hydroplanes

UNTIL NOW, the amateur boat builder who

This hydroplane
was interested in a hydroplane had to be content
with an ultra-light, temperamental racing hull
designed to carry only one or two persons.
seats four
In spite of recent breakthroughs by boat manu- By ARTHUR MIKESELL
facturers in taming the race-bred, three-point hy-
droplane for more general use, build-it-yourself
Designed by Alan Scott, this modern
three-point runabout
can top 50 mph with a 65-hp motor

Sleek and sassy, this three-pointer combines the excitement of a racer with runabout versatility

1409
 building a runabout, continued

1410
No building form is required, but temporary legs which support the frame should be secured to the floor
The bottom-side planking aft of sponsons must be slit plans for a true recreational three-pointer just
to form inner chine. A lift rail covers this joint
were not available.
So we decided to ask Alan Scott to design a
recreational hydroplane. These were the design
requirements we gave him:
• An easy-to-build three-point plywood run-
about approximately 14 ft. long for use with a
motor in the 45 to 65-hp. range.
• A clean, modern topside design, featuring a
roomy cockpit with seating for four.
• The capacity to operate efficiently while tow-
ing a water skier.
This was a pretty tall order; but when we re-
ceived the plans and built the Hydro Dynamic, it
turned out to be a rousing success on all of the
specifications we had requested.
If you've never driven a three-pointer, then
you've missed one of the biggest thrills in boating.
Let your imagination go, and slip into the driver's
seat of Hydro Dynamic for a test run. As you
ease the throttle lever forward, the boat comes
smoothly up on a plane just like any normal
planing hull. But continue to advance the throttle

1412
and Hydro Dynamic suddenly climbs to her
points with an effect like cutting in the after-
burner on an F-104. The boat seems to be flying
over the water rather than skimming along the
surface, and you feel that almost imperceptible
"walking" action, found only in three-pointers, as
the sponsons slide from wave to wave.
Of all the air-lift hulls (sea sled, catamaran,
etc.), the hydroplane design is the most sensitive
to weight. Since this boat is designed for general
recreational use rather than flat-out racing, the
sponsons were made wide and flat, with a rather
deep entrance. This may not be the most efficient
design for racing speeds but it brings the boat up
on its points sooner and provides support for a
heavier load, enabling you to enjoy the advan-
tages of a three-point ride while towing a skier or
carrying extra passengers.
But a word about materials before we go on to
the construction of Hydro Dynamic. The hull of
the pilot model was planked with AA-grade ex-
terior fir plywood. Naturally, solid-core marine
plywood can be substituted here, but it will raise
the cost of the boat substantially. Likewise, fir
1413
 hydroplanes
For a flush joint between 3/8-in. aft bottom planking
and 1/4-in. forward bottom planking, glue a 1/8-in.-
thick batten over the butt straps at this joint
The sponson framing will require considerable fairing.
To save time, you might cut this bevel oversize with
a saw, then finish it with a rasp
.r
building a runabout, continued
was used for all frames, battens and other struc-
tural members, but mahogany has a better
strength-to-weight ratio and would make the boat
somewhat lighter. However, mahogany is more
expensive.
All joints are both glued and screwed, and all
exterior fastenings should be countersunk slightly
and concealed with wood putty. While cadmium-
plated steel screws are specified in the materials
list, you could just as well use 2 lbs. of 14-ga.
1-in. serrated bronze nails (Stronghold, Anchor-
fast or similar) in place of the 1-in. screws.
1414
After securing the aft edge of bottom bow planking,
clamp fore end to bow beam and add other fastenings.
The outside bow planking notches to center section
A completed sponson includes two rails which slant
inward, providing a slight "tunnel effect" to gain
additional lift. Round the ends as shown here
Fiberglassing the entire boat would have added
a small amount of extra weight, so only the seams
and rear sponson surfaces of the pilot model were
glassed. However, this is a matter of personal
taste, and you may well feel that the returns in
easy upkeep and appearance are worth the extra
cost and slight sacrifice in performance (less than
1 mph).
Caulking compound should be used when in-
stalling the lift rails and also at the bottom tran-
som joint. If you plan to glass the seams or the
entire boat, be sure that you don't use an oil-
based compound as this type prevents proper
bonding of the resin.
 Two dress-up touches which aren't absolutely
required are the special seat cushions to fit the
square bucket seats and the vinyl deck covering.
The seats come in a variety of colors. As for the
vinyl-coated deck fabric (Du Pont, Nautolex or
similar), it won't scuff, crack or peel and is easy
to keep clean. We used a teak pattern, but it
comes in other patterns and colors. The teak
seemed most fitting but the choice is yours.
Before you begin building Hydro Dynamic,
make sure that you understand every construc-
tion step. Study the drawings—particularly the
exploded view on p. 1410—until you know the
whole boat like the back of your hand. Then,
after "building the boat in your head," begin the
actual construction by cutting out and assembling
the frames.
While most of the side and bottom members
of each frame are simply straight pieces of 1 x 4
Bucket s e a t s a r e framed with light b a t t e n s o b t a i n e d stock, Fig. 5, the transom, top beams and bow
by cutting 1 x 2 s t o c k in half on a circular s a w beam must be cut to a curve. To avoid errors,
make full-size paper patterns of each one, using
the grid system to scale the drawings up to actual
size.

