Canadian X-jet rebuild

[cookn]

Picked up this waterdawg xjet from
@brentR. I needed a replacement for my tired old square nose and something I could put the 155 pump in I have here. I am not quite ready to pull the trigger on a new aftermarket hull, so this should be a good in between. I don't normally do build threads but I'd like to know some
More history on this hull. I have seen a few old posts about it, and I believe it was built in 03 and was one of the first. Was the original intake just left open with no grate? I would like to do something other then the two pieces of aluminum glued in there. It has been chopped short and tray defoamed, but needs to be cleaned up and put back together. I have some various changes in mind and depending on how busy summer gets we will see how they go, stayed tuned for more.

 

[Jr Freestyle]

http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/need-help-finding-sunkin-ski-not-anymore.4400/page-26


That ski had a lot of history , it spent some time at the bottom of the lake

 

[cookn]

yea he said they lost it for 5 months. dave should of hired that guy to look for his ski

 

[CRJ]

Nice! I was on the fence about it, it looks like a decent project. Should be a fun ski once finished!

 

[cookn]

It needs alot of work but I have time.

 

[CRJ]

Yep thats one thing im out of. Im interested to see what you do to it!

 

[cookn]

@RiverRat did you have a x-jet? What's everyone's opinion on the wide spots in the middle of the rails?

 

[RiverRat]

Jeff offered various bottom decks to choose from. I had the newest REV bottom deck on mine and did not like how it handled. The top deck however is awesome! The ultimate roundnose style ski.

My bottom deck however proved to crap. Zinc played inserts that rusted out, engine bay liner that cracked and hull that cracked. Never had any issues out of the top deck. A standard superjet bottoms would have been perfect for that hull.

Jeff did like to experiment on the intake and bottom and most xjets were all different because of that.

 

[cookn]

Haha yea sounds like this bottom deck as well. Thanks for the info

 

[Ducky]

Nice lookin' project! I would cut down those gunwales....I never liked that swooping look but thats just me. I think it makes it so much sexier when those are cut down straight.

 

[RiverRat]

If u plan to tear the ski down I would just junk the bottom deck and fit a sj bottom on there. Unless you do a lot of hood tricks you don't need the rail extensions. I cut mine off and it looked better. Depending on how heavy he laid up that hull a bottom deck refit will drop a fair amount of weight.

Cool hull and have fun with the project. I would not mind getting anouth Xjet if Jeff still has the molds.

 

[cookn]

I wish I had a bottom deck to use, my square nose is spoken for already, the hulls are still hard to get up here. I plan on cutting the rails back and maybe some nose rocker. I did some grinding yesterday and found a lot of bad Fiberglass. The inserts are all in pretty rough shape like you said and the bulkhead/motor mount tray is coming loose. All stuff that should be fixable though.

 

[yamanube]

Somebody who can relate to my pain, I am also in the process of re-working an X-Jet. My intake tract is the same as your but I don't have the aluminum plates, that looks like it could have been a post-waterdawg install? In my opinion, the rail extensions aren't very noticeable when riding, I will be leaving mine, all of my inserts are rusting. Like RiveRat says, pay attention to the bottom bilge liner and the bulkhead and if your exhaust tube is still PVC, replace it now.

http://x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/wdk-x-jet-freeride-re-build.156303/

 

[cookn]

I have been picking away at the grinding. Finding all the hidden demons. The top of the bond had a big crack/rotten spot that I ground out and the entire hood seal area is made of various epoxies and putties.I cut the back rails kind of like the dvx. I think that's the look I'm gonna go for on this build. Dvx-jet has a good ring to it.

 

[RiverRat]

I swear it is 4x the work to rebuild something vs building from scratch. Good progress.

 

[cookn]

Totally but at least for me this will be cheaper then scratch. I have most of the materials lying around for this and I have a roll of heavy fiberglass mat being donated to the build. As much as I hate grinding, each session gets me a little more stoked to ride this thing, I have never had the chance to do a summer build either. Working outside is awesome for these stages

 

[cookn]

Still grinding... Almost done, been collecting supplies for the build. Chinese gas tank, and h20 flow box, and a big roll of glass Mat. Hopefully on to some glass work soon!

 

[jackmarcus]

That gas tank looks nice, what'd you spend on it?

 

[cookn]

It was just over 200 with shipping and duties from China off ebay. The front corner may need to be modded for pipe clearance but the nicest low cost option I could find.

 

[jetx]

Update ?