it ever coming out crooked like that though ever???? You’re correct - worry about it later! I agree there

[@mattg6o]

It’s just in the gimbal bearing and can wobble

[@Micington]

@@mattg6ocheers!

[@danielthornton3277]

When it slipped in and she said "OMG!" 😂

[@danielthornton3277]

Great series mate, keep it up

[@Micington]

She’s easily impressed 😂

[@Micington]

Thanks!

[@larryjohnson5597]

Just way way too much work buddy time you will never ever get back it can’t be fun anymore 😢

[@Micington]

You’re right. I feel like an idiot. I feel obligated to finish it tho. Really hard getting time to work on it. Lots of away from home work this year so far

[@seangreene64]

Brother do yourself a huge favor and put a bracket on her or cut it to install outboards on the transom

[@Micington]

Haha thanks for the advice but I’ve invested too much into making the inboard diesel work. I haven’t heard much good about em and have zero experience with them. I do prefer the look of inboards though. It’ll all be documented so you can say I told you so to me later! Haha

[@hommie789]

OK I am not the smartest man but what the hell happened? You breaking my brain, the last episode was Blob 68 and this is 70, you skipped the best number in the entire numbering system lol On a serious note for the bolts that go through the transom to bolt the sterndrive on, drill the holes way oversize, I think those bolts are 12 mm so drill the holes in the transom to 30-40mm each, then fill the holes with thickened epoxy and tape them to stop it from oozing out. When it dries now redrill the hole small through the epoxy to the size of the bolt. the reason for this is if water makes it into the bolt hole it can not make it to the wood as the hole only goes thought thickened epoxy, I hope this makes sense what I described, will stop the wood from getting soaked and rotting making a weak transom. This works for any holes you have to make that go into the core material not just the transom.

[@Micington]

Haha I’m still working on blob 69! Because it’s the best combination of numbers!hahah trying to make it a good one! I totally agree with you about oversized holes with thickened epoxy. But the transom is coosa not wood. Coosa/thermilite impervious to Rott - plastic/fibreglass composure. I still may do what you suggest so bolt don’t compress thermilite/coosa when rattling it tight to the transom. I really appreciate your input and ongoing support 🍻

[@eddybulich3309]

Only watch the channel for glimpses of your wife ;)

[@Micington]

She’s a hottie! I’ll keep trying to get her in them for ya! Haha