make a tracing tool

You can make a handy tracing tool for trans-
ferring these patterns to the wood by salvaging a
gear from a discarded alarm clock and mounting
it on a nail between the legs of a wooden clothes-
pin. Tape or tack the paper onto the wood, run
this tool around the edge of the pattern and you'll
produce a neatly dotted outline of the frame
member on the stock.
Begin with frame 4, the transom. This is made
up of an inner frame faced with 1/2-in. plywood
and reinforced with a 2 x 4 cross beam. A 1 x 4
running across the bottom on the outside provides
additional strength. Since the keelson, bottom
battens, sheer battens, etc., will all be notched into
the inner framing and butted to the plywood,
cut these notches before mounting the frame
members. Then fasten the framing to the plywood
with glue and 1-1/4-in. No.-8 f.h. wood screws
spaced 2 in. apart. After assembling the transom,
cut out the transom knee, Fig. 5, and mount it on
the transom. Note that it must be notched to fit
over the bottom framing member.
Next, cut and assemble frame 3, using three
1-1/2-in. N0.-8 f.h. wood screws at each corner
joint. The dashboard mounts on supports running
aft from frame 2. While you may cut out these
pieces now, installation will be easier if you wait
until the hull is turned.
Frame 2, the step frame, is somewhat more

1415

Back-to-back seating takes advantage of every inch
of space with rear legroom extending under the well
building a runabout, continued
1416
complicated. The bottom crossmember must be
made double thickness since it also acts as fram-
ing for the sponsons. The forward thickness fits
between the two side framing pieces and is
notched for the outer sponson framing member,
"A" in Fig. 2. The aft thickness runs the full
width of the boat and isn't notched. Thus, the
notches in the forward thickness must be cut be-
fore it is secured to the aft thickness. Use glue
and 1-1/2-in. N0-8 f.h. wood screws to mount it.
You'll have to add a 1 x 2 cleat on the aft sur-
face of the bottom crossmember of frame 2 to
serve as a nailing strip for the 1/4-in.-plywood
bottom planking. This cleat must be notched to
accept the two outer bottom battens before se-
curing it to frame 2. Be sure to make the inner
notch large enough to accommodate not only the
batten but the nailing strip which runs along its
outer edge and butts to the aft surface of frame 2.
After cutting notches, secure the cleats with glue
and 1-1/4-in. N0.-8 f.h. wood screws.
Assemble frame 1 as shown, cut out the bow
beam, and you are ready to begin framing the
hull. Although no complex building form is re-
quired, you should have a stable, level nailing
platform on which to assemble the hull.
You will note from the photo on page 1411
that the frames are supported on legs above the
building floor. Since we built Hydro Dynamic in a
shop with a wood floor, it was no problem to toe-
nail these legs directly to the floor. However, if
you plan to build the boat in a concrete-floored
garage, assemble a skeleton building platform
from scrap lumber and attach the legs to this.
Use C-clamps or screws to mount these tem-
porary legs on the frames.
installing the keelson
Once all four frames are supported at the
proper height and correct distance apart, Fig. 4,
install the 1 x 2 keelson using glue and two 1-3/4-in.
N0.-8 f.h. wood screws per joint. Next, mount the
sheer battens on the frame, securing each joint
with glue and two 1-3/4-in. N0.-8 f.h. wood screws.
Note that these must be attached to the outer
ends of the curved bow beam.
The chine battens go on next. They must be
curved rather sharply from frame 2 forward to
the bow beam, so in order to make the bending
easier we suggest that you slit this portion by
running it through a circular saw. After slitting,
fasten the chine batten to frames 2, 3 and 4 using
glue and one 1-3/4-in. N0.-8 f.h. wood screw per
joint. However, don't fasten it to frame 1 yet.
Instead, bend this slit forward portion through
Towing a skier, the Hydro Dynamic speeds over the water, staying well up on her points

the notch in frame 1 so that the end meets the
joint between the sheer batten and bow beam.
Trim the end of the slit batten to fit flush
against the sheer batten, then fill the slit with glue
and clamp the chine batten in place. When the
glue has hardened, secure it to frame 1 and the
bow beam, then fasten it in place with glue and
screws. A reinforcing block is required at this
joint, too, though it shouldn't be installed until
after the center deck beam is in place.
Mount the bottom battens next, trimming the
end of each to fit against the bow beam. Secure

