1966 Glastron Futura V-150 Project

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Rapier
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

Went back to work on the Glastron after a few weeks of messing around with motors, including a Mercury IL6 90hp and an IL4 80 that need work. The boat's deck needed more work, so I set to it with my trusty polisher and some 3M compound / polish and did the hull too. It now looks much better - not quite flat, but less pockmarked and with a depth of shine. Once it gets above 16deg I will start on some of the chips and heavy scratches in the deck, with gelcoat. The 'screen was polished too.

Next jobs are to clean the side panels - the guy that put the carpet tiles in was somewhat heavy handed with spray glue. I will replace the cleats, measure and lay the matting before remounting the seats. I will probably run Teleflex / Ultraflex steering instead of cable; it'll be neater and less maintenance. Then will check the viability of the 12US gallon fuel tank up front, fill and fair the transom holes, before adding a transom plate, so the saddle won't score the hull. The jury is out as whether it gets the jackplate, aesthetics and 11kgs of metal being a moot point.

By that stage the IL6 carbs may have given up their hold on the crankcase...
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IMG_1183 (2) (Large).JPG
IMG_0890 (2) (Large).JPG
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carl minshall
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by carl minshall »

Great work :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

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Rapier
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

In order to re-lay the Nautolex, the side panels have had to be removed. I managed to get the port panel off yesterday. The cleats and a small aluminium strip at the base of the panel were held on with some unusual self tightening? fasteners that had corroded - would be interested to know what they are called. For the cleats I needed to drill out the screw heads and punch the studs through, but the ones on the strip had to be sheared with a chisel. Bit of a can of worms, but just as well as needs a really good clean. Tomorrow's forecast is wall to wall sunshine and globular warming evident with a 16C day, was minus 4 on Friday morning...Which means I can attack panel 2, get the 12gallon tank out and remove the blocks of polystyrene bouyancy.

Interestingly the more I delve, the more I realise this was a boat that was quickly put together, probably as a result of it's sales success. The deck hardware would have been put on the newly moulded deck, then attached to the hull with pop rivets, then the panels added; they're basic upholstered plywood with no coating.
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IMG_1103 (Large).JPG
IMG_1104 (Large).JPG
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Rapier
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

Took advantage of the weather to strip the interior, soak various rotted parts of the ply in CPES, including sections of the floor, then I made some new pads for the used cleats I bought in the US (they have long screws..) and paint the side storage bins.

All is cheap plywood and minimal fibreglassing, but I suspect that's why it's lasted so well, the wood isn't fully encapsulated, it can breathe and hasn't got damp and rotted from inside out; even the inner transom wood is not covered, only painted. The boat was likely stored in a barn, as there were a few old bird's nests on the tank. The tank is an 18 US gallon (78ltr) aftermarket Sears version - Sears branded boats (Sea King) and motors (often McCullough / West Bend / Chrysler) were sold through catalogues in the US.
Attachments
Dawn over the encampment. Too many projects, too little time..and the old adage; a stripped / siezed bolt is a 3 minute job lasting 3 weeks.
Dawn over the encampment. Too many projects, too little time..and the old adage; a stripped / siezed bolt is a 3 minute job lasting 3 weeks.
78l tank and bird's nest, under foredeck bouyancy and other mess.
78l tank and bird's nest, under foredeck bouyancy and other mess.
Upholstered side panels, showing rotted areas where fastenings were positioned.
Upholstered side panels, showing rotted areas where fastenings were positioned.
Floor stripped of matting.
Floor stripped of matting.
Unencapsulated transom.
Unencapsulated transom.
Various interior bits soaked in CPES and drying in the lily-liver'd English sun.
Various interior bits soaked in CPES and drying in the lily-liver'd English sun.
Nautolex mat underside after 56 years.
Nautolex mat underside after 56 years.
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

Almost 2 months later and the jobs I needed to do are mostly done. The floor has been epoxied. The replacement cleats screwed into new wood.

The carpet has gone in, but the careful measurements I made and wrote on the grp sides, have somehow faded...I shall have to lift it up and do the measurements again; all to get the old seat mounting holes to line up. As I say that, I get the feeling that it'll be too close to the steering wheel for my comfort. There seems to be an awful lot of legroom for the pax.

