At Last I Have A Dowty (photos not be visible to none regisitered members)

[BN]

I have a great toolmaker if anyone needs some specialist items. They have all the latest technology and cut the items by water jet and they are so accurate it is amazing. I also have a small parts tool maker to do the odd items. For instance an item I was quoted for in alloy was to be £250 by the top guys, but £100 by the local toolmaker and it will be in stainless steel this time.

The great part of where I live, we are the home of motorsport and old trades still live on (just) so items can be made still. I even have Fairline Boats about 20 minutes away, which is bizarre really, but great for me as they advise on fibreglass problems and have a shop for supplies and next to them a plastic safety screen manufacturer for racing cars who is going to remake the screens.

[BN]

After a little research, I now have the rear end engine mountings for the boat. The original were a little poorly, but they turned out to be a Ford 100e side valve engine mounting dating back to around 1950. A quick call to Small Ford Parts resulted in a pair of mountings being put into the post. Cost of the units, around £30 with p&p.

Sorry about the pictures, but used what I had, but they are viewable.

The picture shows how the engine is slightly too far back and causing the mountigs to be forced out of their rubber seats. I need to slightly adjust the engine bearers before replacing the units on rebuild.

[BN]

Oh dear, why do people do this to a classic    The Dowty is so rare now they need restoring and whilst difficult, this is not good as it is no longer a Turbocraft  , but a Sterndrive and Dowty simply did not make them  . Also sterndrives were not invented at that time, having said that it is imaginative and the resto is good.

The Dowty is so well engineered that the toolmakers I have engaged to rebuild or remake the parts that are missing have marvelled at the quality, it is aircraft build quality. They all want to be involved in the project as well, because of its quality. Where else, will you get a brass fuel tank, copper exhaust pipe, stainless steel reaction unit and stainless steel rota blades, let alone the other items of quality.

[BN]

The assembly of the Hamilton Jet unit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaK21IwB9C4&feature=related

Sorry no further developments at present, awaiting parts from toolmaker.

[BN]

More new bits for the jet unit I had made and collected today.

The sleeve for the jet unit between the water and oil seals which had worn, pict 2 and the bearing holder pict 1. Notice the wear on the old units, the grooves.

Nice job by the toolmaker. The holder is in stainless steel and the shaft in alluminium, but I may have to get it hard coated.

[BN]

My latest bit of equipment  , it is for manoeuvring the engines around when I repair them  . It is supposed to hold 500kg  , but I have my doubts now I have it, we will see. Could be one squashed little trolley  . I think I will have to do a bit of welding on it and toughen it up a little  

Smart isn't it, have you noticed the 'block' halfway up the handle, that is to connect it to my quad or tow bar 

[BN]

Come to a bit of a slow down right now, but action will start this week again.

[BN]

My very cost effective trolley worked and the engine weighing in at about 2.5 cwts is on it.

[BN]

I have just purchased a new trailer (well slightly used) for the Dowty. It is a SBS 1000. This will help to move the project on. I decided not to make my own as this is braked and ready to go. I can also load from the dry and not in the water, by rolling it on and off  

Met a nice guy who might just be able to help us by at a sensible cost from SBS, so if you are interested, let me know

[BN]

The trailer is now rebuilt, but it was a problem, so a few tempoary mods have had to be made. The angle of the hull on the Dowty is so shallow, the beds on the trailer would not lift the boat above the mudguards if the keel was on the rollers, therefore, I have had to place a 4x2 plank on the rollers ad then setup the bunks. Once the boat is on the trailer, it will be modified again to fit properly.

I might do away with the rollers, but will need to work out the stresses on the hull, which is in fact robust, we will see.

[BN]

The first major snag has been hit 

The cutlass bearing is a little unique, because it has to have a brass outer sleeve, with a rubber inner, but the rubber inner has to be harder than off the shelf bearings because the boat engine is able to run at up to 5000 rpm and off the shelf units cannot. Other wise a 2"OD x 1.5"ID by 6" long would do, it simply needs cutting down to 4.5".

I have thought about phosphor bronze and having a couple made, but the noise and vibration, plus lubrication may be a problem. If any marine engineers on the forum have observations or access to the exact cutlas bearing I need, I would appreciate your advice  

I have found my cutlass bearings and they were on my doorstep, which is amasing. Collect them tomorrow.

[BN]

OK, so a little pause to get things together and now for the removal of the 'cutlass bearing'. This was acheived by making a puller out of a piece of exhaust pipe and some threaded road, nuts and washers, see picture 1

After a lot of hitting, heat and a little swearing, nothing happened, so the saw came into play. I then chased out a large slot, replaced the extractor and its out. Now to cut down the replacement and re insert  

[BN]

New cutlass bearing ready and installed.

[BN]

During my recouperation, I have been trying to update the history of the Dowty and it is proving very interesting. The boat moulds were manufactured in 1959 and the hulls were obviousy completed in the same year, which means that my 1959 boat is a prototype for the 1960 Earls Court Boat Show as well as the demo boat in the Pathe News shot with Donald Campbell driving it.

The moulds and Hulls were built by Atrills on the Isle of Wight and I have just spoken to the son of the man who built the moulds and hulls at Atrills. These hulls are of the highest quality and some of the best layups that I have seen.

More to come.

[RobClem]

Hi, looks like you are making great progress, are you restoring both old boats as a lot of the parts dont look like they are off my boat?

Rob