BN's - Mitcham Marine Spitfire

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The stainless exhaust is now made and ready to try. This will not be the final version as I need to blend the welds in as they are still a bit rough, but decided not to finish the system as the first efforts rarely succeed. Do you like the rubber exhaust silencer box, novel, I hope it works?

The whole system is made from 38mm stainless steel tube and welded as you can see. It is about 24 inches long overall. Water cooling is fed in from the pipe at the top of the picture from the engine cooling water. The cooling water is pumped in from the 'high pressure' side of the jet unit into the engine, then around the manifold and out through the exhaust system. The 'silencer' is a straight through system, but has a set of spiral fins inside to send the water around the outside of the box.

The only problem I can envisage is that, because I had to raise the tail of the system just before exit from the stern of the boat, there may be back pressure from the water in the pipe, we will see.

You can see in the entries prior to this post, how I made the system. When I am happy with it, I will blend all the welds in so that no joints will be seen. As it is, there is no point as I may have to cut and alter before then.

Its fun anyway finding out 

I would be very pleased to hear any comments on the system and if any weaknesses can be seen.

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Moving on, I had to make test control levers, because they clearly do not exist anymore.
The first picture is the original design, but I did not have one.
The second picture is a lawnmower speed control plate.
The third is rough cut plate to hold two mower controls.
The fourth is a mower control roughly mounted.

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Now we progress a little more.
Both controls very roughly fitted and knobs cut so as to allow use of both controls separately or together.

Now all I have to do is make the cables work with the controls, fit them in the dashboard and the test control is ready to try. If they are OK, I will get lazer cut plates and levers, plus make coloured knobs out of plastic somehow.

When finished, the plates will be stainless steel and no screws will be visible.

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I have a Mitcham Marine Spitfire, circa 1965 and it was in very poor condition. As a result, I have roughly repainted it and installed a Honda 20HP engine for a bit of fun. However, there was (as always) a problem, that of the bow eye, there wasn't one.

I decided to cut a hole in the deck and remove a small amount of foam used as buoyancy to access the bolts from the new bow eye, the results are in the attached pictures. In addition, there was no cleat, so I added a piece of oak under the deck from the hole and then capped it all with a bespoke plastic cap I made. The results are attached, though the cap is not yet fitted fully and the cleat needs fitting. I will add a picture when all finished.

The main reason for the post is that there is always an answer to a 'what appears' to be a difficult problem 

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Hole showing bolts for bow eye.

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I was fed up with having trailing problems and time wasted when on site with strings and ropes, so I have added a detachable frame to my bespoke trailers. Not only does it hold the number plate, but it supports the outboard in transit. When on site, all that is required is to remove the trailer board and the engine support stick. It all packs into a small boot or the rear passenger footwell of most cars or it can be locked to the trailer.

I will follow up with the trailer board and engine in the supported position.

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Screen in stages of fitment, before rain stopped play.

Next is to add the rubber seals around the screen at top and bottom, then polish it. Screws will not be seen, because the bottom rubber seal will hide them (I hope) 

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Nearly finished. I will try it out at the get together tomorrow.

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For a long time, I have been trying to sort out the wires of my Mitcham jet boat. With very valuable help from a new OSB member, we may have done it 
It appears that because it a derived aircraft engine, all circuits are duplexed, simple as that    Thanks David.

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The engine bearers have been powder coated and now ready for the replacement of the engine.

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I have been doing a little more scavenging to make a 'joystick' for the Spitfire. Originally it had a large two lever control box and looked a mess. Not only that, it was simply not fast enough in operation for a jet boat. The joystick will operate the jet bucket by simply pushing and pulling it. Attached to the joystick is a cycle brake handle which will act as the throttle.

Bottom line is that by pulling on the brake lever that will open up the throttle and by pushing the lever forward, that will allow forward movement, but to have fun in a jetboat, there is nothing like slamming it into reverse at full speed, turning and pushing the lever forward again. A 360 turn is far faster 

Again, I have used old plumbing waste and other odds and ends from a row machine, plus of course the cycle brake lever. The friction material for the forward and reverse is a couple of tap washers. I will update as I develop the system 

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Progress on my 're-purposed' plumbing pipe, cycle brake lever and some spare alloy. Trial assembly and line up for the cables etc, but don't knock it yet, wait until it is finished. You may now be able to see how it works with the brake lever as the accelerator and the bar as the push for forward and pull for reverse, making a superfast action for jet fun. Keep watching it will get better 

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To avoid confusion, I have linked the outboard boat and the jet boat together.

This is about the outboard control modification, which could be used for the jet as well. Because the OB is fast, it is too unstable for a tiller control, so I am fitting full steering and lever controls.

This is the control before work was done on it. After strip down re-bushing, degreasing, and stripping the paint it was rebuilt. See following post.

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This the result after rebuild and satin black powder coating. I used 'copperslip' grease for the hidden bits and wheel bearing grease for the cogs etc. Works like silk now. It was frozen before rebuilt. Just have to sort out the lever now, by reducing it. As you can see the box I made, allows the controls to be set into the seat, because there is little room anyway. (The pencils allowed, by pure coincidence to centralise the box and control  ). It also stops hitting it with your hip, which can be painful.