Just another 20’ Hourston re-fit

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Took this boat over last fall, below waterline was already rebuilt and boat was rigged. Could write a small novel on what I ended up doing from the floor up, these boats definitely have their faults. Still burnt through 60 litres of resin! Was my first Hourston refit, had a 15.5ft 20 years ago loved it and always wanted another. I’m happy with the end result, not the nicest one out there as there are some beauties on this site alone. But she will do the trick for a long time I think.
Solo test rip on the fresh water with 50l fuel on board, 45mph@5900rpm still had a bit of throttle left. 30mph@4000rpm. Got the anti-vent plate maybe 1/2” above keel and she still porpoises a bit when you try to trim the motor out. As high as I can go with the XL shaft will have to do. It may have something to do with hanging 600# 32” off the stern Ha.
If anyone has any questions on these rigs I now have some opinions and first hand experience so feel free to ask my honest opinion.
Waiting for the ferry to the island right now.

Cheers and tight lines.
 

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Thank you for posing, love to read that novel sometime :)

Hey how wide is your pod?
Where did you get the port seat?
 

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Can you post some demo and construction pictures when you get time, lov2 see them :) It will make me feel better knowing someone else is a crazy as me! haha
 
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Thank you for posing, love to read that novel sometime :)

Hey how wide is your pod?
Where did you get the port seat?

The pod is 42” wide and 32” deep, I didn’t build or install it just beefed it up a bit.
The seat is a custom build by me, polyiso 1.5” insulation wrapped in 1.5cm and 6ozcloth. Doubles as a self bailing 150L kill tank. Found the cushion off eBay or something, attached with 3m Velcro stuff.
 

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Can you post some demo and construction pictures when you get time, lov2 see them :) It will make me feel better knowing someone else is a crazy as me! haha

I didn’t tear much structure apart as it was already re-built. I tore the sad gunwale trays and support knees that held the saddle tanks in and did them properly. The rest was just sanding, filling and fairing for paint etc.
 
Try a multi blade prop too before changing heights etc, like a 4 or 5 blade.

I like to get the height proper first, and I don’t like losing reverse with a 4 blade. It only porpoises once the motor is trimmed up, pretty easy to find the happy medium of motor trim and tab trim the way it is.
 
looks great! love that seat design, have the same boat but has a diffrent hardtop on it never seen one other then mine so think it might have been custom at one point in its life. it’s a 1978... so who knows. got some stringers and old stuff ripped out and re-fiberglassed in, in the process of having pod installed at the moment. got a couple pictures today picking up early next week to get on with the rest of it. Couple pics of the boat and the after of the fiberglassing.
 

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Curious if you removed the Sattle tanks are the fuel tanks under the floor at the stern then?

cheers
 
looks great! love that seat design, have the same boat but has a diffrent hardtop on it never seen one other then mine so think it might have been custom at one point in its life. it’s a 1978... so who knows. got some stringers and old stuff ripped out and re-fiberglassed in, in the process of having pod installed at the moment. got a couple pictures today picking up early next week to get on with the rest of it. Couple pics of the boat and the after of the fiberglassing.

Thats a sweet find! Definitely a different top, it’s taller which is nice. Mines a bit of a headbanger and I’m a midget HA. Keep us posted on the progress!
I still have the saddle tanks but there’s also a 130L tank in the guts now where the inboard was.
 
looks great! love that seat design, have the same boat but has a diffrent hardtop on it never seen one other then mine so think it might have been custom at one point in its life. it’s a 1978... so who knows. got some stringers and old stuff ripped out and re-fiberglassed in, in the process of having pod installed at the moment. got a couple pictures today picking up early next week to get on with the rest of it. Couple pics of the boat and the after of the fiberglassing.

Ya, defiantly a custom top. great find and it look good! There was allot of work gone into that custom cabin, I don't recognize the roof?
 
Trim tabs and add hydrofoil. Just adding the hydrofoil initially will correct the issue and drive down the bow. I would also get trim tabs.
 
Trim tabs and add hydrofoil. Just adding the hydrofoil initially will correct the issue and drive down the bow. I would also get trim tabs.

Boat has huge trim tabs that work great. I won’t run a hydrofoil too expensive to fix a broken anti-vent plate and a pita.
 
I like to get the height proper first, and I don’t like losing reverse with a 4 blade. It only porpoises once the motor is trimmed up, pretty easy to find the happy medium of motor trim and tab trim the way it is.
You also get a bit of lift from a 4 blade which sounds like it could help. Not sure if I follow your assumption of no reverse with a 4 blade.
 
Yea! Happy with it I’m 5’10 and have a couple inches head room. I see, that’s why I’m contemplating whether or not to put a extra fuel tank under the back deck where the inboard was, maybe that plays a part in the porpoising problem ads to the weight at the stern... Hopefully the right height gear and tanks full will solve the problem for you

will post more pictures as I get them of my build
 
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