Building the "ALUMINATOR"

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ALUMINATOR
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:06 pm
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Location: San Diego

Building the "ALUMINATOR"

#1

Post by ALUMINATOR »

I know this will be long winded so please forgive me if you get tired of reading.I also hope the pictures work! Oh well it looks the pictures came out backwards but you get the point. LOL

Edit: I had to put in a few fishing pictures too.


The making of the ALUMINATOR



I have always had a love affair with aluminum boats dating back to my childhood. Also having a carpenters shop and lots of tools got me thinking that if I want a boat done and fitted out just so I better do it myself. I spent lots of months looking for just the right project boat. I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel so I thought it would be best to start with a hull and build from there. I found what I was looking for at a welding shop in San Marcos, Ca. The only problem, the guy didn’t want to sell it!!! He said he was going to “fix it up” and keep it for fishing. I stopped by his shop about once a month for almost two years and one day I got lucky. Seems he liked to race cars and his broke the night before and he needed some parts and I was there with money and he sold it!!! At that time we were both very happy. As the years went by I wished many times that the boat was still sitting at his shop!!! This is what I started with. 1962 Chrisroamer Silver Comet. 27 feet long and 10 wide. Now it is 5400 pounds dry with 200 gal fuel. Single Cummins 220 Diamond. Sits in a 3 axle aluminum trailer. Top speed 20K cruises 10-14K




Time to start the project. Lots of ripping out and cutting away. Everything has to go down to a bare hull. I have a dream and all this stuff is in the way. After a few nights of work it is stripped and I am thinking this is going to be a cake walk. I might even get it done by years end!!! Now all the thinking begins. Do I want one engine or two? How far back should I set it? What about shaft angle and prop clearance? How big should the rudder be? How much fuel do I need? How fast will it go with one engine? How fast with two? I could go on and on with all the questions my mine was thinking about and I didn’t have the answers. Ok, I will hire a navel architect and let him do the math. Just give him money and he sends me lots of papers back. Read, scratch head and read again. Send more money, more thinking. I am not going any place now but keep sending money for papers. After all the studying I decide one engine will fit my needs so off to look for a good single diesel. I find a Perkins in Oceanside and after a lot of welding it is installed, shafted and I now have a propeller. Next is the framing for the decking, wheelhouse and lots of wiring.



Time to get her wet. Off to Oceanside with family and friends for her first bath. All goes well. It is looking like I might even get some fishing done soon. Over the next couple of seasons the boat still hasn’t been finished on the inside but what the heck we are fishing a lot and the rest can just wait.


I got to know the old Perkins well as each trip I am below fixing something! I made sure my on the water towing was up to date and that turned out to be a wise choice. Two tows later it was time to repower with a new Cummins. Off to Tony Athens and after more money I was on my way home with a shiny engine on my trailer. A few weeks later it was installed and ready for sea trials. Tony did a few changes on the front engine mounts and it then passed with flying colors. The Cummins runs like a top---well a slow top that is. Tony told me if I was happy going under 20K this would be a great engine. Keep it cool and fresh oil and it will last a lifetime. I also get great MPG’s but running slower does help too. My fishing trips out of San Diego can be 150 miles each way so MPG’s is a must. I get around 4 MPG at cruise and I don’t spill my coffee very often.



A few more seasons of fishing and it finally came time to do the interior wood work. I have a wood working company so I thought I better show off a bit and do it up the old way. Two years later and I am almost done. I added a 5kw generator and a 2 ton ac with heat along with updated bait pumps and tuna tubes. It is starting to look more like a fishing boat every day. I will start the varnish soon and then it is down hill from there. Since it is going to Puerto Vallarta when it is finished I will add a little paint to the top surfaces that collect the most sun. I am not sure if I have to do bottom paint because it will spend most of the time on it’s trailer but even a few days in the warm water might start the growth we all hate.

I am not going to caption each picture since most of us have been at this long enough to see what is going on. If you have any questions please ask and I will do my best to answer.


Now for the “BIG QUESTION”-----would you do this again???????? NO!!!!!!
It has been a lot of fun mixed into wanting to blow it up many times. I have spent so much money doing the learning curve that I could of had a new one!! Shoot if I got $2 for each hour I have put into this project over the years I would have a 60 footer. On the plus side it has kept me out of trouble for years and I always have a place to hang out when I want to get out of the house. My wife calls it the “club house” and always asks permission to come aboard when she wants to see me.

THAT’S ALL!!!

Dennis

“ALUMINATOR” Escondido, CA
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welder
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Re: Building the "ALUMINATOR"

#2

Post by welder »

Dennis, GREAT post , those are a bunch of work to post, Thank you. :highfive:

What kind of fuel burn are ya doing ?
Lester,
PacificV2325, Honda BF225
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ALUMINATOR
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:06 pm
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Location: San Diego

Re: Building the "ALUMINATOR"

#3

Post by ALUMINATOR »

Thanks Les. Try to get red die diesel when I can but she runs well on any #2. I should have some pictures of her almost completed in a couple of week.

This is the reason to fish Puerto Vallarta. #323

It looks like I need some tips of posting my pictures. LOL
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peterbo3
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Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:59 am
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Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Building the "ALUMINATOR"

#4

Post by peterbo3 »

Aluminator,
Thanks for your story. That looks like a great boat. All the hard work has paid off. :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:
Regards,

Pete in Brisbane
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wdkerek
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:20 pm
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Location: Saint Amant Louisiana

Re: Building the "ALUMINATOR"

#5

Post by wdkerek »

man, that thing is the "bomb" and that came straight from my 12 year old's mouth
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