Eddie Hansen

Well not sure if anybody is interested in this sort of thing, but I have a big passion for vintage hydroplanes, pre turbine, and I love em all from unlimiteds to the limited class, I of course can not afford one, but I also got into building scale models of them, I also carved and machined parts and have built many many from old plans or even simple drawings. I latter learned how to make molds, and reproduce the drivers, engines etc and machined parts for the boats. I have and do race organized racing in Namba and have done well enough to be sponsored by flight power batteries and even enerland before they switched to only hybred battery production for real cars. I race 1/8 unlimited mostly, these are powered normally by .67 nitro engine, I run mine on electric power, no not AAA batts but lithium polymer, I run 10s 2 p which in English means 10 cells in series at 3.7 volts with a 5000 mah rating per cell, and I run 2 10 cell packs for a total rating of around 44 volts (37 nominal) for 10,000 mah or 10 amp hours , my motor is rated for 8500 watts which is roughly 10 HP the boat weighs 21+ lbs and I s about 43 inches long, in valdosta Georgia I ran what at the time was a national record of 75+ MPH and she was just getting going when I ran out of pond lol anyway here are some pictures of my work etc if anyone is interested btw when starting out the motor draws about 125_150 amps you can weld with those ******,

Here is my website www.hansenracing.net it also shows a few paint jobs all automotive lacquer hope ya like it, just a little more about me......

Sampson

Eddie this is cool stuff. Awesome looking and unbelievably fast! Thanks for the advise about the stopped bolt extractors the other day for my body mount. I plan to go to Sears to get a set.

Eddie Hansen

Thank you sir, the extractors come in a 3 size pack, I actually used the larger one to take off the lock lug on my daughters sable after she lost the 'key, as you spin the socket to loosen it it actual bites into the nut bolt etc I hope it works out for you

69442C

Eddie, I'm very impressed. And you talk about my skills...dang..I think you got me beat by a mile when it comes to what you do. Great stuff and thanks for sharing. I saved your website to my favorites so I can look at it more. Quick question...between the boats, the 69 convertible project and your job, do you actually find time to sleep?

Brian

Eddie Hansen

Thank you Brian, that means a lot :-). Actually it is quite relaxing working on details, on the 80 Budweiser ( one with the wing) that is completely scratch built , yes just sticks and light t ply and fiber glass lol I have a friend who volunteers at the hydro museum in Seattle, he actually got me pictures of the actual gauges, and I scaled the photos down to the correct size (1/8th of the original diameter) and printed them on an overhead projector sheet, I made the dash and used lexan between aluminum sheets drilled the holes etc and actually used red leds on the bottom the results are lit gauges lol... fine for a museum but my racing buddies think I have ocd lol the paint on the 80 bud is all paint no decals thank god for sticky mickies masking paper :-) yes I sleep , 4-5 hours a day whether I want to or not lol
Thanks again Brian, I personally like the music on the website which was the first and only website I ever created .......

70wcar

Cool stuff for sure! One of the guys I used to work with was really into this as well. I can't tell you how much cash he had tied up in it!

Jim

compedgemarine

over the years I have had two early Hydro's. one was a 1963 or so 280 class bullnose hydro that I rebuilt with a 273 Desoto hemi. it was originally called Dinah-mite and was numbered E707. back when I had it the history showed that the owner was a pilot that flew 707's and his wife's name was Dinah. the other was a 12 foot (IIRC) and was originally powered by a Crosley 4 cyl. both were like the ones you build with the engines in front. the prop shaft ran between your legs. after having the small ones I have a lot of respect for the guys that ran those old unlimited's with the big Allison V12's sitting a couple feet in front of them.
you do some beautiful work there, way more patience than I have.

Eddie Hansen

Jim I know I know the controller is German made schultze it runs roughly 700 bucks , finished props cut and thinned balanced etc run 50, the motor is 450 and is made in California etc etc cost is roughly 2-3 grand with batts spares etc, cars seem cheap

I support this hobby with making parts and stuff for others but still very very expensive if you want to compete at the national level in the top class

Eddie Hansen

I would love to see some pics, jersey was a hotbed for class hydroplanes vent or etc you should pop on to www.vintagehydroplanes.com the miss Chrysler is gorgeous... too many boats to little time lol

ent72olds

Very cool Eddie. My neighbor started getting into making those a couple years ago.. When he started, he wanted my advice on bodywork and tools and lightweight fillers and such. I lent him a couple of my sanding blocks, and never got them back. He made a "plug" out of plywood, then if I remember correctly, layer fiberglass, and finished it with a very lightweight filler that had some kind of microspheres......he was making it for some marina here where I live, as they make a lot of full size cigarette boats I guess they call them. Every summer they have an event called "Battle on the Bay" here in the town where I live. Miss Gieco is probably the most famous boat in the race. A couple years ago, I guy died here after crashing.....I think his last name was DeJanna or something like that. It was pretty sad.

Nilsson

Would you mind being more specific as to which extractor this is. There are many to choose from.

Thank you

Eddie Hansen

The
extractor I used was the lug out locking lug extractor it is a 3 socket set, and a little pricey, they also carry a 10 piece and 6 piece rounded bolt extractor set that uses exactly the same type of sockets but smaller sizes as Sampson is trying to remove the body bolts he will need either the 10 piece set 23.69 currently on sale w/free shipping, this is actually 20 dollars cheaper than the lug out set I bought, the 6 piece set only goes to 1/2 inch

Eddie Hansen

I have gotten a few PM's to show some more of my other hobby, hee is a pic of a scratchbuilt tug, this was made from a free set of plans from a very very old magazine, I blew the plans up so the boat was about 33 inches, made all the hardware including the beckert rudder

Eddie Hansen

and a few pics of my basement workshop ( when it is clean LOL)





here is my ASH helmet LOL...





I know this doesn't belong in an auto forum, but I was asked LOL....

ent72olds

Eddie, the tug looks awesome! Too bad about the cigs though.....just saying...

OLD SKL 69

Eddie,

Nice work on the tug boat. Love the attention to detail.