boatfreak

I have acquired a Dumas Miller American Hydro, unfinished. Most of the build is complete. It came with a nice Aeromarine Laminates motor mount for the OPS .67. What I don't get is once the engine is mounted how can you adjust the carb? It's tucked up in the canopy area enough where I wouldn't be able to access it. I can cut off the curved end on the needle and make a slot for a screw driver but how will I be able to tighten the nut that holds the needle valve in place? I haven't seen any other boats like this where the 'cockpit' area is not removeable.

Any suggestions would be great, pics of your setup even better.

Thanks-

advanced builder

Can you rotate the carb or turn it over? do you have a pic? did you notice the other post on the Miller America , stroll down the page. with a OPS in the pic
use the search down at the bottom of the post.

Blackout

A remote needle would be an option. I like the OS 9B remote needle. O.S. sells it as a kit, your LHS should be able to get a part number for you. It is the same needle that is on their current production .91 ducted fan engine. I have used it successfully on engines as small as .46. The kit includes a block-off fitting for the carb needle port, but I'm not sure if OPS uses the same thread size as O.S.

Blackout

Here is a link for the needle...



http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCR66&P=Z

fastkat

Don Ferrette makes a real nice remote needle base.

http://www.jackrabbitracing.com/needlebase.htm

advanced builder

That will work without adding a 3rd channel .my Zoom carb came with a nipple fitting you add inline what Craig said
1 1/2 " away from the carb. or shorter.
PS the price jumped right out at me? WOW

advanced builder

Do not buy this one, got 2 no work on a small engine. It may on the .67 . The needle inside is very large & blunt.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXG924&P=0
one more https://shop.mecoa.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=285
the plastic nipple broke on me.

boatfreak

Thanks all, here are some pics-

I like the idea of the remote needle, I saw them for other engines, but I didn't realize they could work with my existing carb.

Just out of curiosity how do you put them on a third channel? Do you make a remote arm, or are some remote needles specially made for it?

Thanks again.

advanced builder

Thanks fastkat for the needle base ,that is a nice one. 3rd channels are not real big in our area. I'm not sure if any of our club have them. having a pressure fitting on my pipe will void a 3rd channel. just me. I like the super charged theory.
I found a cheaper one http://hobbyhobby.com/store/product/...y-%231A-%2315/

Blackout

The O.S. needle is pricey, but it's a good one.

A 3rd channel needle might be nice, but it's not really needed until you are looking for a perfect tune on high nitro, where the needle can get finicky.

advanced builder

You just need to shorten that needle. Dremal & a vice. clean the needle shaft then , solder on a nut good to go.

boatfreak

I thought of that, putting a slot in the end instead of a bend, a small hole in the cowling to allow a screwdriver through. I could turn the carb just enough so the needle would turn past the mount, but my fingers could barely get in there to make an accurate adjustment. The tough part was how I would be able to tighten the lock down nut for the needle. I could get a small box end wrench on it but wouldn't be able to move it much. I think a remote would allow better access for more precise adjustments, considering the engine has never ran where I need to find it's spot to start then the whole break-in process. I might try using what I have to start, mainly I wanted to make sure any adjustments needed were done before I painted it. As long as there is an option to avoid cutting it up after it's painted then I'm good.

Thanks again-

Can't wait to get this thing painted and running.

advanced builder

boatfreak ,We used to run over your way ,we got the boot last fall. too loud the owner said I only have hearing in one ear. and I put a plug in the other one. We didn't think about the noise. Your Dumas hull will need some beefing up. A good grade of birch air craft plywood. The Dumas plywood is very weak. The transom need replacing & doubled. I screwed a 1/8 new ply to my bigger stringers. then add another 1/8 ply to cover up your screws. the right sponson side needs a 1/8 ply added . the one that hold your turnfin bracket. I know you don't like hearing this but it is very important.
I plan on running on the river. more this year. also Canandaigua, NY My son keeps a boat at a Marina on Oneida lake . We race in Elmira NY ,IMPBA
look here http://duckworksmagazine.com/03/r/ar...ass/bottom.htm

boatfreak

Hey neighbor- Were you one of the guys at Brang? I stopped by one Sunday morning last summer, I think it was August. Sad to hear if you aren't able to run there anymore, such a perfect setting. I was surprised people were running then, I was told a group was booted years ago because they said the nitro was promoting weed growth.

