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The official "What did you do to your jet boat today" thread.

We received the 252SE and trailer registration today and the County Recorder gave me this boating in Iowa handbook (2023 edition). After looking closer I saw the Iowa DNR decided to use a Yamaha AR230 for the cover, pretty neat, maybe it’s a sign we should just keep the AR230 too! 🤣

IMG_7378.jpeg
 
I rebuilt my trailer this week. New springs, new hubs and bearings, all new hardware and replaced the forward crossmember keel pad with a 10” roller. Most importantly, I cut off the old bunks and made new ones. The OG bunks were 2x6s laid flat. I noticed they were sagging in the middle and starting to deflect my boat hull at the ends/pressure points. Anyways, I ripped them out and made new vertical bunks out of 2x8s. These things are STOUT!

I laminated two 2x8s together and cut them at 12 degrees and bracketed them to the cross members. The boat rides MUCH better on the trailer and is easier to launch and load!IMG_7768.jpeg
 
I cleaned, applied UV protectant and fabric guard on the bimini and boot. I also sold the 6 stock recons speakers and purchased Revo 6's w/ RGB.
 
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I rebuilt my trailer this week. New springs, new hubs and bearings, all new hardware and replaced the forward crossmember keel pad with a 10” roller. Most importantly, I cut off the old bunks and made new ones. The OG bunks were 2x6s laid flat. I noticed they were sagging in the middle and starting to deflect my boat hull at the ends/pressure points. Anyways, I ripped them out and made new vertical bunks out of 2x8s. These things are STOUT!

I laminated two 2x8s together and cut them at 12 degrees and bracketed them to the cross members. The boat rides MUCH better on the trailer and is easier to launch and load!View attachment 232317
Would love more details on your rebuild.
 
Well it was clean/vacuum/wash/wax day for the AR230. You don’t realize how much stuff you accumulate in a boat over time, filled the back of my truck! Fired right up and changed the oil and oil filters, and will change the spark plugs prior to listing it for sale. I really am going to miss this boat. Told the wife if we don’t get at least our lowest price point I’m keeping it! 🤣

IMG_7480.jpeg
 
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Need to pull the Ridesteady out to send it in for the launch control upgrade. Figured while I had her home I'd start to get her ready for the season. New plugs, oil change, and lovely trailer maintenance. Hate working on trailers. Need to fix that rats nest of wiring. I have a fuse box on the way to help with that.
20250402_105051.jpg20250402_113808.jpg20250402_114337.jpg20250402_120601.jpg20250402_120607.jpg20250402_122152.jpg20250402_132214.jpg20250402_141452.jpg20250402_193302.jpg20250402_193304.jpg20250402_203451.jpg
 
Didn't really take any other pics, but it's all done. What a pain in the ass that was. One one side the bearings felt so tight on the spindle I thought maybe they were the wrong size. Looked up the part numbers and they were the right size. Bought new ones anyways as I felt they may have gotten scared up seating the wear sleeves. I sure hate working on trailers. The grease everywhere alone is enough. 20250403_174220.jpg
 
It has been a successful week off work. I am beyond sunburned for working outsaid all day everyday for the last 7 days. Not exactly ready to be sitting through a training class next week, but looking forward to getting some rest. I love being able to make cables the exact length I need. Also pulled the CPU for Ridesteady to be shipped off for launch control. Already in the box, just need to take it to be shipped. Still one of my favorite mods has to be the underwater lights. Such a cheesy thing, but I love it. 20250405_145529.jpg20250405_150735.jpg20250405_162407.jpg20250405_162411.jpg20250405_162658.jpg20250405_163059.jpg20250405_164625.jpg20250405_165430.jpg
 
Got the RideSteady installed and the boat towed back to Seattle!

This was a very straightforward install on paper - if it weren't for the impossibly cramped spaces I could have had it done in less than an hour. But I probably spent an hour alone trying to unplug the cam position sensor. Whoever built the boat decided it would be a great idea to nestle it under a bunch of other stuff 😫

Super clean fit in the dash and I was able to drill a nice clean hole with a cheap Harbor Freight circle cutter tool. (Yes, my helm is filthy with shavings and dust - I'll get it cleaned soon 😅)

ridesteady.JPEG


I still need to get under the boat and see about sealing up a few spots in the intake tunnel.

