Just bought my first boat... a 1964 Hydroswift

[MyMalteseFalcon]

Hi, as the title states, I just bought my first boat. It's needing work but to look at it, it has lots of potential.

It's a 1964 Hydroswift, in decent condition, it's just been neglected for a few years. Has an Evinrude Lark 6 40HP with Selectric Shift. Last time the motor was ran was 3 yrs ago, as the old owner informed me. It needs interior, a good painting, not to mention I'm going to do away with the old cable steering and perhaps go for a rack & pinion steering set up. Not sure on that one yet...

There's very little on the internet on this boat. Parts are getting to be some what of a challenge for me. at this point.

The biggest thing that I'm looking for is a windshield, was thinking of making my own but not sure of the process involved. I'm wondering if it'll be cheaper to find an outfit that makes 'em or to push on head and make one myself.

If anyone knows of any links that could help me in this new en-devour I would surely appreciate it. I'm retired, time on my hands. I'm also mechanically inclined as I'm an old ship yard worker & also an ex-Navy man.

Thanks for reading my thread!

 

[PAR]

Welcome to the forum.

Yeah, finding specific Hydroswift parts will be all but impossible, unless you get lucky. I own 2 sequentially numbered Lark 40's. The selectric shift system is quite flawed and best just replaced. There are a few options on the steering and rotary or rack will do. I prefer rotary, but it's your call. Get an anti-feed back unit.

There are companies that will bend you up a windscreen, but bring your first born and a spare arm or leg. It's not as hard as you think as you only need to heat to about 350 degrees to get it to conform to most any shape. I have done small stuff with a heat gun, but this isn't practical with a windshield.

The last one I did had a wrap around deal, so I made an oven. I bought a regular electric kitchen oven (50 amp) for $100 at a flea market and took the elements and thermostat out of it. I then made a 5' long 3' x 2' tall 20 gauge steel box, simply pop riveting it together. I wrapped this with 3" of 'glass insulation and some 1/4" plywood (yeah I know, but it's only 350 degrees). The two elements were placed side by side, in the bottom and a angle iron shelf was made, along with two thermometers.

The windshield was bent over a wooden "buck", covered with felt (the felt trick was learned the hard way). The acrylic sheet was roughly cut, mostly to fit in the box and it was heated to about 300, which is when the plastic starts to deform. The acrylic was moved to insure it would "drape" appropriately on the buck (male mold) and the temperature raised to 350. Once the plastic (it'll stink to high heaven BTW) settled around the buck, the buck and plastic was pulled out and immediately washed down with a garden hose, which freezes the plastic into the position is on the buck.

A lot of trouble, but a hell of a lot cheaper then the speciality plastic bending manufactures, particularly if they make the buck. The buck was 2x4's, plywood, screws, a fair bit of cussing and smoothing, but the felt covering does help to fair the surface of minor bumps and dips. It also keeps the plastic from sticking to the buck. Give it a try. The worst that can happen is you'll cook some plastic and the wife will kill you fro stinking up the house.