Thanks for the tip on strengthening the hull. I might be able to do something with the transom, but it's too late for anything else. It has foam filling under the decks which may help with some of the vibration and a little rigidity. All the joints look nice and tight, I'd hate to tear it apart. Dumas does recommend glassing just the bottom between the non-trip chines which I am getting ready to do (more weight... ugh!). I do intend to run it but not that often, the few times I do get out I have 7 boats so no one gets a lot of use. Mostly this boat will be for a few display shows our group has. All I really want it to do is get out there and get on plane on a nice calm day, 30 mph is fine with me.

I purchased it off ebay in an almost ready to be painted state. Pretty risky purchase I know, but as a whole the deal was good. The engine was included NIB and I bought the entire boat, engine, pipe, 1/4 scale servo, out-dated NIB radio (not-using) and all the accessories- for less than the cost of a new engine. So I'll run it for now, maybe build a Circus Circus later and transfer the equipment over, I like that boat better and Dumas still offers it plus I already have the building jig. This boat came with the solid shaft and 'ski' stuffing tube/strut described in another thread that I did consider changing, but after thinking about how much I'd use it and that I wouldn't race it, it just wasn't worth the cost and reconstructing. I'm hoping to have it ready for display in July.

Ever see spray plates on these boats? In the instructions Dumas said they added them to the inside of the sponsons to keep the engine bay from flooding, but they literally added them after the boat design. Maybe functional, but really doesn't look right, If I had started the build I would have changed the frame to incorporate it. I'm thinking about making them out of metal and screwing them on so they'd be removable, then flush sitting screws while it's on display.

advanced builder

Yes boatfreak , that be me. Now were you the one that had that big block bike? And you met Dick & Rick & Joe at Cross lake marina? If so we wondered about you, nobody got your number. Yes that wooden spray bar on the inside bottom. sponson. Ask at the other Miller post down the page. I have 5 of them Dumas hulls. My miller is still un-primed. But my Atlas is a shelf Queen. Here is what I did to my bottom inside. this is Joe's site his hulls are real ones the Dumas is more for display http://www.zippkits.com/
PS the reason I say to glass the hull is for all the dents that you get taking the hull out of the car back in the car inside your house. See what I mean. Use 3/4 OZ or 21 grams fiberglass cloth. very light. That duck site ,is a good way to do that. Good on semi flat to flat surfaces. Vally and groves no. Hobby lobby I got my roller and plastic
Joe and one of his hulls I still haven't seen the new release. Bullett.

advanced builder

One of the reasons I ask you to look in his site. Dumas hasn't kept up with the times. My new EasVee was just that easy to build. 5 weeks total build time. All the parts are CNC cut. and 1/4 of parts of a Dumas build. Look at Joe's parts layout. See what I mean. You said you bought both from Ebay can you build ? Not all are builders ,that's why we have fiberglass hulls. I'm still learning as well.

boatfreak

Advanced Builder- Yes, that was me. I meant to get back there, but got caught up in overtime and relative work in the later half of the summer.

Most of my boats are built from 'new' (as in straight out of the box) Dumas wood kits. Last fall I completed a commissioned build of a 1936 Chris Craft using a Dumas kit for supplies. It's gone to the new owner but I'll try to get a photo on here later. I would have preferred to build the hydro boat from the start (you never know how skilled the previous owner was), mainly I bought it for the engine, as long as I had the boat I thought I might as well do what I could with it. The Miller American was one of Dumas' flag ships when I was a teenager and couldn't afford anything, now I can afford some if I can find them. Local hobby shop calls me old school in my building style.

I do like the Zipkits, especially the Easy Vee. I remember Joe's running out there, very nice! I was impressed with all the boats your group had out there. Hadn't seen real speed before in person. My boats just putt-putt by comparison. Even though I don't want to race I would like to get to Elmira this year. I definitely have a lot to learn about setting them up to run better.