I also have a cleat that feels like it's a bit loose. I'd like to take care of that proactively before it just falls out (like one of the hinges on my engine hatch), but HOW? I assume I need to get behind it to tighten something, but again... hOWWWWW? If anyone has any advice, I'm all ears!

Edit - it's the rear-most port cleat.

boatfarm.JPEG
 
Got the RideSteady installed and the boat towed back to Seattle!

This was a very straightforward install on paper - if it weren't for the impossibly cramped spaces I could have had it done in less than an hour. But I probably spent an hour alone trying to unplug the cam position sensor. Whoever built the boat decided it would be a great idea to nestle it under a bunch of other stuff 😫

Super clean fit in the dash and I was able to drill a nice clean hole with a cheap Harbor Freight circle cutter tool. (Yes, my helm is filthy with shavings and dust - I'll get it cleaned soon 😅)

View attachment 233403


I still need to get under the boat and see about sealing up a few spots in the intake tunnel.

I also have a cleat that feels like it's a bit loose. I'd like to take care of that proactively before it just falls out (like one of the hinges on my engine hatch), but HOW? I assume I need to get behind it to tighten something, but again... hOWWWWW? If anyone has any advice, I'm all ears!

Edit - it's the rear-most port cleat.

View attachment 233404
I had the same engine hatch hinge fall off. I took my hinges to the machine shop at work and had them counter sink the top and through bolted them.
 
I just put my hinges back together with some blue loctite - hoping that holds.

It's the cleat that I'm not sure about how to tighten...
 
What cleat is it and port or starboard?
 
It's the port side, cleat closest to the swim platform. Rear-most cleat.
If you disassemble the clean out tray, would it be reachable that way? If so, I would tighten both sides.
 
If you disassemble the clean out tray, would it be reachable that way? If so, I would tighten both sides.

I'll check that out. Wasn't sure there was an easy way to disassemble, but I can't remember exactly what it looks like
 
Picked boat up on Thursday of last week. Immediately hooked up the batteries to get them freshened on the NOCO. Before charging I turned the keys on and was pleasantly surprised to see my two AGM house batteries had only lost 20% over the winter and the 3-year-old starting battery was fully charged still.

Saturday I changed oil and plugs. Old plugs looked great - nothing notable vs. previous plugs (am I the only one that saves each years plugs in STBD and Port baggies?).

Oil was to be expected. Engine compartment was nice and clean. Last fall I picked up a borescope that plugs directly into the iphone, so I used that to inspect the intermediate bearings, everything looked good (from what I can tell). Put two pumps of grease into the top zert of the IB.

Both motor started fine, and after the oil change restart, rev'd fine.

Next Saturday I'm changing my impellers - say a prayer. I'm going to attempt with my vice but most likely will have to use the tire trick...
 
A bunch of screws and silicone. Then the clean out tube needs removed from the hatch and it "should" come off.
 
Picked boat up on Thursday of last week. Immediately hooked up the batteries to get them freshened on the NOCO. Before charging I turned the keys on and was pleasantly surprised to see my two AGM house batteries had only lost 20% over the winter and the 3-year-old starting battery was fully charged still.

Saturday I changed oil and plugs. Old plugs looked great - nothing notable vs. previous plugs (am I the only one that saves each years plugs in STBD and Port baggies?).

Oil was to be expected. Engine compartment was nice and clean. Last fall I picked up a borescope that plugs directly into the iphone, so I used that to inspect the intermediate bearings, everything looked good (from what I can tell). Put two pumps of grease into the top zert of the IB.

Both motor started fine, and after the oil change restart, rev'd fine.

Next Saturday I'm changing my impellers - say a prayer. I'm going to attempt with my vice but most likely will have to use the tire trick...
I keep my old plugs and just toss them in my tool box until I change them again and swap those with the new, old, ones.
 
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