Thumper 1975 25’ aft cabin mini pocket trawler

[Thumper74]

[quote=DesertAlbin736 post_id=93946 time=1663460882 user_id=4967

This was not a cheap project. The 20 gallon holding tank alone was $325, plus a lot of other expenses involved in relocating & upgrading batteries.

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I like how you moved the batteries. Ole thumper just has two batteries. Fairly new. Not amp hour batteries. Just the plain cranking batteries. So I’ll have to spend some money on getting some good batteries. But that project is still a few trips away. I think you guys would be pleased with V-Berth refit. One lucky thing going for me, is my dad is a wood working guy. So he gets the wood replacement and finishing.


I’ve decided the colors of paint for the outside.
Battleship grey, or grey in that shade…. White on topside. Black boot stripe. Kinda going for a Mchale’s Navy theme. The name on transom will be white with black shadow. Under the windows where the name is presently, it will be the grey with black shadows….

As the time draws near for me to get back on the road in the morning, today will mostly be tying up loose ends, fitting the tarp, ( waiting for my totalboat epoxy and silica to get here to begin hardware refitting) and going through the pile of wood to make a final decision on what is still good, what needs a little tlc, and the pieces that just need to be replaced.

I do feel I made some progress. Of course the tough parts are just ahead. ( Rewire, new lights,etc…. Replumb…. And paint….) oh and also that dreaded hard top. It’s a little rough around the edges. So that will something we can discuss while I am out and about delivering the needs and wants and hopefully my epoxy, to america. This may be my last post until I’m
Back on the road. But I never know.

Thanks again guys and gals….

[hetek]

Thumper is coming along nicely!

What took you a couple weeks took me a couple years!

The Sapele veneer plywood Albin used cleans up nicely as long as it isn’t delaminated. Just be sure to use very fine paper in the sander or you’ll go right through it. I found a convenient place to mount my fire extinguisher on the bulkhead. Coincidentally, it happens to be over one such spot. Lesson learned.

For the head, I went for simple. No “Chernobyl” plumbing for the head. My 28’ Carver was a horror show with valves, through hulls, hoses…. Should only be poo to tank to deck pump out fitting. …

Again, nice progress. You just might beat me to the launch ramp!

[Thumper74]

Thumper is coming along nicely!

What took you a couple weeks took me a couple years!

Again, nice progress. You just might beat me to the launch ramp!

Well boss….. I’m not sure about beating you to launch ramp. The hard work is just beginning. The electrical will give me a few grey hairs…
I do plan to be in my local lakes and rivers by spring. I am trying to decide on thru hulls. Ones to cover up ( how to cover up properly) ones that need to stay, and scratching my nogging on why there isn’t a sea strainer… I was thinking have a first sea strainer, then a second. Of course with by pass just in case. But I thought having two strainers would benefit. Maybe over kill. There is no racor fuel/water separator. Just those small pesky filters like a oil filter. So I want to add two of those. A first filter to catch the majority, then a second with finer microns, to catch the rest. Bypass also installed. I still think it’s a little over kill. But who knows where thumper will take me.

I’ve taken a liking to the ole girl. And I have dreams of Bahamas, and points further east. Along with coastal cruising around the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe one day, the “”great loop””.

With out dreams and hopes, one just lives day by day. And the hood thing about dreams and hopes, they can be changed or modified to suit your current wishes.

I can almost smell the saltwater now……

[Ambler27FC]

When I spoke to the manufacturer about the fuel filters on my engine, they recommended using the 30 micron filters versus the 10 micron. Apparently the finer filter creates a larger pressure drop that can damage the fuel pump over time. But I’ve only seen an engine like yours in a museum, and things used to be more durable - so may be a bad data point. With two Racors, perhaps a day tank? Believe you can get pressure gauges for the filters so you know if trouble is coming. A single 10 micron would do the same, but can clog more often.

I like the white top-side for visibility in fog, and the grey hull and accents sound pretty slick! If you paint the topsides, perhaps pull the windows and ports to epoxy any exposed core material. I did my windows to fix leaks, but now wish I had painted too. Should have thought through order of repair a little better

[WillieC]

No core issues re: A25 topsides. Solid glass.

[smacksman]

Hi Thumper, smacksman checking in.
She's lovely, well done on your purchase. Her history will unfold as you get around and people see her.
Your variable pitch prop is also your gearbox - forward; neutral; reverse. Finding neutral will take a bit of getting used to.
If you re-engine and go for 30 hp+ then it could mean bigger prop shaft; shaft bearings along with engine beds; exhaust system and so on and on. A major job for a few extra knots. She is still a displacement hull not a planing hull.
That hull fitting for the galley sea water is a nightmare waiting to happen. The very first thing inside the hull should be a sea cock.
Save your money on an electric windlass. If you are strong enough to climb on deck you are strong enough to haul up the anchor on a 25 footer, I never anchored in more than 10/15 ft. of water in 3000+ miles of east/south coast US waters.
Spread your refit over a few years. Boats are a bottomless pit of money and the pain is easier if spread. Do your essentials first and get her seaworthy and safe then splash her and enjoy while the todo list gets bigger! Fair winds, Roger

[WillieC]

SMACKSMAN!!! So good to hear from you! I keep recommending your videos of your ICW excursion.

You have been missed and this post of your's is exactly why. Simple, solid, sensible advice.

Thank you!

[Ambler27FC]

No core issues re: A25 topsides. Solid glass.

Very jealous about that!

[WillieC]

Love my A25!

