Wayfaraway
Active member
Wow, I am new to the tin boats site, and new to owning one. This is absolutely AWE inspiring! Keep up the great work! You are truly the Yoda of Machining!
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Alumacraft MV1448 Seadoo IB jet, Still jetting
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Ranchero50
Well-known member
Thanks Wayfaraway, I'm not a machinist, just know some machining.
Quick update, here's some videos of the mill making the light fixtures. Figured I never video'd it in action. Seems like slow motion watching it, seems to go quick when it's doing work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWfjH5R1VOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKv3YXVW5v8
Jamie
Quick update, here's some videos of the mill making the light fixtures. Figured I never video'd it in action. Seems like slow motion watching it, seems to go quick when it's doing work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWfjH5R1VOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKv3YXVW5v8
Jamie
fender66
Well-known member
Ranchero50 said:
Now that's some bad tools to have at your fingertips. Awesome!
Ranchero50
Well-known member
Thanks, it's really cool when it works but sometimes since it only does what I tell it, really bad things happen. 
Today's quick update is I put a pair of switches for the front LEDs under the trolling motor and they worked out wonderful. I can turn on one side at a time so it doesn't glare at me. Still going to recess the lights up in the covers, maybe tomorrow.
Nice sunset with fall action topwaters.
Jamie
Today's quick update is I put a pair of switches for the front LEDs under the trolling motor and they worked out wonderful. I can turn on one side at a time so it doesn't glare at me. Still going to recess the lights up in the covers, maybe tomorrow.
Nice sunset with fall action topwaters.
Jamie
orion_134
Well-known member
Jackets? You lucky SOB's...
Dybber
Active member
Awesome is the only word that comes to mind. You did a great job on that!
I'm' trying to find LEDs similar to that for the interior of my tin. Where did you find those/brand etc? I assume they connect directly to your battery...
Thanks for the help!
I'm' trying to find LEDs similar to that for the interior of my tin. Where did you find those/brand etc? I assume they connect directly to your battery...
Thanks for the help!
Ranchero50
Well-known member
orion, water temp 78`, air temp around 72` or so, the longsleeves are kept on the boat and come in handy.
Dybber, I just searched 'green LED' on eBay organized by 'lowest price with shipping' and these came up. Took about three weeks for them to show up from China but that's an expense I can deal with for the price of 14 LED's for $20.
Jamie
Dybber, I just searched 'green LED' on eBay organized by 'lowest price with shipping' and these came up. Took about three weeks for them to show up from China but that's an expense I can deal with for the price of 14 LED's for $20.
Jamie
lucescoflathead
Well-known member
I used the green Blue Water LEDs on my boat. They're really bright. i odrered the Deck Blaster kit. Great people to deal with. Todd
Ranchero50
Well-known member
Slow day, spent some time getting my air horns wired up, had to add a relay in the electrical box which is getting cramped. I also tinkered with the bilge blower, trying to find the best place that it'll fit.
Finally I made an aluminum collar for under the steering wheel because the wheel flops a bit on the shaft. Now it's nice and tight. Heading out in a bit to get it wet and maybe torment some fishes too.
Jamie
Finally I made an aluminum collar for under the steering wheel because the wheel flops a bit on the shaft. Now it's nice and tight. Heading out in a bit to get it wet and maybe torment some fishes too.
Jamie
Ranchero50
Well-known member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzQCLzO2uZk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K71jhrikpoE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K71jhrikpoE
Ranchero50
Well-known member
Seems we're in for a bit of flooding so I've been tinkering with the front deck so I can get finished welding and maybe get the foam padding down and some carpet. I decided to shorten the trolling motor mount because the original was for the longer base and now it's in the way and I barked my shin on it a couple weeks ago. Going to trim it back, install a section of 1.25" pipe for a rounded edge, extend the rod holder cover and make a decent switch panel for underneigth. I also want to rewire the troller to get one cable size from the battery to the troller base. I have a quick connect on the deck now and don't like it. I'll disconnect it and protect it at the battery.
Jamie
Jamie
although you claim to not be a machinist, got guys at the shop that cant program and they have been running knee mills like yours for awhile, not bridge ports but haas, any how you are on hell of a fabricator, give yourself some credit =D> =D> =D>
Ranchero50
Well-known member
Hey Bob, thanks for the compliment. I consider myself a good industrial mechanic but know so little of the huge machinist trade I don't call myself a machinist. :?
