FX-1 144 pump conversion, wide bond rail, ping pong balls and more!

AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Hey guys
So I've been riding fx1s for the past four years now (both my uncle and aunt owned one) so I decided after riding a couple different hulls to go with what I've known and love: the Fx1. Picked up my aunt's this summer for $1200: bone stock, cherry graphics, etc. Probably only 30 hours total on this ski before I started riding it this summer. Have loved it in the ocean so far, just looking to upgrade it to its full capabilities. So here's what's in store:
Tom21 wide tray
Tom21 pump/intake insert
Toby footholds
Wide bond rail
Tom21 tubbies
Ping pong balls
Reinforce everything
ATP Billet pole
B pipe
Other miscellaneous odds and ends

Pics to follow. Will probably have quite a few questions due to this being my first time working with fiberglass. But I'm motivated and willing to learn! Hope she turns out good
 

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AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Small update:
The build has been going slower than I would have liked, waiting for parts, waiting for fiberglass, and a lot of school work. But Christmas break is next week so I hope I'll be able to grind quite a bit of it out. Also want to say thank you to all the people I have bought parts from!

-First pic is of where the fire extinguisher holder used to be, now filled with foam (but will be ping pong balls). I plan on glassing over that next
-Second pic is the hood liner I removed. Contemplating putting it back in or not...which leads to my question:

Option 1: Should I glass over the holes in pics 3 and 1 and just use the dual breather atp pole bracket as my air source?
Option 2: Should I put baffles on from the holes in pic 1 down into the engine compartment and glass over the rear holes?
Or Option 3: Should I just put the liner back in and leave it stock after I reinforce the hood?

Or if there is a different option you can think of let me know. Always good to hear some other opinions

photo (10).jpgphoto (8).jpgphoto (9).jpg
 
redwood

redwood

Location
Ontario Canada
The stock fx hood is an awesome design in stock form. Lightweight and reasonably strong. I would personally put the stock liner back in if possible. I've tried without a liner (PVC tubes) and I wasn't happy with it. Cool build, looking forward to the wide bondrail pics! Stay motivated
 
hornedogg79

hornedogg79

dodgin' bass boats
It's a great design but not very strong. Will eventually start cracking if flopped on its side enough. I was forced to mod my hood after a lil carnage. The liner made my ski way stronger around the hood lip/seal area (which is an fx1 weak spot) It doesn't flex at all when the hood is strapped down. It serves as a cross brace. I filled the top holes and left the front and back open. Can sub over and over... hardly takes on any water.
http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/89057-hornedogg-s-FX-1-build/page7

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AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Putting a liner in does seem like the smartest option like you guys mentioned it will make it stronger. I probably will make my own though, that stock plastic one is too flimsy in my opinion. More work, but I'd rather do it now than after I land a barrel roll on my side. Thanks guys appreciate the input

Another question (random): does Bondo or any other body fillers adhere to gel coat or fiberglass?
 
AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
KTM434 said:
What kind of footholds/straps do you plan on running with the Tom21 widetray?
Click to expand...

Toby footholds, which as it looks right now I will have to modify the back of them due to how wide the tray will be. And dakine footstraps. For sure one in the front for my left foot, possibly one in the rear depending on if it will be in the way of my foothold
 
AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Well its been awhile since I updated this, got a little spare time right now so here goes (most of this stuff was done back in november)

Here's how the ski started. Bone stock fx1. Loved the graphics but I've got an idea for some similiar ones later on. Started with de-turf and de-sticker
 

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AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Next up was to cut out the tray (going to be putting in a Tom21 14.5 inch tray). Defoaming was pretty easy since it was completely dry, which kinda made me a little sad, but since the ski was so clean I knew it would be :doh: Anyways, that didn't take too long, filled up a couple trash cans full and was onto grinding out all of that green glue in the engine compartment (Always wear respiration and long sleeves!).
 

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AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
Here's the Tom21 wide tray and also the Tom21 144 intake tunnel. As you can see, it is MUCH bigger than the little baby 122. Will also be running toby footholds with 1 inch padding. I traced the footholds to the tray and then made the appropriate cuts. It will be awhile before I finally install those though, but it looks pretty good. Should be plenty wide enough compared to the stock tray.
 

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swapmeet

swapmeet

Brotastic
Location
Arlington TX
AAlamo said:
Another question (random): does Bondo or any other body fillers adhere to gel coat or fiberglass?
Click to expand...

Since nobody answered you, epoxy resin mixed with 3M phenolic balloons is the best filler. It won't absorb water but its sandable. You may have gleaned this from somewhere else but just in case.


You mentioned reinforcing everything, but no details. One of the best suggestions I received when i built my FX was to buy fiberglass rods (I think 3/8") and glass them in on the sides of the engine compartment but up underneath. The FX1's are prone to breaking there and some say once it is broken it'll never be the same.

Im also interested in the bond line widening. FX1 was my first Yamaha, but after riding SJ's I can stand them and its because of the narrow ass bond line. They don't do much in keeping the ski upright at all.

How strict are the local laws about fire extinguishers? My FX has the extinguisher delete and if I ever got stopped I would get a ticket... There's no place to put it.
May be too late but if not, keep that in mind before you glass that up.



*edit* your pics are super small. Brah.
 
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AAlamo

AAlamo

Location
Dalhart, TX
swapmeet said:
Since nobody answered you, epoxy resin mixed with 3M phenolic balloons is the best filler. It won't absorb water but its sandable. You may have gleaned this from somewhere else but just in case.


You mentioned reinforcing everything, but no details. One of the best suggestions I received when i built my FX was to buy fiberglass rods (I think 3/8") and glass them in on the sides of the engine compartment but up underneath. The FX1's are prone to breaking there and some say once it is broken it'll never be the same.

Im also interested in the bond line widening. FX1 was my first Yamaha, but after riding SJ's I can stand them and its because of the narrow ass bond line. They don't do much in keeping the ski upright at all.

How strict are the local laws about fire extinguishers? My FX has the extinguisher delete and if I ever got stopped I would get a ticket... There's no place to put it.
May be too late but if not, keep that in mind before you glass that up.



*edit* your pics are super small. Brah.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice on the bondo, what I decided to do was use it as a base, sanded it down smooth, then put epoxy over the top and sanded that flush with the areas i was looking to make flat (like the hood area). Not sure if this will work or not but I guess I'll find out. The laws arent too strict around here about fire extinguishers or whistles so I decided to go ahead and erase the fire extinguisher area and glass over (pics to follow). After much thought, I decided against widening the bond rails for the time being. Since I'm not sure how the ski will handle with the new intake, 144 pump and tubbies, I'm going to hold off on the wide bond rail for now. If I decide I still need the extra stability, I will change it later but for now I dont want to change the handling too much.
I ended up putting a 3/8 aluminum rod under the hood seal area and epoxied/glassed it in. It definitely helps strengthen the entire side of the ski.
Oh and how do I make the pics larger? I just went to manage attachments and then upload files to put them in the thread. Is there another way of doing this? Thanks
 
swapmeet

swapmeet

Brotastic
Location
Arlington TX
It appears that you're uploading thumbnails, not the actual size pictures. That or you're using the worst digital camera in the history of time.
 
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