Will his Work!!!

[Naren]

Hi Guy, I have something on my mind and I was wondering if this will work... I have 2 non running 98GS seadoos and I was wondering if I build a 15 feet long, 6 feet wide plywood boat similar in shape of the jetski but seats for 6 people and install a car engine 4 cylinder, 4 stroke 1000 cc, with a closed cooling system and use the jetski drive system from the non running jetski, will it work?

I know these engine dont have a high RPM so I was thinking of installing a large pully on the engine and a small pully on the propeller shaft and hooking them up by a fan belt to get 3 or 4 times the rpm of the engine to the propeller. I think the setup might work but i am not sure if the fan belt will slip on the pully due to load on the jet drive.

Any input will be highly appreciated and do you think I should be concerned about any other isuues other then above.

PS. If you are thinking of telling me to buy a seedoo jet boat, please don't... It is not available here in FIJI and if we special order one, it will cost over a $100,000.

Thanks

Naren

 

[Nate Surveyor]

Boy! The jet & impeller on a 98GS is too small... for a 400 hp system!

I think you'd have more fun with a 20' flatbottom river boat, with high sides, and a real jet boat drive. Such can be had. With 454 chevy motor. And it would cost much less.

Check this out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/146-...m14QQhashZitem320311056829QQitemZ320311056829


It would cost alot less too!

Nate

 

[Naren]

Hi Nate
If buying from USA was an option I would have done that but Fiji is half way around the world in the south pacific, close to Australia and freight and duty itself will cost 10 times the cost of the boat.

Reason for me to biult my own is that labor is real cheap (like $2 /hr) and all the materials are available. Sorry we dont have V8 or V6 engine here also. The only engine mostly available here are japenese 4 bangers and I can get one for around $400 complete with carb, starter, alternator, etc and buy the way, Fiji dollar is almost half of US dollar, so that should be no problem.

I am estimating that I can build a marine ply 12' to 15' boat for less then F$3000 and have everything fabricated to work under $5000 but like u said, if the jet drive from the jetski is too small, then I have to think of other options. I just don't wanna go with a outboard motor, too expensive here (around $5000 for a 15HP yamaha). I wanna have something like the seadoo jet boats.

Thanks for the advise and hopefully someone can give me somemore details of how to do a better setup then what I have in mind.

Thanks again

Naren

 

[Naren]

Hi Guy, I have something on my mind and I was wondering if this will work... I have 2 non running 98GS seadoos and I was wondering if I build a 15 feet long, 6 feet wide plywood boat similar in shape of the jetski but seats for 6 people and install a car engine 4 cylinder, 4 stroke 1000 cc, with a closed cooling system and use the jetski drive system from the non running jetski, will it work?

I know these engine dont have a high RPM so I was thinking of installing a large pully on the engine and a small pully on the propeller shaft and hooking them up by a fan belt to get 3 or 4 times the rpm of the engine to the propeller. I think the setup might work but i am not sure if the fan belt will slip on the pully due to load on the jet drive.

Any input will be highly appreciated and do you think I should be concerned about any other isuues other then above.

PS. If you are thinking of telling me to buy a seedoo jet boat, please don't... It is not available here in FIJI and if we special order one, it will cost over a $100,000.

Thanks

Naren

Can anyone put comments or suggestions to my thought please

 

[sporsterjoel]

i think your idea is to hard to do. why cant you find a boat in japan that will suit your needs?

 

[timmyboy76]

Hi Guy, I have something on my mind and I was wondering if this will work... I have 2 non running 98GS seadoos and I was wondering if I build a 15 feet long, 6 feet wide plywood boat similar in shape of the jetski but seats for 6 people and install a car engine 4 cylinder, 4 stroke 1000 cc, with a closed cooling system and use the jetski drive system from the non running jetski, will it work?

I know these engine dont have a high RPM so I was thinking of installing a large pully on the engine and a small pully on the propeller shaft and hooking them up by a fan belt to get 3 or 4 times the rpm of the engine to the propeller. I think the setup might work but i am not sure if the fan belt will slip on the pully due to load on the jet drive.

Any input will be highly appreciated and do you think I should be concerned about any other isuues other then above.

PS. If you are thinking of telling me to buy a seedoo jet boat, please don't... It is not available here in FIJI and if we special order one, it will cost over a $100,000.

Thanks

Naren

not being a smarta**, but, why not fix the 2 GS's. One for you, one for your chick.
Sister has one, and plenty sturdy for her, and to rip either of her sons around...:cheers:

 

[DCKD]

Not to be a smarta** either....but how did the 2 GS's get there? Aren't there any other types of boats on your wonderful little island? I just think your idea is way too much work!

Matt

 

[Naren]

Thanks for your comments guys and I would say the same thing if i were in your shoes. I lived in Sacramento, California for over 10 years till 1998 before moving back to Fiji. When I was there, if someone asked my advise, I would say the same thing. I owned a "97 seedoo, 2 bowriders and money is good, to just go buy one and it will be too much trouble to build one.

