14' Polar Kraft Jet Project

[tomme boy]

You might want to run a few more braces across the transom. Hate to have to go back and add them later.

 

[fishin_magician]

Man you ate definitely getting it done... Its looking good thus far ...keep up the good work

 

[Flat_Bottum]

Thanks, I have been doin my best to get this thing finished. I hear the river callin me haha. As for the transom supports, its fairly solid as it is. The engine compartment framing is attached to the transom in the center, jet ski hull is bolted to the transom which is bolted to the bottom of the boat and I have the two top corner supports which hold the top. If I was running an outboard on it I would be adding more support for sure but without any thrust or pressure being put on the transom, I should be alright.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

Ordered and installed new diaphragm fuel pump for the boat, its the mikuni triple outlet. Keeping the electric in the boat just in case. Started running bow and transom lights and sending unit wiring. Should be starting the floor and decking in the next few days and will update everything with photos here soon. Shouldn't be too much longer.

 

[ColtonS]

Your straight piped exhaust has gotten my attention..... I too have a polaris 750 in my boat and would like to know if there is any advantage to removing the muffler :-k

 

[Earlo]

Also, I will not be using any carpet in this boat and would like to know what sort of paint are you guys using for your carpetless decks and floors that provides good life from peeling or scrapes? I dont want a paint that is going to come up just by sliding a tackle box across it or something.

Nice looking build. I have a Weldbilt I added a floor and front deck to, and used some concrete deck paint from Lowes called Restore 10x. Nice and skid-proof, does not get too hot, stands up to the carwash and feels great on bare feet.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

Awesome, thank you fro the paint recommendation. As for the exhaust for my engine, I have no idea if there is any pros or cons to making it straight piped. I wanted to use the factory muffler but I was not able to considering the exhaust exit comes out of the top. Engine seems to like it but it is loud...like really loud. If you click on one of the videos in the very first post, you can see and hear the boat run and see what she sounds like. The exhaust exit is a couple inches in the water what sitting but is fully out of water on plain.

 

[ColtonS]

Wow....I am surprised at how much different yours sounds than mine. I'm probably gunna make me a straight pipe now to leave in the boat for when I want to swap out and play a little.

 

[JL8Jeff]

I had an old Boston Whaler Rage 13' jet boat with the Yamaha 650 jetski engine in it. I added a Pro-tek wake up kit which included an exhaust manifold, higher compression head, carb modifications and ran a 2-1/2" straight pipe. It sounded a like a pro-stock jetski and got old quick. I bought a 2-1/2" water injected silencer off Ebay cheap and routed cooling water to it. I put a valve on it so I could adjust the amount of water and got the perferct combination of sound and power. It looks like you could add a silencer to your pipe if you wanted to.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

The only reason I straight piped mine was because I could not use the factory muffler. If I could have then I would have. I will look into that one you say you found on ebay. It is loud and does get annoying really fast. The pitch is what gets me after awhile on the throttle, a deeper tone would be nice. Thanks again.

As for boat progress, it has been a bit crazy lately with life in general and getting my Four Winns up and running for a striper trip. Should be finishing floor supports in the next few days and then will be looking to start welding up all of the framing. I dont trust just the pop rivets because eventually they will rattle loose and I dont want to deal with that.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

FB - Somehow I was missing this thread up until today.

Your boat is looking great! I bet you don't have the same cavitation issue I am getting due to your V hull. I will be putting in same reverse gate you have. What are you going to use for a steering control - teleflex?

Kep the pix coming!

 

[Flat_Bottum]

I had really bad cavitation on the first shake down run...like anything over a ripple and I would struggle to keep the boat in the mid to low 30's MPH. I added a small scoop to the very back of the factory grate and that help hook up out a lot but I lost a few MPH on the top. Since the rebuild of the boat, you can see that I use a hammer to bow and bend the hull of the boat down into the water a little bit which sort of created a type of spoon, but not really a spoon if that makes sence. I am hoping that it helps out so I can run the factory grate again but we shall see. How bad is your cavitation right now? For my steering, I am using the factory steering cable and factory console which unbolts from the ski hull. I made a small adapter and mounted a 10" aluminum buttefly steering wheel. Worked out really really good and I love it. Doesn't look the best but I have less than 1/2 turn full lock to full lock which makes navigation a breeze.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

Also, my hull isn't a V...but its not a true flat bottom. I have not been able to identify the actual model of the boat since I have owned it. The front of the boat is not a V but its not a jon style neither but it does have a decent V coming down the bow but it flattens out almost immediately. The boat is a 1444....so I don't know what it is haha. Works for me though.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

So hopfully in the next couple of days I can finish my floor supports. Problem is, I am not trusting the pop rivets to hold tight for very long. So, I was thinking about welding all the joints for added support but would have to ARC them since I dont have access to an aluminum MIG. So, has anyone done this with success? I used to do it back in the day but it was thicker material, around 1/4". Or will the rivets be just fine?

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

I have an old millermatic mig machine that I jury rigged to run aluminum. Got it done, but if I stayed in one spot an extra second there would be a hole. I would think that stick would be just as hard to control on thin material. Could you rivet it together & then take it to a weld shop & them add some inches? Belts & suspenders!

 

[Flat_Bottum]

Thats what I was thinking about doing...but I have issues with trusting other people to work on my things haha. I have done it before but like said, it was thinker material. Whenever I needed to weld aluminum, I just always used the TIG at work. I have a welding shop by my house and will prob rent a small arc welder for a day or so to give her a shot, if it doesn't work out then I will see if they do aluminum. Id just hate to have the deck start rattling after one trip...that would suck.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

New bildge pumps came in, will be running a 750 GPH pump on either side of the transom. Also found a buddy at work who had a lincoln mig that I can borrow and set up for aluminum. This will make everything so much easier and stronger in the long run. Should have some photos up soon.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

I got my mig to do aluminum by getting a teflon liner (they don't give those away) & also using an oversized tip (i.e. .045 for .035 wire). I also had to use 5356 wire because the 4043 was too soft to feed. 5356 wants to crack, so beware. I turned my 150 amp machine wide open & only got spray transfer, but it did work. Any less power = no penetration.

Good luck!

 

[Flat_Bottum]

Im still debating. I know that I need to do something other than just the rivets. I do have a couple packages of SS 8-32 bolts that I was just going to use to bolt everything together with countersunk heads but still not sure. I have a couple days before I can get back on it so the next few days will tell.

 

[Flat_Bottum]

So I have decided to weld it, one way or another. I rebuilt the boat to do it right since I didn't the first time and I dont want to start cutting corners now just to fight it later. Also, my bilge pumps came in. Will be running dual 750 gph pumps, one on either side of the ski hull in the back of the boat. Once I get them wired up, I will be putting both water hoses on full into the boat and kick them on to see how they do. I want over kill for the boat.