Broke out the saw. 650 shorten/ lighten

[quintonvincent]

It takes a lot of power to make a short boat work.

You mean you don't think the 650 will do? I never thought about that.

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[kevbo]

Try it and see how you like it. The short hulls with short poles are rarely planed out. They just mush along and use power to do a flip. You can add a 750 nozzle wedge if its too short for your height/weight.

 

[quintonvincent]

My main concern was making the ski smaller to store and transport, plus I just like messing around with learning new things and seeing what I'm capable of. I had assumed it would porpoise like crazy, but I've never ridden anything so modified.

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[kevbo]

It will mainly depend on your physical size. Anyway, nothing ventured nothing gained, you're sure to learn something from the endeavor.

 

[Sanoman]

I don't keep track, its 20-30 minutes every time I work on it. I sand and shape for 15 minutes then lay down some glass. I use a 3:1 epoxy so I try to prep just enough area to use 4 oz of epoxy which isn't much. I always do the first layer with a thin tape to make sure there are no air bubbles and then ill do 2 layers wet of heavy fabric twice over the top of that.

I don't really have much of a plan on paper, so I just look at it when I get out there and start working, so I've had to re do multiple areas or scrap ideas halfway through a few times. If I had to guess I'd say maybe 80 hours so far.

It weighs 40-50 right now with no pole, hood, or pump. I didn't weigh it before but I cut about 15lb off of it.

I'm glad you are curious about the process, I always have been but noone really posts the little details and steps of the process that seem boring and insignificant, but the truth is this whole process is just a ton of baby steps, and you don't have to be a pro to do it. All you need is the guys to chop up your ski, a little general knowledge of epoxy and fiberglass, a lot of sandpaper, and the ability to function with tiny shards of glass in your hands and arms everyday lol.

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Advise wise,plan five steps ahead,(and put some shoes on or at least flip flops)

 

[quintonvincent]

To glass over the pipe bulge I put 3 layers of rags on the pipe and covered them with plastic, taped it to the pipe and installed it. Then I did one layer of glass over the shape the pipe made with the rags on it. Then I did 4 layers of glass on the outside and 2 on the inside. While It was on its side I used gravity to help tape the full inner seam on the left side again, as well as the outer seam on the right. I also threw down 2 layers on the deck.

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[quintonvincent]

Tonight I lined the nose and muffler with plastic and filled the voids with foam. Then I put more plastic and foam and dropped in the gas tank. Hopefully it all comes out and I have a modular system I can get in and out easily. I ground off all of the mounting brackets and braces when I was reinforcing the hull so a secure system with no more fiberglass work would be sweet. Also a rare pic of my shop crew. t

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[quintonvincent]

We might have a delay on the project. I picked this up today.

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[quintonvincent]

Got tired of sanding. So I just shot it with primer, I'll bondo all the ugly spots. I think ill have a little texture for the base coat to hide the imperfections and help negate scratches.

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[Vumad]

Got tired of sanding. So I just shot it with primer, I'll bondo all the ugly spots. I think ill have a little texture for the base coat to hide the imperfections and help negate scratches.

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Looks good, but I think you need to change your exhaust.

The stock SX/X2 exhaust is 1.75" or less, but the hull can take a 750/800 motor and a superjet pipe. The size outlet will limit your upgrade possibilities.

More importantly, the best my X2 ever ran was with a superjet waterbox to a right rear exhaust. The stock exhaust going in and out the left side has no high point. The waterbox stays full of water. Subsequently the pipe chamber stays full of water. This causes a lot of back pressure and water ingestion. The stock boxes really have a hard time keeping water out leaning left and a hard time clearing it out leaning right.

The superjet waterbox added a high point in the system while flat. Leaning left water can't get into the exhaust system and leaning right the water easily exits.

Consider while you are at this stage obtaining a superjet style waterbox and a B1 exhaust outlet mounted between the battery and the carbs. Route the hose over the gas tank and battery so you have a high point in the exhaust system.

I have not run the @JetManiac waterbox, so I can't say it is the best solution. I haven't even tried one in my X2 so I can't guarentee the fitment. However of all the boxes I have looked at, I feel it might be the best candidate as an alternative to the stock SJ box. I've had the Stock SJ box in my X2, but never in my old SX.

I have never been satisfied with the performance of my X2 and I have tried a lot of things. Take the above with a grain of salt. Reflect on it and do your on research. Don't just take my word for it. I'm a hack.