Here are a list of the boats I've built-
Dumas DV21 inboard
Dumas DV21 outboard
Dumas Lightning Sailboat
Dumas 1949 Racing Runabout
Dumas Star 45 Sailboat (Rescue/Repair)
1936 Chris Craft Double Cockpit Forward using Dumas kit for supplies

Not built by me-
I bought an Equipage Monaco 100 for a rescue boat, I powered it with a Veleneon 3500 system with Lipo,
Proboat Fastech Nitro purchased used locally and cheap, it's amazing how much fun you can have with something you do care much about. Cool to have when someone's kid want's to run one. If they run it into a rock, no biggy.

Hydro Junkie

Okay guys, you have me curious. Did Dumas actually say to put glass on the outside of the hull? Sounds like a lot of extra work and weight for no real gain. I'd leave it off and just fill as needed/prime/paint the hull and call it good. Then again, I have never found a set of instructions for a Dumas hydro that didn't leave a lot to be desired in them.

advanced builder

No HJ The point I was trying to point out, was the size of the hull. If your carrying her around loading unloading. they get dinged up. glassing is a option not mandatory. A credit card can squeegee off excess resin. My Atlas weight is around 13 1/2 lbs loaded. My EasyVee is not glassed an I've gotten some nicks. I launched her late last fall. The size of the hulls ,they get dinged. Hull weight isn't that critical if she's a PT shelf Queen. Looking at his fleet- speed isn't what he's after. Now what about that inside sponson ? HJ What's the remedy for sponson spray. lets here some wisdom.

boatfreak

Hydro Junkie- Yes Dumas recommends fiber-glassing, but just the bottom between the non-trip chines. I agree Dumas leaves out significant details, the plans often show engine here radio there, but often no mention of where to put a fuel tank (my deep vee) exhaust, cooling lines. As Advanced Builder mentioned earlier they are outdated, my deep vee was meant for an old bulb or ball style exhaust which I couldn't find, I modified the hull to accept a tuned pipe for the .32, it's a tight fit.

The Dumas "How to build a hydroplane" video shows a trick with toilet paper to help avoid excess resin. After you've covered the surface and squeegeed it around let it set for a minute then lightly set rows of toilet paper on it. Don't press it down, just let it absorb the excess then carefully lift it off. The idea is to absorb the excess puddling.

Advanced-Builder- Beautiful shovel-nose. I hear you on the dings, I live in an apartment which adds extra challenges getting in and out. Also my main reason for smaller boats and avoiding a gas boat. If I had a garage I'd probably build a boat to ride in. The 1/8 hydro is definitely pushing my size limits, especially with the boats beam and the rear wing is somewhat delicate, lots to get caught.

All my boats were covered in fiberglass, including the Chris-Crafts'. This is the only one that I'm not doing the whole boat, covering the whole hull would be way to heavy even for a shelf queen.

As mentioned earlier I'm attaching a photo of my last build of a 1936 Chris Craft, custom built to look like the owners full-size boat. I think I had 5-6 coats of poly-resin on it. Should have had 1-2 more but I was running out of time. Since I live in an apartment I paint and glass at work, I have to get there at 6am and be cleaned up and done before the paint guy gets there. We had endless OT then so working time was very short.

advanced builder

Sorry about the size. I used tiny pics on that one, not to tiny. I think we can show off some hulls this year down at the Syracuse Hydrofest. Joe and Dick talked about that last year. we need to ck into that. Nice looking hulls good gob ,Neil

boatfreak

I now have a remote needle valve, but it didn't come with a plug to replace the original on the carb. I have an old spare needle, is it okay to cut the needle end off and use it to plug the carb? I haven't used a remote before.

Thanks

advanced builder

Let me look for a pic as to what I 'm talking about.
PS Let us know if you want to run a boat. We go to Craigs to run ever other week or so .

Blackout

I don't know for sure, but it makes sense that you could. The o.s. plug is just a threaded cap with a rubber washer. You could also run two needles. Just set the needle at the carb real rich. I have never tried this, but I have read that many do this.

advanced builder

You can use one like this. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXDG58&P=K