The side panels were coated in CPES, and where the old screws had rotted through the wood I mounted new stainless versions, then varnished. The inner sides were originally a mid blue with paint splatter, typical of 60s and early 70s boats. Those I painted dark blue, in part to contrast against the 2 -tone panels. The padded transom 'cushion' is off to the upholsterers (a 2 min walk from my home!) next week. Not sure if I want the original white though.

The transom holes were filled (thanks Keith) and at that stage I had another motor in mind, so covered them with a thin sacrificial ali plate. This might have to come off to accommodate the jackplate I plan to fit.

Numerous nicks, scrapes and chips were filled with fresh gelcoat repair. At some stage, I wondered why some repairs hadn't gone off overnight and realised I'd mixed acetone from the kit, rather than hardener. It's not quite a colour match, despite my accurate colour swatch, but along with all the other gelcoat issues I'm not fussed. It all polishes up nicely; patina is what this boat oozes..Four holes drilled to attach the bimini bases and some other long gone hardware are now nicely hidden by some new old stock step pads I was just getting round to selling. They're made from monkey metal, so in a few seasons they'll look original.

A 53l fuel tank arrived, along with the sender unit and pipework. This will go under the deck, once I work out how to do it so the tank sits level. The 10 gallon SEARs version was propped at an angle and if filled to the brim am sure would have leaked.

I got to the steering today. My new outboard needed mechanical steering rather than wire / cable, despite the original still being fit for purpose. I'd cleaned it all up of dry grease, but was still unhappy with it's feel. A new old stock teleflex / morse system is waiting to be fitted. It's a rack system with a stainless heavy duty cable, now impossible to find; the ubiquitous rotary versions the norm. The problem with a steering system on 56 year old boats is the wheel is unlikely to come off and this disn't surprise - I had to remove the c clip from the back and slide the whole shaft out, before setting to it on the bench with 50/50 ATF & acetone so the shaft and the taper would give up their hold. A few hours later I managed to retrieve the original Attwood wheel intact without having to cut anything up.
Attachments
Aqua Marine step pad hides the extra holes.
Aqua Marine step pad hides the extra holes.
Floor expoxied, transom plate ready to install.
Floor expoxied, transom plate ready to install.
2nd hand cleats from the US. This Attwood style common on Glastrons from the 60s through to the 80s.
2nd hand cleats from the US. This Attwood style common on Glastrons from the 60s through to the 80s.
Gelcoat repairs.
Gelcoat repairs.
New Nautolux vs old
New Nautolux vs old
Attwood steering wheel common on many US boats of this period.
Attwood steering wheel common on many US boats of this period.
Transom plate fitted, new splashwell drain installed.
Transom plate fitted, new splashwell drain installed.
Foredeck where the fuel tank needs to be mounted. $1099 bought this boat in 1966; all pretty rudimentary though, exposed wood, strips of cardboard on the deck beams and polystyrene bouyancy. Pop rivets hold the deck and hull together.
Foredeck where the fuel tank needs to be mounted. $1099 bought this boat in 1966; all pretty rudimentary though, exposed wood, strips of cardboard on the deck beams and polystyrene bouyancy. Pop rivets hold the deck and hull together.
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Rapier
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

Having removed the wire steering steering system I was ready to fit the Teleflex Morse rack version and Command 200 helm. I've used this system before on the Shakespeare Mini Clubman and loved it for it's smoothness, reliability and robustness. It's largely been superceded by SeaStar's new version, but I knew there are sufficient stock around of the old NLA type (there's no compatibilty between the two), even if they look the same. So, in short order I managed to find and buy new helm unit, bezel kit (unfortunately missing it's steering resistance nut..) and an 11t 6in rack, a red version with the stainless rod insert. This pleased me no end, until I got to fitting it (a few hours work to cut new hole in the dash and mount the helm) only to find the 1960s Mercury Boat House Bulletin for this boat, was in fact incorrect when it states the length of the (albeit RideGuide) system is 11ft. A couple of further irritants too; the bezel kit is 90 degree, vs. the 20 degree Attwood, wire and spool version. This puts the bottom of steering wheel lower and leaves little room for belly and legs. To add insult to injury, the original Glastron wheel has a longer boss and doesn't fit the tapered shaft. I tried a nice drilled spoke Aqua Marine version, and that just didn't look period enough.

I went back to the drawing board re. the length (actually 14ft..), but found that new old stock versions of TXSSC130xx are up to £300 in price in UK and a new rotary system is about that complete. I could have had a NOS 17ft version and taken it around the port side of the boat, but it still left me with the belly and drilled spoke option..Looking at a complete up to date rack with heavy duty helm, cable and 20deg bezel was a hefty £370, not far off the price of a hydraulic setup.