PS. Water ingestion has been the biggest problem with my X2 and after years of trying to keep it out of the intake, I realized it is all coming from the exhaust. My 1st ski was a 650sx, and guess what happened to it. Water ingestion crank grenade.

If you go this route, you can easily 3d print an exhaust outlet cover.

 

[quintonvincent]

Alot of good info I appreciate hearing from someone who has been there done that! Did you run the pipe dry? I can't imagine running it at full throttle and then coming off plane to jump or stunt would lead to water ingestion.

I've been wondering about creating a high point in the exhaust, especially with my loss of buoyancy from the smaller hull. I've had this ski for a few seasons and never really had an issue before, so I didn't think about it.

I may to add a scupper valve of some sort if it pulls in too much water.

In all reality this project started as $50 junk ski and it has morphed into "just get it out of the garage and on the lake" now that I've got 4 kids, also I just picked up that 750sxi and a waveblaster 1.

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[Vumad]

Alot of good info I appreciate hearing from someone who has been there done that! Did you run the pipe dry? I can't imagine running it at full throttle and then coming off plane to jump or stunt would lead to water ingestion.

I've been wondering about creating a high point in the exhaust, especially with my loss of buoyancy from the smaller hull. I've had this ski for a few seasons and never really had an issue before, so I didn't think about it.

I may to add a scupper valve of some sort if it pulls in too much water.

In all reality this project started as $50 junk ski and it has morphed into "just get it out of the garage and on the lake" now that I've got 4 kids, also I just picked up that 750sxi and a waveblaster 1.

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I think what happens is you lean the ski to the left when you fall, it fill the exhaust with water, then you lean the ski back to get started or get rolled to the right in the surf and the full exhaust spills into the motor. It only takes enough to cause the ski to struggle to start, and then it just keeps eating more.

My 650sx was stock. Over the years my X2 has had a westcoast 650 and a variety of fraken pipes from factory pipe. All of my frakenpipe setups have been a Kawi 650 westcoast exhaust manifold with a kawi 750 FPP head pipe. The Kawi manifold bolt pattern matches the yamaha, but the kawi kicks the head pipe into the hull. The 650 westcoast is beefy enough to be ported and uses an angle that lets the head pipes fit into the hull. With this setup, I have run a Kawi 750 limited chamber and a superjet chamber. I also have a friend running a different aftermarket 650 pipe but I forget which.

All of them eat water. All X2 do.

My friend is running a single mikuni 44 with an OEM superjet airbox and I am running a slightly modified OEM 760 airbox on duel mikuni 44s. They munch water.

I have been trying to address the issue from the intake side for years. That is why I am convinced it comes from the exhaust. Kawi is too. No ski after the SX/X2 had left sided exhaust.

 

[Vumad]

I'll sure you'll be fine for a flatwater boat if you dont want to do any more work to it. Just be mindful of the issue. It's not a huge deal to patch the exhaust hole and put in a B1 outlet later.

 

[quintonvincent]

If I ride without a lanyard, even in the surf and it idles when I fall of would it still be a bother? Ive rolled it a few times and it never turned off. The surf here in Texas is really pretty minimal.

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[Vumad]

If I ride without a lanyard, even in the surf and it idles when I fall of would it still be a bother? Ive rolled it a few times and it never turned off. The surf here in Texas is really pretty minimal.

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I can't answer these questions for you.

I spent years chasing performance and when I rode the people's skis I was taking advice from I found out I was taking bad advice. Some people have ridden my X2 and though it was awesome, while I find it disappointing. I have found that people have wildly different expectations of performance and riding experiences vary. You may never have a single issue with water.

At a minimum you'd have to patch the hole, buy a waterbox, buy hoses. buy an exhaust outlet and re paint. Your ski is done the way you have it. I think you should just run it as is. You can change the exhaust later if you are having issues.

 

[quintonvincent]

Made a gas cap cover... used some random brackets from the teardown. It ain't pretty, but it will do I'm just about sick of sanding fiberglass. Lol.

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[Vumad]

You don't have to sand anymore if you dont want to. If anyone gives you a look, just give them a look back and smugly say "bondo ads weight" and chuckle.

 

[kevbo]

Your knees and shins will not like those sharp corners.

 

[quintonvincent]

Your knees and shins will not like those sharp corners.

The sharp corners on the gas cap cover?

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[kevbo]

Behind the hood.