silentbravo
Well-known member
Did you ever change the top of the console? Nice work.
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'83 Lund WS16 Build
- Thread starter Churak
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I haven't changed the top of the console out yet - currently I'm rebuilding the carbs for the 2021 season. Hope to get all the old paint cleaned off the sides and clean up the console before she goes into the water this year.
I'll be sure to post progress pictures!
I'll be sure to post progress pictures!
Afternoon everyone! After some busy and rather tough couple years with a sick family member that took up some time, I've been finally able to get back to this and wanted to post my latest updates to the boat!
After a few seasons of the center console configuration I found that while the boat is great on plane, it was tough to navigate around while on the water and with a family including a toddler, it took up too much space. After having thought about it for a while and did some paper sketches, on a whim one Saturday afternoon, I pulled the center console off, re-ran throttle, steering, and electrical runs and moved to a forward position for the helm and throttle in a prototype dash to test the configuration for the remainder of the dwindling season here in the Northeast.
Immediate impressions from the 4-5 journeys on the water:
Pros:
1. While pretty unconventional as far as helm placement, this configuration leaves the rear 2/3 of the boat open with more area for putting kids / friends and critically, more stable area to fish from where the hull flattens out. It has changed the boat from "comfortable" for 1-2 to easily having 3-5 people on the boat. With two people on the boat we're able to comfortably fish out the back as well.
2. The boat planes near instantly, even when riding solo and all the gear at the back because of the lump of myself in the front. There is probably efficiency hits since more of the hull is in the water while on plane, but it hasn't been a problem so far. I was out in Beverly harbor the other night with minimal chop, and was running out to Misery at 31 mph with WOT!
3. The ride at the front is actually surprising smooth which I'm attributing to the weight in the front with the deep V to cut through light chop. While out on a test spin in 1-2 foot chop with my brother, we fond it was gentler at the front, which is counter to what I've heard about seat positions in the past. Perhaps with aluminum hull the stern of the boat slaps into the next wave harder?
Cons:
1. In the initial outing, we took the boat out around the harbor in not-so small rollers 2-3 feet. I felt comfortable riding the waves, but I wouldn't venture out with anything larger than that. With the helm at the bow, you really get an appreciation for the size of the wave as you look into it before riding up the face of it.
2. As expected with a deep V and a fair amount of weight at the front, for the same reason it cuts through small chop nicely, it also suffers from pretty significant bow steering. The only time this was a serious impact was when trying to make headway in the large rollers. At times it was necessary to ride in the trough on the back of the wave but this was behavior I saw with the prior configuration as well.
3. With more weight in the front and a minimal amount of overhang on the bow, there is a lot of spray. After running WOT through the windy October weather and big rollers, I was pretty well soaked. Part of the build over the winter will be to add a wind / weather shield to mitigate the spray.
Overall - I'm really happy with the layout so far. Given the type of boating we'll be doing - sand bar runs, friends / family transport, inshore/harbor fishing, and island hopping, I think the cons are mitigated with responsible captaining and awareness and the pros open up the boat to be much more usable for it's size.
Winter projects to complete the design include:
1. Small shelf benches to run the length of the hull from the front back to the rear bench for stowage.
2. Proper design and build up of the dash with under bow stowage shelves and a windshield.
3. Engine tuning / re-power since I still haven't squashed the idling issue with the '94 48 HP Johnson
Anyway, hope to be more active in the forum again as I move forward with the build and let me know what you guys think! (Note, the pine needles in the boat are less than 2 days of build up - it sits directly under the biggest pine tree in the neighborhood.
After a few seasons of the center console configuration I found that while the boat is great on plane, it was tough to navigate around while on the water and with a family including a toddler, it took up too much space. After having thought about it for a while and did some paper sketches, on a whim one Saturday afternoon, I pulled the center console off, re-ran throttle, steering, and electrical runs and moved to a forward position for the helm and throttle in a prototype dash to test the configuration for the remainder of the dwindling season here in the Northeast.
Immediate impressions from the 4-5 journeys on the water:
Pros:
1. While pretty unconventional as far as helm placement, this configuration leaves the rear 2/3 of the boat open with more area for putting kids / friends and critically, more stable area to fish from where the hull flattens out. It has changed the boat from "comfortable" for 1-2 to easily having 3-5 people on the boat. With two people on the boat we're able to comfortably fish out the back as well.
2. The boat planes near instantly, even when riding solo and all the gear at the back because of the lump of myself in the front. There is probably efficiency hits since more of the hull is in the water while on plane, but it hasn't been a problem so far. I was out in Beverly harbor the other night with minimal chop, and was running out to Misery at 31 mph with WOT!
3. The ride at the front is actually surprising smooth which I'm attributing to the weight in the front with the deep V to cut through light chop. While out on a test spin in 1-2 foot chop with my brother, we fond it was gentler at the front, which is counter to what I've heard about seat positions in the past. Perhaps with aluminum hull the stern of the boat slaps into the next wave harder?
Cons:
1. In the initial outing, we took the boat out around the harbor in not-so small rollers 2-3 feet. I felt comfortable riding the waves, but I wouldn't venture out with anything larger than that. With the helm at the bow, you really get an appreciation for the size of the wave as you look into it before riding up the face of it.
2. As expected with a deep V and a fair amount of weight at the front, for the same reason it cuts through small chop nicely, it also suffers from pretty significant bow steering. The only time this was a serious impact was when trying to make headway in the large rollers. At times it was necessary to ride in the trough on the back of the wave but this was behavior I saw with the prior configuration as well.
3. With more weight in the front and a minimal amount of overhang on the bow, there is a lot of spray. After running WOT through the windy October weather and big rollers, I was pretty well soaked. Part of the build over the winter will be to add a wind / weather shield to mitigate the spray.
Overall - I'm really happy with the layout so far. Given the type of boating we'll be doing - sand bar runs, friends / family transport, inshore/harbor fishing, and island hopping, I think the cons are mitigated with responsible captaining and awareness and the pros open up the boat to be much more usable for it's size.
Winter projects to complete the design include:
1. Small shelf benches to run the length of the hull from the front back to the rear bench for stowage.
2. Proper design and build up of the dash with under bow stowage shelves and a windshield.
3. Engine tuning / re-power since I still haven't squashed the idling issue with the '94 48 HP Johnson
Anyway, hope to be more active in the forum again as I move forward with the build and let me know what you guys think! (Note, the pine needles in the boat are less than 2 days of build up - it sits directly under the biggest pine tree in the neighborhood.
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