Jet Bote Advice

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Okay, I know all the jokes but I want a little cheap jet bote to play around with. Don't know much about them. This one is local on CL.

JET BOAT - boats - by owner - marine sale

I have jet boat for sale, good condition, super clean, big block Chevy engine rebuild 3 Years ago 7758four8572one

reno.craigslist.org

Obviously not a BBC (maybe Olds?). Weird exhaust set up. Can't tell what kind of jet. Waiting for reply from seller.

Anything to look out for?

 

[Dcb.blake]

That’s one hell of an exhaust setup

Hard to tell but looks like possibly a panther pump

 

[Shlbyntro]

looks like a 455 Oldsmobile to me. I'd be warry of a guy who says they just rebuilt their engine and doesn't even know what it is. that's a bit of a red flag in my book.

standard stuff: compression, oil psi at temp, shaft seal, always lake test a jet boat to ensure thrust and cooling.

that is the exhaust that was on my Howard before I sold it. log manifolds to "snail shells" to an under water line exhaust tip out the back. it prevents wake surge into the exhaust in low sitting engines/boats

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

looks like a 455 Oldsmobile to me. I'd be worry of a guy who says they just rebuilt their engine and doesn't know what it is. that's a bit of a red flag in my book.

standard stuff: compression, oil psi at temp, shaft seal, always lake test a jet boat to ensure thrust and cooling

Yeah, I will ask if he has any receipts for rebuild. If no receipts then figure it wasn't rebuilt.

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

That's not the one. Keep looking. It's a 455 and they are not good in a jet boat. Text me your number and I'll send good ones when they come up. I'm always looking.

 

[rivermobster]

@jetboatperformance

Tom will know.

 

[rivermobster]

Okay, I know all the jokes but I want a little cheap jet bote to play around with. Don't know much about them. This one is local on CL.

JET BOAT - boats - by owner - marine sale

I have jet boat for sale, good condition, super clean, big block Chevy engine rebuild 3 Years ago 7758four8572one

reno.craigslist.org

Obviously not a BBC (maybe Olds?). Weird exhaust set up. Can't tell what kind of jet. Waiting for reply from seller.

Anything to look out for?

Yeah, the seller doesn't even know what engine is in it.

That's a bit of a red flag!

 

[rrrr]

that is the exhaust that was on my Howard before I sold it. log manifolds to "snail shells" to an under water line exhaust tip out the back. it prevents wake surge into the exhaust in low sitting engines/boats

Same exhaust setup was on the 427 FE in my Howard. The components were made by Edelbrock, and a bit physically larger than those Nicsons. The flex hose and tips were 4". The engine had two 660 CFM Holley carbs, was stock except for a Clay Smith cam, and had a 425 HP factory rating. I never noticed any indication the exhaust system was restricted, the engine accelerated easily and made its rated RPM.

 

[jetboatperformance]

"455" Olds (or 403,or 350) likely a Jacuzzi WJ (cant see well) Looks like a decent boat , just cant run the olds "like a rented mule" due to "inherent oiling issues" call me if you would like to chat anytime 805 466 4719 Tom

 

[mash on it]

"455" Olds (or 403,or 350) likely a Jacuzzi WJ (cant see well) Looks like a decent boat , just cant run the olds "like a rented mule" due to "inherent oiling issues" call me if you would like to chat anytime 805 466 4719 Tom

When you blow the pic up, definitely a Jacuzzi WJ pump, missing the reverse gate, and no diverter.
Ultra high tech bbq black intake and carb matched color combo.
Even bbq black over spray on the bell housing.

Step away.

Dan'l

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Keep looking

 

[King295]

Look for something with a BBC or BBF and Berkeley. I know JBP can jazz up Panthers but can't go wrong with the aforementioned pairings.

 

[coolchange]

Antony used to build a nice boat. Full stringer hand laid. Just not that one, it’s a $2000 boat tops

 

[coolchange]

Best advice I can give is “ a dry boat is just a trailer full of parts”. Yes you can quote me. Lol

 

[evantwheeler]

You must REALLY hate your money.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Definitely stick to Big Block Chevy or Ford, and for myself I definitely insisted of Dominator/Berkeley pump. In terms of hulls, stick with known names, anyone and everyone was laying things up in the 70's and 80's, and then think about what you want to do with it. I wasn't looking to break any records, its a jet boat after all, so went with a 22' daycruiser nordic rather than a little 18 footer kind of thing. Full stringers, won't get swamped, just made for simple and easier fun.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

The guy in the CL ad never replied so not even going to follow up on that one.

Talking to an inmate here now on a 19 Spectre with BBC and Berkley jet. I'll post photos if I go with that one.

