5/7/01: New Boat Project!!

  I picked up a 1956 Berglund 14' runabout! It needs work, but  not half as much as the Trojan did when I got it. It's going to need sides,  transom and some of the deck replaced. All of the framing looks good as well  as the bottom plywood. It's got a walk through front seat (would this make  it a "utility"?) and an enclosed motor well. Most of the original hardware  is there, one of the "Berglund" side emblems is missing and there's something  missing from the deck hardware (not sure what's supposed to go there just  yet). It's got the original "Kainer" steering wheel with the "Berglund" center  hub cap and the original fuse panel under the fore deck along with the original  Kainer stern light! My 1st thought was to put the '57 Mk55E (the one that's  on the Trojan now ) on this boat when it's done. BUT.....(hehee), I was working  on one of my Mk78A's one day and had no place to hang it (I built a tool storage box on my shop where my motor stand used to be and haven't relocated the stand yet), so I put it on the Berglund to play around with it and run it in the test tank. The longer it stayed there, the more I liked the way it looked! I'm thinking now, I'll add some structural support to the boat when I restore it and run the '57 Mk75 on it (that motor is really coming along too, check out the "Motors in the Works" page)! It reminds me of the Reveau boats that Mr. Kiekhaefer ran the Mk75's on for the famous "Endurance" run at Lake X. Whatever I finally decide to run on it, it may not get done this year (sigh). I'm hoping, but I've a lot going on already (see down a few sections). Here's  the pics I have of this boat so far. The '59 Mk78A is only hanging there temporarily, that's the motor for the Jaws boat. I sanded one side of the rear plywood and stained it to see what the boat would look like with just that part stained. You can see it in the pics, it'll probably star that way when the new wood goes on, i like it.

1961 16' Crestliner ('glass)

*****5/7/01: I've started working on the Jaws boat again! Go to " Jaws Boat Restoration" for the new stuff!

****  4/25: Since I've started the work on it, I'm giving the Jaws boat it's own page, go here for the "Jaws Boat Restoration" .****

11/27: This project has been put on hold for a while. I just ran out of ambition on this one and lost the desire to finish it. Too bad, it's soooooo close to being done. I'll hang onto it and see what happens, it may get lost in the shuffle.

      It's not wood, but I love it! This one came from the same friend I got the Trojan from. He got it for the trailer and the old 75hp. Evinrude that was on it, then couldn't get rid of the hull! The first time I saw it, I knew I wanted it. Eventually, he said I could take the trailer if I wanted the boat, so home it went.
      There's been dark forces trying to keep me from this boat from day one. The first obstacle, my better half decided that it reminded her of the fishing boat from the movie Jaws and gave her the creeps. I finally convinced her that we wouldn't get attacked by a giant mutant shark in the Hudson River, so the boat stayed.
       Next, I had decided to build another wooden boat from a set of plans (see below), and needed the room. So the boat was supposed to be leaving again. Fortunately, he never came to pick up the boat and I decided to put the new woody on hold for a while. So the Crestliner stays again.
       Then, at some  point over the winter, the "Jaws" factor came back into play. After much debate (read: me begging, pleading, and promising to change the colors), the boat was allowed to stay as long as I didn't immerse myself in the project the way I did with the Trojan.
      Now I wait for the next reason why I can't redo the boat. If I was smart, I'd get on it as soon as the weather warms a bit, before anything else happens.
      As a note....."The Jaws Boat" has inadvertently become the name for the Crestliner. It looks like it'll stick too.
      The hull is sound, just needs paint. The major problem is the interior. Being an enclosed cabin, a lot of debris collected inside. The wet leaves, mice and who knows what else have taken it's toll on the wood floor and upholstery. The cabin windshield was broken at some point and a "hack&whack" patch job was done. The side, sliding cabin windows are gone and the top windshield is broken off at the bottom corners. The plywood helm is pretty much shot, as is the trim around the cabin entrance.
      I'm not planning this as a complete, back to original resto, more like a fix-it-up and make it look neat project. It's definitely going to be a user boat. More specifically, a "load a bunch of friends in and cruise down to the island to go camping for the weekend" boat.
       The '61 Merc  700 is going to power it for now. It may become the permanent motor, depending  on the catamaran project (see below).
 
 

The Catamaran
    This is the one that almost killed the "Jaws Boat", and may yet change the motor selection for it. The plans can be seen at Glen-L Boat Designs (Aquacat model)
      I found the plans for this boat while searching for a set of hydro plans. Another one I wanted from first sight, it's gone through a few transformations since I decided to build it. At first it was going to be an 18', open cockpit, "Party Barge" style boat, with twin Mk55E's. It has become a 20' (or so) cruiser with an enclosed cabin, double bunk, a small refrigerator, small head, and a sink. Power is now going to be twin 70hp. Mercs (so run out and buy stock in the oil companies). I'd like to find a pair of 1958 Mk78's, but I may end up getting another D/R 700 and putting something else on the Jaws Boat. I want to build something that we can take down the Hudson River to Long Island Sound, sleeping on the boat during the trip.
      I'm hoping to start the actual building of the boat in the spring of '01. This year would be nice, but it's not going to happen. I'm getting parts together for it now, so by the time it gets built, I should have everything ready.

The Hydro's

   Now for the fun stuff. I've found 2 sets of plans for little "play" hydroplanes. Both are from Glen-L Designs. The "Super Spartan", and "Pickle Fork" are the two I like. At least one WILL get built this year! I wouldn't want to do any real racing with either of these, but they will be fun to play around w ith. If I ever get into serious racing, I'll buy or build a real racer.

  5/7/01:   The "Super  Spartan" is gone. I gave it to a friend that's helped me out a lot and wanted a "play" hydro. I've got the plans for a new one, an A/B racing hydro from Clark Craft ("Racing 8").  I'll get the new one built this year, but, unfortunately it may not be in time to get into any racing.   This new rig will be better for the KG7 for sure, and now that my buddy  has a hydro, I'll have someone to run with.

11/27:  I've built the " Super Spartan" and it's great, but now I need more speed! The Spartan is really a "C" class hydro ( 30ci motor), and running the KG7Q (class "B" motor) on it isn't using the full potential of the motor, so I'm going to build a smaller "B" hydro for the KG.
Next is the class "D"/ "FE mod" hydro. I've got enough Mk55 and 44ci. power heads to build a "D" motor, I just need to find the tower/ foot for it. I'll get a motor built and run it on the boat while I build my Mk75 power head into a "FE mod" motor, then use the same rig for that class.
  I've been looking around at different plans and I've pretty much decided on the "Racing 8" plans for the B hydro, and the "Ben Hur 11" for the D/FE rig, both from Clark Craft. At some point, I'd like to build a more modern pickle fork style hydro, probably from Fralick or Sorensen. I like the "classic" style better, but I'm not sure how competitive they will be with the newer rigs. I'm also longing for a Mk20H full conversion "cornpopper" to run in "Classic B" races, maybe runabout, maybe hydro, haven't decided yet.