River Hornet

A MiniMax Hydroplane

In late 2018 my son and I were given a unique opportunity by the Michigan-based Water Wonderland Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS) to build an 8' MiniMax hydroplane based on original plans from the early 1960s. Almost anything from that era seems to be popular again. Maybe it’s nostalgia or maybe the designs of that groundbreaking decade were just ahead of their time. Either way, the MiniMax’s appeal seems as relevant today as it did in 1962. We accepted the challenge without hesitation.

The youth-centric building project commenced in February 2019 at the Grand Rapids, Michigan Boat Show. We were in front of a live audience, and ACBS members generously donated wood and fasteners. Sons and daughters participated and even younger siblings got involved. Those initial marathon building sessions were the start of a nearly seven-month journey to complete our boats.

Joshua and I wanted this boat to last for generations and knew that the most effective defense against deterioration was to encapsulate the structure in a waterproof coating. We were both new to boat building and restoration. The volunteer advisors from ACBS, many with a lifetime of experience, suggested WEST SYSTEM® 105 Resin and 205 Fast or 206 Slow Hardener to waterproof our hydroplane.

Joshua mixing a pot of 105/206 epoxy. Editor's note: safety glasses should always be worn while working with epoxy.

A coating of neat epoxy was brushed onto the boat.

After brushing the epoxy on, Joshua tipped the coat with a section of a 300 Roller Cover with a clamp for a handle.

The assembled mini max boat with a coat of neat epoxy.

Cover Photo: Joshua and his MiniMax.