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Thread: Flathead's Combee TomCat

  1. #201
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Hey Papee,

    I'd sure like to do that, but between all wifeys health problems and all my own, I haven't been fifty miles from the house in years. We just don't travel well!
    I sure would like to see a video of you racing if any are available though!

    Dave
    IF YOU WON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, THEN JUST STAND IN FRONT OF THEM!

  2. #202
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    wig ekranoplan

  3. #203

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    I'm a little apprehensive about putting this out there, but I am going to build a 'custom' Tomcat hull. Remember the saying 'if I new then what i know now'? I am starting over with that in mind. What I plan to do is make a 1 off fiberglass plug and layup a new hull. Then, I am going to mate it to the top half of a tomcat hull I found a few weeks ago. I can make it any length and width I want with any bottom shape. The original Fatcat is just fine but a bit too heavy and the bottom not quite flat. I would like to build a new featherlight (for fiberglass) hull and then transfer all the re-usable rigging to the new boat, shedding as much weight as possible in the process. I do not plan on using exotic materials like carbon fiber or kevlar.

    I'm sticking with the voice of experience, Papee. Flat is fast. Hull at water level will be around 5.5 wide with minimal chines. Probably use 3-4mm Okeume ply for a core in the bottom just for strength. But maybe that's not needed. Not sure. I might put a bit of a 'belly' in it as well, just to keep it free on the water in case it flexes a bit at speed. Will not be running it dry and do not plan on running it in rocky waters. It's more of a toy that a working boat. I want it to come out of the hole well and cruise efficiently.

    I will admit I'm having a bit of trouble getting a grasp on just how thick the hull bottom may need to be to be stiff enough without adding unnecessary layers of glass. I welcome any discussion on that, or any topic related to this build for that matter.....I plan on having the hull ready for paint by new years...... Dang, I opened my mouth, now I'm committed!

    Thanks for listening!

    Flathead

  4. #204
    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    You know we like build threads. I'm still in the parts gathering process, I won't know what I'm building until I have all the parts.
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  5. #205

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Ha! I'm kind of the other way around! I gather all the parts and then decide what to build. Ready, fire, aim..... I've purchased foam, fiberglass, resin, and a lot of misc stuff so I'm committed. The only question I really have is how to shape the bottom of the boat. I'm sticking with Flat is fast. However, I can shape the chines in any way I want. I"m going with soft chines. The chines on the fatcat are simple 45 degree angles about 3 inches wide running the entire length of the flat portion of the hull. I kind of think i should make them the same on the new boat, since I know how it will handle. Many designs i've seen though have the chines widening toward the back end of the boat and shallowing out somewhat. I'm i splitting hairs here or will i get a better result be copying them?

    Any opinions out there? I will stat posting pics as soon as I have something to post. Happy holidays! Bruce

  6. #206
    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    You get use to any style you put on really. The only thing I'd really advise steering clear of is soft chines, the rounded corners. They just don't dig in at all and make it very hard to turn at speed. They also make it very easy to spin out so not so good if you have to navigate quick turns or trees.
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  7. #207

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Thanks Papee. Since my last post I have researched chine styles quite a bit. I had thought that 'hard chine' meant same as 'no chine' as you have on your boat. I was wrong. Agreed, I will not be using rounded 'soft chines' on my hull. I will be using the same 45 degree chines as the fatcat beginning at the flat part of the hull, and taper them a bit toward the rear of the boat so it effectively ends up with about 1-2 inches of deadrise at the transom. I believe that design will give the back if the boat a little more lift onto coming onto plane and slow the drop coming off plane. I have roughed together the foam plug of the hull and will post pics soon.......Bruce

  8. #208

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    OK. Not quite ready for paint yet as I had hoped, but progress has been steady. I used pink foam insulation panels and spray adhesive to make a box to make the mold with, and then started cutting with a hot wire knife I cobbled together with a 6v tractor battery and a Banjo string. It worked well, I was surprised. After quite a bit of cutting and sanding and shaping I ended up with the shape I was looking for. Then I fitted the plywood core to the top of the mold(which is the bottom of the boat) and shaped it the same as I want the bottom to look. I decided on hard chine although the came out a bit bigger than I was planning on. You can see what I came up with in the pics.......
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  9. #209

