- Location
- Everett, wa
I'd like to share what I learned from building a Rickter Edge. I've learned a lot from this forum. I received a tremendous amount of help from Jordan Fielder at Blowsion - he is a great guy and I can't say enough about how helpful and patient he has been with me - shout out to Jordan.
This was my first total ground up ski build so it was at times a challenge but I enjoyed the journey and learned a lot. My past experiance was doing some mods on my 2009 SJ and helping my son do a lot of mods to his Kaw 750. So I'm no expert but do enjoy wrenching if I have a little guidance (love Youtube and you fellow riders help) to help me a long.
I purchased a 2016 Edge and initially built it up a year ago with an engine (701) and pump (144mm solas mag) from a used Bob Gen 2 I had purchased previously. Over this past winter Jordan fixed me up with a Dasa 970 cc and a 148 mm solas mag pump. The ski is so much fun and I'm looking forward to warmer weather and a season of "not acting my age."
Things I learned: 1) I had no idea what the two metal rings were that came in a package with the hull - the mid-shaft and main shaft coupler spacers. It was after I had mounted the mid-shaft and engine that I stumbled across someone talking about them that I then learned what they were for. I did end up using only the main shaft coupler spacer to move the engine forward a little. 2) I learned after I had mounted the engine mounts to the rails with nuts and washers that the engine mount rails had grooves in the underside that the nuts fit into to hold the nuts from turning as you inserted and tightened the engine mount bolts to the rails. 3) You need to mount your pole spring prior to inserting the breather tubes into the pole and hull. 4) I replaced the scupper value with a Thrust ball valve. The guys at Thrust were very helpful in guiding me with this installation and I believe Rickter should make the Thrust ball valve standard on their skis. Works a lot better than the flap scupper value. 5) The waffle turf that comes with the Edge is stiff and the edges of the little square waffle texture are sharp. I ripped a nice piece of skin off my knee on one of these little squares. So I took a dremel tool with a sanding drum on it and sanded off all the little squares on the back portion of the tray. I'll re-turf the ski next winter with diamond molded hydro turf which is not so sharp edged and stiff. 6) If you build up any ski with a smaller engine initially with plans to get a bigger engine latter think ahead how you'd mount the pissers. In my initial build I only ran two pissers so I mounted the pisser where I thought cosmetically and functionally they would work good. Upon getting the Dase 970 I needed to go to four pissers. This lead to having to do a less than desired cosmetically install of the two additional pissers. Not a big deal but I like things to look good. 7) If you don't know something don't be afraid to ask for advice from this forum or suppliers. 8) Tell your friends not to wait until they are 55 years old to start standup jet ski riding. I regret not getting into this sport earlier but I'm going to do my best to make up for lost time as long as I can. 9) Sometime this summer I want to re-route the cooling lines towards the back of the engine for a "cleaner look".
Thanks again to all of you that share you builds and reply to questions on this forum. And again I can't say enough about how great of a guy Jordan is and all the folks at Blowsion have been to me. Attached are some pictures.
This was my first total ground up ski build so it was at times a challenge but I enjoyed the journey and learned a lot. My past experiance was doing some mods on my 2009 SJ and helping my son do a lot of mods to his Kaw 750. So I'm no expert but do enjoy wrenching if I have a little guidance (love Youtube and you fellow riders help) to help me a long.
I purchased a 2016 Edge and initially built it up a year ago with an engine (701) and pump (144mm solas mag) from a used Bob Gen 2 I had purchased previously. Over this past winter Jordan fixed me up with a Dasa 970 cc and a 148 mm solas mag pump. The ski is so much fun and I'm looking forward to warmer weather and a season of "not acting my age."
Things I learned: 1) I had no idea what the two metal rings were that came in a package with the hull - the mid-shaft and main shaft coupler spacers. It was after I had mounted the mid-shaft and engine that I stumbled across someone talking about them that I then learned what they were for. I did end up using only the main shaft coupler spacer to move the engine forward a little. 2) I learned after I had mounted the engine mounts to the rails with nuts and washers that the engine mount rails had grooves in the underside that the nuts fit into to hold the nuts from turning as you inserted and tightened the engine mount bolts to the rails. 3) You need to mount your pole spring prior to inserting the breather tubes into the pole and hull. 4) I replaced the scupper value with a Thrust ball valve. The guys at Thrust were very helpful in guiding me with this installation and I believe Rickter should make the Thrust ball valve standard on their skis. Works a lot better than the flap scupper value. 5) The waffle turf that comes with the Edge is stiff and the edges of the little square waffle texture are sharp. I ripped a nice piece of skin off my knee on one of these little squares. So I took a dremel tool with a sanding drum on it and sanded off all the little squares on the back portion of the tray. I'll re-turf the ski next winter with diamond molded hydro turf which is not so sharp edged and stiff. 6) If you build up any ski with a smaller engine initially with plans to get a bigger engine latter think ahead how you'd mount the pissers. In my initial build I only ran two pissers so I mounted the pisser where I thought cosmetically and functionally they would work good. Upon getting the Dase 970 I needed to go to four pissers. This lead to having to do a less than desired cosmetically install of the two additional pissers. Not a big deal but I like things to look good. 7) If you don't know something don't be afraid to ask for advice from this forum or suppliers. 8) Tell your friends not to wait until they are 55 years old to start standup jet ski riding. I regret not getting into this sport earlier but I'm going to do my best to make up for lost time as long as I can. 9) Sometime this summer I want to re-route the cooling lines towards the back of the engine for a "cleaner look".
Thanks again to all of you that share you builds and reply to questions on this forum. And again I can't say enough about how great of a guy Jordan is and all the folks at Blowsion have been to me. Attached are some pictures.
