Elling KB350 setup and mods etc

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by Ferryman

Are they still issued? I only ditched mine last year!

I'm not sure. We had green ones in the CCF at school but they were much lighter weight. My father's one must have come from national service in the RAF and it's seriously heavy canvas. It could probably survive the apocalypse.

[Fenlander]

That bag is stamped 1942 inside. Dad had one like it he always used for his kit when boating and I assumed from his just post-war RAF national service. As you say super thick near indestructible canvas.

Re the house I’m not sure why it was abandoned but now a prime site for development with plans for riverside flats with moorings.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

I did find a stretch of water outside the environment where a brief few seconds of WOT saw it rising above 17kts with little bow rise in transition

Clark & Dawes fan!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5qxZm_JqM

[Fenlander]

Indeed and it's a source of huge annoyance to my well meaning eco minded daughter when I excuse any slight wrongdoing as... it's OK it was outside the environment.

[Oldman2]

Well thats it, all gone! There are no more Elling 350's available in the UK so keep an eye on your pride & joy

[Fenlander]

I mentioned buying a stand-alone gauge a few posts back. Only just got to inflate the Elling in the garage again for some small jobs so tried the gauge. It's this one...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114746516242

I didn't really notice when buying it goes up to 1.5bar which is more than I need hence the tube pressures are right at the lower end of the scale and hard to judge accurately. So not ideal as an only gauge but fine for my purposes of an out on the water check.

It comes with the black sealing washer and two plastic spacers yellow and green to fit a variety of valves. With the Elling it wouldn't press on with both spacers and leaked with just green or yellow. However I have an inflation adaptor I've not used which came with my Bravo 12v pump and pinching a yellow spacer from that it was near perfect with two yellow spacers... just a bit tight. But in essence it's an easy twist on, read pressure and twist off with no air loss.

The central pin adjusted as supplied opens the valve to allow the reading just at the right time of pushing the gauge on... but it can be screwed in or our if it wasn't quite right.

Reads exactly the same pressure as my Bravo 12v too which is reassuring.

[Jasierock]

Great photos Fen, I hope you are going to 'bond' with the Elling and enjoy your time on the water. We are up in Scotland with ours in 10 days and we can't wait to get it inflated and launched!

[Fenlander]

>>>hope you are going to 'bond' with the Elling

I really hope so as to date pretty well every aspect in handling/lifting, setting up, launching and river speed use is brilliant.

Perhaps some folks would wonder just why I can't call it our new SIB and sell the Aerotec but for us the Aerotec added a layer of reassurance and ability to our sibbing which was unmatched by any previous SIB. We know the Elling will feel different but as long as it too gives confidence in the waters and weather we want to operate in then fantastic and we'll 100% commit to it.

I'm just waiting for my "truck"... the day van... to arrive on Sat and get a good check over then we'll pack it with the boat gear awaiting the next tide/weather window for a proper test.

Do upload some pics or videos of yours in Scotland. I forget if you've alreay said... roughly which area are you off to?

[Jasierock]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>hope you are going to 'bond' with the Elling



Do upload some pics or videos of yours in Scotland. I forget if you've alreay said... roughly which area are you off to?

We are away to Iona Fen, really hoping for some settled weather and lack of midges but I think the two go hand in hand! I will definately post some photos!

[Fenlander]

That's going to be brilliant... enjoy yourselves.

[Jasierock]

Thanks, and you!

[Fenlander]

Some minor fiddling today.

I wanted to minimise the transom wheel lower bracket fixings so replaced the bolts inside the transom with some smooth recess hex socket head bolts. Pic of before and after.

Then I wanted to fix some washers to the inside of the transom where the transom wheels bolt goes through or over time the turnkey would eat into the wood. To avoid loose washers that could get dropped I copied an idea from a 1970s Zodiac I had... I drilled two holes in the washer (actually two washers doubled up to get the thickness) and fixed to the transom with 20mm stainless pins.