I went back to the drawing board again, looking at the project Sharp 16 I thought the rotary system on that looked clean, cue a 3 hour removal session (they don't do much rust proofing on the mouting hardware..). Finally pulled out the rotary helm and cable to find the (Teleflex) helm was the <= 55hp rating which surprised me as the boat was run with a 65hp OMC. The difference is the < 55hp has a plastic case with metal frame and the >55 to 235hp version a metal case. I struggled to work out why the former couldn't handle the torque of my 90hp. It has a metal collar and bolt to hold the outer cable in it's groove, so only the inner cable can fail, or strip out the innards. To turn the argument on it's head; this boat was rated to 90hp, (which was an uprated Merc 850 6 that they tested the boat with in 1963)...it also had wire steering then, and the previous owners managed to cope with the 90hp V4 on the original steering system of 5mm wire, plastic sheaves and a few springs - if it wasn't unsafe then how is the 55hp rated cable and rod version now. Perhaps it all has to do with the behemoth 4-strokes on the market..

I went back to the board again, and a new 'heavy duty' helm and 20 degree bezel kit is on the way...cue more holes in the dash.

Am left thinking, cynically, that it's all a 'pricing differential exercise'.

If anyone wants to buy a 3.5m heavy duty rack and cable system (TXSSC130/3.5) and Command 200 helm steering, please pm me... :juggle:
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Rapier
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

The steering finally fitted today. Heavy duty helm, with heavy duty cable and modified Glastron Attwood steering wheel. These wheels are plastic coating a metal frame and the frame can rust and crack the plastic. My wheeze is to clean up the metal showing (from the manufacturing process) and then coating it with araldite, or JB weld just as good, to prevent salt water ingress.

Initially I was to use either the early 90hp Mercury 6-cylinder, or an 80hp re-rated Mercury 4 pot on the boat. Neither were ready to mount, and would take tim to fettlee, so I thought my 70s 50hp would suffice (32mph on the V-150 with 1 up, according to the Mercury Bulletin).

Following another outboard purchase (!), funded by sales of hoarded motors and marine hardware, I started thinking again about using a Vance jackplate I'd bought on ebay mid-winter - the issue against fitting it being a need to keep the boat as original as possible. The assurances, from a friend in the club, were improved handling and performance, and if it were not for my liking, it could be removed and the common bolt pattern would mean the engine could be mounted using the same holes.

Unfortunately I'd filled and faired the original engine mounting holes in the transom ages ago. Adding a 1.5mm thick piece of aluminium on the outside of the transom as a sacrificial plate for mounting the 50hp and doing the same with a bought transom plate for the inner splashwell side. This helps when the motor has screw clamps on the saddle. All of this had to come off, so I could mount the jackplate flush with the hull (and it would hide the old witness marks from the V4 fitted to it). Cue a heat gun and gasket remover. The final gunk I got off with petrol, before compounding the gelcoat, followed by Finesse-it.

All mounting bolts are on order and I can finally get the engine mounted then, and the ancillary gauges, remote controller, steering ram, tank and fuel / water separator fitted, while I have unencumbered access to the side mouldings, without the upholstered panels, or seats in place.
Attachments
Cutting the back of the steering wheel to fit the helm.
Cutting the back of the steering wheel to fit the helm.
Wheel is close to the dash (20 degree bezel is not available with the Ultraflex T85 helm), but will have to suffice for now.
Wheel is close to the dash (20 degree bezel is not available with the Ultraflex T85 helm), but will have to suffice for now.
Had to destroy my work marking, making and fitting the plate...
Had to destroy my work marking, making and fitting the plate...
Back to square one..
Back to square one..
VANCE 4in offset manual jackplate, for up to 235hp. Ca. 11kgs in weight.
VANCE 4in offset manual jackplate, for up to 235hp. Ca. 11kgs in weight.
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Rapier
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

After mounting the side panels, without issue, this week has been a rigging week. The anodised strip you see was originally bolted whith hidden square head set screws slid into a purpose made channel. The originals were brass and no longer obtainable and the Chinee versions in stainless just too large a head to fit the channel. As they'd taken 3 weeks to deliver I just got gatvol with the idea of ordering 3mm versions instead. So, used UK sourced CSK set screws, measured / marked the orginal channel and drilled and countersuck some holes.