Here's the pics of the new troller mount. I finally felt awake enough to work on it last night. Even plied a few layers of bondo to smooth the welds out and I'm happy with it. Of course I forgot the make the covers and weld on the mounting tabs before painting it. #-o
I have a chunk of 1" angle to weld inside the vertical tube, then I'll mount the light switches under there and use it to hide the troller wiring. I also have some left over seat metal to extend the rod holders. On the front cap I'm going to bend it vertical where it tucks under the troller base. I want to carpet the cap and maybe the switch panel. We'll see how much I have left over.
This winter I plan on strippin gthe boat and painting it from the side strake up in tane. I'll also finish weld under the troller base. At least now with the rounded smooth edges I should be able to keep my skin on my legs...
Jamie
Here's the pics of the new troller mount. I finally felt awake enough to work on it last night. Even plied a few layers of bondo to smooth the welds out and I'm happy with it. Of course I forgot the make the covers and weld on the mounting tabs before painting it. #-o
I have a chunk of 1" angle to weld inside the vertical tube, then I'll mount the light switches under there and use it to hide the troller wiring. I also have some left over seat metal to extend the rod holders. On the front cap I'm going to bend it vertical where it tucks under the troller base. I want to carpet the cap and maybe the switch panel. We'll see how much I have left over.
This winter I plan on strippin gthe boat and painting it from the side strake up in tane. I'll also finish weld under the troller base. At least now with the rounded smooth edges I should be able to keep my skin on my legs...
Jamie
fender66
Well-known member
WOW...that looks really impressive! You need to stop this cause I just keep getting more jealous of your skills and tools! :mrgreen:
Ranchero50
Well-known member
Here's the covers, just some basic cardstock templates to check the fit, tranfer to aluminum and cut them out. Did the switch and foot pedal holes with a unibit. Figured I'd paint them for now, may end up with carpet on but I'm not too sure about the switch panel.
Not the greatest welds for the bracket but it's working out. The end cap will get carpet, then the carpet covered rod cover will but up against it.
I wasnt sure what to do with the power wires for the trolling motor and ended up juet ran them next to the lighting to the center of the hull. I used a generic grommet for the cable, just fed the cable through and then fit it over the lip of the panel.
I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with the front lip of the deck. the anchor doesn't fit anywhere very well and I'm thinking about putting a false floor up there so it'll look more 'finished'. I'm also thinking about changing out the little bulb lights for the LED's under the front cover, just not sure how I'll switch them on and off.
Now to extend the rod holder and fix the front deck.
Jamie
Not the greatest welds for the bracket but it's working out. The end cap will get carpet, then the carpet covered rod cover will but up against it.
I wasnt sure what to do with the power wires for the trolling motor and ended up juet ran them next to the lighting to the center of the hull. I used a generic grommet for the cable, just fed the cable through and then fit it over the lip of the panel.
I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with the front lip of the deck. the anchor doesn't fit anywhere very well and I'm thinking about putting a false floor up there so it'll look more 'finished'. I'm also thinking about changing out the little bulb lights for the LED's under the front cover, just not sure how I'll switch them on and off.
Now to extend the rod holder and fix the front deck.
Jamie
PSG-1
Well-known member
That's pretty impressive!! This is the first one I have seen where someone actually fabricated their own impeller duct (scoop) I bet that was a PITA!
Most people just hack the glass hull out of the ski and splice it into the boat (which, IMO, is a substandard design) When I built mine, I used a pump from a Yamaha XL1200.
I think the 1200 and the XL700 are the only pumps which use a bolt in aluminum scoop. All the other ones are part of the fiberglass hull, with threaded inserts on the back end, where the impeller vane/wear ring bolt up to it.
Pretty impressive throttle cable actuator, too! For mine, I took an easier route, and used a simple lever with a pivot point, and attached the cable directly to that, using a ball end fitting for the cable so it could pivot within a notch cut out in the lever.
Anyhow, my boat started out as a 1997 DuraCraft 1648SV which someone nearly killed by painting it with copper paint and leaving it in salt water. I repaired the damage, a lot of it being on the center V of the hull, and then gave it a new lease on life by turning it into a jetboat. The first time with a 1998 Tigershark 1000 cc engine.
And this past summer, I put a Yamaha MR-1 engine in it....it's 160+ HP at 10K RPM's, as well as being a 4 stroke. So far, I'm loving the new engine. MUCH more power than the old TS1000.
My original inspiration for the idea came from the fact that I owned a Sea Doo Speedster jetboat (it had twin engines, just like the one you used in your boat, the 717 Rotax) It was a cool little boat, but it couldn't go in really shallow water, and that's what I wanted. And like the Sea Doo Speedster, my boat also incorporates the use of a 'stomp grate' on the pump intake, for clearing weeds or other debris.
