Fonda Jet Drive

[martin mc]

Looking for a nozzle for the end of a jet drive on a Fonda Speed boat. I believe it is a Vosper Thornycroft jet drive but it has no markings it is driven by a Ford 3.0 V6.

[safi]

Hi
Have only just signed up. We have had a Fonda jet boat for 24 years and it is still going strong. There were two jets fitted a pp jet which we have or a hamilton. The PP Jet was taken over by Vosper try this link.

http://www.vosperthornycroft.co.uk/m...nc=1&catID=352

[martin mc]

Thanks Safi,
I have being in contact with Vosper Thornycroft and after sending them on some digital photo's, their service dept. advised me that it wasn't a pp jet after all and they couldn't determine what sort of jet drive I have. So I am at a complete loss again, any help appreciated...I attatched a photo of the drive minus the damaged nozzle, anyone got any ideas on the make of the drive.

[safi]

I am sorry I have no idea which unit this is, you may try these people
http://www.jetboatperformance.com/index.php?p=about

Have you tried Hamilton jets or possibly Berkley jets

[martin mc]

Thanks again Safi,
Tried Hamilton both UK and NZ they have no ideas either, thanks for that other contact E-Mailed them today and will try Berkely also seems like I got a real odd ball one here nobody seems to recognise this jet drive.

[safi]

Hi
Any luck? It could,be this
http://www.legendjet.com/ model j120G?
Safi

[martin mc]

Hi Safi,
No luck at all I have tried all the contacts we mentioned but to no avail. I checked that link you sent on with legend jet on it but thats not it either. I don;t know where to go from here. It's amazing that none of these guys know what sort of jet this is.
Thanks again for all you're help
Martin...

[Robbi]

Hi there!

Try Alamain-Jet here in Finland (www.alamarin-jet.com).
Go to their Help Desk and contact them about your jet drive.
They have manufactured jet drives since 1976 so they should
have some idea about what drive you have on your boat.

Best regards,
Robbi

[martin mc]

Thanks Robbi,
E-Mailed them on some photo's today and got a reply this evening, it is not one of their jets and unfortunetly they don't know what type of jet it is.
Thanks again for your help
Martin...

[Robbi]

Hi again!

Too bad you haven't found what jet drive you have.

Do you know any metal shop nearby that could make a
custom aluminium nozzle for the jet? It shouldn't
be so difficult for an experienced metal worker.

Good Luck!


Robbi

[martin mc]

Thanks Robbi,
I think I would need a drawing to give some one to make the part, The shape of the nozzle seems critical to the preformance of the drive. I repaired the original one with fibre glass, but ended up grinding it out to get the boat to move. I have the boat running at the moment, it will reach top speed, but the acceleration is not as good as it previously was and if I have other people in the boat with me it struggles. I think I will have to try and get some other drawings at this stage and see if I can get something made up. You wouldn't think the shape of the nozzle would make such a difference but apparently it does. But thanks for the idea.
Martin.

[Caber Feidh]

It looks allot like an older Castoldi in allot of ways. That splash guard, and angled clean-out aren't typical though. What power-plant is it using? DD or is it selectively coupled?

[martin mc]

I E-Mailed Castoldi and its not one of their's the drive is coupled to the crank shaft of a 3.0 V 6 ford engine.

[RobertD]

Ref. your query of Fonda jet drive .
The unit you have got is one of a very limited number FONDA made in house in the late 1980s to test the feasability of a predominantly GRP jet system.
FONDA seem to have gone from the market now, I am unable to find reference or contact details for them, but if you can locate them they may still have the moulds etc. Good luck.

[martin mc]

Thanks Robert, have searched for fonda myself to no avail, they seem to have vanished, what do you mean when you say a GRP drive system and what do you think would be the chances of getting a second hand part for this drive.
Thanks again
Martin.