Boat Stuff $550 - Set of 3500' altitude pitched impellers

[Bryan L]

@sysinu Drove past Echo and Rockport a couple weeks ago. Nice areas. We are going to try out those this summer too. You can't beat "right across the street" and a slip! I have one last boat project to complete and I'll be ready for fulltime summer. I removed the carpet and bought the SeaDek for the cockpit. I'm in the process of filling in the exposed screw holes now. A lot of work, but I'll like the results.

 

[sysinu]

Echo is a pretty cool lake, especially if you like to fish for Perch. I think the seadek was my favorite upgrade. 3M 5200 fills those holes perfectly . My next upgrade is to install a marine LED under my swim platform. I have the LED, just really don't want to drill into my boat!!! It'll happen eventually. Depends on when the slips go into Rockport (I think they are pretty soon, actually) whether I do it this year or at the end of this year going into next season. I just put a 100W Renogy solar panel on my boat (fixed mounted controller and cables) so that I can stow the panel when underway and when slipped I just hang it in my wake surf rack. Seems to be working pretty well so far. I did all that, and then my marina told me they are installing solar power to the docks this year. Oh well .

Always a project to be done! If you make it up by Rockport one of these weekends, let me know! Always fun to meet fellow jetboaters.

 

[Bryan L]

@sysinu SO true about the never ending project list. My OCD wouldn't allow me to fill in the screw holes with 5200. I went with the Spectrum gelcoat paste route. I am liking the results so far, but it is a long process. I wanted to do it at the end of last year, but it got too cold too fast. I was also thinking about adding a plug in battery charger. Thinking about adding the plug right next to the 12v inside the port wet locker. Not sure how much room or if it is even feasible back there. Eventually, I'd like to upgrade the sound system and maybe add a second house battery, and of course fix that Connext voltage issue Mainah posted about. We like to spend a lot of hours beached and listening to tunes. Your idea about adding solar seems like a good idea too.

Having that LED shining while slipped will look awesome! I am the same way about drilling any holes in the boat, especially under the water line. I will definitely let you know ahead of time when plan to hit Rockport.

 

[Nauticajetter]

@Bryan L i am jealous that you got her out! Glad to hear she is running great! I can't wait to try out the impellers and cobra steering this year. Were you maxing at 7500 rpm on smooth water at pineview? ( usually an oxymoron, but it's early in the season). Just still trying to decide if I want to do the riva spacer. I need to get out and see what results my impellers get from this other place that is not impros. I really want the added midrange but worry a lot about cavitation when I get a fully loaded boat and start playing around with ballast.

 

[Bryan L]

Were you maxing at 7500 rpm on smooth water at pineview?

We had some wind that day, so it wasn't glassy. Certainly not choppy either and more like soft ripples, but the RPM's stayed around the 7500 range. Those engines have completely freed up and not bogging down in turns and under acceleration.

It was nice to get out. Water still had a decent amount of debris, but the wind blew most of it toward the southern sides. I'm not sure about cavitation concerns, but I'm sure @sysinu has a better idea about what to expect. Sadly, our day ended early as we ended up towing a couple back the whole length of Pineview. If was tough to hear him, but it sounded like his Supra's V-drive shaft was slipping out of mesh. Another reason I love these direct drive boats.

 

[sysinu]

Do the ribbon delete. Even if your boat already has a perfectly pitched set of screws.

Worst case is you get to trade a good WOT from standing every time for a better holeshot when your boat is weighted down with people and water.

That ribbon is good for nothing.

 

[sysinu]

Also we don't usually have cavitation at our altitude in mid range band. It's usually only in your holeshot. If you do the ribbon delete and you aren't pitched for over 4500' altitude, you won't have cavitation. My high altitude screws don't cavitate anywhere other than my holeshot and that is even including when I have 1600# in the boat, another 400# on the deck, and like 8 people in the boat. You do the (way over the limit) math on that, but I think you don't have anything to worry about in mid range. At least unless you pitched up super duper high.

 

[Nauticajetter]

@Bryan L , @sysinu , thanks for the feedback. Your description helped me understand better that I am not so close to the cavitation linit. Looks like I might have a Sunday project now before trying to get out on the lake today.. doubtful the wife will let us out with iffy weather, but who knows. Thanks for all the information you guys have provided and hopefully we run into each other out on the water this summer.

 

[Nauticajetter]

@Bryan L , @sysinu , finally got out today and wow, Different boat. Hit pineview today and it was windy for most of the runs so not the best conditions but with a crosswind and a little chop at times I could hit 45 at 7530-7580 rpm. She just gets up and goes so much better. I couldn't imagine getting more off the line power but I am gonna wait for my spacers and delete those ribbons. Thanks again for the help guys.

 

[Bryan L]

Awesome! What a difference is right! I love how the boat spools right up. Relatively speaking, all that bogging down right after launch is gone. Those engines hum. What a beautiful noise!

 

[Bryan L]

@sysinu , @Nauticajetter I hope you guys are enjoying your boats and the nice weather. Went to Jordanelle for the first time. On a whim, took my boys fishing. There was so much debris floating round that reservoir, I ended up sucking up my first piece of wood. It was only 2" long and about 3/4" thick. Ended up limping back with only one engine because I couldn't find the wood until I got home and pulled the pump and impeller. You are right, sysinu, I now know what cavitation really means! On the flip side, taking the pump off and removing the impeller and shaft, getting the wood out, and then putting everything back together took well less than one hour.

 

[Nauticajetter]

@Bryan L Glad you got it taken care of! That sucks you had to remove the pump to get to it. Did you have any damage done to the sealant? i keep worrying with all the crap floating in pineview I am gonna grab sonething that I can't get out or that will make me fix the sealant. How was jordanelle minus the junk? Pretty cold still?

 

[Bryan L]

@Nauticajetter , I noticed no issues with the sealant. Earlier this spring, when I went to Pineview and reported back that it was filled with all kinds of debris. Jordanelle was twice as bad! It happened when I was coming down off plane to check out a fishing spot. The shame was not being able to grab it out. Also, it was tough to see around the shaft as the lighting was tough. The iPhone couldn't illuminate well enough, so i'll need a stronger flashlight to store on the boat. Oh, the water there is frigid at best!

 

[Nauticajetter]

Yikes @Bryan L , I couldn't imagine running in all that debri. Glad you could limp her back without issue. We are gonna hit the reservoir tonight cause we Gotta get out of this heat!! Hopefully my docking lights work ha ha