First RPM by Lavey Craft

[Uncle Dave]

Started a little while ago. I've been on the road and haven't made it to the shop in a bit.

Before layup up on the first boat, a lot of time was dedicated to modifying the existing cockpit.

The goal was to clean up the RPMs interior by reducing the number of pieces in the gunwhale and remove any plywood based interior "filler fabric" and create a single molded piece much like the lavey Evo lineup. Fewer and stronger pieces always make for a more robust and ultimately better creation.

Ronnie and the guys came up with a basic shape and tweaked it over the course of a few mockups and we got all sizes from "Lil" Chris at 5'5 and Snr. at about 6'1 and a few in between for arm positioning, glovebox etc...

Boats taped up and ready to spray out but as you guys have seen So Cals beloved Gelcoater has been quite busy.

The gel scheme has been approved but I don't have the picts on hand.

The customer owns multiple power options already from 700-1000+ and hasn't yet determined what exactly engine / drive is going in here but either way, it's going to rock balls.

UD

 

[TVMNick]

I love the look of the RPM 26, even cooler now with Lavey at the helm of the build!

 

[lavey jr]

I was at the shop a couple weeks ago to help out and check out what's going on in production. The new cockpit liner modification Lavey is doing on the RPM really opens up a lot of space and gives it an overal larger feel when sitting in the cockpit. Can't wait to see their new one finished!

 

[AZMIDLYF]

Win..Win with this union.

 

[FreeBird236]

I was at the shop a couple weeks ago to help out and check out what's going on in production. The new cockpit liner modification Lavey is doing on the RPM really opens up a lot of space and gives it an overal larger feel when sitting in the cockpit. Can't wait to see their new one finished!

I know you guys will do it right, the cockpit always looked unfinished.

 

[Icky]

Need more pictures otherwise we're all gonna have to go down there to see it

 

[Uncle Dave]

Here we go!

Gelcoater was just getting going when I showed up.

Its a really deep lower - hes standing on a platform.

Normal Lavey Lower/ Upper height ratio is usually close to 60/40 this boat is more like 80/20.

UD

 

[cb5505]

Any open bow walk thrus being made yet

 

[Uncle Dave]

nope- buncha quotes out but no bites yet.

UD

 

[Gelcoater]

Any open bow walk thrus being made yet

nope- buncha quotes out but no bites yet.

UD

I’m not sure that would even work on one of these?
There’s no height at all on the deck, it would be a very shallow seating area me thinks.

That hull mold is a freakin beast. There’s easily as much material on that hull as it takes to do a Hallett 285 or Elim 28 Fundeck. It actually may be a bit more.

 

[Gelcoater]

Here we go!

Gelcoater was just getting going when I showed up.

Its a really deep lower - hes standing on a platform.

Normal Lavey Lower/ Upper height ratio is usually close to 60/40 this boat is more like 80/20.

UD

View attachment 688211 View attachment 688212

Of course you know I charge double if I’m in pics, right?

 

[Uncle Dave]

I’m not sure that would even work on one of these?
There’s no height at all on the deck, it would be a very shallow seating area me thinks.

That hull mold is a freakin beast. There’s easily as much material on that hull as it takes to do a Hallett 285 or Elim 28 Fundeck. It actually may be a bit more.

Yup - It'd be real thin - more like seating for floating.
Not the boat for it in my opinion.

Interesting notation on the material amount

UD

 

[lavey jr]

First skin of lamination

 

[RCDave]

Dang, I bet GC's back was sore after shooting this one

 

[Uncle Dave]

Im sure -

We even took the wheels off the mold structure to drop it about 8 inches or so.

Look how far the laminators have to go down - look like an Olympic event " synchronized lamination"


UD

 

[Q4mtxUS]

Is this one getting the vacuum bag treatment?

 

[Uncle Dave]

Yes sir.

UD

 

[Lavey5150]

So awesome to see this. I cant wait to see the finish.1k or more power is the clearest choice

 

[noli]

.



I heard that RPM boats were designed by Doug Wright?





.

 

[Uncle Dave]

.

