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[cbsynboat]

Hi Brian,
Thanks, Wildfire should look great once it is finished. I will probably just run around in it for fun. It has a lot of heavy steel fittings in it
and fairly steep shaft angle. My restoration / modification will probably include a new argo V drive with a lower shaft angle. And although it won't
be exactly original, I can't see myself putting those steel fittings back in. Will probably make them out of alloy and powdercoat / anodise them to
look original. Would like to try and get the original rego (if possible) as well, that will probably mean joining the VSBC as well (I know the treasurer).

If the boat did about 73mph originally, provided the engine puts out the same power, with the weight reduction and lower shaft angle could be
closer to 80? I am hoping it will then behave like a modern small everingham / stephens tunnel runner. Aparently it corners very hard, but chine walks
a fair bit, so a wide large cav adjustable cav plate, just as on a modern circuit boat should help tame it. Can't see the lower shaft angle and big cav plate
(effectively giving it another foot of planning area) doing any harm and if it doesn't work can also put things back to original. If my Dad was still around he would have done the same and his friend Bob who often rode passenger during races thinks that is a good idea. As I have only a few photos of the original it is hard to tell what is original anyway.

Your new boat should look good when finished. From my point of view I think about 16 to 17' is good all round size. Not too big, not too small and suited to modern sixes and Lexus V8s etc. Had a Lexus V8 in a Commodore wagon a few years back, superb little V8. I reacon I could reverse engineer Wildfire and stretch to about 17'. There are lots of possiblities!! Have to this one going first, that will be hard enough.

The waiting for a Syndicate is insane, but not a fraction as insane as my life in the navy is at present! Peter Adcock is just down the road from me, used to say that he could build a single hull in about three months, but has many things on the go at once. Will have to see!

Cheers
Chris.