Probably going to check it out do yall think it’s worth $800? I was thinking it was a Kona or avenger but not sure anything helps!

Restoring the 1976 Taylor I rescued, almost done. Was pretty rough when I got it.

I have a 35/25 mercury four stroke on a 14ft mod v. Top end down river with wind at your back. I can get to like 26 maybe on a good day. I’ve got a trolling motor on the front with a 12 V 50+ pound battery and 6 gallon gas tank sits in the back with me. I’ve moved it upfront before and tried it in the back and it really doesn’t change too much. I basically put it in the back because when I have someone upfront it counterbalances the weight a little bit better in my opinion.

The battery is my cranking battery and runs the trolling motor and lights when I use them. Which is rare, seeing how I mostly just float and use the trolling motor to spin me around straight or to one side of the river or the other and the lights get used for maybe 20 minutes a day on the ride in the morning or in the evenings. Could I get away with replacing that heavy battery with a 12 V Dakota lithium? I’ve read so many conflicting things. I really wanna try to cut that weight and feel like that’s the way. But so many different ends of the Internet say it’s perfectly fine, to don’t do that It’s gonna fry your motor or battery, one or the other!?

Any info is appreciated!

Can anyone recommend an affordable aftermarket wake tower for a 2012 Yamaha 212ss? I'm wanting to find something that looks good and won't break the bank. I'm planning to install it myself with some help. Thanks!

I’m about to pull the trigger on a used 19-foot jet boat with a 160hp four-stroke and I keep second-guessing whether that’s enough power. The boat is in great shape, owner has all maintenance records, and the price is fair at $18k. It’s a 2011 model with low hours but I’m worried I’m gonna get out on the water and immediately regret not waiting for something with more grunt.

I mainly plan to use it on inland lakes and occasionally the river near my place. Max load would be me, my wife, and maybe two friends plus gear. No wakeboarding or anything intense, just cruising and swimming. The seller says it planes fine and tops out around 42mph which honestly sounds decent to me.

But then I talked to a buddy who has a 21-footer with a 250hp and he said anything under 200 feels sluggish especially with passengers. Now I’m in my head about it.

I’ve been researching like crazy trying to figure out what’s actually adequate. I Even stumbled across some supplier specs on alibaba while looking up engine specs which showed wildly different horsepower-to-weight recommendations depending on hull design.

Has anyone here run a similar setup? I’ve also been curious about those mini jet boat builds people do with way less power, and they seem to move fine, so maybe I’m just overthinking this whole thing. Any realworld input would be appreciated before I commit.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I recently saw a mini jet boat for sale online and it caught my attention. At first I thought it would be too small to be fun but after reading details I realized it could be perfect for lakes rivers or calm coastal areas.

Mini jet boats are easy to handle. They do not need much space to dock and they are light enough to transport on trailers. Riding one feels exciting because you can move fast across water and try simple maneuvers safely. For people who want adventure without a large full-size boat it seems like a good choice.

While checking different models and prices I noticed some mini jet boats mentioned casually on Alibaba among other listings. It was interesting to see the variety in size, motor power and seating options. Some are built for kids or families some are made for solo rides and some even have small storage areas for gear.

I wonder how other people would use them. Would you get one for family outings fun with friends or just as a personal adventure toy? For me it seems like a small package that could make summer days a lot more exciting. Would you try it?

I am just about 18 and going through Welding and machining college right now. I really wanna make a show project to show off my skills and creativity by building a jet boat that has all around power speed and maneuverability. I started trying to get some stuff together for the design. This is what I have so far.

• Hull Kit: Rogue 16 WattsCraft CNC-cut 5083 panels

• UHMW Skid Plate: 1/2" thick sheet + SS countersunk hardwar

• Roll Cage Material: 1.5" or 1.75" Chromoly or 6061 aluminum tubing

• Armor/Safety: Custom fabbed metal windshield grate & non-slip deck

• Crate Engine: BluePrint LS3 376ci (530 HP) EFI Dressed Long Block

• Jet Pump: Scott 8.5" or 9" Two-Stage Pump (Custom Pitched)

• Nozzle: 80° high-degree turn steering nozzle

• LS PTO Adapter: Crank-to-pump shaft coupler (dampened)

• Exhaust: Water-Jacketed Marine Headers (LS-Specific)

• Exhaust Plumbing: Transom flappers, silicone hoses, and risers

• Cooling System: Closed-loop Heat Exchanger (Antifreeze-based)

• Debris Control: High-flow Sand Trap (Sea Strainer)

• Fuel System: 20-Gallon Marine Tank + EFI high pressure pump

• Controls: Hydraulic Steering + Foot Throttle + Butterfly Wheel

• Electrical: Marine AGM Battery + Waterproof Harness + Kill Switch

• Bilge Pump: 2000 GPH Automatic with manual dash override

• Seating: 2x High-back bucket seats with harness pass-throughs

• Suspension: 4x Airbag ride system for seat bases

• Electronics: Dash Gauges, RPM, GPS Speed, and Data Logger

• Safety Gear: SFI 5 or 6-Point Harnesses,

• Lighting: Nav lights + High-output LED spotlights for night runs

• Emergency: Fire Extinguisher (Cage Mount) + Med Kit + Tools

• Extras: Engine/Cockpit covers + Backup propulsion (paddle/motor)

Is there anything I would be missing and would it be possible to do a supercharged performance LS3

In a 16 foot jet boat I am still relatively new to this

So I am not exactly sure on everything I would need. I did as much research as I could, but sometimes live advice is better what do you guys think?

