Home Built Jet Dinghy's from New Zealand

Just thought some of you might like to see these little home built aluminium jet boats from New Zealand.
There are quite a few on youtube, some with Jetski engines, others running 600 to 1000cc motorcycle engines directly coupled to PWC jet pumps.

http://youtu.be/3yzwpWmbPDM

 

jet boat hull

Hi Rusty,...nice looking job on the hull, Im just wondering how the "Plastic"???
is attached to the bottom of your hull, looks as simple as screwing the stuff to the bottom,... but having no experience with that, Im puzzled as to the possibility of multiple leaks should the sheet get jagged on a stump or something and rip the screws from the hull??? how do you get around that?
Also, what is the type of material used on the hull bottom, HDPE? PTFE?
Cheers,...Pete.

 

Hi Pete,
Sorry these are not my boats, although I wish they were.
I just came across these on youtube etc and thought members here may be interested in seeing them, or even be inspired to build one them self.
They are true works of art and incredible performance craft!
I was merely searching the web for small 8-10' speedboats as I am wanting to build one suitable for a 25hp short-shaft Merc outboard I have. As I was intending to use aluminium, these little jet boats came up in my search.
I tried to contact the user who posted the videos (and I think built the boats) but got no reply to my messages...
The web page that the pics above came from also showed many more pics of the build, including the making and fitting of the "plastic sheeting"
just search "NZ jet dinghy"

 

Here is a link to the page showing the plastic sheet being made and fitted, with his explanation.

http://www.nzjetboating.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=23617.30

 

These guys are "something special"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=X2Iyw5LFrJs

 

They are awesome drivers, who put on a great show!

We have a great jet-sprint series here in Australia, back 15 or so years ago we even had a course here in South Australia at Currency Creek built on the side of our lower Murray River system near Goolwa.
It was a perfect location where the course sat in the bottom of a natural amphitheatre and the crowd watched on from the high land around it, and the sound of those big V8 engines at full power echoed off the hills.
The series is still going and was later named "V8 Superboats" but sadly they no longer compete in our state, I think it was "insurance issues" which shut down the local club?

Australian Formula Jet Sprint Associatrion AFJSA
http://www.v8superboats.com.au/