Down here, money is very difficult to get, our minimum wage is $2.11/hr and our dollar is half of US dollar. Importing anything from overseas will cost an arm and a leg, eg $5000 boat or jetski in Japan or US will cost almost $25,000 before I get to see it here. I don't have that kinda money to spend on a boat for pleasure right now.

We have plenty nice boats around here but its very expensive, like $35,000 for a used 15' bowrider and yes they have jetskis too, new one will cost around $22,000.

I was lucky in getting these 3 jetskis for $4000 as the owner was from Australia and she just wanted to get rid of 'em. She wanted $12,000 for all 3 a week before but she didnt sell it and mind you they were all non running seedoo's. I fixed one by trail and error method (first time ever worked on one), overhauled the carbs on the 95GTX, bypassed the fuel valve, replaced the gray lines, welded the leaky exhaust pipe, serviced the drive system, etc.. all by reading the question and answers from this site.... (thanks to all u guys for a good job).

The other 2 jetski are 98GS, one with the shell only and the other with bad engine and electrical parts(computer and other stuff) and again parts are not available and very expesive to order from abroad.

I have one running doo so I dont need another and my wife and kid are scared to ride one after seeing me do 360s and flip it a few times and that is why I need a bowrider to suit the ocean water here... sorry no freah water lakes here and the ocean has almost always over 2 foot waves so need to build something to suit that.

Not boasting, but I am a hard working handyman with woodwork and mechanical knowledge to build one and I have plenty of room to work on it. My recent project was a addition to my 2 storey, 2 flat house which is on a slope and made it to a 3 storey 5 flat house almost tripling the value.

It doesn't mean too much work for me and I think i will enjoy doing it and I am pretty sure I can have the whole thing, engine and boat done under $5000 with a retail value of around $30,000 if I ever want to sell it.

The question I am stuck with is that if the GS drive/jet system is properly installed in the 15' flat playwood/fiberglass bottom boat and if i give it a good RPM, will it be able to push the boat to about 20 to 30 knots or at least half the speed of that jetski?

Like always... appreciate all the comments and thanks in advance

Naren

 

[seadoosnipe]

Wow....

With what I've read of your project, you are a hard charger. Your not going to let money or loss of resources stop you from trying to do something. That's better than doing nothing.

I don't know if any of us are capable of giving you a good answer, since this type question is one that would require a mathematical solution. You'll have to determine the torque of the motor and the strength of the pulley system you want to provide for the impeller shaft. And the thrust from the nozzle to push the amount of weight your asking.

With wood, it's going to be heavy. The motor is going to add to that weight and the pulley system may not be the best choice for a "transmission". You would be better served to find a gear box with the proper ratio for the input of your motor, turning 4000 rpm to turn 7000 rpm on the shaft output. You'll need a larger fuel tank for that bigger motor. So in all, the amount of weight from the boat and motor, probably about 1500 to 2000 lbs. if not more. The weight of 6 people at 150 lbs. is 900 lbs. which bring the total weight somewhere around 2500 lbs. The maximum weight capacity of the GS model ski was less than 1000 lbs. The pump impeller, if stock is one of the least in progressive pitch impellers used on the axial flow pumps.

In my opinion, I don't think you'll have the ability to plane this hull with that motor and pump set-up. It will be to heavy in weight for the design of the pump and impeller. Will it go? Yeah, I think you could make it something to ferry around in but I dont' see it on plane......:cheers:

 

[Nate Surveyor]

I'm still trying to urwrap my American mind from American ways, and wrap it around the ways of "Way down there".

If I bought a 50' sailing vessel, and brought a load of Japanese outboards down there, could I sell them just off shore, and not get in trouble?

N

 

[Naren]

Nate, if the price was right, u would have it all sold before you could unload from your boat... those outboard motors are hot cake here as we are surrounded by the ocean and 50% of the native people are fisherman. The price of an outboard motor is very high here as the freight and duty almost trples the cost of things.

As far as getting into trouble.... every country has their own immigration and customs laws and they are somewhat similar but the enforcement of these laws here are very low... there are no patrol/law enforcemnet boats on duty to intercept boats coming in. You will only be checked if you enter a port of entry which is used by freight liners and other touring ships. There are so many sailing boats off shore and we dont even know who and where they are from and some have been here for years at a time.

So basically yes, you can make some quick bucks and even love the country while you are here. BTW, dont forget my commission if you do make lots of money selling those outboard motors ..... lol

take care

Naren

 

[Naren]

seadoosnipe.. you the man... i had the same conclusion and you confirmed it. Now that I have a fair idea as what to expect, i think I will save up and get a outboard motor to suit the boat.. Thanks again

Nate... when are you coming in with your 50 footer? Hurry up and take my order for a 50HP outboard motor... man by the time to get ready to leave, I will have all you products sold out, all you'll have to do is drop off the stuff and collect you cash :hurray:

Thanks guy

Naren

PS: if you guys wanna know more about Fiji, just ask