1971 Sidewinder jet boat

[cyclops]

Medication delay. You may find that you can balance the boat perfectly. Except the exhaust pipes are completely underwater. NO PROBLEM, cross that later. Pull the pipes out, add a taller exhaust manifold riser, 2"-4"-6" taller than what you have now. Drill 2 new holes above the present ones that are higher by what the new riser height is higher than you have now. By the way, start lining up the taller manifold risers by stuffing a person next to the easier side of the engine with a ruler and a flashlight in HIS hand. Carefully close the engine hatch ALL the way down. Measure how much taller the manifold riser can go. leave at least 3" clearence at the top. You want as tall as possible a riser as is NORMALLY SOLD for your manifold. Don't get sucked into a "special size" one.

[cyclops]

www.teshio.com/JetBoat on Yahoo, Google, Ask jeeves. I go to sleep at 11:00PM.EST Post back.

[cyclops]

Does yours look almost the same? There are 2 ways to balance the boat. BOW WEIGHT. ORRRRR. Moving the engine foward on the engine beds/ stringers. Moving the engine is the best way if you can afford it. ANNNND. Do not have to cut and chop out ANY STRUCTURAL seats, braces, etc. Either way is perfectly OK. If done right. 3rd way is a little of both if you really are performance nuts. Like me. My gut feeling is to just do the BOW WEIGHT to keep the beautifull lines of the hull and the cockpit neat.

[jetboatjill]

I went to the website you gave me. Our Sidewinder jet boat is kinda sorta like those but not really because we have an open bow, walk-thru which we've been told is rare for a 1971 Sidewinder jet boat. Most of the Sidewinders did not have the walk-thru open bow. I can see from the photos where the thru-the-hull exhaust pipes should sit - and it looks like quite a few inches (12"?) above the water line!!!!!!!!!!! Is there any way I can post a photo of my boat so you can view it? THANKS again for all your help!!!! Have a nice evening! It is almost 10:00 p.m. here.

[cyclops]

Your boat has the pipes higher or lower than the ones in the pictures?

[cyclops]

Reread about your exhaust being below the INDICATED waterline. Don't be to quick to believe anything on older boats. The waterline may not be correct new or now. It seems as tho someone really set the engine and pump very low in the hull for their own reasons. Not important now. Can you scan or fax pictures of the stern area and the engine compartment to the present jet pump companies? If they turn you down. Go online with the jet boat forums. I will look for your progress reports. It will float, correctly.

[jetboatjill]

The top of the exahust pipes - the pipes are round so the top of the round pipes - are even with the top of the base of the jet drive. This is quite challenging to tell you since apparently I can not send you a picture of it. I tried to copy & paste the pic but it will not allow me to paste here in the forum. :-( O ----- O This is the ratio O = exahust pipes in relationship to the ----- = top of base of jet drive. The exhaust pipes and base for the jet drive & jet drive itself at located about half way obviously in the back of the boat. So, YES, I guess you could say that the exhaust pipes are located pretty much in the same place as those in the pics on the website.
You're making me work too hard!!!!!! HA! HA! HA!
BUT.......I know you're trying to help me out the best you can w/o being here!!!! :-)
10:30 p.m. here! This old school teacher has to get to bed!!! Take care. Have a nice evening! PLEASE keep in touch.......esp if you have any additional brainstorms!!!
You sure are knowledgeable about all this!!!! THANKS again for your time and patience!!! Nite - chat w/ you tomorrow evening! Nite............

[jetboatjill]

Cyclops, It appears from the pics on the website that you sent me to, the exhaust pipes on the boats in the pics are way above the water line. It shows the jet drive half way in the water w/ the exhaust pipes above the jet drive. If you could only see the stern of our boat, it sure would make things easier for me to explain to you!!!!! However, you're making me work too hard and my brain is about to poop out on me. Tool Time is on w/ Tim Allen so it's time to go to bed for real. Have a nice evening! Chat w/ you tomorrow evening. jetboatjill

[jetboatjill]

Cyclops, I submitted a pic of the stern of the boat to Boat Design Gallery - Boatbuilding - that way you can see where the exahust pipes are in relationship to the jet drive & etc.

http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/da...ture_3-med.jpg

[cyclops]

Web this site. Should remove any doubt. www.fiberglassics.com/sidewinder

[jetboatjill]

Cyclops, Did you view the photo of the rear end (stern) of the boat that I submitted to the Boatdesign Gallery to see where the exhaust pipes are located in relationship to the jet drive and the back of the boat? That is an older photo. We've painted and cleaned up the boat since photos were taken, BUT, we have NOT rearranged nor moved the exhaust pipes and jet drive. THANK YOU for the fiberglassics website. Hope you're having a nice day! Take care & MANY THANKS again!!!! jetboatjill

[jetboatjill]

Cyclops, I viewed the fiberglassics website. Too bad there weren't any up close photos of Sidewinder jet boats, however, the website provided me w/ history and useful info. I am going to submit photos of our Sidewinder to the fiberglassics boats still in use. We have the wet exhaust which is not as showy as the dry exhaust, but, it would be FUN to see if thre are others out there that still have & use their Sidewinder. We have a walk-thru open bow which we've been told is not very common. This coming weekend we are going to plug the exhaust pipes like you suggested and then launch the boat still attached to the winch and see if / how we can balance the boat!!! Wish you were here!!!!!

[cyclops]

The 2 of you will do just fine. Did you see the engine sizes for each length? Where are you supposed to be? By cubic inch or horsepower for your length. You may need to have a fully charged battery and a working bilge pump to pump out any leakage between the pipes , collars and the hull. No pump, pull the boat up the ramp and drain it with the new drain plug. You could also try duct tape to seal the pipes to the hull in a pinch. Good luck.

[jetboatjill]

Cyclops - THANKS! Have a nice day! I'll report back to you upon our return Sunday evening! THANKS ever so much for sharing your expertise!!!! :-)

[DavidBoots]

i have 1973 spoiler with a wj jacuzzi jet that is in need of a rebuild was wondering if any body had any knowledge of the american turbine energizer kit if it would be worth the extra 1000 doller over the factory rebuild kit