First jet boat

[tweekedhick]

Hey guys ,
Ineed some basic info on driving this thing . It's a 1977 SleekCraft Executive 23 . I've had the boat for almost a year but could'nt take it out until I replaced the floor and transom . I have never riden in nor driven a jet boat until today . I kind of got the sterring only w/ power on it but the part that's throwing me off is when I try to give it a little gas , the throttle try to go wide open . I'm assuming that the jet is trying to force the gate open and taking the throttle with it . Is this normal and just something you have to get used to or is something out of adjustment . ? Many thanks , Jeff

[AZKC]

Nope:eek: Is there a return spring on the carb? The engine controls the pump.
Be careful
KC

[tweekedhick]

No return spring , hand throttle . When I say it tries to go full throttle , I mean it tries to take the lever out of my hand ... hard and fast. I have to really hold on to it to keep it from taking off .

[Jetmugg]

It sounds like you must have one of those combination shifter/throttle single lever controls. Most jets don't use that type of control, but some do. Sounds like yours needs to be adjusted.
Most jets have separate controls for F/N/R and throttle. You might want to consider the same.
Steve.

[tweekedhick]

The single control is what I have . Any suggestions on a different set-up ?

[Jetmugg]

Most jetters use a hand control for the reverse bucket control, and a foot throttle for the throttle control. It works great.
Steve

[tweekedhick]

Cool , I appreciate the help Steve . I'll see what I can get my hands on tommorrow . Jeff

[Havasu Hangin']

A foot throttle might be kind of awkward in a boat with that much freeboard. How high are your seats off the floor?

[Mopar426]

I have the same set up on my 23' exec. It's a Moorse single lever dual control with F/R lockout. It's a crappy design for a jet because it uses both 33C cables for throttle and shift. I modifed mine to use 43BC cable for shift and it works fine, but i'm going to switch to a dual lever for better control. You have to check, it sounds like a cable got reversed. These controls are easy to fix, but very expensive to replace, I would check for crossed or bent cables. The foot throttle would be a pain due the high profile seat and the cabin entrance. The foot pedal would be in the traffic path. I've looked at all angles and dual lever seems like the way to go. Steve

[quiet riot]

You might also pull the control apart and make sure the slides and cable ends are greased and not binding. This causes some problems sometimes like your describing. Sometimes a worn cable or one with a real tight bend somewhere in it causes to much friction and will bind the those controllers causing problems. When you have the controller apart you can actuate the cables seperately and see if one is really stiff or not.
jd

[tweekedhick]

Yea Steve , I think I'm gonna go to a dual lever control . The seats are to high for a hot foot . I've got plenty of old OMC style dual controls but that would look like crap . I'm gonna see if I can find a recessed dual lever that'll fit in the existing opening . As many boats as we have here in Louisiana it should'nt be to difficult to find one . jd , the shifter works fine as long as the engines not running or at low rpms , it's only when you start going up on the rpms that the jet wash starts forcing the gate open along with the throttle . Jeff

[quiet riot]

tweeked, just a guess here, but it sounds like the shift gate isn't adjusted correctly then. When you put it in forward, the shift gate should come all the way open (the bottom of the shift gate should clear the top of the pump nozzle) before it starts to give any throttle to the engine. If the shift gate is only 1/2-3/4 open, when you start to apply throttle, the water force from the nozzle will sometimes push the shift gate open further which may be pushing the throttle open via the control.
I would guess its either an adjustment issue (can be adjusted in the controller or at the shift gate) or the control doesn't have the right throw travel for the pumps shift gate. There are usually different holes where the cables connect to the shifter, using a different attachment hole affects the amount of travel the cable sees. It sounds like the shift cable isn't moving far enough and needs to be attached further out on the controller or it isn't the right controller for the application.
Just a thought for you on going to dual levers, they are a bit trickier for tight manuevering because you need 1 hand for steering, 1 for shift and 1 for throttle. So this makes you move back and fourth from shift to throttle and its a little slower that way but its managable with practice. Its not as much an issue with outdrives as they have more reverse thrust and don't need much if any throttle when reversing for most situations, verses a jet that needs some throttle for any significant reverse thrust.
jd

[tweekedhick]

jd , are you saying I need more slack in the jet side of the control ? As far as this being the right application for this boat I have no idea . I got the boat from an attorney that owed me money (I love the way that sounds) , and what was'nt on the trailer was in boxes . Just to give you an idea of what I've had to contend with , after I replaced the floor and transom I cranked the engine up which would'nt run without the choke closed . I tried the old WD-40 vacume leak test ; no dice , so just for fun I pulled the RECTANGULAR PORT manifold off of the OVAL PORT heads and put the right manifold on it . All it had for a rear deck/engine cover was a half sheet of 3/4 plywood ( the other half was on the floor so you would'nt fall thru . It's been fun . Going through the pump is my next project after I get the throttle problem resolved . Jeff

[quiet riot]

jd , are you saying I need more slack in the jet side of the control ?
Well, kinda. You need to make sure the shift gate will move all the way open/closed (fwd/rev) before throttle starts to move. It might be too short a throw on the shift side (a controller set-up for an outdrive application) or sometimes the controller itself is hanging up a little inside and the shift lever is pulling on the throttle cable before it should.
jd

[tweekedhick]

Added Hotfoot and it's a much better world . Jeff ALL THE WAY SIR P.S. Turns out it's a 72 Executive , go figure , an attorney gave me the wrong info .

[manuel]

I have the same control you had and adjusted it by what the book said, adjust bucket for no boat movement at idle/neutral and it works fine, adjusted the throttle not to open until the bucket is all the way up, my friend has a NOS Sleekcraft foot gas pedal assembly that says Sleek V Craft across the pedal that I would like to use but when I pull up to docks and other boats I have to stand up to really see things and that would be weird trying to balance myself on one foot, also I like being able to change drivers if I want to check something without slowing down while switching seats, I like the part about the attorney in debt to YOU, gives me hope, have fun with the boat, it's almost impossible NOT to, the more you do yourself the more satisfaction you feel when all is working right, but I'd have a pro do the pump,