Resurrection, Selco Select 13 ft

[las]

In 2014 I bought a boat.

Late 2014 I realized the boat and outboard should be scrapped before throwing more money at it!

Late 2016 the boat hit's the water again, many hours and tons of cash later.... I just never seem to get smarter!!!

When we first bought the boat with it's 35hp Johnson it would not get up on plane, 13-14 mph was top speed. But it didn't matter much that summer, we had fun with it still.
In the late summer of 2014 I bought and installed a very rare short legged K?nig 40 hp outboard after spending countless hours getting it to pump water. The boat did get on plane, but I decided that now it was rebuild time.
The transom could be moved a fair bit forth and back, the gelcoat was cracked in the corners of the splashwell confirming that the transom was about to fall out....
The foam core was wet, we could actually hear the water moving around under our feet when we sailed slowly. Seats was mounted on wooden benches and was all over the place when we sailed.

Everything done to this boat for the last 30-40 years was rubbish, but I liked the way it looks!

I took the top of and cut the transom and bottom out, removing the wet foam. The hull was now so weak the sides almost fell out of shape.
It also reveled that at the keel and two other places the fiberglass was de-laminated, and to top it of, there was at least four holes in the bottom.
The transom had no less than 100 holes in it, and of course no wood left, just something brown / black dust like substance...

I don't know why, but sometimes you just keep going even when you know it flat out stupid. Perhaps I saw this little old school gem sparkling like new in a vision, or a daydream and me sitting in it smiling.
Having made nothing but bad decisions I decided to make another bad one! This boat should be built to last, no more wood to rot out, solid fiberglass transom and all wood removed.
This was a time and money costly decision!

For some reason I did actually manage to get part one finished, I wonder how?
And I have decided to split the restoration in 5 stages.
1. Inside hull and structural integrity
2. Outside hul, underside
3. Inside of the top
4. Outside of the top and cockpit
5. the engine / outboard

I started the rebuilt for a short legged outboard, and was almost finished with the transom "fiberglass" plate, when I got hold of a 65 hp Chrysler outboard. It was not working and I didn't know what a rare engine this was at the time....(money eating, time consuming monster)
The transom got reworked for a long leg outboard and I was happy.
I didn't plan to fill the hull with foam again and began to construct stringers and compartments for the gas tank, battery etc.

It took me almost two years on / off to get the inside ready for mock up. And this is where I am now.

This winter I plan to take it apart and work on the bottom, getting it straight and make glide better through the water. Right now it's wake resembles the one of a large commercial vessel....

These pictures are before restoration

 

[las]

No Title

Unfortunately some of the pictures I took have gone missing, but as you can see it hasn't been a small task.

I think I have used about 70-100L polyester by now, but the hull was really nothing but a thin shell when I started.

 

[mickyryan]

nice lil boat them kids sure look like they having a blast!

 

[ssdale]

Great job! I admire anyone who tackles an old glasser!

 

[las]

Hello again folks.
Well I never did get to work on the boat in the winter of 2016, instead the boat sat outside for almost 5 years while I was busy elsewhere.
The boat had become one of those things you try not to look at when you pass in in the driveway, just makes you feel bad.
My oldest son is now 16 and got a small 12 foot speedboat with a 25hp mercury racing and that ignited the spark again!
Needless to say the boat looked like crap after just sitting in the open for maybe the last year and a half, before that there was at least a tarp somewhat protecting it, but it was a mess!
I cleaned the hull up and starting making some instrument clusters, just to get going and doing something.
I made the molds of styrofoam wrapped in packing tape, glassed them and then sanded them down to an acceptable finish, once the boat gets painted after final stage of restoration it will look better.
I even got the engine started again to my relief, but the battery was gone after sitting connected for 5 years, no wonder!

Back in 2016 I was looking for a better propeller but never really got anything done.
Well I just received a SS 10x14 cupped Michigan Wheel from the states and I just love the looks of it.
Besides that I believe the cup and increase in pitch will do wonders.
Browsing this forum once again in the quest for knowledge I stumbled across some post by Frank where he mentions ventilation problems on the Chrysler one piece lower units, apparently they should be 1 inch shorter than other legs and good for +3mph, I assume Frank talks about the part under the ventilation plate! It makes sense since they do turn a quite small diameter prop and have a tall gearing (1.62:1). If I'm correct it all ads up.
Chrysler's fix should have been the flared washer used on some of the one piece units, no matter what I love the look of that washer/spacer and the cone.
Back in 2016 I even tried lifting the engine a small amount and got severe ventilation as well.
This forum is an absolute goldmine I have to say! The information may be scattered a bit, but boy is there a lot of good info for all to use, THANKS!!!!
There was even lots of info on my own project, written by myself, that I had forgotten! But because I did write quite a few things and thoughts down in here. I was able to pick up the ball again and keep going from where I left it back in 2016.

But this is not all, the last few days I have even been constructing some new chines/anti-trip chines/lifting strakes/splash rails...... A set of do it all add ons that I'm excited to show you.
I cannot begin to explain how much thought, work and research that have gone into these "things" but it actually began in 2016.
The last few times we had the boat out I noticed how much the hull clinged on to the water and there was actually a spray of water from the flange where the lower hull bolts up to the upper part. The rear was being sucked down causing a huge drag and quite a wake. Besides the hull had both hook and rocker at various places, a real mess.
Again using styrofoam i constructed these devices and right now they are 2 layers of glass, one chopped and one cloth. I will add some foam and reinforcements on the inside and build the strength up on the outside when i attach them to the hull.
What they bring to the table, I think, is some volume in the back, widen the hull and adding stability and a steep angle at the front for lifting the side if the boat should catch the sea at speed. They are also parallel to the existing chine and would generate a good amount of lift with the reverse chine design they have.
I plan on make the edge very sharp and therefore separation should be much better reducing spray from the aft section by a lot and reducing drag.
When the boat and the rest of the hull have been fixed they should even be mostly out of the water at higher speeds.
So as you can see they have quite a few functions, oh and I even added a step for a knee or foot if one should get in the boat from the water, but only on the right side one.
Now they have been made and if all goes well they will be added this winter (I hope!)