runabout projects in various stages of design and completion:

• Sanding/striping the red paint, applying new paint and the various mahogany accents and front deck veneer
• Determining how to floor the boat I'm leaning toward bamboo for it's resilience to the elements, it's price and it's appearance.
• Working on a design for an automatic cover. option A: cloth on a sliding track with in-track rope or cable to actuate it. Option B: large u-shaped bar attached amidships on the gunwale (i.e. on the sides) that rotates 180 degrees so that when it is flipped forward, the u-shape wraps around the front of the boat and when it is flipped back the u-shape comes around the back bench seat just in front of the motor. I guess this option B would be akin to a convertible roof of a car. ANY and all ideas are welcome here. i still have problems and logistics to resolve with either option.
• working on design of a rain sensor in the form of two non-corrosive, conductive metal strips running an 1/8in apart on the front deck that, then bridged with a rain drops, would signal (via arduino) the auto cover to close.
• Unordered List Itema piezo disc mounted underneath the front deck to analog inputs on an arduino to sense sharp knocks (from knuckles) on the fiberglass deck. 3 knocks within ~400ms of each other might signal the cover to close. 2-3-2 combo might unlock the ignition button. its a way of being able to give somebody the keys over the phone.
• Unordered List ItemATV-sized winch wound with nylon strap under the rear deck to tilt the motor because, apparently they didn't have power tilting outboards in the early sixties
• finalize design of wood seats & build 'em
• the usual old 2 stroke engine tune up.

• Joe Buck