Looking forward to this build, did you get the prop and reduction from lone star?

Yes. I am helping a friend build this for his boat. Building a 59" 3 blade prop with a lonestar reduction on a predator 22hp. Going to do a globe fan with cable twist steering.

 

Yes. I am helping a friend build this for his boat. Building a 59" 3 blade prop with a lonestar reduction on a predator 22hp. Going to do a globe fan with cable twist steering.

Is that the plan for this boat or your buddies?

 

lol I'm wondering how they are putting a 59" fan with a globe on a 1648 hahaha

 

It will be a fan only. No outboard. This setup is very budget minded. We will be keeping the weight as low as possible.

 

So the 59" fan with the globe is going on your buddies boat? Not yours correct?

 

Yes. Everything in this thread is his. His boat his fan. I am just helping him build it.

 

Got a 8hr day on it today. Starting to take shape. The shroud is 57lbs so far

 

Another

 

A little progress was made

 

Making the whole thing out of steel?! Going to be heavy as chit!

 

My guess is 130lbs plus motor. I've used aluminium and hate that it cracked so much.

 

Looks good, make sure hes wearing a pfd with all that steel that high up on the back of the boat.

 

I'm interested to see how much this thing rolls over when you turn that fan sideways and use the throttle.

 

That has been are main concern the whole build. The motor is only about 30" off the floor so i hope that helps. We have considered a few options if it dips to much on the turn under throttle.
1st idea is do a 2/1 steering to make it less jumpy.
2nd idea side floats to give a wider base.
3rd idea side extension. My concern with that is the fan being able to blow over the sides.
We are going to see how it does as is first before any of these other changes. If anyone has any other ideas let me know please.

 

There have been a few on here that used a hydraulic motor on the fan and put the drive motor in the bottom of the hull, that's the best way I'm aware of to get the weight down low.

 

Yep. Put the motor in the bottom of the boat. Run a cog belt to a stationary fan in the back and use rudders like an air boat uses to steer. You'd have to make something up to reverse the fan for going in reverse. This would be cheaper than having a hydraulic motor for the fan. If you run a hydraulic setup you'd also have to have a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid. That would be quite a bit of weight in the rear of a smaller boat. Personally I'd just use a push pole for reverse.

 

You could run toons down the sides of the boat like water snakes boat.

 

To start with i have 2 4'x10" pvc flotes. Hopfully that makes it safe enough. Have to wait and see how it does on the water. Hopfully i don't have to go with a fixed motor with rudders.

 

Its alive! Motor starts and the front steering is hooked up. Went with bicycle chain and sprocket with bicycle brake line for the throttle. $40 for all the bike stuff.

Right now front and back sprockets are 19 tooth. Anyone ever try giving it like a 2-1 or a 1.5-1 ratio?

 

Looks great

 

Got the fuel pump wired.
Throttle hooked up. "Still needs some adjustment"
Front start and kill switch hooked up.

 

I run a 1 to 1 ratio with I think a 22 tooth sprocket.

1:1 keeps it simple. Point stick where you want to go. I had push/pill but changed it to twist steer so anyone could drive. Makes it easier in case I need to do something..the boat can keep rolling safely into something other than the nearest tree

 

Off to get powder coating. I've learned a lot with this build.

1st for the throttle you want bicycle shifting cable not break cable.

2nd the 1.7-1 steering is so much better to turn. You can drive with 1 finger on full throttle now.

Now i can't wait to see how much it dips when turning. Hope the floats are enough to keep it safe on the corners!

 

I've got the itch terrible right now. Just orderd 2 Megamouth reels and a 112 riptide for my boat. This high of 5° stuff is getting old!

 

Heard that!

 

My friend just got it back from being powder coated.

 

I'm amazed that one bearing holds the leverage of the fan and steering. What size is the shaft?

 

There is a bearing at the very top of the fan and the bottom. Very little stress that way. The shaft is 1"x.125" round tube

 

How exactly do you have the PVC floats attached? I see the straps but can not tell exactly where they are going.

 

The straps go around the steel frame. Does this picture help?

 

At this point the floats are experimental. We will see how they preform.

 

Hoyboy

Hows she fishing ? Any pics of her hunting ?