There was no way I was going to purchase a fuel tank that would limit my run time. I felt the boat needed more capacity. I studied the miriad of tanks available. I even researched having one custom made. Ultimately I realized these new plastic tanks are not too bad and they're equipped with a reliable electronic sensor for fuel level.
Given my normal level of worry, I didn't want the sensor powered forever, so I put a switch on it. So big deal, when I want to know the fuel level, I pull a switch. This ultimately was a good move and I suggest everyone going with this type of sensore do the same.
The Rascal is a light boat. I found that I didn't want to fill the tank beyond 5/8ths full. She would just sit too low in the water. Yes, she'd get up and go but the back end was just too far in the water to look right at idle. It was rare that I'd fill up but still, this larger than specified tank is the way I would go again.
Grounding the tank was another must. Follow the manufacturers recommendations and don't forget the fill port. I went with a flush mount Perko brand fuel port. The low profile looked sharp on the back deck. I used a commerically available sintered ground plate and mounted it through the transom, below the water line. Seemed to work well. I opted to not paint it.
If you're willing to depart from Ken Bassetts plans, you may consider mounting the tank in the bow. I know I'm not the only Rascal builder that had to deal with a bit of "porpusing". The weight in the front could help with this. I'll cover how I dealt the this issue in a later blog.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Floor First - Project Boat - Ken Bassett Rascal
For me, the first order of business was to figure out the floor. The drawing package provided a table of offsets to enable me to layout the floor. Ultimately it was four pieces, cut with an old saber saw.
That saw should have been retired years earlier. The rough cut I was able to achieve required significant sanding to smooth the edge. Yes, I knew it would be under a rubber mat floor cover , completely out of sight, but it was important to me that every cut, every detail, be made with the most precision I was capable of. After hours of smoothing the cuts with a wood block wrapped with 60 grit, then 80 then 120 grit paper, I was satsified.
The cockpit on this boat is pretty small. I debated over cutting a hole in the sole, to put a small access port to store lines, fenders what ever might fit. After measuring and day dreaming about it I decided to not do it. I wasn't yet ready to determine the seat position and couldn't be certain on the port location to my satisfaction. More over, it wasn't in the plans and I was determined to stay faithful with the plans.
I coated the plywood with West System epoxy. Good move. Sealed the ply nicely and of course made it impervious to water. It was still cool, working in the garage, but after a few days, the epoxy set and I was good-to-go.
The floor went in without a hitch. I was planning to use brass screws but found them to be way too soft. From that point forward, I used stainless steel screws. Tougher and no way they would fail.
That saw should have been retired years earlier. The rough cut I was able to achieve required significant sanding to smooth the edge. Yes, I knew it would be under a rubber mat floor cover , completely out of sight, but it was important to me that every cut, every detail, be made with the most precision I was capable of. After hours of smoothing the cuts with a wood block wrapped with 60 grit, then 80 then 120 grit paper, I was satsified.
The cockpit on this boat is pretty small. I debated over cutting a hole in the sole, to put a small access port to store lines, fenders what ever might fit. After measuring and day dreaming about it I decided to not do it. I wasn't yet ready to determine the seat position and couldn't be certain on the port location to my satisfaction. More over, it wasn't in the plans and I was determined to stay faithful with the plans.
I coated the plywood with West System epoxy. Good move. Sealed the ply nicely and of course made it impervious to water. It was still cool, working in the garage, but after a few days, the epoxy set and I was good-to-go.
The floor went in without a hitch. I was planning to use brass screws but found them to be way too soft. From that point forward, I used stainless steel screws. Tougher and no way they would fail.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Long Winter
Since the Rascal project came upon me so quickly, I was more or less, starting from scratch. Fortunately, I had the long winter to get my project organized and my wife, who is very understanding, could never push me to work in a garage that was typically less than 20 degrees F.
I set my time reviewing in absolute detail the plans I received from Wooden Boat. Excellent detail and Ken Bassett wrote a very good narative type guide. I made the promise to myself to stay within his recomendations.
Numerous catalogs were coming to me in the mail. Cleats, gauges, lights, engines, fuel tanks; all the hardware that I could need. At the time Rockford Illinois didn't have much to support boat building needs. Everything that I put onto the boat, came via mail order. That even includes the marine grade plywood used for the floor. In my opinion, M&E Marine, located in New Jersey provided by far the best selection of parts and components. Second was Boat US. I had both of their catalogs for review and depended heavily on them. I found that getting the name brand of an item, then visiting their web site often gave me a better sense of what I was ordering.
Some of these deliveries were problematic to receive. Afterall, they were delivered to a home, not a loading dock. Ultimately, we worked out these issues and deliveries were made. Typically, when the garage door was opened to receive an item, most drivers were more than happy to help off load and spent a few minutes looking over the Rascal.
