fairey hunt 18

at the moment the engine is about 2" above the keel line.

its a starting point and if i need to lift it higher i can. got about another 2 1/2" of lift to play with on the engine bracket.

 

In a straight line it could be ok just have to make sure the water pick up dosent starve for water thats the most important one to watch for , 12 mm rise for every 300 mm back from the bottom edge of the transom is the starting point written in the merc manual i think . ! trouble with having it to hight is first the water pick up !! the motor moves back and up at the same time when you trim , when your in choppy water and the boats going up and down because your standing forward the out board could come almost completely out of the water
also when at speed in a moderate to tight turn one way or the other again the leg will suck air and loose speed . so need to come down till all those things dont happen ,going through rolling waves as you get to the top and going over the crest the motor could really leave the water specially at cruising speed . to drop the motor down isnt a biggie , Back on the trailer
Trim the motor to vertical possition ,i just use a car jack on a block of wood under the skeg and loosened the bolts in the slotted part of the bracket and punched to top bolts in a little to let the bracket slide past to the next hole as the motor slids past ,tap the bolts back ,washes and nuts all 4 tighened and back in the water . takes all of 30 minutes tops and try it again
When i set my motor i set it low so i had to go up one hole thats all ,but its easy to do !!
Any way its all good fun and nothing to serious , every boat is differant from the last or the next .

 

OK, so the motor is about 2 inches up, that seems like a good starting point, if when motoring along you are seeing a lot of spray being generated from the leg, it is a sign it might prefer to go up a hole. Handy to have someone else of board at the stern to see where the water level oscillates between, especially in rough water.

 

If you have some one in the back looking you not going to get the problems as they really are !! Its going to take a little time behind the wheel to get it sorted . just understand the signs and know how to fix it . its not rocket science !! its either up or down !!

 

thanks for the info guys.

i know what to look out for now if the engine is too low etc.

really appreciate all the info. its very helpful

 

got a bit done over the past week.

windows are now in and radar arch mounted. windows are mounted on rubbers as that was the quickest way of sorting it out. i may change the main front windows at a later date for alloy framed windows.

not a great deal has been done lately due to work slowing down and not much cash to buy the bits i need but next week will be a good week so a bit of progress will be made.

 

also bow roller is bolted on and i've cut a hole out the anchor locker as i couldn't get a hatch the size i wanted so i decided to cut a hole out and i will fit a rubber trim to it at a later date to neaten it up.

 

Fantastic !! really look the part !! a chrome horn and search light on the cabin top and your there .
I hope you are pleased with all you have done because it a credit to you and your helpers . Well done !!

 

cheers mate.

vhf antenna is now mounted on the arch.

going to fit a twin stainless horn set up on the arch as well.

i've got a remote search light which has got a suction bottom to it so it can be mounted any where when needed so that will go on the roof , foredeck , any where really as the lead is long.

im going to mount a rear deck light to the rear edge of the roof. i may fit a froward facing spot light if i think it needs it.

 

well im at the point where i can now launch the boat.

batteries are in and all wired up with split charge and battery isolator switch.

bilge pumps wired and plumbed in , fuel tank is all plumbed in but i need to get a filter and water trap yet , transducer for fishfinder is mounted in the hull in its own small box which is filled with veggie oil and the lid sealed on.

im hoping to trial the boat this sunday afternoon so will get plenty of action pics and maybe a video.













there are still quite a few jobs to do yet like all the stainless bits and pieces , radar reflector , deck light , cabin light etc but they will have to wait until i have moe funds to buy all the bits.

 

Dont forget to take mobile phone and radio and turn them on !! anchor and chain and rope and make sure the rope is tied to the boat and the anchor to the chain and the chain to the anchor !! wouldnt be the first time some one lost the lot , Bugger !!!!
Plug in the back done up and sealed !
Life jackets for each person on the board and a spare .
flare pack and spare rope ,
food with some chocolate and water .
and a tool box
Camera with fully charged batteries ,video and new tape and fuly charged battery and a spare . always run out of tape or the battery goes flat just when the best part is happening !!!
LASTLY fuel for the day and spare !!
I hope all goes well and its a fine day with a few swells . Will be wait!!! Boat looks great and will perform well i am sure !!

 

I am a big fan of old Ray Hunt boats.

This same hull was produced in Canada by O'Day and there are many still around Georgian Bay.

I personally am working on a Bertram 20 Bahia Mar project, but the lineage is the same.

Cheers!

Ian.

 

Great looking boat !!!

 

got vhf radio , mobile , anchor etc etc so should be ok if the worst happens.

batteries fully charged up.

got enough fuel for what im doing. im only going to be in and around my local slipway so shouldn't use a great deal of fuel.

will get plenty of action pics and a video.

 

i love the shape of the hunt18.

its different to all the new 16.18ft boats over here which a lot of them all look the same.

i wanted this one for one purpose, fishing and it works perfect the way i ahve set it all out.