17ft Jet Boat V6 Essex project

[landlockedpirate]

Its definately not a Simms Super V (Either 14, 15, or 16 Bowrider)

Nothing about it looks like a Simms, decks wrong, hulls wrong, windscreen wrong etc etc.

Not trying to be a smartarse, but the Simms has a unique shape that you can spot a mile off. Still cant work out what it is, thinking special inboard Plancraft ?

 

[landlockedpirate]

Im going to stick my neck out and say Plancraft Sabre 16. They were a few made with an inboard and PP jet. The hull looks right, as does the windscreen, but I cant find a picture of an inboard one.

Link to Plancraft history.

http://www.plancraft.co.uk/boat_history.htm#Sceptre%20170.

Edit, Found 1 !!

 

[Mr fishy]

Im going to stick my neck out and say Plancraft Sabre 16. They were a few made with an inboard and PP jet. The hull looks right, as does the windscreen, but I cant find a picture of an inboard one.

Link to Plancraft history.

http://www.plancraft.co.uk/boat_history.htm#Sceptre%20170.

Edit, Found 1 !!

Thanks for the post, I have to say it's similar but I'm still not sure, most plancraft boats i've seen have pretty deep V's, i would say mine is pretty shallow.

Heres a picture of the back of the boat.

 

[landlockedpirate]

Jet drive pick up needs a flat area on the bottom area for the inlet grill. Jet drive boats also typically have less deadrise, I would guess the hull was adapted at the back to suit the jet drive. Even if the hull wasnt adapted, they had to remove the deepest part of the V and I think its removal fools the eye.

But there are still other differences, some are explainable some are not. It looks like Plancraft changed the deck and windscreen slightly a couple of times through production but the bulge on the bow bothers me, I cant find any Sabres with the bulge.

Your picture of the stern shows a very similar deck cross section to other outboard Sabres.I think yours has had a replacement engine cover, which is also disguising the lines.

 

[Mr fishy]

Recently been working on the engine, got all pipes connected up, oil cooler,heat exchanger and got it started yesterday, runs pretty smooth and a better sound than i expected. heres a short video-

Too bad for the terrible iPhone video camera quality

 

[Mr fishy]

Could a mod or admin please change the title of the thread for me, to " 17ft Jet Boat V6 Essex project"

Thanks

 

[Mr fishy]

Haven't updated this topic in some time now, but I'm getting close to finishing it!, I will continue to add pictures and updates.


This was months ago and was in a big state, fibreglass floor which was very soft and I wanted to remove it to see what was below it anyway.

This is what was below the stringers had many holes in them, I filled them all in replaced the wooden supports as they were really rotten and glassed them in.



Painted originally engine mounts up before I put land rover engine mounts on there.

I don't have any pictures of the new floor which I put 1/2 inch thick plywood which i glassed in. I have now carpeted it, so don't have any pictures of the bare floor.

I will take pictures of how it looks tommorow

I have replaced a lot of stuff on the boat, mainly bolts for stainless, sandwhich plates for the jet drive which were originally made of mild steel so I made some stainless steel ones, the mild steel ones you can see in the photo above.

I have completely rebuilt the jet drive, bearings,seals, impeller was in great condition. stainless bolts all round for the jet drive, including transom mounting bolts.
V6 essex, checked compression, replaced inlet manifold and carb, standard heads,cam etc.
should kick out around 130-140hp

Had a few set backs which included removing the engine several times because of a leaking sump which has now been repaired and doesn't leak

Things to do-
Make an extension for the bucket lift ( from bucket lift arm to gear cable)
Tune engine
fill one more gauge hole or put a plate on it
fix one more seat down
Make a bench/ back board and foot board.
Add some new cleats which I have
Install stainless steel trim tabs which I have, Removed the plastic ones a few days ago
Make a new throttle mount, throttle cable to carb mount, made a stainless one quickly just to see if it would work which it did but going to make a better one
Get a new trailer and transfer them over
Touch up paint work here and there.
check for any leaks >.<

Ill update anything that is progress, hopefully I will go forward and not backwards



more update-

some pictures of how it looks currently, managed to make an extension for bucket lift, plus new bushes for bucket lift and bolts.
still need to touch the paint up on drive as got bashed a bit from the engine hoist.

cleaned the old silicone off the old plastic trim tabs holes and filled them, will fit the stainless ones in a few days probably.

Also added a foot throttle which i managed to grab from Ebay for a low price, compared to a new one.

I have a battery box not currently fitted though as i carpeted the boat, also waiting to get a back board in so i can tidy up all the wires, from coil,bilge pump and blower.

Managed to get the self leveling Bennett tabs on, was very simple.

Had to buy a new distributor and rotor arm for engine as found a problem there, also had to buy a new electric fuel pump as the old one packed in. Waiting for that to come and then the engine should be top notch

Here's an image of trim tabs installed

Another update- trailer change

I have an update once again

Managed to pick up the trailer from salcombe, never been there before but I may consider using my boat there as seemed very nice.
Had many runs to the local docks changing the trailers around on the boat but have to say its well worth it as the trailer actually fits and is alot more legal.

Didn't manage to test it, as i haven't finished the throttle set up mounting which i've made just not installed yet and the gear lever need to mount the cable in. had a slight leak which I had a feeling I would have, bottom bolt of the jet drive but ill sort that out next time I do go out, bilge pump kept it all fine anyway.

Also have a trailer for sell now , would suit around 14ft boat, pm me if interested, its going on the bay anyway.
Pics-

Hopefully I can test it soon enough, just have to sort out connect for throttle and for bucket lift, which should be done within a few days.

Thanks

 

[landlockedpirate]

Thanks for the update, really appreciate it. But please can you redduce the size of the photos, they make the thread very hard to read unless its on a 26" screen !

 

[rbcoomer]

Great progress, looking forward to the trip reports :encouragement: You mentioned about Salcombe, are you based in South Devon?

 

[Mr fishy]

Great progress, looking forward to the trip reports :encouragement: You mentioned about Salcombe, are you based in South Devon?

Thank you, I'm based in Bristol and usually boat in dorset West bay/Lyme regis, but considering going to salcombe for a weekend with my 19ft draco. I collected the trailer for the jet boat in Salcombe.

I will try to resize the images, I use a 23" monitor and doesn't look to bad.


Cheers