I'm also looking at a Donzi Sweet 16 Classic that is local and super clean. Not a jet but still a cool little boat. My only concern with it is it has a Ford 302 and OMC outdrive which is a bit unusual and may be hard to find parts for the drive.

I like a jet so I don't have to worry about whacking the drive on a rock or floating log ( a lot of debris on our local lake now) and also the "hot rod" factor of a little boat with a BBC and over the transom headers. On the other hand, the Donzi is definitely a classic design and is cool in its own right.

 

[Wedgy]

The guy in the CL ad never replied so not even going to follow up on that one.

Talking to an inmate here now on a 19 Spectre with BBC and Berkley jet. I'll post photos if I go with that one.

I'm also looking at a Donzi Sweet 16 Classic that is local and super clean. Not a jet but still a cool little boat. My only concern with it is it has a Ford 302 and OMC outdrive which is a bit unusual and may be hard to find parts for the drive.

I like a jet so I don't have to worry about whacking the drive on a rock or floating log ( a lot of debris on our local lake now) and also the "hot rod" factor of a little boat with a BBC and over the transom headers. On the other hand, the Donzi is definitely a classic design and is cool in its own right.

View attachment 1255084 View attachment 1255085

Good luck with the hunt. Nice Donzi. Looks very well kept. My 4.3 Chevy OMC Cobra, 1987, has been fine. A long as it has the newer red shift cable, and unit has been serviced properly. Should be fine. It looks cared for. Mine has even seen salt.

Water pump adapter was as deep as I ever had to go. New bellows, that's about it. Owned 20 years now. Not entirely sure about all parts, but I never had a problem. I like a higher freeboard, But I loved Ed's Root Beer Ranger BBC jet, shown at left.

 

[lbhsbz]

The guy in the CL ad never replied so not even going to follow up on that one.

Talking to an inmate here now on a 19 Spectre with BBC and Berkley jet. I'll post photos if I go with that one.

I'm also looking at a Donzi Sweet 16 Classic that is local and super clean. Not a jet but still a cool little boat. My only concern with it is it has a Ford 302 and OMC outdrive which is a bit unusual and may be hard to find parts for the drive.

I like a jet so I don't have to worry about whacking the drive on a rock or floating log ( a lot of debris on our local lake now) and also the "hot rod" factor of a little boat with a BBC and over the transom headers. On the other hand, the Donzi is definitely a classic design and is cool in its own right.

View attachment 1255084 View attachment 1255085

I'm no outdrive wizard, but pretty sure the later OMC Cobra drives were just a Volvo Penta with different stickers. Many claim they are superior to a comparable merc alpha drive....I've known a few folks with them and there have been no issues.

Avoid (at all costs) the early OMC outdrives

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Also wanted to mention that I have another jet boat already. Well, sort of. My best bud has this '75 Centurion that came with a 454 and Berkeley jet. He bought it probably 8 years ago and ran it one season. He said it would go 70 but could only get 4500 RPM out of it. I'm a little skeptical that it went 70. Anyway, he said the engine started making noise so he pulled the carb and intake off it to check it out then left it out in the rain and got water in the motor.

So he told me he'd make me half owner if I rebuilt the engine. I pulled the engine apart and it had rusty cylinders so was junk. A shame because the cylinders had no ridge and still had honing marks on walls so figured it was a low hour motor. I found a local engine builder and got a new engine for it which is ready for install. My bud sent the jet out to a place in Reno for a rebuild and supposedly it is ready. So we just have to put everything together.

So why do I want another boat? Well, a couple reasons (do you really need a reason to have more than one boat? ).

First, I know putting this boat back together and getting it on the water is going to take some time and I want to be on the water now while we are having 100 degree days.

Second, I want to redo some other things on the boat like gauges, steering wheel, painting over the fake woodgrain with a different color, losing the bow rail or shortening it up. Basically, making it my own but my buddy isn't too interested in doing any of that.

The first reason is the main one though. I just sold my Formula FasTech 271 on Monday so I'm boatless right now. My local lake is about 15 minutes away and if I had another boat I'd be out on it right now.

The Donzi is something different than this boat so when this boat is done I'd probably keep it so I'd have two different kinds of boat. At the same time, this boat is more of a cruiser type boat and that Spectre I'm looking at is more of a hot rod, blast around kind of boat. Not sure what to do. Boat shopping is fun though, right?

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I'm no outdrive wizard, but pretty sure the later OMC Cobra drives were just a Volvo Penta with different stickers. Many claim they are superior to a comparable merc alpha drive....I've known a few folks with them and there have been no issues.

Avoid (at all costs) the early OMC outdrives

The Donzi is a '93. Is that considered an early one?