Tunnel Mite Test Run. 10' Tunnel Hull

Here is a 10' Tunnel boat made out of plywood with a 30 HP outboard. This is a Glen L design that has been modified from a kneel down low side boat to a sit down high side boat with a passenger seat. These were very popular in the 60's and 70' and featured in Popular Mechanics magazines. Construction pictures and test run video.

[@MrClickbang357]

WOW! Really restomod and I like the sit down version so much better

[@barrythacker7281]

Great job. I like how you lifted the sides and front to keep water out and you in. I like that better than a jet ski, cheap thrills $:)

[@chrisambrose8838]

That’s pretty good for a 15hp! Nice job.,!

[@Prototheria]

It's not a 15. ;)

[@ct1762]

why the setback? they should have plenty of lift. looks like its cavitating. i do have a couple cleavers that would fit. one i know is 18 pitch. maybe block off the upper half of the intake screens, jack it up an inch or 2 and fit a chopper should help. nice video thanks for posting!

[@keeledover4218]

i just got a clark craft hydro and same thing i moved the cockpit forward and built sides it looks like a stealth craft

[@fairwind8222]

15!

[@fairwind8222]

😂

[@thenoobletlego]

Folsom lake? Great place!

[@randy8296]

Yes Folsom Lake in the winter, nice day but the water was very cold. At least we had water then.

[@salimsopari]

This is a really nice boat, and I like that it has a passenger seat. What is the top speed?

[@randy8296]

About 40MPH, plenty fast for this little boat.

[@dennisbjones]

I see near the end that the young fella tried a few Harry Potter moves to swap places with you but didn't quite pull it off :)

[@shoppydog]

Fun and well executed project! Any chance you saved your templates for the coaming, deck and dashboard? If so, I'd buy a set of paper prints from you as someday I would like to build a Tunnel Mite replica of what you have done as my knees won't take the pounding anymore-:) Cheerio!

[@randy8296]

Thanks for the feedback! Sorry I didn't save the templates, but they aren't too difficult to make. Cardboard works great. Two main reasons for the modification were: I can't take kneeling and I like a little more freeboard to keep the water out. The boat handles great with the mod, no issues with boat balance or CG. I'm 5' 10" and 185 lbs and it even handles pretty good with a 100 lbs person in the back.

[@shoppydog]

@@randy8296 Thank you for the insight on the performance and the encouragement to build my own. When I was a teenager in the late 1970's I built a little pickle fork styled tunnel hull from some full scale plans I bought out of Powerboat Magazine. I wish I had kept those plans as I have never seen another boat like it. It was also painted...red white and blue! Unfortunately I did not have the money to buy an engine for it so I sold it after never even putting it in the water - LOL!

[@randy8296]

@@shoppydog Glen L has plans you can buy - www.glen-l.com/boat-plans-catalog-300-boats-you-can-build/ Also Muskota Seaflea - muskokaseaflea.ca/StaticWeb2/?page_id=27. This is a great place to start if you want to build something again. Or you can do what I did and find one already built and rebuild it. That's the great thing about wood, it's pretty easy to modify and work with. Good Luck!

[@walterhoward5686]

I believe that outboard has been mislabeled as I have never see a 15hp Evinrude with that style cowling . A electric jack plate and trim will restore some of the performance lost with changing of the seating arrangement ! Being on your knees allows you to change the trim of the boat very rapidly ! Plus it's a lot less aerodynamic drag .

[@randy8296]

Yes the engine is a 30HP and it will do about 40 MPH. Sitting down is way more comfortable and a little leaning gets the job done.

[@lawrence1md]

Did you make your steering?

[@randy8296]

The steering wheel has a drum on it, typical part for this application, same with the pulleys, the aluminum bars on the engine I made from 1/4" x 1 1/2" stock. All works well.

[@gentjim5007]

You should put a tower of power on this boat!