Big Ass Tahiti

[CVX20]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/012.jpg
My friend is looking for a BIG ASS deep jet boat that will ride good in rough water. He understands that a big jet won't be all that fast and he is OK with that. He wanted to find a big boat that has sleeker lines than most day cruisers and I think we found what he is looking for. Is it me or is this 21' 1971 Tahiti kind of rare? I have never seen one before or any big deep old school jets that look like it. Please tell me what you know about this hull.
Thank You!

[Cas]

looks like the Tahiti Toad! not many around as per what oldrigger has said in the past.

[CVX20]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/003-1.jpg

[atxwrangler]

i have always liked the way these looked! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Taylor-jet-boat_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ80653QQihZ006QQite mZ160148925978QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[CVX20]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/011.jpg

[Cas]

here's a thread from awhile back-
http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35938&highlight=toad

[CVX20]

looks like the Tahiti Toad! not many around as per what oldrigger has said in the past.
(TOAD) :)
Steve are you kidding?
Was that really the name of an old Tahiti boat or was it just a nick name given to that hull.
Fred

[Cas]

(TOAD) :)
Steve are you kidding?
Was that really the name of an old Tahiti boat or was it just a nick name given to that hull.
Fred
nickname, I think Rich said it was advertised as the Offshore 21 but the one you pictured looks different

[CVX20]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/004-1.jpg
I think we are going to pick it up on wednsday. "COOL" another jet boat at our hang out! That makes our "lil" club jump all the way up to 6 or 7 members now! LOL LOL!
Thank you for the help Steve!

[Cas]

http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/3484Tahiti_1-med.jpg
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data/500/3484tahiti3-med.JPG

[CVX20]

Yep that looks like the one! Has that small pod on the deck just behind the helm. :D Cool!

[Cas]

my wife just said "that thing is so ugly it's cute!" :D

[El Prosecutor]

my wife just said "that thing is so ugly it's cute!" :D
Isn't that a little personal for a jet boat forum?? :D

[Cas]

the boat man, the boat! :D

[CVX20]

Hope to get some on the water pics next :skull:

[old rigger]

cool boat. been looking for one for years.
It's going to faster than you think. I was talking to Jim Brock (cyclone marine) about one of these toads a few months ago, he thought he knew where one was stashed, and he was telling me about one that use to race back in the day, ran pretty quick and would surprise most people. I don't remember how fast it ran, he told me but I forgot, but it was impressive. They have a pretty good bottom and cut through the rough stuff very well with that needle nose. He thought they never caught on cause they were so damned ugly. Maybe he's right.
Schuster also use to race one in off shore races back in the late 60s, early 70's.
I love the homely bastards. ;)
Thanks for posting the pics, I'm gonna save them in my 'toad' file.

[CVX20]

cool boat. been looking for one for years.
It's going to faster than you think. I was talking to Jim Brock (cyclone marine) about one of these toads a few months ago, he thought he knew where one was stashed, and he was telling me about one that use to race back in the day, ran pretty quick and would surprise most people. I don't remember how fast it ran, he told me but I forgot, but it was impressive. They have a pretty good bottom and cut through the rough stuff very well with that needle nose. He thought they never caught on cause they were so damned ugly. Maybe he's right.
Schuster also use to race one in off shore races back in the late 60s, early 70's.
I love the homely bastards. ;)
Thanks for posting the pics, I'm gonna save them in my 'toad' file.
Thank you for the information Rigger. I would love to see some other pics of the boat from back in the day. Was it called the 21' off shore? My friend just had a 502 punched 60 over and stroked. That is the engine he plans on putting in this boat. I will see to it that pics are updated as he moves forward with this project.
Thanks Fred

[old rigger]

Fred,
I don't have any old pictures or ads from back in the day, but for some reason I think the boat was advertised as the " 22 Offshore " or " Offshore 22". For some reason that's what's stickin' in my brain. I only ever heard it refered to as " the toad " at the shop. The name the riggers gave it back in the day. Hell, even Schuster called it that.
I've only seen 2 in person since 1985. Another one if you count the one that had the deck cut off and made into some kind of fishing boat. It had a little cabin built into it where you could sleep. It looked like a small rbait shack sticking out of the hull.
The ones that have popped up here on the board over the years all seem to be back east, and one in Texas.
I'd love to see some pictures of it in the water when you guys get it wet. :)

[CVX20]

Rigger
We are picking it up Aug 29th for sure. Glad to see that a few other people will get a kick out of knowing that it's going back on the water. I am kind of new to jet boating and still all stoked up about finding new boats in my area. Hope my buddy and his family have a blast with it. We will be sure to keep pics updated as things move along. "Thanks" now it's time to get back to work on my project boat. I should have found a turn key ride for my first jet but Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Why do it the easy way LOL LOL :D

[CVX20]

Rigger
We are picking it up Aug 29th for sure. Glad to see that a few other people will get a kick out of knowing that it's going back on the water. I am kind of new to jet boating and still all stoked up about finding new boats in my area. Hope my buddy and his family have a blast with it. We will be sure to keep pics updated as things move along. "Thanks" now it's time to get back to work on my project boat. I should have found a turn key ride for my first jet but Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Why do it the easy way LOL LOL :D
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/April2007148.jpg
What the hell was I thinking when I went with this boat :hammer2:

[CVX20]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/021.jpg
So far so good :) we managed to get it home with no problems even on bad tires on a crap pile of a trailer and with no lights. Yep it's gonna need a bunch of work but my friend is really happy with it. Thanks for looking.

