Thread: 1996 Blazer VL100 Restoration to Crappie Chaser

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

We dint go fer aal dat fiancee buuk lernin heeer

Neither did I, just born this way. Chief Engineer is a Maritime License from OJT Work. Never went to college, right into the oil field from HS.

First hand experience is the best teacher in my opinion. A fella will learn OJT way more than he will ever get in school.

Agreed Jack…I don’t go to college until I was half way through my military career. I learn best by doing anyhow so the diplomer which is in a drawer somewhere is just one expensive piece of paper…

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

Agreed Jack…I don’t go to college until I was half way through my military career. I learn best by doing anyhow so the diplomer which is in a drawer somewhere is just one expensive piece of paper…

I've said that my whole Life. I'm not the brightest lightbulb in the box, but not the dimmest either. Hands on experience, and common sense, in my opinion is far better than book learnin' is me.

I need to catch this post up so here are the two water tests I ran with the 4 Blade.

Ran the boat and what a difference. Cruising without the need for trim adjustment. At 30mph I lifted the Jackplate just to see what happened and I picked up 5mph without touching the throttle (going straight). It slalomed a very winding bayou effortlessly, I tightened the turns to see what would happen and she just turned tighter. It's going to be interesting to air it out with the engine up, still waiting for the right time and location. Using the Mercury Racing App today every time I plugged in the numbers up to 5000rpm with the engine all the way down the prop slip came back 9.46 or less. That's what Blueprinting the hull gets you.

Made 2 pulls WOT 5600rpm, Solas 19P-4Blade HR4 Prop, 2:1 Gear ratio 52mph. Seems this is fast as it will go with the 4 blade without me raising the engine further out of the water but with Blueprinting the Hull the prop slip calculations are down to 8.38. I'm sure a 3 Blade 23P it will go faster but I'm settled in with how the boat handles, pops out of the water, cruises on plane at 35-40mph, and carries a load (another angler). I strongly recommend Blueprinting the Hull in a full restoration. The actual prop pitch measures 21 inches.

Some awesome results you got. Truly a Master Craftsman

So I have had a water leak since wetting the project boat. Always the same amount, Auto Bilge took care of it when the bilge sump had enough water. I sealed the Rub Rail all the way around since the other Blazer VL100 I have leaked horribly behind it's, didn't fix it. I picked up the boat off the trailer and inspected the bottom the full length for a screw hole thinking I must have drilled thru somewhere but no. I plugged the Livewell Drain and Overflow holes with a deck plug thinking it may be leaking there, filled the Livewell with water, no leaking. Could not see any water leaking around Transom Bolts, Transducer Cables, or Livewell Pump. Well the drain plug, a Attwood Stainless Drain fixture, something I install in every boat I own, had a little sand in the threads so I removed it to clean the threads out and add a little grease. After starring at the Drain Plug for a bit knowing something was wrong it dawned on me the O-Ring looked kinda small. Turns out the O-Ring was on so tight it was stretched almost half it's diameter. I went to the Hydraulic shop up the street and bought a new, larger O-Ring. Water Leak problem found. In the picture is the new O-Ring not the defective one. I hope this keeps someone else from chasing their tail.

Over my head but sounds like really good results with blueprinting.