Again, nice work, and I'm sure you will really enjoy being on the water with your project boat. I know I have enjoyed mine for the past 6 years. I've had more fun with this boat that any other boat I've owned.[youtube]ALUMA JET STUNT VIDEO[/youtube]
Most people just hack the glass hull out of the ski and splice it into the boat (which, IMO, is a substandard design) When I built mine, I used a pump from a Yamaha XL1200.
I think the 1200 and the XL700 are the only pumps which use a bolt in aluminum scoop. All the other ones are part of the fiberglass hull, with threaded inserts on the back end, where the impeller vane/wear ring bolt up to it.Pretty impressive throttle cable actuator, too! For mine, I took an easier route, and used a simple lever with a pivot point, and attached the cable directly to that, using a ball end fitting for the cable so it could pivot within a notch cut out in the lever.
Anyhow, my boat started out as a 1997 DuraCraft 1648SV which someone nearly killed by painting it with copper paint and leaving it in salt water. I repaired the damage, a lot of it being on the center V of the hull, and then gave it a new lease on life by turning it into a jetboat. The first time with a 1998 Tigershark 1000 cc engine.
And this past summer, I put a Yamaha MR-1 engine in it....it's 160+ HP at 10K RPM's, as well as being a 4 stroke. So far, I'm loving the new engine. MUCH more power than the old TS1000.
My original inspiration for the idea came from the fact that I owned a Sea Doo Speedster jetboat (it had twin engines, just like the one you used in your boat, the 717 Rotax) It was a cool little boat, but it couldn't go in really shallow water, and that's what I wanted. And like the Sea Doo Speedster, my boat also incorporates the use of a 'stomp grate' on the pump intake, for clearing weeds or other debris.
Again, nice work, and I'm sure you will really enjoy being on the water with your project boat. I know I have enjoyed mine for the past 6 years. I've had more fun with this boat that any other boat I've owned.[youtube]ALUMA JET STUNT VIDEO[/youtube]
Ranchero50
Well-known member
Good looking boat, I enjoyed the videos.
Can't wait to get back on the water once the water lowers enough and clears up. On a side note I got some side plates bent for the cockpit walls and they even fit once I was done with them.
Can't wait to get back on the water once the water lowers enough and clears up. On a side note I got some side plates bent for the cockpit walls and they even fit once I was done with them.
PSG-1
Well-known member
Yeah, I'm looking forward to fishing season this year, especially with the new 4 stroke. Quieter, no smoking at idle, no fouling of plugs when idling for long periods, it will be perfect for trolling at the jetties for trout.
Still doing some final mods myself (seems like with a project boat, we ALWAYS find something else to do, or another improvement to make!) I'm getting rid of that single swivel seat at the console, and putting in a fixed track wide enough for 2 seat to go side by side.
I also have a T-top that goes on this boat, right now the top part is 3 ft wide by 4 ft long, I'm going to increase it to a 4 ft by 5 ft, the 4 ft will be as wide as the bottom of the boat, and 5 ft will give enough rear overhang to go all the way back to the cowling. The top has clips where it can be unbolted from the frame, so, it's not a big issue to take it off and fabricate a larger one. I might even get some of those button snaps, and have the upholstery shop make some clear plastic curtain, then I could put a little space heater in there and stay toasty in the winter!
And at some point, I'd like to put in a set of prow lights (also called 'docking lights') to give me some illumination for running at night. But other than that, I'm really happy with the overall design of my boat, I've pretty much customized it for my specific purposes.
It would be cool to get into actually building boats like this....maybe even being like Orange County Choppers (hence, my youtube videos called "American Jetboat") but I doubt engine manufacturers are going to warranty engines that are used for applications not approved by them! And people aren't going to buy a boat without a warranty. So, while my friend and I had fun making our little series inspired by OCC, I doubt we'll be going into business building these anytime soon, much less being on TV doing it. But then again, I have been on TV before, when I took Larry The Cable Guy oyster harvesting (now THAT was funny!) So, I guess anything is possible!
We're not giving up on project boats, though. Next time, we're going to build one, using one of the Sea Doo 4 Tec Intercooled Supercharged 215 HP engines. That ought to be a fast boat. And after that, I guess the next logical step would be a true 'jet' boat, driven by twin turbines. But I digress.