1417

them with glue and one 1-3/4-in. N0.-8 f.h. wood
screw at each joint.
Before fairing the frame and beginning the job
of planking, you might mount the three foredeck
beams. While the operation isn't absolutely nec-
essary at this point in the construction, these
beams will make the hull slightly more rigid, thus
providing extra insurance against pulling it out
of alignment when planking.
Since most of the hull surface is flat, the frame
will require a minimum of fairing. Remove the
temporary legs which have supported the hull
thus far and place the hull on the floor. Then
fair all framing surfaces until they will mate
evenly and smoothly with the plywood planking.
use plywood panel
Begin planking with the 4 x 8-ft. panel of 3/8-in.
plywood. Place this in position on the frame and
attach it temporarily with four 1-in. N0.-8 f.h.
screws. Then crawl underneath and mark the
location of all framing members on the plywood.
Also mark the location of the forward edge, so
you will know where to install the 1 x 2 butt
straps which reinforce that planking joint.
Next, remove the panel and predrill holes
about 2 in. apart for 1-in. N0.-8 f.h. wood screws,
using a double row of screws along the transom.
After installing the butt straps between the
bottom battens, coat mating surfaces with glue,
apply calking compound to transom edge and se-
cure the panel to the frame.
Once the 3/8-in. panel is installed, you can
mount the nailing strips along each side of it.
Made by cutting a 1 x 2 down the middle, these
strips are attached to the two bottom battens and
elevated slightly so as to bring the 1/4-in. planking
up flush with the 3/8-in. planking.
In order to achieve the bend necessary to form
the inner chines, you'll have to make a 54-in.
saw cut in the two outside sections of aft plank-
ing, Fig. 3. Secure these two sections as you did
the center panel, using a double row of screws
along the 54-in. slit.
The forward bottom planking is also 1/4-in.
plywood, so glue a 1/8 x 1-in. batten along the fore
edge of the 3/8-in. planking to bring it up to the
proper height. After securing the 4 x 6-ft. center
section of planking, make paper patterns of the
two 4-ft. outer sections and mount these. Before
you start on the sponsons, install the side plank-
ing, following the same procedure used in plank-
ing the bottom.
1418
Each sponson is framed with two longitudinal
side pieces cut from 2 x 6 stock, Fig. 2. After
mounting these framing members, add a tapered
filler block at the fore end to serve as a nailing
strip for the planking. Then cut out the 1/4-in.
sponson planking, bevel the fore edge to fit flush
against the bottom planking and secure with 1-in.
N0.-8 f.h. wood screws and glue.
Before turning the hull over, install the eight
lift rails. Those on the sponsons should slant
toward the center of the sponsons, while those on
the aft planking slant toward the center of the
boat. Taper and round the fore ends of the two
rails covering the 54-in. slits at the inner chines.
Use calking compound and 1-in. N0.-8 f.h.
screws to mount all rails. Finally, mask all fas-
tenings, fiberglass the seams, and give the bottom
at least three coats of paint.
Then turn the hull over, resting it on a padded
surface so as not to mar the finish or the bottom
of the hull.
Add the deck beams and battens, if you
haven't already done so, then mount the dash-
board and add the perforated hardboard bottom
to the glovebox. After fairing the deck framing,
install the deck planking and the basic hull is
complete.
cockpit is lined
For appearance, the cockpit of the pilot model
was lined with 1/8-in. perforated hardboard. This
does add a certain amount of extra weight, and
can be omitted if desired. However, if you wish
to do this, attach light l x l nailing strips to the
bottom of the boat and secure the hardboard to
these and the deck battens.
Then conceal the upper edges under the
rounded coaming strips.
Next, make the four seats, Fig. 7, and mount
them on 1/4-in. plywood brackets attached to the
bottom battens. The self-bailing well and fuel
locker, Fig. 6, will complete the boat. If you wish,
drill 1/2-in. holes at the corners of the well to allow
water to drain out. The fuel locker is a simple box
construction of perforated hardboard framed
with 1 x 2s. If you require more space, make the
locker longer so that it runs between the rear
seats.
Finally, paint the interior of the cockpit, install
the vinyl-coated deck fabric and the boat is
complete and ready for the water.