Total Newbie Seeks Advice

[FasterNU]

Well, first of all, I'd like to praise the wealth of knowledge here.
Unfortunately, I have never owned my own boat, but did have a family boat(tri-hull mercury outboard). I've always wanted a loud jet boat ssince I was a kid. I know absolutely squat about jetboats, but I want to get one within the next 4-6 months.
I have been looking on boat trader for a while and lurking in this forum. I live in San Diego. I am thinking of spending approx $4,000. Will this get me a decent boat?? They "look" good in the ads.
What pump should I be looking for? Is there any I should staty away from? I am thinking a Berkely because of the name... but I don't know the difference betewwen the different model pumps.
What about motors? Looks like the Olds 455's are fairly common. Is a Chevy 454 or Ford 460 going to be much better? or easier to find parts for? What type of information should I be seeking when evaluating a boat?
As for the hull.. I am thinking 17-19 feet. Any and all info would be appreciated. i am just looking for insight at this point. I don't want to get screwed with a POS!! Can you tell if a boat is going to work well without actually taking it on the water.. ie: feel the pump impeller bearingt o see if it's worn etc? I am pretty mechanical, I own several dirtbikes and can rebuild 4 and 2-stroke motors...

[DetroitJim]

My two cents:
I have bought and fixed up several old boats and have found that it's a lot of work, time and money. First, how fast do you want to go? An older, heavy boat with an Olds and a Jacuzzi or Panther pump is only going to run 45-50 mph. If you just want to cruise around that's fine. If more speed is in the picture, find one that is fairly light with a BBC and a Berkeley. If the fiberglass, interior or engine needs work, keep looking. Watch for rotten wood in the transom and stringers, beware of old aluminum or fiberglass gas tanks. Run the engine in the driveway hooked up to a hose, listen to the jet pump and driveline for noise. Don't overlook the cost of trailer wheel bearings, tires, brake lights, coupler, jack, chains, wiring, etc.
DJ

[FasterNU]

Thanks for the reply. This is the info I need. I'm thinking 55-65 will be plenty fast enough.
the transom is the back end that the pump comes out of.. correct? The stringers are the reinforcements that run towards the center parrallel to the edges of the boat... correct?.
So basically stay clear of cracked fiberglass and rotten wood..... makes sense.
Here is a couple links to boats I think look intersting. Let me know what you think.
I LIKE THIS FIRST ONE
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/9/0/55474790.htm
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/0/6/54526606.htm
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/0/4/54525304.htm
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/3/2/55469732.htm
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/2/0/53724420.htm
Also, how the hell do you know how heavy a boat is..besides a guess by size and material??

[1Bahnerjet]

I'm thinking the Roger's (single axel trailer,Bummer) your going to spend money (over the cost of boat) no matter which one you pick,(so why spend more than you need too) and I think the Roger's is the best Designed of the lot.
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Thats BANNER with an H
[ September 11, 2003, 03:09 PM: Message edited by: 1Bahnerjet ]

[FasterNU]

why is a single axle trailer a "bummer". Enlighten me to why a tandem trailer is better??? I thought you only needed tandem for heavier boats?????

[FasterNU]

OH... and that Rogers has been in there for quite a while.
It's actually the one I was most interested in to begin with. I just like the clean look of that WRIEHT..... is the Roger's very heavy???

[1Bahnerjet]

It really isn't a Bummer (trailer is easier to lift with one axel) But if you want that CAL-LOOK it should be Tandom axel. 18' boat fine either way, at some point (20' ?) tandom is better.
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Thats BANNER with an H

[1Bahnerjet]

Wrieht were so long ago don't know to much about them, except in the early day's of Drag Racing they held some Records.
Are Roger's Heavy? don't think so, there are lots of Roger's owners here, they say they Rip!
I can say this, Bahner's in General and Mine for sure are not Heavy.
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Thats BANNER with an H

[mickeyfinn]

You never did say what you wanted in the boat. Is this to be a family boat or just a toy? Will you be happy with just so-so speed unless you dump tons of money into power? If the boat is a toy and you are going to want to progressively get more speed dump the whole idea of a jet and get a V-DRIVE!!. Speed is cheaper if your boat doesn't SUCK.... :D

[1Bahnerjet]

Funny you should say that Mickey Finn, there just happens to be a $6,000. V-Drive for sale on the V-Drive Forum right now and the Boat Shows Well!
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Thats BANNER with an H
[ September 11, 2003, 04:29 PM: Message edited by: 1Bahnerjet ]

[mickeyfinn]

You talking about the Hondo? That is a sweet looking ride. I have a 1974 model...I think. (maybe a 72) Love the boat. It is heavy but will run mid 80's with a very mildy built 402 in it. Most V-drives are definitely not family boats due to the lack of seating but you can't beat em for speed.

