New to Jet Boats. Need Help!

[K-Dog]

I have owned boats all my life but they have been all i/o's. Since I only go to the lower Colorado River I am thinking about buying a used jet boat. I don't have too much to spend so I was looking for an older one that has been redone. I don't have enough for an ultra or anything like that. Can anybody give me some tips or some info on what to look out for. Thanks in advance.
I was looking at a Hallett with a 455 Olds. Is there any disdvantages or advantages to getting a 455 besides the availability of parts? I have not owned a jet before so I am pretty new. I would look like to know what to look for and stay away from when looking at some boats.
The Hallett is an 86 21 foot with a 455 olds and berkely jet. Is this a good place to start?

[atxwrangler]

SORRY,OLDS HATER HERE,GET A BOAT WITH A FORD OR CHEBBY,OILING ISSUES WITH MOST OLDS,MORE PERFORMANCE ORIENTED FORD AND CHEBBY PARTS AVAILABLE!JUST MY OPINION,HOW MUCH YA WANNA SPEND?WHERE ARE YOU? WILLING TO TRAVEL?HOW FAST YA WANNA GO?WE NEED TO KNOW!:confused:

[K-Dog]

I am in San Diego. Just looking for something to cruise and get me around to the sand bars at the lower colorado river. I want something with an enclosed motor in the 5-8K range.

[RIVERTIME247]

K-DOG check out that sweet 18' crusader in the spam section...$7500 obo
its clean boat! and i'll bet faster than that 21' hallet

[Jetaholic]

I have owned boats all my life but they have been all i/o's. Since I only go to the lower Colorado River I am thinking about buying a used jet boat. I don't have too much to spend so I was looking for an older one that has been redone. I don't have enough for an ultra or anything like that. Can anybody give me some tips or some info on what to look out for. Thanks in advance.
I was looking at a Hallett with a 455 Olds. Is there any disdvantages or advantages to getting a 455 besides the availability of parts? I have not owned a jet before so I am pretty new. I would look like to know what to look for and stay away from when looking at some boats.
The Hallett is an 86 21 foot with a 455 olds and berkely jet. Is this a good place to start?
I happened to buy an Olds powered boat myself. However, lots of people blow them up in jet boats.
The 455 was not designed to be a high revving boat motor. Oldsmobile designed that motor to be a low end torque monster...and boy were they. They were built for pushing Olds's big & heavy ass cars around, and they did a great job of it.
However, the oiling system seems to be a major issue in those motors. They had a problem of throwing all the oil up in the heads at high r's, but couldn't drain the oil back down to the pan fast enough and the motor would run itself out of oil. End result? Seems to be spun bearings.
Olds motors are great for pulling skiers, but you won't get more than 5,000 RPMs out of them without spinning a bearing. Now it is possible to build up an Olds to be a high revving motor. But it is rather expensive to do.
So I decided to convert to a 454 Chevy for my boat. Those motors are bulletproof...you can spin 'em 5,000-5,500RPMs all day long and it doesn't hurt 'em one bit. Plus, it doesn't take much to get any kind of horsepower over 400 hp out of them. By far a much cheaper to build motor than an Olds.
If you check Craig's List, you may be able to find a smokin' deal on a buildable 454. For $300, I got a 454 that came out of an RV with only 30,000 miles on it and the motor has never been touched as far as overhaul work. It was a complete motor, but it had the small oval port heads (aka "peanut" ports), which are more for a truck with low end torque and don't work too well in jet boats. So I ditched those, and got a set of large oval port heads (casting #353049) for $200 on eBay. The block is only a 2 bolt main, but the only reason you would even need a 4 bolt is if you were gonna run a blower or nitrous. I am gonna stud the bottom end to beef it up a bit though. I'm still assembling the motor, but it's gonna be a smokin' motor once it's all done.
My advice? If the boat itself is in good condition, buy it and switch the motor over to a 454 Chevy. Or at least start building one to keep as a spare motor for when you blow the Olds. :D

[YeLLowBoaT]

.
So I decided to convert to a 454 Chevy for my boat. Those motors are bulletproof...
That made me giggle.:)

[atxwrangler]

K-DOG check out that sweet 18' crusader in the spam section...$7500 obo
its clean boat! and i'll bet faster than that 21' hallet
AGREED!:D

[El Prosecutor]

