The final big test for the Puffer is to get it on the lake. Trying it out on a pool is fine but if anything fails or falls off you can reach over and do something about it. On the lake there is no chance unless a deep paddle & swim in muddy water is contemplated.
So with some trepidation the boat was launched for the first time.
And it works. Pretty much.
OK, I need some more weight at the back as it is still a little high – burying the propeller a bit more will help especially in reverse. It’s not that I want to go backwards much, just be able to slam the brakes on without spraying water everywhere.
The Electrolize speed control needs more adjustment as well. It doesn’t seem happy running the motor slowly. We’ve got an identical unit in the 40 year old boat where it works well but then that boat runs at speed all the time.
Finally the propeller will be changed for a brass one. The whitemetal version works but there is a lot of noise from the drive and I think it’s cause by an unbalanced prop. Hopefully the brass one will be quieter and, if the stuff I read in magazines is to be believed, give more power.
On the plus side the boat shrugs off even a stiff breeze with hardly any listing. Best of all though it looks superb on the water. My Dad sailed for most of the time and he was entranced, weaving around the water for nearly three-quarters of an hour. We both love the boat and hope that’s it’s first trip on the water is one of many – a fitting tribute to the original builder.
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