Help please!

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Runna

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I think this is in the right section.

i have just got my self a 12 ft speedboat for the summer. i am debating outboard up 40hp or source a cheap jetski to put engine and jet drive in the boat. hmmmm! any one know of any one who has done it?

What would you guys recommend?

Thanks James
 
The guys in New Zealand put high performance small block chevs (5.7 litre), over 300 h.p. on Hamilton stage 3 jets, into 12' grp race boats, and circuit race them. Blistering performance, achieving max. speed in a few seconds.
These are only designed to run on small tight rivers/circuits, probably only 3 feet deep, and a few metres wide, with a roll cage.

I would imagine stripping down an operational jet-ski and altering a well-mounted runabout, would take a bit of work and money, and not sure how much the finished product would be worth.......

Safe option may be the outboard!
 
You might get more answers if you start a new post in the motor boat forum.

Also a good idea to include more info in your title so people know what sort of help you are looking for. "Help with outboard selection" perhaps.

Good luck.
 
Runna said:
I think this is in the right section.

i have just got my self a 12 ft speedboat for the summer. i am debating outboard up 40hp or source a cheap jetski to put engine and jet drive in the boat. hmmmm! any one know of any one who has done it?

What would you guys recommend?

Thanks James
Click to expand...

Fitting a jet to a boat that is set up for an o/board (which I guess is the case?) is quite a tricky task. you'll need to make engine bearers and they need to be correct size/shape/angle so the whole thing lines up. And then GRP work to remove the outboard motor well and build a box and hatch for the engine. Do-able, but you'll need to be very good at diy, esp if you want it to look good. If the boat is already set up for outboard then that is definitely the way to go, if you want to be on the water in time for summer
 
Runna said:
put engine and jet drive in the boat
Click to expand...
Your sentence above suggests that the boat wasn't built for a jet, but has instead a normal o/b transom.
If that is the case, what's your reason for considering a refit that's arguably worth doing only the other way round?
 
I'm guessing that a 12ft speedboat with no engine probably only cost you around £150, perhaps £250, on a trailer. You're going to spend a whole lot more than that purchasing and scrapping a jetski to use in the conversion and as it's only 12ft anyway how much room left for passengers with a lump in the middle?

You really would more sensibly keep to the original configuration and find an outboard.
 
THanks so far guys.

yes the boat has a transome for an outboard. was just looking around get some research before i took any thing to the next step i may have a cheap 40hp on my way off my uncle so will have a look at that.

would love that simms jet boat but couldnt afford that im mucho's skinto's atm.

regarding what the boat owes me i paid 50 quid for it with teleflex steering, morse throttle controls and leather seats but no engine and trailer but can get a trailer very cheap but just need to replace wheel bearings.
 
Outboard is the only sensible way on this. The labour involved in modifying the hull will be insane, it will probably never be quite right and will not perform. The cost of a jetski is likely to be far higher than a 40 hp outboard, as well. Good luck for the summer, though - we started with a similar sized boat.
 
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