It was several weeks before I could really begin building in earnest. The absolute cold could not be overcome enough in the garage to really do any work. Parts just continued to come in.
I guess it was April before I was working regularly on her. More to come.
I set my time reviewing in absolute detail the plans I received from Wooden Boat. Excellent detail and Ken Bassett wrote a very good narative type guide. I made the promise to myself to stay within his recomendations.
Numerous catalogs were coming to me in the mail. Cleats, gauges, lights, engines, fuel tanks; all the hardware that I could need. At the time Rockford Illinois didn't have much to support boat building needs. Everything that I put onto the boat, came via mail order. That even includes the marine grade plywood used for the floor. In my opinion, M&E Marine, located in New Jersey provided by far the best selection of parts and components. Second was Boat US. I had both of their catalogs for review and depended heavily on them. I found that getting the name brand of an item, then visiting their web site often gave me a better sense of what I was ordering.
Some of these deliveries were problematic to receive. Afterall, they were delivered to a home, not a loading dock. Ultimately, we worked out these issues and deliveries were made. Typically, when the garage door was opened to receive an item, most drivers were more than happy to help off load and spent a few minutes looking over the Rascal.
It was several weeks before I could really begin building in earnest. The absolute cold could not be overcome enough in the garage to really do any work. Parts just continued to come in.
I guess it was April before I was working regularly on her. More to come.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Where to start - Project Boat - Ken Bassett Rascal
Now I've got what I've always wanted. A project boat, in my garage, in the dead of winter in Rockford, Illinois. What was I thinking?
First order of business is finding a way to get my 2 cars in the garage with the Rascal. I didn't want either of them outside for the winter. Fortunately, the boat came with a rather modestly fashioned cradle. By bulking it up a bit I found it to be quite adequate. Down to the home center and back with 4 large, lockable caster wheels. Perfect for the bottom of the cradle. I then recruited a couple of my neighbors to help me lift the Rascal hull off the trailer and onto the cradle.
My wife watched in disbelief as I spun the boat perpendicular to the garage entry and pushed it up to the back wall of the garage. The cars both fit with 1 foot at front and 1 foot at back to spare. Piece of cake, I claimed. She long ago learned that I always had a plan. She shook her head as she turned and went back inside to get warm.
My neighbors were quick to leave since the temperature was in the teens. I quickly pushed the trailer around to the back of my home where it would sit for the duration of the project. I hustled back into the garage, pulled both cars in and made my way into the house.
While the Rascal came with a set of plans, they happened to be a very crude set, not the ones you would purchase today. It's my opinion that Ken Bassett may have actually copied them for the original builder. I rolled them out onto the dining room table. Studying them intensely. I'm in the business of capital equipment engineering and manufacturing. I know how to read a blueprint. These were different than I'd ever reviewed. A "table of offsets"? What's this? After reviewing for a bit, it's not to difficult to understand. In fact, it makes sense. But there was still the "essense" of the design I was missing.
I mulled it over for a couple days. I often dwell on things before I act. Like the years I mulled over a project boat. Ultimately, I logged onto the Wooden Boat magazine web site and ordered an new, complete set of plans. As you might imagine, over the years, I'd accumulated numerous catalog sources for information on parts and components. I spent the next few days in my normal chair (yes, just like Archie Bunker) and scanning as I always had.
First order of business is finding a way to get my 2 cars in the garage with the Rascal. I didn't want either of them outside for the winter. Fortunately, the boat came with a rather modestly fashioned cradle. By bulking it up a bit I found it to be quite adequate. Down to the home center and back with 4 large, lockable caster wheels. Perfect for the bottom of the cradle. I then recruited a couple of my neighbors to help me lift the Rascal hull off the trailer and onto the cradle.
My wife watched in disbelief as I spun the boat perpendicular to the garage entry and pushed it up to the back wall of the garage. The cars both fit with 1 foot at front and 1 foot at back to spare. Piece of cake, I claimed. She long ago learned that I always had a plan. She shook her head as she turned and went back inside to get warm.
My neighbors were quick to leave since the temperature was in the teens. I quickly pushed the trailer around to the back of my home where it would sit for the duration of the project. I hustled back into the garage, pulled both cars in and made my way into the house.
While the Rascal came with a set of plans, they happened to be a very crude set, not the ones you would purchase today. It's my opinion that Ken Bassett may have actually copied them for the original builder. I rolled them out onto the dining room table. Studying them intensely. I'm in the business of capital equipment engineering and manufacturing. I know how to read a blueprint. These were different than I'd ever reviewed. A "table of offsets"? What's this? After reviewing for a bit, it's not to difficult to understand. In fact, it makes sense. But there was still the "essense" of the design I was missing.
