1962 Seacraft
Re: 1962 Seacraft
Good day for a hoon! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLqVZhq ... e=youtu.be
Re: 1962 Seacraft
Well it's no longer "Woodray" but now is "Electron"
Great day today. Closed the loop on the history of my boat. Met up with Robert McNair who was a close friend of the 1st owner the late Bruce Owen who sadly passed in 2015. Interestingly the boat was never physically named during Bruce's ownership but was to be named as "Electron" - Bruce was an Electronics engineer. Woodray was the second owners name. It's funny how I couldn't push myself to put a name on it. Seems there was a reason!
Bruce was a close friend of Charlie Tull as they used to sail together. "Electron" was built on request of Bruce as a walk around against Charlies objections. The main issues were the forward mount ski pole which would cause the boat to rock side to side during slalom skiing and the manufacture of the curved engine cover which caused Charlie no end of grief. The boat was purchased as a bare hull in 63 and subsequently fitted out by Bruce the following year. This includes fitting the all new red motor rather than a grey motor Looks like I'll have to find another boat or maybe that skiff?
Anyway I have learned a lot more and am wrapped that every thing I didn't like about the boat and trailer turned about to be all the additions later in its life, mostly all of which are now gone.
Thanks for the meet up Robert.
Bruce Owen is a life member of the Geelong Water-ski Club. Robert also had an interesting story of how Bruce managed to teach himself to ski with the boat - on his own!
Pictures are in Mildura late 60's
Great day today. Closed the loop on the history of my boat. Met up with Robert McNair who was a close friend of the 1st owner the late Bruce Owen who sadly passed in 2015. Interestingly the boat was never physically named during Bruce's ownership but was to be named as "Electron" - Bruce was an Electronics engineer. Woodray was the second owners name. It's funny how I couldn't push myself to put a name on it. Seems there was a reason!
Bruce was a close friend of Charlie Tull as they used to sail together. "Electron" was built on request of Bruce as a walk around against Charlies objections. The main issues were the forward mount ski pole which would cause the boat to rock side to side during slalom skiing and the manufacture of the curved engine cover which caused Charlie no end of grief. The boat was purchased as a bare hull in 63 and subsequently fitted out by Bruce the following year. This includes fitting the all new red motor rather than a grey motor Looks like I'll have to find another boat or maybe that skiff?
Anyway I have learned a lot more and am wrapped that every thing I didn't like about the boat and trailer turned about to be all the additions later in its life, mostly all of which are now gone.
Thanks for the meet up Robert.
Bruce Owen is a life member of the Geelong Water-ski Club. Robert also had an interesting story of how Bruce managed to teach himself to ski with the boat - on his own!
Pictures are in Mildura late 60's
Re: 1962 Seacraft
Wonderful stuff Craig. It's so good when you can get the complete history of your boat - especially considering there was 55 years of it.
Re: 1962 Seacraft
I still have a little hole to find in the ownership as yet but yes it's great. I especially like the link to Charlie Tull and the hopeful rareness of a "walkaround" 140!
Re: 1962 Seacraft
I have this to offer from my notes Craig:
Originally named Woodray after owner Ray Wood.
Changed hands to someone in Deniliquin (Splinter KX60N) and then to Ian Hancock in Bendigo
Offered for sale in Dec 2013
Offered for sale again in 2014 from Bendigo as "Fully Stick" (that might have been when you bought it)
Greg
Originally named Woodray after owner Ray Wood.
Changed hands to someone in Deniliquin (Splinter KX60N) and then to Ian Hancock in Bendigo
Offered for sale in Dec 2013
Offered for sale again in 2014 from Bendigo as "Fully Stick" (that might have been when you bought it)
Greg
Re: 1962 Seacraft
Yep that's it Greg. Funny thing when I transferred the rego on the trailer. It was still being paid by the previous owner to the guy I bought it off! Couldn't get the name off Vic roads though.
Re: 1962 Seacraft
A little more progress on tidying up things before summer. Pulled the fuel tank and relocated the filler tube as the inlet to the tank was two inches forward of the filler point in the hull. Filling the tank was slow and tedious due to an "S" bend that was fitted to make the two points meet.
Gone back to the larger 1 3/4 HIF Su's. Fitted up electronic advance control and remapped the ignition curve a couple of weeks ago.
Gone back to the larger 1 3/4 HIF Su's. Fitted up electronic advance control and remapped the ignition curve a couple of weeks ago.
Re: 1962 Seacraft
More tuning work. Trying to get some accuracy to my timing so decided to do a TDC check at the cylinder and get some degree marks on the flywheel. My initial marks on the drive hub proved to be correct so I'm a little blown away that this thing will take near 30 degrees advance at the lower rpms below approx. 2500 rpm. The engine seems unfussed and pulls cleanly out of the water with no flat spot. Any less and struggles when tromped. I have some combustion roughness around the 3200-3500 mark and slight pinging at full noise 4500 rpm.
Thinking of going to 98 octane this season and may pull the head later and cc the chambers. I think it may have been decked a tad too much.
Also looking at swapping the flywheel for a flexplate and adapting a harmonic balancer to the flexplate.
The tinkering continues.
Thinking of going to 98 octane this season and may pull the head later and cc the chambers. I think it may have been decked a tad too much.
Also looking at swapping the flywheel for a flexplate and adapting a harmonic balancer to the flexplate.
The tinkering continues.
Re: 1962 Seacraft
Must be getting old. Marked the hoses and position of the reserve pick up for the fuel tank when I pulled it out. Still managed to put the wrong pick up back in the wrong hole. Wondered why I was going so well all morning and hadn't run out and hit reserve.
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