Concept & Design:
JOSIE was designed as a rather more modern interpretation of the small, fast runabouts which were popular in the United States between the wars, but she also has many similarities to the speedboats built in Great Britain by Donald Healey and others. In her short life so far she has regularly been mistaken for both of these types, so, in that sense, the basic concept has been quite successful.
Dimensions’
LOA: 4.95m
Beam: 1.85m
Draught: 0.6m
Construction:
Modern construction techniques , as outlined below, have produced a strong, lightweight hull much more able to remain leak free and withstand the rigours of a marine environment than would have been the case with earlier examples of the type.
Frame: The frame for the hull is constructed of 19mm sapele, scarphed and laminated as required. The main components are:
Keel: 2 laminates x 19mm x 150mm scarphed and epoxy glued running from transom to stem
Stem: 6 laminates of 9mm marine plywood cut to shape and epoxy bonded scarphed and jointed to keel.
Transom: 2 laminates of 9mm marine ply epoxy bonded together and epoxy bonded to a 19mm sapele frame.
Engine bearers: two off, each comprising 2 laminates x 19mm x 200mm sapele scarphed and epoxy bonded together running from the transom for a length of around 4.3m to frame 1.
Transverse frames: 5 off constructed from 19mm sapele with 9mm marine ply gussets as required. 4 of these frames are ring frames and two of these are 9mm marine ply clad to form partial bulkheads.
Stringers and clamps: all 19mm sapele sized to suit and scarphed as required.
Deck beams and all other structural framing: 19mm sapele, cut and shaped as required.
Hull planking: 9mm marine plywood to BS1088 epoxy bonded to frame. External seams taped with glass tape and epoxy, entire exterior of hull sheathed in glass cloth and epoxy followed by three finishing coats prior to painting.
Deck: 9mm marine plywood as above followed by 2.5mm teak/mahogany veneer. 4 coats of epoxy prior to varnishing.
Hull interior: 2 coats epoxy resin followed by 3 coats epoxy paint.
Fit out: Seat framing, etc in treated softwood all epoxy coated and painted. 9mm marine ply seat bases, backs etc all epoxy coated and painted.
Fastenings: all A4 stainless steel throughout.
Engineering:
Power unit: 2 litre Ford Pinto petrol engine sourced from 1989 Transit airport ambulance; only 25,000 mls covered from new; Engine has the much sought after 205 block. Extensive programme of servicing and replacement carried out prior to fitting including the following:
New crankshaft rear oil seal.
New cam belt
New water pump, thermostat and coolant hoses.
New alternator.
Upgraded replacement electronic ignition system including high performance distributor, coil and HT leads; new spark plugs.
Bowman heat exchanger, exhaust elbow and plumbing, gaskets, etc. to facilitate fresh water cooling and optimum running temperature.
Engine oil cooler and pipes.
Up-rated twin down draught Weber carburetor, K&N filter and manifold.
All new fuel supply pipes, fuel filter and shut off valve.
New 15 gallon plastic fuel tank with deck filler, supply pipe and tank vent.
New throttle control cable with custom built control unit.
Stainless steel raw water intake and sea cock.
Johnson F5B-8 raw water pump and associated plumbing.
Raw water filter and pipe-work with take-off and ball valve for hosepipe connection.
New auxiliary drive belts.
Custom made engine mount brackets.
In basic form, this robust and lightly stressed engine produces around 80bhp, however, given the up-grades in carbureation and ignition which have now been fitted,
Its output is probably nearer 100bhp with plenty of room for further tuning and development if desired.
Drive train:
There is no gearbox; ahead and neutral only using a conventional clutch in original vehicle bell housing, cable operated via custom made control lever in forward cockpit.
Custom modified out put shaft with coupling plate.
New output bearing with secondary thrust bearing in cage.
Flexible shaft coupling.
Main coupling and 1 inch 316 stainless steel shaft to 10” x 8” custom made bronze cupped propeller with shaft nut, keyway, split pin and shaft anode.
Lancing Marine fibreglass stern tube glassed in place with double lip seal, coolant supply fitting and internal cutlass bearing.
Bronze propeller strut glassed in to support box in hull with second cutlass bearing.
Steering:
Custom fabricated rudder with stainless steel shaft mounted on transom via two bronze bearings in stainless steel brackets.
Short bronze tiller.
Rudder control cable to marine steering box at helm position.
Custom made wood rim steering wheel.
Electrics and instrumentation:
100 amp heavy duty battery mounted under front seats with cut off switch.
Fuse box behind driver’s seat back.
All new wiring.
Full range of instruments including speedometer, rev counter oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, voltmeter and fuel gauge.
Various switch gear.
Deck fittings:
6 deck cleats
3 fairleads
3 heavy duty folding mooring eyes.
Bow roller.
Windscreen and custom made frames with central bi-colour navigation light.
3 large clamshell engine bay air vents.
4 deck tread plates.
Custom made ensign staff with all round white navigation light.
Various additional vents, grab handles, fender eyes, etc.
General inventory:
Fore and aft cockpit covers; fitted overall cover
Emergency tiller
Emergency outboard motor bracket
4 new fenders
2 boat hooks.
Mooring warps.
Manual bilge pump.
Electric bilge pump.
Engine bay lights
Automatic fire extinguisher in engine bay.
2 dry powder fire extinguishers.
Pair of two part aluminium paddles.
Spares package including;
Engine auxiliary drive belts
Spark plugs
Rotor arm
Thermostat
New fuel pump
Raw water pump impeller.
2 new clutch cables
Trailer:
The bunked trailer has been adapted from a strongly built braked aluminium chassis.
Brake cables and shoes were renewed in 2021 and the wheel bearings were checked and greased.
New high load commercial tyres to the trailer and new brake shoes. – June 2022.
De-mountable docking arms are fitted for ease of launching and recovery and there is a snubbing post with winch to make loading easier. Also included is a draw bar extension of up to 4m in length so that the towing vehicle can be kept dry and a light board with full electrics. The trailer has, however, only been used for short journeys, and would need to be carefully assessed before any lengthy distance was attempted.
General information:
The interior fit-out is designed to be easily removable for access to the engine, hull, sea cocks, shut off valves filters and running gear or for winter storage of seating, etc. Seating consists of memory foam squabs for added comfort covered in heavy duty vinyl and attached to painted marine ply baseboards with stainless steel staples. Seat panels are kept to manageable sizes for ease of removal and winter storage.
Summary:
JOSIE is essentially a new boat, apart from the power unit which has seen little previous use and is in excellent order. In three months of extensive use during the summer of 2021 she proved to be a very enjoyable package, performing well at pottering speeds but with impressive acceleration, planing with ease and running flat and true. Steering is light and precise at all speeds.
She is not, of course, the best boat in a seaway, being relatively flat bottomed, but she will handle a chop well enough if speed is reduced and copes pretty well with most conditions. She is perfectly happy in a salt water environment but, with a seating capacity of five or six, she would be equally at home on a river or lake, as a picnic boat, pub launch, ski boat or super yacht tender. All in all, she has exceeded expectations.
GUIDE: SOLD
LYING: Cornwall
VIEWING: through Classic Yacht Brokerage
DISCLAIMER: Classic Yacht Brokerage offer the details and photographs of this vessel in good faith as a guide but cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information or images, or warrant the condition of the vessel, machinery or rig. Buyers should instruct their representative, agents or their surveyors to investigate such details as the buyer requires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
