I'm calling it a "Storpedo" w/many pics

[Alan in Little Washington]

As you all know I bought a Hobie Cat this Spring and this Summer have been fixing it up and sailing it. I trailer it to the river, and up until now have had to throw the sails, boom, and other miscellaneous parts into the back of the van. I wanted a trailer box but the commercially available ones were too expensive.

I purchased a 14' length of large, 12" diameter, pvc sewer pipe to make a trailer box. Since it was long and already looked a little like a torpedo, I decided to complete the illusion by making a nose cone out of MDF, painting it gray, and stenciling it. I'm calling it a "Storpedo" - a storage torpedo.

Hauling a heavy length of pvc home:

Cut in half with end caps added:

Hinges added to one side:

Nose cone/warhead made from laminated MDF turned on my lathe:

Close-up of nose cone/warhead:

Completed* Storpedo mounted on my Hobie trailer. I painted it gray, installed handles and latches, and added some stenciling:

*Until I decide if and how to add fins and propeller. :lol::lol::lol:

Close-up pictures of the stenciling:

"Make ready, tubes 1 & 2" . . . "Open outer doors" . . . . "Fire one, fire two" :-D:-D:-D

 

[Trog777]

That is flippin cool!:eusa_clap

 

[MikeH]

That is totally kewl!!!!!! :icon_thum:icon_thum:icon_thum I'll bet you get more than few looks pulling that down the road. I'll be curious to see if you get the attention of the police with it looking so much like a torpedo. Let us know.

 

[toolman]

[mouse] Cool!! I like it! [/mouse]

:wav:

 

[lottathought]

[MOUSE]Of Course you know what the person in the car next to yours in thinking[/MOUSE]

[PIE]Da** military budget cuts!!![/PIE]

 

[sawduster]

Bravo ! :eusa_clap man that is just too kewl !
Good job ! :icon_thum

 

[cskipper]

Clever idea. Will it be less likely to sink in town?

 

[JackLeg]

What a hoot! Nice job, Alan! Down Scope!

 

[childe]

8-O8-O8-O8-O8-O8-O I can see the headlines now!

MAN ARRESTED FOR IMPERSONATIING A SUBMARINE CAPTAIN]

Chris

 

[sediener]

8-O8-O8-O8-O8-O8-O I can see the headlines now!

MAN ARRESTED FOR IMPERSONATIING A SUBMARINE CAPTAIN]

Chris

Let us know how many times you get pulled over. :rolf:

- Steve

 

[JimmyC]

Nice job Alan, even if it is a little over the edge. I hope we don't reda about you getting pulled over for carrying a weapon of mass destruction. Because being on the front page once should be enough :rolf:.


Jimmy

 

[skeeter]

Definitely an attention getter! Great storage idea.

 

[MikeL]

Alan, that is one cool idea you had there. I too hope that the authorities don't get the wrong idea.

Had you seen anything like this before. I know nothing about sailing or the boat that you have, but it seems that this would be very marketable if there are others like you looking for a simialr solution. I'm sold on the name!

 

[Travis Porter]

ROFL! You are going to freak some people out with that on the highway!

 

[sapwood]

Striking Alan :lol:
Now, You can look forward to getting to know the Homeland Security folks :rolf:

With great respect,
Roger

 

[Mark Anderson]

when the officer aproaches you at the boat dock ask for directions to the dam ;-)

 

[DaveO]

:lol::lol::rolf::rolf: I love it!!!!!

Dave

 

[Gotcha6]

I can see one of those Homeland Security officers with his Barney Badge & bullet stopping you now. Hope you know the local constable very well. He may have to vouch for your character (or lack thereof). I think it looks cool anyhow. I'd almost post your bail if you got stopped! :eusa_clap

 

[FredP]

add some fins and retain a lawyer! yur all set!:rolf:

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I'd like to know how you cut a 12' pipe so perfectly straight down the center?

It is far from perfect. I followed a chalk line with a PC jigsaw. I was going to use a circular saw, but didn't have a long enough board to use as a straight edge guide.

And did you turn the cone or smooth it with a side grinder?

I laminated up some MDF "doughnuts" to get it close, then turned it on my lathe. Since the diameter of the Storpedo is larger than the capacity of my lathe I had to glue on two additional rings and shape fare those to the turned section with my disc sander and sand paper.

Will you tow two trailers? or will this sit on the trailer with the boat?

It sits on the trailer between the two hulls of my Hobie catamaran. I should have take a pic today after loading the Hobie back on the trailer.

Did you add a flange around the edge to keep water out? Looks like a lip there.

Yup, got some pvc lattice at Lowes and glued and screwed it in place. It is just to keep rain and road spray from seeping in the joint between the halves.

Lettering looks fantastic!

I first painted the lettering area light gray. I then applied stick-on vinyl letters, a homemade nuclear symbol and Hobie "H", painted over everything with dark gray, then peeled off the vinyl letters and symbols revealing the light colored lettering. It worked pretty well, better than stencils.