Headed to Pleasant Harbor now. On to points south for a few days in this gorgeous weather.

[Nancy]

Smacksman, really good to see you here! You've been missed.

[Thumper74]

SMACKSMAN!!! So good to hear from you! I keep recommending your videos of your ICW excursion.

You have been missed and this post of your's is exactly why. Simple, solid, sensible advice.

Thank you!

I’ve been asking him for golden nuggets on his you tube channel. I found out he was on the forum. I sent him a message told him to drop by and follow along as I put the ole one lung in the water again.

I’m very happy he showed up. Hopefully smacksman will stay in touch. I kinda like him.

[DesertAlbin736]

I like how you moved the batteries. Ole thumper just has two batteries. Fairly new. Not amp hour batteries. Just the plain cranking batteries. So I’ll have to spend some money on getting some good batteries. But that project is still a few trips away.

Fair warning: installing batteries in the starboard bench seat locker to make room for a larger holding tank reduces access to top up distilled water for conventional FLA batteries. In my case for that reason I went with three dual purpose 90 AH Group 27 AGMs, one for start & two in parallel for house. If you stuck with just two batteries you might be able to get away with FLA (flooded lead acid). Switching to AGMs (which are more expensive than conventionals) added several flies in the ointment, that being AGMs need to a have stepped "smart" charging regime with a "float" maintenance mode at 13.4V once the battery is topped up. Because they are sealed & electrolyte can't be replenished, constant charging at 14.1V would overcharge and shorten the life of the batteries. So, you then need an external "smart" voltage regulator for your engine alternator and if you charge batteries at the dock also need a "smart" onboard changer with an AGM mode. Plus your existing alternator may or may not allow the internal 14.1V reg to be bypassed by the external reg. Ca ching, ca ching, ca chinge!

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In the photo below, I had over tightened the cable terminals on the new Blue Sea Systems master switch which caused it to fail & had to be replaced. Had to remove the panel circled in red, so I cut in a hinged access door in case of future problems. Needless to say, having to remove that panel meant having to remove the tank and everything else to remove it. Real PITA! So if you ever decide go with a switch like this, pay attention to the recommended torque values for the cable terminal nuts given in the instructions and don't over torque. I located the switch where shown to keep the cable runs between the switch & batteries as short as possible while still retaining easy access to the switch. The plywood panel has a number of holes drilled for ventilation.

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[Thumper74]

Howdy guys, gals, old salts, mermaids, landlubbers, and tag-a-longs….

It’s me again. Man, I took a load up into minnasnowedin, way up into Roseau. That was a beautiful drive. A lot of lakes, puddles, state parks. Came back down past international falls, through Duluth. I kinda of laughed when I compared thumper to those mega shipping ships. Those Great Lake ships are massive. I do believe Minnesota has the largest population of Norwegians in the USA. I bet I could find an ol’ mechanic up there for my broken down Sabb. I hear the Amish in Pennsylvania are pretty good with them also.

Ok ok ok. Enough about foreign history. So, here’s another update, and some thoughts of action for the next session of “” What was I thinking””

The only thing left in the V-berth is the skeleton of the sink. The two walls in the head, as I was afraid of loosing structural support if I removed those. Alot of wood is reusable. But each piece will get a good scrub and sanding.

The armacell, armaflex, 1/2” ( close enough ) has arrived. So that liner and old insulation will be removed asap next trip home. During this time I’ll flush out the forward bilge and swab the deck, get it ready to be painted. There is years of dirt mud and a whole ecosystem going on down there.

Which brings me to my first question…… is there drain holes in the bilge to connect the forward, midship, and stern??? If so, I’ll be digging around trying to find them. As for now, they seem like they are separate sections. Nasty job. Even for Mike Rowe.

I’m still waiting for the silica dust to arrive. Before I can remove hardware and plug holes on the deck.

Anywho…. Hope y’all are enjoying the sunsets and fall weather.



P.s. did I mention I hate old brass screws???

[tribologist]

There is supposed to be a pvc tube under the engine bed connecting the forward bilge with the midship bilge. Im not as fsmiliar with the deluxe but im quite sure its on the deluxe too

[WillieC]

Once all the crud is removed from the tubes, it all drains to the deep section under the prop shaft, depending on the tilt of the boat. I think the WillieC has a few permanently, inadvertently plugged passages. Early on I glassed in two cedar wedges to make a solid support for battery boxes. I may have plugged up a tube from under the head sole. (See tuna can incident described elsewhere. I'm not even sure where it is.)

I think I need another limber hole to drain the engine air tubes to the deep bilge section. Seawater sometimes shows up in the tubes, usually after rough passages, so I think water sneaks into the newer vent terminations on the rear deck. I haven't been able or willing to mosey out there under rough sea state conditions. Just a hunch. I am hesitant to drill holes so close to the bottom of the hull in a fairly inaccessible location. It may require use of a dremel on a flex shaft to even accomplish. So I soak up the water with rags from time to time. When I see folks moving the deck vent terminations to the outside of the transom I wonder how that is working out. We get out in water that practically requires a wiper on the aft cabin plexi window.

There are tubes that drain each side of the engine box forward, tubes or slots that drain the forward edges of the bench seats/quarter berth sections, tubes that drain the rudder shaft compartment and the under sole storage in front of the aftcabin door. Keep looking. Don't plug them up in your zeal for mint restoration. The tubes aren't always obvious and may look roughly installed. Like the excess resin splooge of construction didn't quite get cleaned up. The stories these old boats could tell...