Custom/Hybrid Custom EME Q8 Build

[JFGJetski]

So over Christmas break I picked up an eme q8 that a guy pulled from a mold, it was pretty beat up and had a few patch jobs on the bottom. Once I brought it home and started going over it I discovered it was in a lot worse shape than I had originally thought.( I knew that there was going to be fiberglass work but not as much as this) Since I was looking for a winter project anyways I decided I was going to restore the whole ski.

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[JFGJetski]

After thinking of what to do do with what I had, I have decided that I want to end up reinforcing the whole hull considering it was very thin and even soft in some spots, with a major area that was completely soft. I plan on laying two layers of carbon fiber on the outside of the lower deck one will be a reinforcement layer (6k 2x2 twill 11oz) and the other will be a visual purple inlayed carbon fiber. (3k 2x2 twill 5.9oz) In the engine compartment I plan on laying 2 strong layers on the very bottom and then 1 or 2 more layers completely around the inside of the engine compartment. (12k 2x2 twill 19.7oz) I plan on doing this part in a few steps just to make it easier to lay up. For the tray I plan on reinforcing the inside with 2 layers (12k 2x2 twill 19.7oz) and then I plan on pouring pour foam and then sanding down to get a mold for my tray then for the tray I plan on laying 4 layers of carbon fiber (12k 2x2 twill 19.7oz). I use west systems epoxy and I am getting all my carbon fiber from composite envisions.

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[JFGJetski]

I first started off with removing all the gel coat from the bottom because I felt like it would not provide a good bonding surface due to it chipping when I just pulled the decals off. After doing that you can see just how thin the hull is. I Also cut the tray open and de-foamed it. Once inside the tray I found a smoke hole in the exahust tube from corrosion, and a few of the mounting points for the pump and intake were all corroded. This was probably due to the hull originally being used in salt water.

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[JFGJetski]

After all the gel coat was removed I started to fill in the holes and alter the shape of the bottom a little bit with epoxy and filler. After the first coat I sanded it smooth and repeated this step 3 times so far. After 2 coats of silica filler I applied a faring compond, basically an epoxy bondo to start final sanding and getting a smoth finish for my carbon fiber cloth.

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[JFGJetski]

I have since sanded and this is where I'm currently at. The biggest change I have made to the hull so far would be the nose. I have added a little bit more rocker and rounded it out. I am considering adding a little rocker to the rear. I have seen it done to others skies. Any first hand experience from anyone who has done this. How does it ride?

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[JFGJetski]

Disclaimer: I don't need to be told that I'm doing an unnecessary amount of work or that I should have just bought a solid a/m hull and not one pulled from a mold. I'm doing this for the experience and because I enjoy working on jetskis. Also I'm an 18 year old high school student with limited knowledge. Which means, and I'll admit I don't know everything, so If I ask what you may perceive as a dumb question, or I do something that you may not find necessary cut me some slack as I just may not know the answer. I am very open to tips, help and other advice that you more knowledgable people may have, just don't bash me

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[Storbeck]

Looks like you've got a hell of a project ahead of you.

I assume this is not how EME makes them, this is some splash job?

Looks good to me so far but I also don't know what I'm doing! Will be a great learning experience!

 

[JFGJetski]

Looks like you've got a hell of a project ahead of you.

I assume this is not how EME makes them, this is some splash job?

Looks good to me so far but I also don't know what I'm doing! Will be a great learning experience!

Yes, the guy I got it from laid the ski up in a mold I believe he modified his mold of the ski for a bigger pump tunnel and on the top the handle pole mounting location was widened a bit. And I pretty sure some other stuff but I don't remember.

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[JFGJetski]

I got what I hope will be the last coat of faring compound, letting it cure then I'll sand tommorow

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[N3vrSat1sfied]

Nice, restore! Q8's may be old technology now but they were fun well rounded skis. You could flatwater flip or go huge in the surf!

So this is original EME that Highroller(Dan Stein) used to splash?

 

[JFGJetski]

Nice, restore! Q8's may be old technology now but they were fun well rounded skis. You could flatwater flip or go huge in the surf!

So this is original EME that Highroller(Dan Stein) used to splash?

Thank you, and yes I got this Dirrect from Dan over Christmas Break

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[JFGJetski]

After endless hours of sanding I'm basically finished with that dirty work, still have a little more to do on the bottom but not much. I got the tray and engine bay all ready for carbon fiber.... got all the old cooling line holes and thru hull fitting holes patched up so no air leaks will be present during vaccum bagging( hopefully). Also as seen in the last photo I leveled out the gap between the two engine mounting locations so I can plexus epoxy in 2 1/2 inch aluminum plates, unlike the sketchy previous setup that ran 4 individual 1/4 inch plates that were secured to the hull with 5200 and a single screw through the bottom

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[JFGJetski]

Also, I got 2 new ride plate mounts made and will be doing the pump mounts tommorow. I made them out of 1/2 inch aluminum and just cut them to length and width and drilled and tapped 2 holes. Currently waiting on some plexus epoxy in the mail to mount them into the hull. Also seen in the last photo is the current flimsy pump mount that the previous owner glassed in, which was the same designe as the ride plate mounts..... fyi one of the ride plate mounts almost pulled through the hull because of the way he made them and epoxied them in. The way he made them was with 2, 3/8 inch aluminum blocks welded to 1/8 inch aluminum plate that connected the two blocks

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[Harbor]

Just found your build thread lol... looks good man.... oh, I may have ordered the wrong plexus gun, not sure... but the plunger tips on the gun were the same size... the plexus has 2 different diag tubes... so what I did was remove one plunger tip and used a washer’d 13mm locking nut and put it on backwards so the washer faced to tube, then adj till they were both even....

 

[JFGJetski]

Just found your build thread lol... looks good man.... oh, I may have ordered the wrong plexus gun, not sure... but the plunger tips on the gun were the same size... the plexus has 2 different diag tubes... so what I did was remove one plunger tip and used a washer’d 13mm locking nut and put it on backwards so the washer faced to tube, then adj till they were both even....

Haha, thanks, also good to know, well see if I run into the same problem once I get it in the mail

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[JFGJetski]

Just got finished laying my first layer of carbon fiber down in the engine bay, this was to seal off a few holes in the fire wall so I can vaccum bag without any leaks. For my first time ever working with carbon fiber I'd say it came out pretty good.

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[JFGJetski]

Haven't posted in a while but starting to get some things done, got some carbon down in the tray, this wasn't vaccum bagged, only put it down to seal the bottom from pin holes before I vaccum bag. Same with inside the engine bay too.

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[JFGJetski]

Also made new mounts for my mid shaft and ride plate all made from 1/2in aluminum. Also in the process of making my engine mount plates that glue to the hull.... I'll get pictures of all this tommorow

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[JFGJetski]

Finally got my vaccum gauge in the mail after it being back ordered now I can vaccum bag! Also got new mid shaft mount done but still have to mill my engine mount plates

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[Harbor]

Looks nice man !