Italian pleasure boat

A typical Italian pleasure boat completely wooden and made of mahogany and beech. The real boat was lauched during the1960s. Complete history to be published later...

On this page, I will put the different steps of the building, with some photos and explanations.

A magic type of primer for wood:

The three following photos were taken just after the first application by my wife of a very special primer on the hull, called G4. This primer polyurethane type is very expensive (about 30 Euros for 500ml) and used on wooden sailboats. It looks like some varnish and makes the hull watertight. Its particular properties are to conserve a supple texture (necessary because the wood shifts) and to conserve this quality during several decades. Then, there is no risk of cracks in the hull over time.
Next, I can put the white paint on the part of the bottom of the hull, and a classical varnish on the mahogany part. To finish, a new and last coat of G4 will be applied on the whole hull.
This product is obviously not ecological, and must be applied only outdoors !

Next, and before the other coats of G4, I have added two rows of red lights (2*20 leds) in order to illuminate the water in the back of the boat by night (tuning !!!). It will be beautiful with the turbulence in the water just behind the hull caused by the propeller, because the foam will be red by diffraction in the water !

Hereafter you can see some views in high quality after three thin coats of G4, and a close-up on the motor and the first part of shaft drive transmission with ball bearing. So, the hull is ready for painting the part of the bottom in white bright color, and to put a classical varnish on the mahogany part. To finish, a thin and last coat of G4 will be applied on the whole hull :

The electric motor that I have choosen for this model of
one meter long is very powerful and the brass propeller is large
(45 mm diameter).  All the transmission is in brass and
led by ball bearings. So the maximum speed will be considerable,
 aswith the real model.

My wife has worked a lot on this boat... The next steps are for me, the building of the inside of the boat and the electronic parts (navigation lights etc)... When I will have time !
She will make the seats (foam and cloth).
This boat is specially dedicated to our two sons. We will write their first names on each side of the hull. 


 Hereafter, some news photos (march 2015), comments and explanations to be published later :