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HomeMade Short-tail Build Done

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106K views 39 replies 28 participants last post by  Darryle  
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#1 ·
I finally got it done. Been busy workin my butt off and trying to get this baby done too. Haven't been on DHC much consequently :sad: ...Here's a little of what I've been up too. Ran it tonight for about an hour in the tank testin it. This was the project I built as my masterpiece project to turn out as a journeyman sheetmetal worker here in KC. I desingned it all in autocad and then detailed it into 3D and modeled it. A friend and shop foreman at a shop here in KC laser cut all my 3/16 aluminum. It turned out really nice. I also designed the laser etched logo on the back of the outdrive coverplate. I turned the prop shaft, bushing, and sealing shaft on a gunsmith friends lathe. It's so cool to see it all come together and know it was all from scratch built just for one of the boats I hunt with. It is really a little overbuilt but I knew it build be. May build the next one out of .125 instead of .1875. Going out tomorrow to run it on the layout/sneak boat I made it for. Definitely stoked. :biggrin:
Lemme know what ya think fellas!!
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N
#2 ·
Sweet, big ol' thumbsup :thumbsup: I've been building duck boats for about 6 years, including designing 2 of my own, and you're so right in saying there is nothing like watching your work come together.

Can't wait for the test photos/report.

Brad
 
M
#5 ·
The motor is a Honda 6.5HP w/ Elec start and 8amp charging coil. I'm actually looking at putting a performance 6.5 block making closer to 10 maybe 15 hp....just have to do a little gear reduction with the sprockets...We'll see... :yes: And as far as the boat I'll post a few pics of it. It is a homemade also...based on the kara hummer plans. It's 13'11" long and 46" wide. Works GREAT!! The first two were pics when I was almost done building it. The last pic has the aluminum longtail I built hanging on the boat. If you hunt marshes that get pressure from big boats, you would be amazed at how well these setups work!! I mean we have repeatedly laughed as guys race off the ramp to find a place to hide their huge boat and blind,...we take our time, get back to a good spot, hide, and wait for the show to start, and best of all, we are usually the ones leaving with the birds first.
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M
#9 ·
OK. So I finally got the motor out and really got it wet today. Not a lot of time but a little...Had to get back for church. I am absolutely nothing less than happy!!! I of course walked off and left the GPS sittin in the shop; so I don't have the numbers yet. I do know however it ran faster than either of the longtails I have ever run. So much easier to run than the longtail too. I would actually have done a little better if I would have had the time to back the governing screw off a little. I forgot I had tuned it down to prevent over-rev in my out-of-water testing. So I was only gettin around 3150RPM out of the motor today. It also would have helped to have a bag of decoys and/or a dog in the front of the boat too...She ran great. The motor is actually a little heavy. It weighs in around 85lbs. The next one will be out of .125 and will be on a little more of a diet. I'm shooting for around 60-65lbs. I'll have it dialed in by next weekend with a few minor adjustments and some numbers. Good so far! :biggrin:
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M
#12 ·
Took it out yesterday with the governor backed off a little. With me 250lb, 4dozen weighted keels, and a 70lb marine battery she ran about 9mph. With me, another guy 230lbs and his little girl maybe 40lbs it ran 7.8 I think it would do a lot better if not for 2 reasons. 1st- when I built the boat I should have left the stern wider and kept the bottom of the stern flat to help with displacement. Then also I was worried after using the boat just a few times of running up on a few rocks so I bedlined the bottom and sides with a textured bedliner. Shoulda just glassed it again. Gonna try it on a 1433 jon I have and see how it does. May lead to a better boat build too. There's always somethin....
 
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#14 ·
jdbuckshot said:
Thats a very nice job on the Short tail, as well as the boats! What kind of gear reduction are you running on the short tail?

Thanks JD
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Thanks JD. It's nice to see it all starting to pay off finally. I am actually running 1:1 gearing right now. I'm wanting to get the hot 6.5hp block that's turning right around 12-15hp at the crank...for it to turn the standard 3600-3900 on the prop would be near a 2:1 reduction because of the higher RPMs the motor is turning.
 
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#17 ·
MotoStar929rr said:
Thanks JD. It's nice to see it all starting to pay off finally. I am actually running 1:1 gearing right now. I'm wanting to get the hot 6.5hp block that's turning right around 12-15hp at the crank...for it to turn the standard 3600-3900 on the prop would be near a 2:1 reduction because of the higher RPMs the motor is turning.
Click to expand...
So you are running right off the shaft of the engine? just dropping a belt from pulley to pulley?
 
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