Foam Flyer is home

Mike Lloyd · 02-12-2008, 04:51 PM

Last Friday the three of us (Peter Myles, Alan Goodwin and myself)brought "Foam Flyer" home to be re-engined and re-furbished. Hopefully, with the three of us working on her we should have her ready for the Summer 2009 racing, I did say hopefully!!

History: Built in early 1969 at the Tremlett Boat Yard in Exeter. 10th Overall in the 1969 Round Britain Race with an average of 29 knots and with Dag Pike on board as navigator. 2nd overall in the foggy leg from Inverness to Dundee.

She still has the same engines and drive legs now as she had in 1969!!

timtap · 02-12-2008, 05:19 PM

Spot on !!!!

She looks brilliant !!!!

BluFin · 02-12-2008, 09:17 PM

Great to see it in safe hands, best wishes for all the work you will put in.

looks pretty fresh mmmh let me think.......the last time I saw it, England still held the world cup, Krays had been in nick for a year & I was having to share a classroom with Hilary Benn.

Bloody amazing good to see it

Mike Lloyd · 11-12-2008, 10:12 AM

Three men at work busy examining latest purchase!

Mike Lloyd · 11-12-2008, 10:27 AM

Anyone want a pair of hardly used (460hrs) 220hp OMC/Evinrude small blocks
rebuilt in 2001? They are only 40 years old and did do the Round Britain 1969, complete with drive legs!

Foolish · 11-12-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldMan

Anyone want a pair of hardly used (460hrs) 220hp OMC/Evinrude small blocks
rebuilt in 2001? They are only 40 years old and did do the Round Britain 1969, complete with drive legs!

Pash !

Gordon McMath · 12-12-2008, 11:15 PM

Sounds like it was a bit of an adventure Mike,how did your day go then ? did it all go to plan ? hope you had all the relevent method statements/risk assessments in place

Mike Lloyd · 16-12-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon McMath

Sounds like it was a bit of an adventure Mike,how did your day go then ? did it all go to plan ? hope you had all the relevent method statements/risk assessments in place

Yes thanks Gordon, your Crane Man was fantastic, we had it on the trailer in half an hour ready to roll. The drive back to Birdham was a nightmare, I decided that we should take the coast road from Exeter to Chichester, bad decision, never ever again.

The boat has now been surveyed and it's not too bad for a 40 year old hull. We are taking the engines and fuel tanks out tomorrow, the engines are resting on a huge metal sub frame which must weigh 200lbs on its own. We will be having the boat bead blasted - gently- to see what we have and also to let all the water out of her. When she is dry we will be having the hull "sheathed". Then the real work begins.

Delta28 · 16-12-2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldMan

Yes thanks Gordon, your Crane Man was fantastic, we had it on the trailer in half an hour ready to roll. The drive back to Birdham was a nightmare, I decided that we should take the coast road from Exeter to Chichester, bad decision, never ever again.

The boat has now been surveyed and it's not too bad for a 40 year old hull. We are taking the engines and fuel tanks out tomorrow, the engines are resting on a huge metal sub frame which must weigh 200lbs on its own. We will be having the boat bead blasted - gently- to see what we have and also to let all the water out of her. When she is dry we will be having the hull "sheathed". Then the real work begins.

Good Luck to all of you... an awesome project. Maybe you won't be on the water before me, after all !?! (i'm sure you will be..)

Best of luck and best wishes, ian

FLYING FISH · 20-12-2008, 11:38 AM

Another pic from the archives Mike,along with a lifeboat version.
The ragged chine was a system designed by Alan McLachan when he worked at G.L.Watson but wasn`t used on many boats.`Big Moose`,that was another ragged chine boat.
The pics in the Telegraph cuttings were also used in Crab Searle`s book i.e. the crew hanging over the transom.No pics on dry land.

Jon Fuller · 20-12-2008, 06:06 PM

Graham, is that last pic taken at Port Hamble (or there abouts)

FLYING FISH · 20-12-2008, 08:53 PM

Port Hamble,absolutely.This was the evening before CT67.Also taken that evening were Thunderfish III and Venus as in the Gallery I think.In those days you could just wander down to Hamble and see all sorts of craft being prepared.Next day took a motor cruiser out of Pompey and just loitered off East Lepe buoy and waited to be carved up by the double run in the solent.Hydrosonic Special and Tremor came within feet and we nearly got swamped by Brave Borderer bringing up the rear.A lost era.

Mike Lloyd · 20-12-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYING FISH

Another pic from the archives Mike,along with a lifeboat version.
The ragged chine was a system designed by Alan McLachan when he worked at G.L.Watson but wasn`t used on many boats.`Big Moose`,that was another ragged chine boat.
The pics in the Telegraph cuttings were also used in Crab Searle`s book i.e. the crew hanging over the transom.No pics on dry land.

I knew that if anyone could find some pics of her you would. Thanks for that Graham. They must have put very high seats in her in those days! Big Moose looks interesting, I wonder what happened to her?

FLYING FISH · 01-01-2009, 06:46 PM

Came across these ad`s whilst looking for something else,Mike.

Mike Lloyd · 01-01-2009, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYING FISH

Came across these ad`s whilst looking for something else,Mike.

That is amazing, where on earth did you find those ad's. I do have the 1st one from the 1969 RB Race Mag but the 2nd one, you are amazing Graham.

One point from that advert, can anyone tell me what "Cascover Sheathed" means?

timtap · 01-01-2009, 07:18 PM

One point from that advert, can anyone tell me what "Cascover Sheathed" means?[/QUOTE]

Nylon Fabric in Resorcinal Adhesive.
Usually done on the outside of the hulls often only below the waterline.

Mike Lloyd · 01-01-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timtap

One point from that advert, can anyone tell me what "Cascover Sheathed" means?

Nylon Fabric in Resorcinal Adhesive.
Usually done on the outside of the hulls often only below the waterline.[/QUOTE]

Ahh, thanks TimTap, the other question is - do I remove the existing sheath and start again or just re-sheath over the exisiting sheath!

timtap · 01-01-2009, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldMan

Nylon Fabric in Resorcinal Adhesive.
Usually done on the outside of the hulls often only below the waterline.

Ahh, thanks TimTap, the other question is - do I remove the existing sheath and start again or just re-sheath over the exisiting sheath![/QUOTE]

The good thing about this type of adhesive is that it bonds to wood so well and soaks into the wood well when applied. Boats are regularly turning up that have had this done some thirty years ago and have been found to be intact even inder the nylon. I seem to remember that it may have been a water based product similar to PVA and is still used today in woodworking applications.

Jon Fuller · 01-01-2009, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timtap

"Cascover Sheathed"

As in 'Cascamite'?? That's water based.

timtap · 01-01-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Fuller

As in 'Cascamite'??

Yup !!!

This is the same pva used to bond laminates during the hot or cold moulding process.

I was wondering whether it is easier to sand back the hull surface and key the wood to accept fibreglass tissue only with bonding resin. to achieve a smooth suface and waterproof ???