[1Bahnerjet]

The Hondo. the boat looked real good in Pic. and He's only asking $6,000. Most boats that look that good go for closer to $9,000., There is also a Sanger (No Motor) for $6,000. So you would have to look at that Hondo real Close! Maybe to Cheap, is there something Wrong?
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Thats BANNER with an H

[DetroitJim]

Well, I wasn't going to say v-drive over here in the jet section but I have both. I'm a speed freak so I've gone v-drive for my hot lake boat and for racing. I still have my jet for casual lake use and it's fine but there are weeds in almost every lake around here. Jumping over the side in the middle of a choppy lake to clear weeds really sucks. Out west, not an issue but sucking sand and rocks is. If you can find a v-drive give it a serious look. The sharp steering and overall lighter feel make them fun to drive. There is the issue of a fixed rudder and prop hanging underneath. You can't beach it or run in shallow water like a jet. But as for speed, here's my GPS measured results:
18 ft. Chris Craft 350 Chevy / Jacuzzi 43 mph
19 ft. Scorpion 455 Olds / Berkeley 50 mph
19 ft. Sanger flat bottom v-drive
350 Chevy 63 mph
454 Chevy 84 mph
Blown 454 93 mph
Blown 540 104 mph
18 ft. Kurtis hydro v-drive
Blown 540 133 mph

[Moneypitt]

In addition to looking the boat over, AND UNDER, ask the owner to put it in the water!!!!! Agree to pay the lake fee and gas if you don't buy it, go for a ride in it, listen to what the owner has to say about how it runs and handles. Watch how they take care of it, off and back on the trailer. If they beat it up, or are rough and careless, there is a good chance that the boats been abused while they owned it. After it runs, look for oil in the bottom, water leaks etc. Boats respond alot different in the water under power, than they do in the driveway. You CANNOT check a jet drive, or steering on the trailer, period! You will also see the trailer in action on the road, which could expose BAD bearings or OLD tires...Treat the purchase like you would a used car purchase, drive it/ride in it, first!..my .02..Moneypitt

[Banzai Fry]

Exactly, Dont forget about the trailer. Remember it gets you too the river. LOL ITs a long haul, but if you buy a fixer or project, always check the trailer. I been slowly working on mine, a 1972 SKV w/ 454 and a yj jacuzzi pump. The guy i bought mine from drove it on the beach up the ramp, down the rocks. LOL Ive invested 1500 in fiberglass keel repair, and about 800 in the trailer. Wheel Bearings, New brake parts. bunks, 2 sets of fenders, being the first ones i had to cut because the hip s on the boat were wider than i thought after i welded them in place. Check out some of my pics in the ***boat image section. Type skv in the search box, i have a few photos of my repairs in progress.
Also, look for the Rootbear in the oil! if you have that then its got water in the block. Also, pop the freeze plugs and flush out the block. People with jets sometimes dont realize the amout of suction the pump has when they start it up in shallow water. Where does it go, into the block, fills the cracks up and makes cooling hard on the motor. And thats how you blow head gaskets to much heat.
Also if you take it out before you buy, watch the RPMs on the boat, if there reving high and your not moving very fast, its aireating the pump and the impeller is bad. I hope these little items help!
Banzai, Fellow jet boater In so cal!

[Banzai Fry]

Not only is it a cal look on the trailer. A single axcel trailer is not as good, for several reasons.
1) if you loose a wheel bearing or a break locks up in the middle of the desert on the way to the river, single axcel, your leaving your boat in the desert or a tow rig is needed and can be costly. With a tandem, you can jack up the axcel, take a pad lock and chain, lift it off the ground and then travel into town to fix.
2)4 wheels tracks better the just 2
3)backing up and launching is much more easier due to the legnth of the trailer
and so on. you get the idea! :)

[FasterNU]

Well, since I'm 27 and single.. it's definitely not a "family boat". I would like to be able to seat 3x big boobied hoes though :D
It's all for fun as a new toy. I'm a moto freak(have GSXR750, CRF450, XR50)and just want to get a new toy. Of course, the faster and louder the better. But honestly, I think I will be content with 65mph. That seems pretty fast on the water.
I'm not sure about V-drives. I have always had a thing for jets. I guess I just like the rooster tail.. and I've heard they are FUN to drive. Plus, I would definitely like to be able to beach it. I also would like to pull a tube or wakeboarder occasionally.
One other thing. Would it be OK to run a jet in Mission Bay??(it's a salt water bay). I'm sure you would have to do a lot of cleaning to get the salt out afterwards... but it's just a thought.
Keep the comments coming. I need opinions and info. As I said before, I'm totally new to this, and will undoubtedly have some stupid questions.

[Jet City]

Moneypitt:
In addition to looking the boat over, AND UNDER, ask the owner to put it in the water!!!!! Agree to pay the lake fee and gas if you don't buy it, go for a ride in it, listen to what the owner has to say about how it runs and handles. Watch how they take care of it, off and back on the trailer. If they beat it up, or are rough and careless, there is a good chance that the boats been abused while they owned it. After it runs, look for oil in the bottom, water leaks etc. Boats respond alot different in the water under power, than they do in the driveway. You CANNOT check a jet drive, or steering on the trailer, period! You will also see the trailer in action on the road, which could expose BAD bearings or OLD tires...Treat the purchase like you would a used car purchase, drive it/ride in it, first!..my .02..Moneypitt This is really good advice! I had to learn this lesson the hard way when I bought my first boat. Ran great on trailor, ran like crap under load. Long story short, I would not have bought it (for any price!) had I known it had the problems it did, and as I quickly learned, the hull handled like crap even after I fixed the engine issues. As for the trailer, I have had both single and tandem, I really don't think it makes much difference for an 18' jetboat, just keep up on the tires and bearings and you'll have no problems (bearing buddies are nice too).