Next I wanted tow eyes... decided to use the transom wheels top hole and newly fitted large washers which would spread the load. I never run with transom wheels on and up so the holes are free and I will carry the eyes to fit if ever needed.

Used an eye with bolt and an eye nut the other side as it's quite possible to do them up tight with firm hand pressure but if they need more no spanner needed just a screwdriver or any similar object as a bar.

[Tel1965]

this week i finally managed to spend a couple of days working on the boat and getting it set up to how i want to use it ready for next weeks first launch. after modifying the transom wheels i have now fitted them, i have tried the engine running on idle and low revs { thank you fenlander for your very helpful advice as always } and also fitted to the sib. i made a gopro mounting that goes into the borika mount and adapted an old sack truck to use as an outboard stand and trolley. i am glad that i have tried everything on a dry run in the garden first as i know i made a few errors in setting up, but hopefully now i know a bit better of how to do things. as always the advice on this forum has been fantastic and i appreciate the knowledge this forum can give. here is a few pics of my Elling ready to go to sea.

[Fenlander]

Where do you plan to launch Terry... so looking forward to hearing how you get on.

[Tel1965]

The plan at the moment is to launch from the beach at talland bay. But my brother thinks it might be better and safer to launch from one of the estuaries around there instead, so will check out the areas first. I just hope I can fit everything into my car because the missus tends to overdo it a lot with her luggage. We are going for a week amd she packs for a year.

[Fenlander]

I've researched Talland Bay in the past and just reminded myself looking at this drone footage...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BcLH-ZLsNg

You will have to be very careful at many tide states not dinging the prop on the rocks as the sandy area between them is quite narrow. Also any degree of incoming waves to the beach will make it beyond interesting. However launch on a quiet sunny day with clear water and it will be idyllic.

What would be your alternative... Looe?

[Tel1965]

Nice video David. Before I take the boat out of the car I’ll check very carefully about the rocks and tide times. I don’t have an alternative at the moment, I’ll just see what my brother comes up with. It’ll certainly be an interesting first launch. I’ll also check with a few locals about the rocks there before I do some damage.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Tel1965

Nice video David. Before I take the boat out of the car I’ll check very carefully about the rocks and tide times. I don’t have an alternative at the moment, I’ll just see what my brother comes up with. It’ll certainly be an interesting first launch. I’ll also check with a few locals about the rocks there before I do some damage.

Hi Tel, looking like a nice setup you have got together.

I hate to put a damper on enthusiasm, but Talland Bay would not be my first, second or third choice to have a maiden voyage. I used to spend summer holidays there as a kid and I don't think I ever saw the sea without waves crashing onto the rocks. You could be waiting the entire holiday waiting for the conditions to be right.
As it's your first "real" set up, you will have so much to think about and with an audience watching you do it. You will undoubtedly make mistakes, we all do, and Talland Bay hasn't the room and isn't the place to make even a small mistake, you could very quickly find yourself on the rocks.
Take a look on Google Earth, no sailing dinghy/boat park, no boats anchored in the bay and only surf kayaks for hire - tells you a lot.

Personally for a first time launch, I'd be looking at a quieter eastury. I know it's a drive away but take a look at St Mawes or as Fenlander has suggested Looe. I'm sure you can launch off East Looe Beach, it's wide and sandy with room to manoeuvre.

[Tel1965]

Thanks for the advice guys. I know I’m going to make plenty of mistakes but hopefully not in front of an audience as I’m hoping to get out very early in the day before most people get up. Looe each does sound like a better choice of launch, especially as it is the first time, I’ll be sure to check out the areas first though. Weather permitting Saturday will be the first launch which gives me time on Friday to check a few other places out just in case. At least getting the sib ready for next week got me out of decorating for a few days. Back to the painting on Monday. This weekend is gardening. They say a woman’s work is never done, I think it’s the opposite for me, there’s always something she wants doing.

[Blankton]

great thread, but I have one major question.......what happened to the 15hp 2 stroke yam?