Where to get a nose cone for 2in lower uint

[JohnsonM50]

Actually you could form a cone w/ good quality epoxy, run a tube down the front of the unit drilled into the plenum under the pump & encase it in. If you hit something you will need to repair it but can probably count on that anyway. Don't worry about the normal pick up just add a low & go it will work. Abour 3/8-1/2" should do. Or forget a cone & go transome mount.

Epoxy cone, more than 5 years & many hours run time,, theres no low pick up in it tho.

A piece of square stock Al. w/ a tube brazed in.

SS elbow threaded into a 1/4 thick reverse feed plate copy. I ran the hydro forgetting to plug the pitot w/ a motor that didn't need it.. the water squirts way above the top of the motor.

[Emustard]

I think that's exactly what I am going to do, it's easy to work with so shaping should not be a problem. Now my only other problem is where to get a prop for a 15 merc with a 8 spline drive shaft.

[JohnsonM50]

cut the hub out of a bad prop & adapt something.

[Fastjeff57]

Hey, JohnsonM50, your photos inspired my own water pickup!

Thanks,

Jeff

[JohnsonM50]

Cool, we met at an AOMCI meet in Pottstown, you had a 60 2cyl I looked at.

[Emustard]

What epoxy would you suggest using? Would you put any matting in with it for strength?

[Fastjeff57]

..."Cool, we met at an AOMCI meet in Pottstown, you had a 60 2cyl I looked at. "

That was you! Still got it, and you can have it (if you want it). Let me know and I'll bring it to the Feb show at Bob Grubb's place.

Jeff

[JohnsonM50]

Ive had good luck with PC-7 & PC-11 for hi heat as well as JB Weld. I would avoid the quick dry's, heard they could be a compromise. Marine Tex was awesome but I heard they changed the formula & I noticed its softer than long ago when it would destroy planer blades if you tried to plane it. I didn't use any mat but not a bad idea at least near the surface.

[JohnsonM50]

Yup it was. Thanks for the offer, I'll be glad to take you up on it. Got good mid/gearcase for it.. no boat that big yet but a big hydro may come along or I've been wanting to build something... Still haven't seen Bobs museum either.

[champ20B]

What epoxy would you suggest using? Would you put any matting in with it for strength?

What you can do for a good cone build on a budget.....

1. strip the case to bare aluminum and rough it with 80 grit cloth.

2. wipe it off good with paper towels soaked with rubbing alchohol then dry.

3. go to walmart in the fishing/marine section and get a stick or two of repair putty. It is a green stick in a pack and is about 12 or 13 dollars and really works well.

4. keeping your fingers wet, knead the material to a uniform color (greyish) then press on the nose of the gear unit as desired. be sure to horse-shoe it around the nose for a good hold. You can shape to the desired contour eyeballing as you shape it. Let it cure.

5. After curing, shape it more with sanding. Clean off the gearcase well of dust.

6. Apply resin with a brush (10 drops of hardener to an ounce of resin) and place brush in a cup of acetone to preserve it.

7. press on fine woven fiberglass mat.. then apply another coat of resin over that. be sure to overlap the resin/glass at least an inch past the homemade cone onto the actual metal on the case for extra hold.

8. After that cures, sand it just a little, clean it off, then apply reinforced body putty. ( this putty has short strand fibers and Kevlar in it.... A four inch wide x 1/2" thick pile mixed with a 1/4" bead of hardener across it mixed thoroughly).

9. After that cures, sand and feather it.

10. Finally, cover it with spray on filler/primer paint and later cover with desired color engine enamel..........AND YOUR READY!!!!!!!!!!