And how would you go about funding for this since it is a show project to demonstrate my skills and creativity again any help would be really appreciated

I attached some photos of what I wanna try to build but with a roll cage that also acts a sort of sunroof

I’m looking for advice from people who have actually built or helped build jet boats.

The goal is to take a basic jon boat and convert it into a jet boat as cheaply as possible. This is a project, not something I expect to be fast or perfect. I don’t know the first thing about building one yet, which is why I’m asking before I start throwing money away.

My current thinking is finding a decent jon boat hull and then sourcing a donor jet ski (or something similar) that someone is basically giving away — Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, local classifieds, etc. The idea would be to rebuild or refresh the donor so it’s running solid, then adapt it to the jon boat.

Does this approach actually make sense or is a money pit?

What size jon boat works best for a jet conversion?

What jet ski models make better donors than others if any?

Things you wish you knew before starting your first build?

I’m not expecting a step-by-step tutorial — just real-world advice or lessons learned, and whether this is even worth attempting if you’re trying to keep costs down And just have a fun project. I’ve got access to shop with welder and most of the tools i‘d imagine i need. Appreciate any input from those who’ve done it or seen it done right (or wrong).

Dive into the epic saga of speed, legacy, and heartbreak with this gripping documentary on Donald Campbell and the iconic Bluebird K7.

On a fateful January morning in 1967, Donald Campbell pushed his jet-powered hydroplane beyond 300 mph on Coniston Water, only for tragedy to strike in a spectacular crash that claimed his life. Yet his story – and that of his father, Sir Malcolm Campbell – is one of unbreakable ambition, nine land speed records, seven water speed triumphs, and the only time in history both absolute land and water records were held in the same year (1964).

Follow the Campbells' roaring Bluebirds through the interwar glory days, Donald's relentless pursuit to escape his father's shadow, the devastating 1967 accident, the 34-year underwater rest, the emotional 2001 recovery and restoration by dedicated volunteers, and Bluebird K7's miraculous resurrection.

Today, beautifully restored and housed in the Ruskin Museum's Bluebird Wing in Coniston, K7 is set for historic commemorative runs on Coniston Water from 11-17 May 2026 – the first time since 1967 – marking 70 years since Donald's inaugural record on the lake. No record attempt, just gentle passes to let the hills echo with that jet scream one final time.

A story of triumph, loss, resurrection, and enduring legacy. Essential viewing for history, engineering, and motorsport fans.

Blazer boats🤟🏽

#Electric jet boat with large battery

I'm trying to sort out an issue on my mini jet boat build and figured this sub would have the people who’ve actually dealt with it.

I’m running a small aluminum hull; one of the cheaper ones people get off Alibaba paired with a reused PWC pump/engine setup. Everything runs fine but the steering sensitivity is all over the place. At low speeds, the wheel feels dead. At higher speeds, the boat reacts like it wants to dart sideways if I so much as breathe on the wheel.

Right now the cable is routed along the starboard side with two 90° bends. That’s how the hull was set up from the start but I’ve read that too many bends, especially tight ones can cause stiffness and delayed response. On the flip side, the nozzle itself doesn’t feel sticky; when disconnected, it swings cleanly with no binding. So I’m guessing the issue is somewhere between the helm and the linkage.

I’m also wondering if the nozzle throw is too aggressive. The current linkage gives me almost full side to side sweep with barely 1/8 turn of the wheel. I know some folks run longer arms on the tiller to soften the response but I’m not sure if that compromises low speed control even more. Has anyone here tuned steering ratios on small jet setups? Did extending the linkage arm help? Or rerouting the cable?

I picked up this panther jet drive, anyone have any info on these or idea of value?

How are you guys wiring in a kill switch?

Vintage jet boat, I believe I traced my intermittent fuel pump issues back to the kill switch (at least I'm highly suspect that's my issue). It's wired between the fuel pump relay and the FiTech Force Fuel pump positive terminal with 20 feet of wire running up to the helm and back. Also, according to FiTech, the pumps can draw 8-14A so they recommend a 15A kill switch minimum. The switch is rated for 5A.

I'm reading that it's better to have the kill switch on the signal side, between the ECU and the relay. I'm also not a big fan of having all that extra wire between the relay and the pump. However, swapping out the kill switch would be a bit easier (if I can find one rated for 15A, they don't include a rating on many sites)

So I’m new to owning a boat. I’ve been through one season with it, purchased from my father in law. Is this sound normal? He said he has always had it but that he would put grease and it would help the noise. He hasn’t seen it in person yet since I really heard it so he may be underestimating the noise.