August 1st, 2005
Cleared out the driveway, and trimmed the bushes and plum tree. Removed the Gate, and pulled out a fence post to get the Jumbo out.
Still have painting to do, but am taking a break from that for now. Tired of smelling fresh paint. In the meantime I've installed the windows using three tubes of 100% silicone rubber. More stinkyness. And I made the mistake of not removing the excess before it cured. Now I've got quite a few blobs of silicone all over the place. Will take several hours to clean that mess up. Next time use Butyl Rubber Tape!!!!
Have finished running the main wires for the harness, tachometer, hour meter etc. Also installed the battery switch and one battery. Need to run the cables for the second battery but am still undecided as to where I'll run them. Will be either under the splash well or inside the splashwell and either will need some pvc pipe to use as a cable run. Will be more convenient to run it inside the splash well but certainly more ugly. hmmmm.
Have decided to scrap the original 1/4" hose I had running from the fuel tank and replaced it with 5/16" hose that Suzuki specs. Have mounted the fuel/air separator filter and am starting to connect up the hoses from the tank, and the exiting hose from the filter. This end will get connected to the Navman fuel gauge and flow meter. Need to run the Navman wiring back forward to the instrument dash. Gas filler and vent are installed and awaiting the connection of hoses.
Filled up the Suzuki with oil Sunday morning, and then Bob Lanham came over and talked me into starting the beast up. I'd just finished rigging up a three wire harness from the tach to the control box and had a 6 1/2 gallon gas tank rigged up also, so I said sure why not. While Bob went and fetched gas I shifted things around and dragged the boat forward about eight feet. Then hooked up the rabbit ears, turned on the hose, held my breath and hit the ignition. Brummmmm. Started right up. I ran it only for half a minute, then shut it down to check the oil. Added half a quart and started it up again. Yay!!!! It works! Control box doesn't quite shift right though, so I need to pull the covers on the Suzuki and adjust the cables.
Boat and Trailer are now registered. I'd heard rumors of DMV taking forever, and clerks insisting on having receipts to prove I built the boat and what it's value is. But my experience was way more positive than that. It took about twenty minutes of filling out a couple of forms, writing them a check and walking out the door. No inspection of the boat or trailer, and now trailers aren't even titled. That was easy.
Paul Nelson's Jumbo
Holy Cow Batman!!!! Not only are family coming from Florida, Georgia, Pennsyvania, North Carolina and California for the launch, but folks are also coming from Washington and Oregon. And... There will be at least three other Tolman Skiffs. Two Jumbos and a Standard!!! Wow! I think I'm gonna wet my pants.
Bruce Armstrong's Standard
Bob and Bruce Lanham's Jumbo