The only factory built johnboat I've ever seen similar to mine or yours is made by Tracker, and it has a 175 HP Mercury jet drive. BUT, if you notice, they have their engine mounted vertically, not horizontally, like ours. As a result, they have a ridiculous looking cowling in the rear center of the boat that sticks up like 3 feet....LOL I prefer the flat deck look that we have with our custom boats.
I guess the old saying is true....if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!!
Still doing some final mods myself (seems like with a project boat, we ALWAYS find something else to do, or another improvement to make!) I'm getting rid of that single swivel seat at the console, and putting in a fixed track wide enough for 2 seat to go side by side.
I also have a T-top that goes on this boat, right now the top part is 3 ft wide by 4 ft long, I'm going to increase it to a 4 ft by 5 ft, the 4 ft will be as wide as the bottom of the boat, and 5 ft will give enough rear overhang to go all the way back to the cowling. The top has clips where it can be unbolted from the frame, so, it's not a big issue to take it off and fabricate a larger one. I might even get some of those button snaps, and have the upholstery shop make some clear plastic curtain, then I could put a little space heater in there and stay toasty in the winter!
And at some point, I'd like to put in a set of prow lights (also called 'docking lights') to give me some illumination for running at night. But other than that, I'm really happy with the overall design of my boat, I've pretty much customized it for my specific purposes.
It would be cool to get into actually building boats like this....maybe even being like Orange County Choppers (hence, my youtube videos called "American Jetboat") but I doubt engine manufacturers are going to warranty engines that are used for applications not approved by them! And people aren't going to buy a boat without a warranty. So, while my friend and I had fun making our little series inspired by OCC, I doubt we'll be going into business building these anytime soon, much less being on TV doing it. But then again, I have been on TV before, when I took Larry The Cable Guy oyster harvesting (now THAT was funny!) So, I guess anything is possible!
We're not giving up on project boats, though. Next time, we're going to build one, using one of the Sea Doo 4 Tec Intercooled Supercharged 215 HP engines. That ought to be a fast boat. And after that, I guess the next logical step would be a true 'jet' boat, driven by twin turbines. But I digress.
The only factory built johnboat I've ever seen similar to mine or yours is made by Tracker, and it has a 175 HP Mercury jet drive. BUT, if you notice, they have their engine mounted vertically, not horizontally, like ours. As a result, they have a ridiculous looking cowling in the rear center of the boat that sticks up like 3 feet....LOL I prefer the flat deck look that we have with our custom boats.
I guess the old saying is true....if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!!
Ride_Klein
Well-known member
Ranchero-
Thanks for your response in PSG's Alumajet thread. Great build here with lots of good information.
You mentioned you need 30" - 2 feet to get up before adding the tabs, but needed 20" before the tabs? Did I read this incorrectly, that with the tabs you need a little more water to get up on step?
Thanks for your response in PSG's Alumajet thread. Great build here with lots of good information.
You mentioned you need 30" - 2 feet to get up before adding the tabs, but needed 20" before the tabs? Did I read this incorrectly, that with the tabs you need a little more water to get up on step?
Ranchero50
Well-known member
It's all relative. The bottom of my river isn't flat, it has boulders every couple feet so I like to have an extra foot under the hull before launching. Pre tabs and pods the boat launch would be be described as vision distorting. The rear would dig in and shoot the hull out of the water at around a 30` angle and cavitate the pump. Shutting down was like running into a gravel bar, the boat just slowed hard and sank in the rear. With the pods and tabs it launches flatter and comes off plane smooth and flat. The bad is I don't decellerate like I did before but I don't settle as much either.
My tabs are adjustable with bolts now and I'm either going to make them automatic via springs or manually adjustable from the console so I can tune them underweigh. The best part of this boat is I can do what I want. The goal is flat launch and stop with tabs flat and then run on the ride plate with the tabs up for speed and performance.
Check out my goofing off video, that was with the tabs adjusted up and the boat dug in a bit more than the earlier videos. Gives a pretty good show of goofing off but if I launch straight and smooth on the throttle it doesn't dig in nearly as much, just goes.
Jamie
My tabs are adjustable with bolts now and I'm either going to make them automatic via springs or manually adjustable from the console so I can tune them underweigh. The best part of this boat is I can do what I want. The goal is flat launch and stop with tabs flat and then run on the ride plate with the tabs up for speed and performance.
Check out my goofing off video, that was with the tabs adjusted up and the boat dug in a bit more than the earlier videos. Gives a pretty good show of goofing off but if I launch straight and smooth on the throttle it doesn't dig in nearly as much, just goes.
Jamie