I am in San Diego. Just looking for something to cruise and get me around to the sand bars at the lower colorado river. I want something with an enclosed motor in the 5-8K range.
If you REALLY just want to cruise and get to the sand bars a 455 Olds will serve you very very well. The only problem is when you get bit by the speed bug and want to run WOT for longer than 15 seconds or so.
I have a mild 455 and run a AA impeller to keep the RPMs down, looses a little top end, makes (relatively) great holeshot and maxes out at 4200 RPM. It works really well for pulling skiers, double and triple tubes, you name it. If you run it WOT longer than 30 seconds to a minute though, even at 4200 RPM you will get oil out the breathers.
The worst thing you can do to the Olds is hang out here. Looking at pictures of Rivertard doing wheelies, CP's leaping out of the water, 250' rooster tails, on and on, it is almost inevitable that you will get bit by the bug and want to go faster, and then you will probably wish you had a BBC.
My 2c, and BTW, IMHO a jet boat is the most bang for the buck for ANY kind of recreational vehicle, even with the Olds.

[atxwrangler]

If you REALLY just want to cruise and get to the sand bars a 455 Olds will serve you very very well. The only problem is when you get bit by the speed bug and want to run WOT for longer than 15 seconds or so.
I have a mild 455 and run a AA impeller to keep the RPMs down, looses a little top end, makes (relatively) great holeshot and maxes out at 4200 RPM. It works really well for pulling skiers, double and triple tubes, you name it. If you run it WOT longer than 30 seconds to a minute though, even at 4200 RPM you will get oil out the breathers.
The worst thing you can do to the Olds is hang out here. Looking at pictures of Rivertard doing wheelies, CP's leaping out of the water, 250' rooster tails, on and on, it is almost inevitable that you will get bit by the bug and want to go faster, and then you will probably wish you had a BBC.
My 2c, and BTW, IMHO a jet boat is the most bang for the buck for ANY kind of recreational vehicle, even with the Olds.
WELL SAID!

[tx-19]

stay away from the panther and jacuzzi pumps to.

[bead]

18 ft. kona full stringers ,new bezels, gauges ,wiring ,brand new ellis trailer low profile fat fenders set up for bbc just add your mtr. runs exrtemly smooth
great for the river $2200.00 obo my loss your gain i have $ 3200.00 just in the trailer . must sell (818) 359-4657

[K-Dog]

Post pictures to krscott80@aol.com
I like that crusader but I am looking for something a little bigger with more room. I only go to the lower colorado river around Lake Martinez and Fishers. I want something to just cruise around and get to the sand bars and hangouts. Not into going WOT and racing up and down the river. The Olds 455 I am looking at has just been rebuilt. Not sure exactly what was done to it as I have yet to see the receipts. Are they pretty reliable if you watch the rpms and do the normal maintenance?

[boatgonewild]

I have a 454 that got me 2 hotties :D

[Jetaholic]

Post pictures to krscott80@aol.com
I like that crusader but I am looking for something a little bigger with more room. I only go to the lower colorado river around Lake Martinez and Fishers. I want something to just cruise around and get to the sand bars and hangouts. Not into going WOT and racing up and down the river. The Olds 455 I am looking at has just been rebuilt. Not sure exactly what was done to it as I have yet to see the receipts. Are they pretty reliable if you watch the rpms and do the normal maintenance?
Yes but in the long run, Chevy parts are easier and cheaper to get. Plus you're less likely to blow a Chevy motor even at a cruise setting.
Sorry, but after all the issues I've heard about people having with the Olds motors, I just can't honor the notion of even wanting to own one.

[CVX20]

Hot Boat June 2006 Page 100 "The Practical Olds"
This tells you how to find the right machine shop to build your Olds. It explains what to do when building the engine and why you need to do it if you expect the engine to last. It also shows you how to go about it. Check it out:)
Thanks Fred

[OverKill]

So it's called the speed bug then???

[sleekvino]

k dog my other boat is for sale and is very clean,look at the spam section and type in 78 hallett.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/boa/270459466.html

[flat broke]

Kdog,
Yeah the olds can be a problem, but I'd take a Hallett any day of the week over a Crusader or Kona, or Hawaiian, or, or, so on and so forth. You should deffinitely check out Sleek Vino's Hallet as that particular model rides pretty well for it's size. Plus an all flake classic like that, in that kind of condition is pretty rare. I'm actually surprised the angry little boater hasn't decided to drive up north and grab it for himself.
Chris

[Paulie]

check out my eliminator in the spam section:idea:

[OverKill]

I have a 454 that got me 2 hotties :D
My 468 got me married. Be careful when you bore out your motor;) ;)