Thad Allen's Apache + The Birth of the Cheetah Cat

[Steve 1]

Steve , i love old school boat building Technology were you used tinted water, and a clear hose for a simple level and the funny thing is it worked then and still does today .

You are right ,I have high end Laser gear and still use the water level,plus being able to walk around by myself and check the thing without getting flashed, Just tape a 4' piece of 1"x1" to the hose and use the 4" grid method to check the chines.

[Bobcat]

We still use the water level in the construction game too! can't beat it.

[Offshore Ginger]

If it was me, I would be looking for something spectacular that offered a marketing advantage and overcomes the typical stepped hull issues, or maybe I should say perception - there is so much that can be done, but very few want to spend the dollars to "MAKE IT HAPPEN"!

Like Steve1 tells me, "make it look good, and leave the rest to me"...i am not limited on what i draw because he can build it and is not worried about mold restrictions - and the best thing is, even if you use molds, if done properly, you still don't have restrictions.

Reggie Fountain did a lot of R&D, but in all seriousness, all he did was to keep refining what he had...move the strakes out, then in, then over, deeper, sharper, wider, whatever...he never really went outside the box to engineer something new, unique and improved. AND I MEAN NO DISRESPECT TO WHAT THE MAN ACCOMPLISHED AND DID FOR US ALL!!!!

Just my opinion, sorry to interrupt, just wanted to address Jasman's question!

S-2 , Reggie did go outside the box when he decided to have Douglas Marine/ Skater start building boats for him utilizing all composites from the use of Epoxy , Kevlar ,S&E-glass vaccume bagging , re working the molds , to building boats with canopies and making sure the strakes were sharp and not to mention the weight Peter shaved off each boat . I gotta say that Reggie , most likely never put a straight edge to the bottom of his own boats untill Douglas marine started building boats for him .

[Offshore Ginger]

We still use the water level in the construction game too! can't beat it.

Bob , nice to know that others still use an old trick of the trade even in construction .

[Steve 1]

Starting to hang 1" Airex core ,The Bandsaw in back on the right is my 36" Northfield that I just left running as the core is scribed and cut, this goes real quick .The Important thing here is to make sure the Cladding is screwed on tight and 100% in contact with the fixture.

I will leave the bottom open so it will be easy for me to reach through and screw the Tunnel material tightly in place, this will be one piece of 1" Core bent in place from the center of the tunnel across and up to the tunnel chine on each side. the difference in color was back in those days they sprayed the Airex sheets one by one with Cobalt naphthenate to hasten the curing of the hotcoat resin which is a must when using Airex.

[Steve2]

S-2 , Reggie did go outside the box when he decided to have Douglas Marine/ Skater start building boats for him utilizing all composites from the use of Epoxy , Kevlar ,S&E-glass vaccume bagging , re working the molds , to building boats with canopies and making sure the strakes were sharp and not to mention the weight Peter shaved off each boat . I gotta say that Reggie , most likely never put a straight edge to the bottom of his own boats untill Douglas marine started building boats for him .

You are correct in what you are saying, but to me Reggie never went outside the box in terms of bottom design, he advanced his construction technologies by having ANOTHER builder/designer like Peter (Skater) utilizing their expertise in true offshore construction.

MY ISSUE:

By working side by side with Steve 1, and being subjected to many (advanced) technologies beyond basic laminates like WHY utilizing epoxy, kevlar, S&E glass, vacuum bagging is the way to do it properly, I guess I may be a little biased...maybe i was spoiled to be allowed to work with someone who approached the construction and function of an offshore machine from a "MORE" safety/advanced approach.

But, I was referring more to actual "design" of the boats running surface, not construction - sorry for any misunderstanding.

PLEASE DO NOT INTERPRET THIS AS AN ARGUMENT, I AM ONLY STATING MY POINT OF VIEW...hope ya'll understand, and thanks!

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

Now the range of you driving the Bullet (I Have seen the Pictures)would eclipse that graph like the rocky mountains in appearance. the linear foams like Corecell and Airex behave like Steel and bend they tend to follow Hooks Law.

Thank you Steve !

[Steve 1]

We still use the water level in the construction game too! can't beat it.

You are 100% right it is a great tool even in this high tech age.

[Steve 1]

Thank you Steve !

Tim you did a damn good job of running your Bullet.

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

Tim you did a damn good job of running your Bullet.

Thank you.
She rests peacefully inside my garage for now hoping one day to refinish the inside and repower it.

I am really enjoying your pics !

[Steve 1]

I can't wait until you get to the part on how you gauge you vacuum pressure while vacuum bagging....

Water Bottles are plentiful and less expensive !

I will never forget the night I came into the shop and picked up the stern of the Cheetah Cat with my bare hands....

I wish I had a picture of that moment !

LOL nothing more accurate than a water Column when bagging the ester resins.

[Steve 1]

Thank you.
She rests peacefully inside my garage for now hoping one day to refinish the inside and repower it.

I am really enjoying your pics !

Tim Thanks and you are welcome then again for working with me on the Cheetahcat, cool days!

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

I remember them like yesterday. Even saw "Dollar Bill" Gazell in Key West this year !

[Steve 1]

LOL he brought Coffee and Doughnuts for us then sat there and ate everyone of them!!

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

[Offshore Ginger]

You are correct in what you are saying, but to me Reggie never went outside the box in terms of bottom design, he advanced his construction technologies by having ANOTHER builder/designer like Peter (Skater) utilizing their expertise in true offshore construction.

MY ISSUE:

By working side by side with Steve 1, and being subjected to many (advanced) technologies beyond basic laminates like WHY utilizing epoxy, kevlar, S&E glass, vacuum bagging is the way to do it properly, I guess I may be a little biased...maybe i was spoiled to be allowed to work with someone who approached the construction and function of an offshore machine from a "MORE" safety/advanced approach.

But, I was referring more to actual "design" of the boats running surface, not construction - sorry for any misunderstanding.

PLEASE DO NOT INTERPRET THIS AS AN ARGUMENT, I AM ONLY STATING MY POINT OF VIEW...hope ya'll understand, and thanks!

S-2 its all good and i do not interpret this as an argument and you are in titled to your point of view .

[insanity]

Slight segue - Sharkey - weren't you involved with a boat that had a ventilated bottom, that used an air duct up near the bow and fed holes in the steps? A seperate thread about that would be great...if it was you. If not, disregard.

[SHARKEY-IMAGES]

Slight segue - Sharkey - weren't you involved with a boat that had a ventilated bottom, that used an air duct up near the bow and fed holes in the steps? A seperate thread about that would be great...if it was you. If not, disregard.

Photos of that boat can be found here:

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/32hydra

Enjoy !

[insanity]

Photos of that boat can be found here:

http://sharkeyimages.zenfolio.com/32hydra

Enjoy !

That's the one, thanks!

[Steve 1]

Taking shape