[CVX20]

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/010.jpg
Looks good for a 35 year old classic :D

[old rigger]

glad you got it home, go throw it in the water and grab some shots. :)
Don't know which one of you guys this is in the picture but I like the look on your face...'holy crap, it does look like a toad'.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/wickedrister/012.jpg

[CVX20]

The man in the pic is the seller and I think the look on his face is all about
" HOLY CRAP I LOST MY ASS ON THIS ONE " My buddy got a SMOKEN deal on this boat :D

[full throttle]

I like it! Very unique. Put some big HP in it.

[Bow Tie Omega]

I second that, very unique......Will not mistake that boat with anything else out there.....She is no cookie cutter, that is for sure...Nice find;)

[old rigger]

This guy's smokin' crack on the price, but here's another one ending today on ebay. Love that old school nozzel. :)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/20-RESTORED-JET-BOAT-SKI-BOAT-FUN-BOAT_W0QQitemZ180153885774QQihZ008QQcategoryZ80653 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[CVX20]

This guy's smokin' crack on the price, but here's another one ending today on ebay. Love that old school nozzel. :)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/20-RESTORED-JET-BOAT-SKI-BOAT-FUN-BOAT_W0QQitemZ180153885774QQihZ008QQcategoryZ80653 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Yep that price is a "lil" steep for sure. Mark's Tahiti went for about 12k less than that.

[CVX20]

We have a few other questions about this 21' Tahiti. How heavy do you think that hull is and if he puts a 555 ci 875 hp motor in it what impeller do you think he will want to go with. Bronze or stainless and A or AA cut. The 555 is a fresh built motor that was just put in his outlaw street class drag car. Do you think it will live in the jet boat and what will be the MUST DO changes he need to know about. Just the cam or are there other things that need changed. Last question is about the logs. Will they flow enough for that kind of power plant or will they be a problem. Thank you!
Fred
.

[CVX20]

Still wanting some input on the last post. I am new at this and this will be my friends first jet boat so we need some help.
Thank You!

[shirkey4750]

Bring it to Lake James.

[Squirtcha?]

We have a few other questions about this 21' Tahiti. How heavy do you think that hull is and if he puts a 555 ci 875 hp motor in it what impeller do you think he will want to go with. Bronze or stainless and A or AA cut. The 555 is a fresh built motor that was just put in his outlaw street class drag car. Do you think it will live in the jet boat and what will be the MUST DO changes he need to know about. Just the cam or are there other things that need changed. Last question is about the logs. Will they flow enough for that kind of power plant or will they be a problem. Thank you!
Fred
.
No expert, but you're not getting a lot of responses from others. Hell..........I'll throw down.
I would say start out with the AA and see where it puts you RPM vs speed-wise. Bigger, heavier boats usually respond better to the bigger impellers, but a lot will depend on where that motor is making it's hp numbers at. If the mill is making it's peak hp at 6000+ rpm you'd probably want to think about re-camming it. Although a smaller impeller might get it into the proper rpm range, it would probably result in a lot of slip when trying to get the boat up on plane.
I would think that since the motor is from a drag car the rpm range will be higher than what you would want in that boat. I would think shooting for max hp number around 5400-5500 rpm would be about right.
The beauty of going with the bigger impeller is you can always cut it down as opposed to starting too small. You can't add to it.
Can only guess about the logs. From what I've seen, these things most always respond favorably to a better flowing exhaust. I'd think that the logs would be a major hinderance on that particular motor.
Might consider going to an Imco style exhaust, or Lightning jacketed header rather than water injected headers and he could stick with the enclosed engine compartment.
Just opinions.

[CVX20]

Bring it to Lake James.
Lake James with this boat!!
Hell we had reservations about hauling it 20 miles across town when we picked it up because the trailer is so rough but we do have a few SML rat rods that are giong to make the trip for the first time.

[CVX20]

Thanks Squirtcha
That's just the kind of information that he is looking for. So if the cam change is going to be a must then the next question has got to be about lift duration and lobe seporation and yes I can clearly see how it would be better to mill some off vs trying and put some back on :D so he needs to look for look for an AA impeller. Does it need to be made out of bronze or stainless steel. Thanks for the help!

[Squirtcha?]

Thanks Squirtcha
That's just the kind of information that he is looking for. So if the cam change is going to be a must then the next question has got to be about lift duration and lobe seporation and yes I can clearly see how it would be better to mill some off vs trying and put some back on :D so he needs to look for look for an AA impeller. Does it need to be made out of bronze or stainless steel. Thanks for the help!
Cam spec questions would have to go to someone who knew their stuff motor-wise (not me). I've seen some nice motors that have hit their mark for hp/rpm come from Chris Straub's cam recommendations here on the boards. I'm going to shoot him my motor specifics when it comes time to build again. Sounds like he's a good goto guy and a straight shooter from all I've read.
Reckon you could run the engine specifics by any of the cam companies and get some kind of idea too.
As for the impeller, I would think he should probably go with bronze or stainless if he's going to be around that 800+ hp number. Either would work fine I believe. I'm running 650 hp and still using an aluminum, but that's really pushing it.