The jackplate was mounted and the outboard fitted- there's little room to manouever the steering ram into the tilt shaft, so the motor had to be hoisted up to accommodate it, but as the lifting eye is at the rear of the flywheel, the gearbox had to be ratched strapped closer to the trailer, in order to get the mounting bolts fitted. I got it wrong and had to redo it, which was a good idea as left steer was right and v.v. , plus I wanted more grease on the ram and tilt tube than I had originally. The 'witches hats' had arrived, so was able to fit those - these are the grommets that you do not need a plastic base to mount (and rivet, or screw) - they push fit into the orginal holes, if needed. I had made up a fuel line from the tank to water filter / separator (for the monkey fuel E10 that everyone tells me is fine - was available up to 25% in 80s africa and did damage then too). The fuel line goes through one, the 12ft remote cables and loom goes through the other, and the 14ft Ultraflex steering cable through the 3rd.

The dash had 6 holes drilled for the OMC V4. I had grandiose plans for the smart guages to go in the cubby hole, as they're new technology, not in keeping with the era, but worked out how to combine 5 holes into a few less, and reconciled the originality thought that it's a 56 year old boat just being repurposed..
Attachments
New Nautolex floor glued (Dunlop Thixofix 1ltr adhesive) and side panels.
New Nautolex floor glued (Dunlop Thixofix 1ltr adhesive) and side panels.
Outboard mounted
Outboard mounted
Stbd side panel
Stbd side panel
Port side panel
Port side panel
Fuel line and water filter separator for UK-spec Monkey Fuel
Fuel line and water filter separator for UK-spec Monkey Fuel
Guages
Guages
Jackplate mounted
Jackplate mounted
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Re: Glastron Project

Post by Rapier »

Time has flown by. The boat was basically finished by late June, with a few minor add-ons and had to wait a month or so, for the upholsterers to do the foam cap that sits on the splashwell edge. It's typically white on all the models (and gets grubby..), but they had a good match in black.

She had her maiden voyage on the Hamble meet in July 2022, was named Gogo (Grandma). Whilst the factory cut corners with the stuff you can't see, the rest of it looks lovely. The 90hp the boat is plate rated for is a Yamaha and a great setup; the 4 Yamaha IL3s I've owned have been fantastic motors, light compared to older 4/6 cylinders, powerful, reasonably frugal, simple to work on and reliable. Is just nice no longer be intimate with the innards of an outboard. I was going to run an IL6 90hp the boat was designed around, but have no regrets. PT&T is an added bonus I've never had, and I am glad I took the advice from two club members to fit the 4in offset Vance jackplate. The supplied 17 pitch prop was too fine and a 19 K-series bought; that too is too fine a pitch, the motor runs to 6000rpm, some 400 to 600rpm above it's 'maximum' performance, so I will cup a 19pitch spare and at some stage look at other (more expensive) options.

The deep V hull handles very well indeed. Bearing in mind it's a 60 year old design, it is capable of running fast with little or no chine hop, at it's current settings. These were successful racing boats in their day and even with non-race motors the 15ft 4in hulls are capable of 54 to 56mph with the correct setup.

I do enjoy the interior space after the smaller Thunderski - we had 3 passengers onboard at Hamble, and 4 early in August at Neyland - the performance of the boat isn't much blunted by the added weight. My only gripe was running the boat at Cardiff Bay - it can only be done safely in comfort, before the commercial traffic and RIB joyriders start, or later after business hours, when they've left the water and the Bay becomes calm.

The upshot of the summer's use is the seats have started to show their age. They are out the boat and the seat backs are in the process being reinforced with epoxy and brackets, in time for a final (?) meet at Hamble this month.
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ISEW8069 (Large).JPG
P1270027 (2) (Large).JPG
IMG_1251 (Large).jpg
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bean1969
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Re: 1966 Glastron Futura V-150 Project

Post by bean1969 »

have read your posts on this project what a great job looks really nice ive allways liked glastron boats,james bond had something to do with it i think.do you remember rapier i did a aquacraft up which was my dads your self and aquacraftsteve posted on it and their was debate wether it was a attacker or a healy skimaster,sadley my dad passed in january so i feel i want to sell it, as it doesnt get used,do you know of any one that would be interested i have a couple of johnson 40hp seahorse spare too regards paul.

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