I heard that RPM boats were designed by Doug Wright?

.

(As I understand it )

Yes and No - Doug Wright was commissioned to design and tool up the bottom.

The upper was created separately (pretty sure it was Steve Tripps company)

Its more accurate to say the RPM has a Doug Wright bottom.

(From what I know - happy to get schooled on this)

UD

 

[evantwheeler]

Im sure -

We even took the wheels off the mold structure to drop it about 8 inches or so.

Look how far the laminators have to go down - look like an Olympic event " synchronized lamination"


UD

View attachment 688644

I've never seen a boat built or built one myself, but I can't imagine this is an efficient way to work. Is this how they are all laid up? Balancing on your hips trying not to fall in while working? Why not build a rolling adjustable scaffold that went over the mold so they could work from above?

Looking forward to seeing this one completed.

 

[Gelcoater]

I've never seen a boat built or built one myself, but I can't imagine this is an efficient way to work. Is this how they are all laid up? Balancing on your hips trying not to fall in while working? Why not build a rolling adjustable scaffold that went over the mold so they could work from above?

Looking forward to seeing this one completed.

It’s too deep.
They’d (and I’d) be reaching in even farther.

I think after the first skin it might be advantageous to use the pivot points to lift up a side for the laminators.

I personally wouldn’t want to spray it on the pivot or try and tape/spray on the pivot. I’ve done it in the past.

The amount of back and forth from port to starboard taping (think put 3-4 miles on your shoes taping alone) and measuring this or that point, radius, termination point side to side, etc, would require way too much group effort rotating vs one guy standing on a short scaffold and doing it all single handed.

 

[AZMIDLYF]

If a lot more builds in the future, what about building a rotisserie for the mold?

 

[Uncle Dave]

If a lot more builds in the future, what about building a rotisserie for the mold?

- that could be done but that whole mechanism presents and its space present all other kinds of logistic problems -

Prob Easier i the long-term to redo the upper and remove lower profile to get to something like 60/40 like every other boat Lavey makes, or something like 70/30.

The major mold structures were very well built (overbuilt actually- rare) and in excellent condition - but not made with ease of assembly and alignment built into them - just because a CNC can make a shape - doesn't mean that shape will make for a workable mold or that the mold has all the right trick to make it easier.....

Lavey solved many of these difficulties at the mold level decades ago because of experience and have done it before are able to put that knowledge into the mold itself. -this type of "built-in" assembly level refinement is not present here so that must be done manually

This will be a high man hour expensive product for some time to come as a result of the decisions made way before it got to Lavey.

That said, aside from the one mold we made for the gunwhale, the rest are not Laveys intellectual property but belongs to the Malich family so the impetus for change has to come from that end.


UD

 

[Uncle Dave]

Best use of an amazon prime box ever.


UD

 

[ToMorrow44]

Looks great. I’ve always liked the RPMs because of their boxy shape and high freeboard...which makes it a pain to lay up lol

Nice work guys!

 

[retaocleg]

Best use of an amazon prime box ever.


UD

View attachment 689282

thank you toolers for making the door recess so close to the liner walls...........good looking out

 

[lenmann]

Where did I leave that stubby, right angle gel gun...

 

[Uncle Dave]

Starboard side gunwhale gets a multilevel insert and relocated switch panel

Not sure if you can see the front of the mock-up has an inclined line drawn on it - idea being it isnt really natural to shift and throttle up a steep hill.

An incline is one thing a hill doesn't feel right.

UD

 

[Gelcoater]

Prob Easier i the long-term to redo the upper and remove lower profile to get to something like 60/40 like every other boat Lavey makes, or something like 70/30.

The RPM is like an 80/20, lol.
I’d like to see Joe slip Ronny some cash and go to work on the cage of the deck, lifting it at least a foot.

The bottom... it’s a tall beast.
It’s a pain in the ass.
It makes my back hurt.
But, it isn’t impossible.

If a lot more builds in the future, what about building a rotisserie for the mold?