I mulled it over for a couple days. I often dwell on things before I act. Like the years I mulled over a project boat. Ultimately, I logged onto the Wooden Boat magazine web site and ordered an new, complete set of plans. As you might imagine, over the years, I'd accumulated numerous catalog sources for information on parts and components. I spent the next few days in my normal chair (yes, just like Archie Bunker) and scanning as I always had.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
My first project boat, a Ken Bassett Rascal
Having been looking for a project boat for some time, I came across a Ken Bassett Rascal in the classifieds of Wooden Boat magazine. I had to call. Turns out that two guys that were in the cabinet making business had built this boat about 5 years earlier. The just never finished it. It was located in Kitchener, Ontario and since I was regularly traveling on business from Chicago to Toronto, I had to see it. On my next trip to Canada, I bought it.
The builders had disolved their partnership and just parked the hull under a tarp and completely lost interest. As a hull, it was virtually complete. As a project boat, it had a long way to go but quite "do-able" for me.
All said and done, on New Year's Eve 1997, I climbed in my car, trailer in tow and drove from Rockford, Illinois to Kitchener. Mid day on New Year's Day 1998, I was pulling into an old airplane hanger.
This was the quintessential men's toy shop. Boats, motorcycles, airplanes, cars, all the toys you could dream of. In the darkest corner of the hangar was the Ken Bassett Rascal. In mint condition. After years under a black tarp the mahagony had beautifuly darkened to a very handsome patina. The seller had a family member with him. The three of us lifted the empty hull onto the trailer. We wrapped it in a blue tarp I brought, sealing the seams with duct tape.
I was quickly on my way back to Illinois. After a few hours back on the road the adrenalin just couldn't sustain me any further... I couldn't drive another mile and had to take a hotel room before crossing the border back to the states at Detroit. A few hours later, at 2:00 am, the adrenalin kicked in again and I was off.
The border crossing was an interesting event. I was pulled to the side for questioning. Fortunately, I had a detailed bill of sale from the builder and was ready with my checkbook to cover any duty fees. Question #1, where was the boat manufactured? Canada, it was home built. Where was the motor manufactured? There is no motor. Where were the gauges manufactured? There are no gauges. Where were the fittings manufactured? Canada, they were hand made. The officer asked, is there any part of this boat that was not made in Canada? Yes, the trailer. I showed the owners pink slip since I just purchased it to retrieve the boat. The officer says this is your lucky day. Affective at 12:00 midnight, all duty on Canadian manufactured goods has been discontinued. I was in disbelief but quickly sobered up and hustled out of the office and on my way.
Several hours later, after dealing with Chicago traffic, I was backing into my driveway exhausted but thrilled to be onto my first project boat. The difference from most, when it would be complete, it would be a brand new boat. A classic unto itself. A Ken Bassett Rascal.
The builders had disolved their partnership and just parked the hull under a tarp and completely lost interest. As a hull, it was virtually complete. As a project boat, it had a long way to go but quite "do-able" for me.
All said and done, on New Year's Eve 1997, I climbed in my car, trailer in tow and drove from Rockford, Illinois to Kitchener. Mid day on New Year's Day 1998, I was pulling into an old airplane hanger.
This was the quintessential men's toy shop. Boats, motorcycles, airplanes, cars, all the toys you could dream of. In the darkest corner of the hangar was the Ken Bassett Rascal. In mint condition. After years under a black tarp the mahagony had beautifuly darkened to a very handsome patina. The seller had a family member with him. The three of us lifted the empty hull onto the trailer. We wrapped it in a blue tarp I brought, sealing the seams with duct tape.
I was quickly on my way back to Illinois. After a few hours back on the road the adrenalin just couldn't sustain me any further... I couldn't drive another mile and had to take a hotel room before crossing the border back to the states at Detroit. A few hours later, at 2:00 am, the adrenalin kicked in again and I was off.
The border crossing was an interesting event. I was pulled to the side for questioning. Fortunately, I had a detailed bill of sale from the builder and was ready with my checkbook to cover any duty fees. Question #1, where was the boat manufactured? Canada, it was home built. Where was the motor manufactured? There is no motor. Where were the gauges manufactured? There are no gauges. Where were the fittings manufactured? Canada, they were hand made. The officer asked, is there any part of this boat that was not made in Canada? Yes, the trailer. I showed the owners pink slip since I just purchased it to retrieve the boat. The officer says this is your lucky day. Affective at 12:00 midnight, all duty on Canadian manufactured goods has been discontinued. I was in disbelief but quickly sobered up and hustled out of the office and on my way.
Several hours later, after dealing with Chicago traffic, I was backing into my driveway exhausted but thrilled to be onto my first project boat. The difference from most, when it would be complete, it would be a brand new boat. A classic unto itself. A Ken Bassett Rascal.
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