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Mini Vee Race Boat Plans
Page Ten
Dashboard, Front Cowling

Locate the dash about one inch forward of the peak of the coaming, and orient it approximately 90 degrees to the downward slope of the coaming. Give the top edge a one or two inch crown.

Maximum width for the dash is about seven inches. Or, get in your boat and have a seat and see where you would like the steering wheel to be, then cut a dashboard wide enough to allow that position -- along with sufficient knee room.

The front cowling beam attaches to the dashboard with a glue block. The forward end attaches directly to the deck. The beam should be parelell to the downward slope of the coaming.

A simple bulkhead is then tucked in underneath. This piece will carry the bearing for the foward end of the steering shaft.

You will also need to add some glue blocks along the edges of the coaming.

My steering system consists of a 3/4" steel rod in flange-mounted bearings, with a double v-belt pulley wheel as the steering drum. Cables run through coaming pulleys and then back to steering bars on the motor.

A steering wheel bolted to a 3" pulley wheel is attached to the steering shaft with the set scew on the pulley.

The front cowling is capped with a piece of plywood that is merely screwed down, easily removed to service the steering system and throttle -- and to secure ballast, if you find it necessary to place some up front, as I have.

I used 1/8" (3mm) plywood, some scraps of which I had on hand. You should be able to do the same with the same plywood you have been using elsewhere on the boat.

If your plywood is a bit stiff for this bend, try cutting a series of kerfs in the underside, much like that recommended for the decking on the previous page. Make these kerfs the full length of the cowling.

An alternative plan skips the bend altogether and uses two flat pieces joined in a peak. The dashboard and intermediate bulkhead will also need to be cut to this shape.

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