Help identify boat model

[nckb]

I am looking at a boat for sale, but I am not clear on the model. I think this is a speedster with the spotter seat, twin 720. The seller sent me a photo. Can anyone here help?

If I have it figured out right, the inside of the boat looks like this one
http://www.pwctexas.us/picseadoo97speedsterae.jpg

I am trying not to irritate the seller with a bunch of photo requests, and I also don't want to waste a couple if hours driving if its not what I think it is.

 

[Waterluvr]

Yep, you're correct it has the spotter seat and forward lounge seating with built in cooler forward of the spotter.

 

[nckb]

Thanks. This looks like the ticket for pulling folks around the water. My neck is getting tired on my GTI.

 

[Waterluvr]

Thanks. This looks like the ticket for pulling folks around the water. My neck is getting tired on my GTI.

They really are well suited for towing just about anything, there's no exhaust timing in the range of throttle operation on the 717 power and finding whatever *sweet* spot that works best for the operator and skier/tuber/boarder(s) is pretty smooth you'll like it.

When you're evaluating the engines and pumps check the engines for alignment and shaft/pto wear. That is a fun boat when everything is working as intended and most of them I see suffer from giving up to much HP at that age if it's never been re-aligned that looks like a '96.

Night and day difference in performance of that hull when it's dialed in, definitely the best value in a used twin engine boat that's found in my neck of the woods.

 

[nckb]

Yes, i like the engine. if nothing else I understand it from working on my GTI. but what do mean about power loss due to engine alignment? I've been through the whole process of replacing the carbon seal and getting everything aligned again, but though what that really did for me was keep water out of the hull, avoid the pump sucking air, and generally keep the driveshaft/pto from wearing out. Never thought about loss of HP.

And you think this is a 96? I thought those did not have the spotter seat. I was hoping for a 97 because, I understand that they only have one carb per engine - just easier to maintain.

 

[Waterluvr]

It is a '97 my bad I've got a '96 on the brain here that's a mess I'm working on, think of alignment like a shopping cart full of something extraordinarily heavy you have to push clear to the front of a store to check out with.

Is it both easier and faster to push that heavy cart straight ahead instead of sideways or at an angle? ~You bet it is, think of it in terms of the energy the crank applies to the pto and the relationship of the teeth inside the pto and how they engage the splines on the drive shaft and transfer that power to the pump.

If alignment is off, you have decreased the surface area of contact between the two mating surfaces on both extremes of the angle thereby giving up some hp to your pump. Same holds true for ski's, model to model everything being samey same except alignment someone's getting a mud hole stomped into them by their buddy who sweated the details on getting alignment as perfect as possible.

It's more of an issue on boats that tow a load, right away you have more hull weight plus an increased wetted surface area of the hull that requires that hp to get on top and run, stay there and do what you want it to using no more throttle than needed.

An alignment issue will cost the owner of the boat a small fortune in extra fuel costs every season using way more throttle than would otherwise be necessary while towing.

 

[nckb]

That makes sense. I had it in my head that engine alignment would directly affect the engine HP. Mechanical losses is the real issue.

 

[nckb]

Well, that boat was complete crap. Needed upholstery and foam inserts. From what I can gather the foam is a real pain to do. I guess I'll have to keep looking.