Mini Max hydroplane 2, completing the boat.

After assembling the hull, I had to work with epoxy and fiber glass for the first time in my life in connection with wood.
Technically I got to think of that I have used some before back when I was an apprentice on a reefer ship. It was used to make a temporary repair of a leaking pipe.

First I rounded the edge a bit, and then mixed the epoxy, applied some and put on the glass fiber. It looked really fine for half a minute or so, then the glass fiber mat started to creep up and loosen from the rounded corner.
I added more epoxy and brushed it down again, but to no success.
After a while I concluded that I should have rounded the corner a lot more. So I stopped for the day.
The next day after the epoxy had hardened, I used one of my large rasps (a farriers rasp/file) and made a much larger rounding on all the corners of the hull. I ended up making a rounding with a radius of approximately 3/8". For information, I am using a slow setting epoxy to give me a bit more working time when applying the stuff.

This time the fiber glass stayed in place and it looked good.

After another day, the epoxy had hardened, and I sanded the edges of the mats and also sanded the surface of the hull.

Asger and I helped each other priming the boat. The primer dried quickly, and the next step was to paint the bottom.
We used a real marine primer, but for the top coat I opted for the classic boat color: New Holland agricultural machinery rim white. Conveniently available at our local tractor dealer just up the road.

When the bottom had dried some, we helped each other flipping the boat around, and I painted the top with the white paint. I painted inside the cockpit, and the corners of the hull plus the center stripe.
More waiting time, (I am not that patient when it comes to painting). And it was time to apply the green color.
The first boat was going to be Gustav's boat, and since he had gone to Mette's uncles place to help in the harvest, I had decided the paint scheme. The green was again an agricultural paint (Krone hay and forage equipment) because that is also a product they carry at the local tractor dealer.

Suddenly the boat was completed, and more so, it looked just as I had imagined.

Part of the reason it was to become Gustav's boat was because he had once been given a small 4 hp outboard motor from his uncle, so we had made the motor mounting board a bit longer than described in the plans - to accommodate the long leg of that motor.
Asger also thought that it was a smart move to get the second boat, because that would hopefully mean that all the messing up had been sorted out on the first of the series.

Late that evening, we tested if the paint had dried, - and it had.
It was completely calm without a wind, so Asger and I immediately decided to take the boat for a test.
He found a wet suit, and I mounted the handles at the transom and on the fwd part of the hull, to facilitate moving the boat.

After a slow initial run, I discovered that the throttle could be pressed further to the side, and suddenly the boat was planing, just as it was supposed to do.

All in all a very successful project.
Now we are on the look out for a reasonably priced outboard with 10-15 hp. But given the much nicer weather than normal, all outboard engines have risen considerably in price. But maybe we will get lucky during the winter time.

Ready for the first test of the boat (motor not yet mounted)

Asger mounting the upper part of the hull.

Farriers rasp for rounding corners prior to epoxy and fiber glass.

My younger brother Jens visiting from Japan (being put to work)

Sanding and dusting off at the same time.

Asger priming, cousin Kai and Jens admiring the work.

Boat primed.

Ready to fly.

60'ies inspired paint scheme.