Is This A Phantom 23?

[jonny h]

Any info on this, was it produced as a one off

 

[Jon Fuller]

Yes, there were a few 26 one-off's made, not sure how many though. a sterndrive 27 was also made (from the 23)

 

[Dryad Maritime]

Thanks Jon, That's really useful - someone else had mentioned that it has the potential to spear in in a following sea when the driver runs out of talent. (in my case frequently).

You mentioned that Steve Baker had re-designed the running surface of the the P21 after the P600. What do the later running surfaces do that the older surfaces don't? Is the P23 given to instability more than any other V pad hull system?

Thanks Jon - really appreciate your help.

G

 

[Ben]

Stern drive 23?

 

[Big Dutch]

I remember seein an immaculate Phantom 23 race in Guernsey powered by twin V6 mercury and a tandem deck. I think it was called Aphrodisiac but the commentator revered to it as Aphrodite ! Where is it now I wonder ?
It won by the way and was just before powerboat week kicked off late seventies

 

[Jon Fuller]

The changes to the P21 following the P600 re-vamp were subtle. Slightly better stability at very high speed I believe, so we're talking in the extreme.

The only thing I understand was tough re the original P23 (75-80) was the lack of recovery in the forefoot leading to an easier boat to stick the nose in, as you say, especially in a following sea. I don't think it had any particular issues of 'stability' as such.
Steve considers the later P23 to be his best all-round design.

You mentioned that Steve Baker had re-designed the running surface of the the P21 after the P600. What do the later running surfaces do that the older surfaces don't? Is the P23 given to instability more than any other V pad hull system?

Thanks Jon - really appreciate your help.

G

 

[jonny h]

I remember seein an immaculate Phantom 23 race in Guernsey powered by twin V6 mercury and a tandem deck. I think it was called Aphrodisiac but the commentator revered to it as Aphrodite ! Where is it now I wonder ?
It won by the way and was just before powerboat week kicked off late seventies

This one ?

 

[Dryad Maritime]

Thanks again Jon. Really helpful!

The boat has been largely re-built (transom/deck/dash/bow section frames) but as i mentioned in the earlier post the rest of the boat is very lightly constructed. Given that we now know that the boat is approaching 40 years old, does anyone know of any specific issues with fibreglass degradation / de-lamination and risk from shattering under high impacts? (there is no know osmosis problem).

We haven't had the boat formally surveyed - would a surveyor be able to check its safety and ability to do 50 kts; get airborne in the rough and land at that speed + gravity 35-40 years after being built? has anyone else had any problems like this with a boat of this vintage?

G

 

[Big Dutch]

That's the one ,complete with lady co driver.
Thinking about it a year or two earlier a phantom 18 had rolled up with the new 175 v6 that followed a Martian 150 all the way around till last lap then it pulled away and that won too.Ail Garriad that one was called

 

[Big Dutch]

Dryad stop worrying and just keep the power on when you are out there.you have a great classic there which I am sure will go on for another 50 years !

 

[Dryad Maritime]

Thanks Big Dutch!

Because this is a work project I have to be a bit more thorough with the dreaded health and safety and risk assessments! Quite how we risk assess the smoke grenades and pyros is next month's problem - I am sure they mix well with petrol

Personally though, I have really enjoyed and valued the knowledge on the forum. There's loads of experience of the Phantoms in the forum and i can see myself taking the boat out at the weekend....

 

[Big Dutch]

Thanks Big Dutch!

Because this is a work project I have to be a bit more thorough with the dreaded health and safety and risk assessments! Quite how we risk assess the smoke grenades and pyros is next month's problem - I am sure they mix well with petrol

Personally though, I have really enjoyed and valued the knowledge on the forum. There's loads of experience of the Phantoms in the forum and i can see myself taking the boat out at the weekend....

Sounds like one of our races over here !

 

[Jon Fuller]

I remember seein an immaculate Phantom 23 race in Guernsey powered by twin V6 mercury and a tandem deck. I think it was called Aphrodisiac

That was Peter & Jan Armstrong. They raced a series of Phantom products, most famously the 'BRUT' sponsored 25, then 28 Phantoms of the 80's & 90's. For a while the red Class II P28 'BRUT' was renamed Aphrodisiac aswel.
It was Peter who commissioned Steve Baker to design & build the P28 for his entry in the 1984 Round Britain race organised by Tim Powell.

 

[Cookee]

We haven't had the boat formally surveyed - would a surveyor be able to check its safety and ability to do 50 kts; get airborne in the rough and land at that speed + gravity 35-40 years after being built? has anyone else had any problems like this with a boat of this vintage?

G

I have yet to find a surveyor (not to say there isn't one) who could give you a reliable answer on that I'm afraid, very few have experience in boats capable of this speed.

Having said that most issues of a boat of this size should be visible to the naked eye unless they have been painted over, in which case they will become visible again after use!

 

[still no worries]

cracks

stress cracks are common place on this type of boat, only a f--king idiot would think they were structural, my p18 looks like crazy paving but is still a strong race boat.

 

[russty]

stress cracks are common place on this type of boat, only a f--king idiot would think they were structural, my p18 looks like crazy paving but is still a strong race boat.

Crazing is normally down to the gel coat being a bit to thick 0.25 mm or 600g per m/2 is the max any thicker and it will craze the problem starts when water gets under the gel coat.

 

[Dryad Maritime]

Thanks Russ and S.N.W.

Its interesting to hear about whats normal in these boats and why they crack.

To see this question to it's conclusion, what are the signs that a cosmetic crack had become a structural one?

 

[deep vee]

stress cracks/ crazing

Thanks Russ and S.N.W.

Its interesting to hear about whats normal in these boats and why they crack.

To see this question to it's conclusion, what are the signs that a cosmetic crack had become a structural one?

on most performance boats the decks are layed up lighter to save on weight as they do not take a bashing as the hull does, ive landed off of a big wave in a p21 and the hull has come down on its side and the deck looks almost as if its flexed the other way, thus causing cracking etc, i read somewhere that the weather can cause crazing in the gel, with expantion contraction etc, the hulls on most boats are layed up strong and very rarely see a crack unless its hit something, most boats that i have owned with stress cracks have only ever been on the foredeck, as i mentioned you can push the deck fibreglass in with your fingers its so flimsey, but you cant with the hull, well you shouldnt be able too, just my experiences

 

[jonny h]

That was Peter & Jan Armstrong. They raced a series of Phantom products, most famously the 'BRUT' sponsored 25, then 28 Phantoms of the 80's & 90's. For a while the red Class II P28 'BRUT' was renamed Aphrodisiac aswel.
It was Peter who commissioned Steve Baker to design & build the P28 for his entry in the 1984 Round Britain race organised by Tim Powell.

Heres some photos of BRUT 1984 and Aphrodisiac 1986

 

[jonny h]

Photos of BRUT 89