I wasn't sure where to post this but I figured those here would best appreciate this.
Yesterday was definitely one of the times where I wished I owned a camera phone.
A buddy and I decided to haul my 14' tinny down to the creek today to do some last minute crabbing and fishing before the storm hits, that idea turned out to be a mistake, there were probably 100 people in line trying to pull their boats out before the storm. Not wanted to waist the trip, I drove up stream a bit to a small dirt landing, hand lauched the boat and went about fishing for several hours. After a bit I decided to head up stream and try for some crabs, a ways upstream we run across and old man in an old, raggedy Renken trihull, with an OMC I/O set up. He was tossing the anchor and retreiving rope.
I circled back and asked if I could help, he went on to explain that his motor died and he couldn't get it started. He had been out all morning and was only 1/4 of the way back to the ramp.
I offered to help and he said I was welcome to try but he gave up hours ago.
To my surprise, the dog box was made of T111 siding, and about 3' taller than normal. He proceeded to show me how the top of the box folds back on hinges to expose the engine. (There were no gauges or controls on the dash other than several toggle switches. The boat had bench seats installed over a plain plywood deck. The seats were screwed in from each side right through the glass hull. He said he didn't have a starter, and when I flipped the home made cover back I saw why...
The original inline four cylinder motor was gutted, all but the oil pan and block were gone. On top of the block where the cylinder head used to reside was a steel plate, with a cast iron Wisconsin cement mixer motor bolted on top of the original engine. There was what looked like a motorcycle chain going from the air cooled engine up top down to a sprocket welded to the original crankshaft. The oil pan was filled to the edge, and he made a sheet metal funnel to keep the oil in the pan as the chain turned. The added on motor has no recoil, only a rope sheave. I gave it a few pulls and it didn't feel healthy inside.
I told the guy something broke inside, and that I'd try to tow him to the dock. My 14' Sears tinny with a 6hp Johnson handled that task just fine.
Getting him back on his trailer was another ordeal, his trailer was way too small, the frame extended with huge 4x6 bunks with no carpet. It had no winch, he said he normally just drives on the trailer, ties off the boat and 'Seats' the boat by slamming on the brakes a few times once he's on pavement. My buddy, myself, and two others that I recruited by embarrassment at the ramp used a rope and some leverage to get the boat up the trailer enough to get it off the ramp.
By the time this whole ordeal was done, we figured we'd best head back to the other ramp and get on home before dark. I ended up searching for the ramp in the dark with a spot light and loading in pitch black night anyhow. At least my boat is light and easy to load.
I didn't get to stick around and marvel at his contraption on land, but he said he never goes farther than that creek, and I suppose it moves the boat well enough for him, but at his age, I figured he's more than taking a few risks with a rig like that.
The boat had to be 16' or so, I can't imagine that motor moving that boat very well.
I'd also probably never have even thought about a rig like that. What was worse yet was all the milk jug bailing buckets all about the boat, my guess is that it has more than a few leaks as well.
Before I had drafted the two standerby's to help load his boat, his suggested was to use his truck to load the boat, "He said he had done it before". His plan was to unhook the boat trailer, let the tongue jack, (with no wheel), dig into the ramp, as he pulled the boat onto the trailer with his truck. Then all he had to do was reconnect the trailer and be on his way. Not wanting any more entertainment we just manhandled the boat onto his trailer and got out of there.
It just goes to show when you think you've seen everything, something like this pops up. I'm not sure how he'd have reacted if I did have a camera, he may not have taken too kindly to someone snapping pics of his boat or his custom work. He reminded me of an old moonshiner type from the hills. I'm sure he was glad for the help though, although he never said much the whole time. He just looked at me odd when I refused his $5 bill, I figured by the look of his boat he needed it more than me.
Yesterday was definitely one of the times where I wished I owned a camera phone.
A buddy and I decided to haul my 14' tinny down to the creek today to do some last minute crabbing and fishing before the storm hits, that idea turned out to be a mistake, there were probably 100 people in line trying to pull their boats out before the storm. Not wanted to waist the trip, I drove up stream a bit to a small dirt landing, hand lauched the boat and went about fishing for several hours. After a bit I decided to head up stream and try for some crabs, a ways upstream we run across and old man in an old, raggedy Renken trihull, with an OMC I/O set up. He was tossing the anchor and retreiving rope.
I circled back and asked if I could help, he went on to explain that his motor died and he couldn't get it started. He had been out all morning and was only 1/4 of the way back to the ramp.
I offered to help and he said I was welcome to try but he gave up hours ago.
To my surprise, the dog box was made of T111 siding, and about 3' taller than normal. He proceeded to show me how the top of the box folds back on hinges to expose the engine. (There were no gauges or controls on the dash other than several toggle switches. The boat had bench seats installed over a plain plywood deck. The seats were screwed in from each side right through the glass hull. He said he didn't have a starter, and when I flipped the home made cover back I saw why...
The original inline four cylinder motor was gutted, all but the oil pan and block were gone. On top of the block where the cylinder head used to reside was a steel plate, with a cast iron Wisconsin cement mixer motor bolted on top of the original engine. There was what looked like a motorcycle chain going from the air cooled engine up top down to a sprocket welded to the original crankshaft. The oil pan was filled to the edge, and he made a sheet metal funnel to keep the oil in the pan as the chain turned. The added on motor has no recoil, only a rope sheave. I gave it a few pulls and it didn't feel healthy inside.
I told the guy something broke inside, and that I'd try to tow him to the dock. My 14' Sears tinny with a 6hp Johnson handled that task just fine.
Getting him back on his trailer was another ordeal, his trailer was way too small, the frame extended with huge 4x6 bunks with no carpet. It had no winch, he said he normally just drives on the trailer, ties off the boat and 'Seats' the boat by slamming on the brakes a few times once he's on pavement. My buddy, myself, and two others that I recruited by embarrassment at the ramp used a rope and some leverage to get the boat up the trailer enough to get it off the ramp.
By the time this whole ordeal was done, we figured we'd best head back to the other ramp and get on home before dark. I ended up searching for the ramp in the dark with a spot light and loading in pitch black night anyhow. At least my boat is light and easy to load.
I didn't get to stick around and marvel at his contraption on land, but he said he never goes farther than that creek, and I suppose it moves the boat well enough for him, but at his age, I figured he's more than taking a few risks with a rig like that.
The boat had to be 16' or so, I can't imagine that motor moving that boat very well.
I'd also probably never have even thought about a rig like that. What was worse yet was all the milk jug bailing buckets all about the boat, my guess is that it has more than a few leaks as well.
Before I had drafted the two standerby's to help load his boat, his suggested was to use his truck to load the boat, "He said he had done it before". His plan was to unhook the boat trailer, let the tongue jack, (with no wheel), dig into the ramp, as he pulled the boat onto the trailer with his truck. Then all he had to do was reconnect the trailer and be on his way. Not wanting any more entertainment we just manhandled the boat onto his trailer and got out of there.
It just goes to show when you think you've seen everything, something like this pops up. I'm not sure how he'd have reacted if I did have a camera, he may not have taken too kindly to someone snapping pics of his boat or his custom work. He reminded me of an old moonshiner type from the hills. I'm sure he was glad for the help though, although he never said much the whole time. He just looked at me odd when I refused his $5 bill, I figured by the look of his boat he needed it more than me.
