Project Rainbow

[JimJet]

I've watched JBNZ web board for some time so thought it's about time I contributed. Bit of a project (pronounced pro---ject not proj---ect for those who can't talk proper england haha) ahead of me.
Found this one in a paddock near our house.
I believe it is a France hull. It's absolutely rotten. I mean really really rotten. Firewood actually. I heard it used to belong to Bill Safi from Woodend way. Does anyone have any knowledge of this boat?
It has Rainbow number 24 with a 100E engine.  Motor still turns over but compressions are all over the place. Still I have the basic parts to transfer into another hull. Jury is still out with what hull I replicate but am leaning towards a copy of Alf Dicks boat that is in storage in Christchurch.
Project will take a few years.
Couple of photo's attached.

[Ross Goldsack - JBNZ President]

Wow! Now that is a real project to get your teeth into. Please keep us posted with updates and plenty of photos.

[JimJet]

This is Alf Dicks hull that I'm thinking of replicating, to put my running gear into. I don't want to put my running gear into a modern looking hull. Needs to be period matching the running gear. Any other suggestions for a suitable hull to replicate?
Alfs is Rainbow number 1 so my Rainbow unit number 24 probably would have been made in the first couple of casting batches. Around 1955.
The hanging trailer has not been kind to Alfs hull. Being only hung from two points (plus the bow) it's sagging quite a bit. But I guess it took about 60 years to get like this.

[Ed Wicken]

Great project you have there Jim well done for tracking it down, these early boats are hard to find in any condition.

 Here's an iconic photo of Alf Dicks boat in action in the Waimak Gorge in 1956, on board are Alf, Tom Latter the manager of Woodstock Station and "Mak" the dog, so the 2 photos of Alfs boat on this post were taken 63 years apart. The photo of Alfs boat in storage was taken a week ago. This boat now belongs to Canterbury Museum and is in safe storage currently.

[JimJet]

Rainbow unit number 24. Glorified irrigation pump. It will need some TLC.

[Matthewf/Norbert/TuiDog]

Jim
Do you have a photo of the tail pipe and gates... there were a few different designs despite the low volume and some early ones without serial numbers (i have one of those)

[JimJet]

More photo's of unit and grill. I see it has part number 103 on part of the neutral slide mechanism. Don't know if thats different to others. The whole unit was cutting edge technology at the time so cudos to those inventive chaps who took ideas and dreams, and made them happen.

[Rustystorm]

Heck, just stumbled across this and I'd almost give me left nut to say that it is mum and dads old boat that they 'did up'from it's original owner in Oxford. Sometimes wondered where it ended up.

[JimJet]

Yep that’s her. I was told it was a France craft. Would love to hear more. Do you know who owned it at Oxford? So sad to see the way it is now. Was left outside for years and is completely rotten.
Call me on 0212557272.

[Ed Wicken]

Great photos Rustystorm, definately before and after going on here. Do you know which year your photos were taken ?

[Rustystorm]

Sorry I didnt mean to bomb your post, but I have more photos here of how the boat was originally and then during the restoration of the boat. The boat was plywood and then found to have a bit of rot in it so dad fibreglassed the bottom of the hull. When the engine was removed to tidy it, the oil cant have been replaced from day dot as we had to use a piece of wire to drag it out of the sump. Not exactly sure of the year but would have been perhaps 1988/1989???

[Rustystorm]

Lake Lyndon

[JimJet]

Great photo’s Rustystorm. Maybe someone can give me some more history. It was bought from the Oxford area.

[JimJet]

I was puzzled by the steering gates on my Rainbow unit. They look a lot different to every other Rainbow that I have seen. Sort of cupped unlike other ones which are straight. This week I received a copy of the Quinnet owners manual including a parts list. So my steering gates are part number J106 and they are also the Quinnet gates part number. So there must have been some Quinnet steering gates left over from the Quinnet production run of only 6 units. Also the tailpipe is steel on my unit but every other one I have seen is cast alloy. Thanks Glenn for pointing that out. So even though it is marked unit number 24 it has parts from the earlier Quinnet unit. Interesting.