For lamination I’d agree.
For me it’s going to suck.
The mold is infact set up to do that.

thank you toolers for making the door recess so close to the liner walls...........good looking out

And set up to do that with the intention of doing single color parts, obviously

 

[Uncle Dave]

Wonder What Joe has in mind for these?

UD

 

[robby dmax]

Put in a nice blower motor as that is how Steve Tripp designed the boat.
Nothing against outboards they are awesome also.

 

[AZMIDLYF]

Already into the 90s I believe with 300xs motors...400Rs
Any static weight changes to set up to accommodate the added transom girth?

 

[Lavey5150]

Any updates?

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

Wonder What Joe has in mind for these?

UD

View attachment 690722

Maybe for the blue and grey boat that came out right before the boat show last year and the buyer backed out.

 

[Uncle Dave]

Skipped the drive to shop in the rain last week so that's why no pics..

here's some stuff ....

Pretty sure its 2+ skins deep and likely pretty close to vac bag time.

Vac bagging these things is going to be a real bitch
- a two-part run one side at a time with time in between -which means 2 days vs 1 with lot of manpower each day.

Lots claim that they do this -yeah? Go look around and see if you can see a bag (vacuum) machine and storage tanks.

UD

 

[Gelcoater]

View attachment 693619 View attachment 693620 Skipped the drive to shop in the rain last week so that's why no pics..

here's some stuff ....

Pretty sure its 2+ skins deep and likely pretty close to vac bag time.

Vac bagging these things is going to be a real bitch
- a two-part run one side at a time with time in between -which means 2 days vs 1 with lot of manpower each day.

Lots claim that they do this -yeah? Go look around and see if you can see a bag (vacuum) machine and storage tanks.

UD

Lavey has the means to pull some serious negative atmosphere! Like at least 3, lol. It’s a monster.

I’ve seen some guys mess with these little rinky dink vacuum pumps that could fit in a shoe box and just laugh, lolol.

 

[Lavey5150]

Awesome stuff-updates?

 

[Uncle Dave]

The Mock up becomes the plug.
Next -the plug becomes the mold.
UD

 

[Uncle Dave]

Joes Boat is Carbon / no core or just layered - it is light for sure.

This boat is Balsa core standard Lavey layup.
It will be interesting to see the weight diff- we don't think it will be a whole lot.

Laying out and prepping the pieces for the bandsaw and numbering for re-assembly.

UD

 

[Uncle Dave]

Tops done sneak peak next week!

UD

 

[Uncle Dave]

These are rotated for clarity and reflecting the mold below to a great extent - but here's a first peek at what this going to be...

UD

 

[DSMITH]

I like the colors and design on this one! Excited see the finished product


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AZMIDLYF]

Nice!! this thing will show very well.

 

[Gelcoater]

So when do we get a real look??

 

[Uncle Dave]

So when do we get a real look??

Not sure I know the guys are working on the lower - both sides are cored - but the bottom requires 2 vac runs to embed the core.

I think you did a really nice job on the scheme Larry.

The client was different in that most clients specify in excruciating detail what they want - this was the opposite.

The list of what he didn't want was short, and Gelcoater did a lot of design undirected within that- and its bitchen.



UD

 

[Gelcoater]

Not sure I know the guys are working on the lower - both sides are cored - but the bottom requires 2 vac runs to embed the core.

I think you did a really nice job on the scheme Larry.

The client was different in that most clients specify in excruciating detail what they want - this was the opposite.

The list of what he didn't want was short, and Gelcoater did a lot of design undirected within that- and its bitchen.



UD

View attachment 700019

Those always turn out nice.
Vague direction, a loose concept and open reigns on a wide canvas.

Those hatches in the sponsons presented a mild challenge, and it’s cool they’re modular/movable. One could opt for one dead center.

From a boater point of view two is better.
From a gelcoater perspective two are in my way!
People are dying here, Dave.
Post a pic already

 

[Uncle Dave]

You killed it Larry.

Sweet.

UD

 

[02HoWaRd26]

That gold/yellow stripe is perfect imho.

 

[robby dmax]

Just wish they were putting a big blower motor in it!!!