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    I debated about rounding the transom or keeping it flat. The boat is still 6ft. wide and the flat is about 4.5 wide. Kinda looks like the lake buggy design. Decided on a flatter transom hoping for more lift at lower speeds......I have about 1.5 inches of deadrise.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  10. #210

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Here it is all shaped up with the bottom in place.....the boat, not my daughter. Ready for fiberglass.....
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  11. #211

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    That shiny stuff is plastic packing tape. Covered every bit of the mold (all the pink parts) we do not want the fiberglass to stick to. Act as a mold release.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  12. #212

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    To Make a long process short, here it is all glassed up, and edges trimmed off. Still applying a few skim coats of epoxy to smooth it out. Hopefully cured in a couple of days and I can remove it from the mold...... Really happy with how the bottomed turned out. It's really flat with just a hint of 'belly' to it. I hope it turns out to run really free on the water. So far, I have used about 40lbs of plywood, 20lbs of epoxy and 20lbs of fiberglass cloth. Of course, I still have to install stringers and fiberglass the opposite side of the plywood bottom....
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  13. #213
    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Looks sticky. I could only imagine the mess I'd have working with fiberglass. I've done some fender flares and spoilers on some past race cars and had a real mess with just a little. Nice work!
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  14. #214
    Super Moderator Corky's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Wow, impressive !! Nice work...As papee has stated it's a dirty job but it appears you've made it through without turning the garage into a disaster area...Great shape on the hull design..The plastic should make a great mold release layer...

    Aluminum .120 14' X 76" hull
    Teledyne 4a084-4 engine
    Circle S 1.69:1 reduction
    67" Whirlwind "Razor X" prop



  15. #215

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Hey guys, thanks for the kind words! Here it is out of the mold. Very flimsy right now, but I am building under the premise it's the fiberglass that provides the strength, not the wood. I've installed the transom and two stringers, but no pics yet...
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  16. #216
    Super Moderator Corky's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Do you have a procedure in mind for checking the flex/straightness of the hull as the components are added ???

    Aluminum .120 14' X 76" hull
    Teledyne 4a084-4 engine
    Circle S 1.69:1 reduction
    67" Whirlwind "Razor X" prop



  17. #217

    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Procedure? You mean like a plan? Not a chance….actually, thanks, you got me thinking about it. I plan on installing 5 stringers or various sizes, and 5 bulkheads ( two of which will double as the bench seat supports ) Plus some reinforcements of the high stress parts like corners and where the prop cage will attach. Once I have all the bits built, I will shape up the hull the way I want it using weights, shims and wedges, then tab it all the parts into place. If I like it, then I will put in the final layers of fiberglass to strengthen it up and then fair it up into it's final shape. Granted, there's a lot of 'whiskey eye' in my plan, but what the hell. i'm having a good time with it!….. One of my biggest challenges is resisting the temptation to 'overbuild' it. I want to keep it 'light' but safe…….

  18. #218
    Super Moderator Corky's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Well at least I got you thinking about it...I used my build table to check the components as it went together...But after that I sat the hull on the floor and used custom made wood shims each corner so it was perfectly level{side to side}...That way each component I added was an easy check it just had to be level...

    You'll find out that depending on how high you raise each corner will shape the bottom using the floor to brace the center...Keep us posted !!

    Aluminum .120 14' X 76" hull
    Teledyne 4a084-4 engine
    Circle S 1.69:1 reduction
    67" Whirlwind "Razor X" prop



  19. #219
    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Hey Corky I have these casters I made if you want to use them. Basically four casters, two on each piece. They make it nice to move the boat around. They only put the boat off the floor about eight inches.
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  20. #220
    Super Moderator Corky's Avatar
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    Re: Flathead's Combee TomCat

    Hi Papee !! Good to see you posting...I saw those in your last build...Thanks for the offer....Let me do some measuring to see if I can clear the rigging out the garage door at that height...I'm just about ready to break all the components down for painting and final assy...

    Aluminum .120 14' X 76" hull
    Teledyne 4a084-4 engine
    Circle S 1.69:1 reduction
    67" Whirlwind "Razor X" prop



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