Lightened OEM SJ Review

[FL-cracker]

1st I would just like to say what a huge difference in the way this boat handles/ comes out of the water! <---- Sorry to break it to all you none believers like that:haha:

But its not all just perfect yet.

I have one major issue.... the nose of this boat is just too light. Right now, I am running a heavy 16lb battery to try and help the issue.... its still pretty bad.

My problem is when doing a Stab, or inverted sub, or anything that puts me on the tail of the ski, it is hard to pull myself back up onto a plane.... and ride away.

I am considering putting a race rideplate back on.

Right now I am at -3.5" on the pole, and -2.5" XMW steering... -6" from stock overall.... This doesnt seem to be enough! Looks like i wil take another 2" from the pole, and see what happens.

Im just glad I saved 4k from buying a 15lb lighter AM hull, just by thinking outside the box that so many members are stuck inside of.

My Boat is atleast 25lbs lighter then Stock..... no problem!

Any suggestions/input would be great!

Thanks
Bronson

 

[Big Kahuna]

put some lead under the gas tank......... you are running a stock tank, you can also put lead under the waterbox.

 

[sjetrider]

put some lead under the gas tank......... you are running a stock tank, you can also put lead under the waterbox.

Lighten her up to make it heavy again? I would try different props, ride plates and intake grates before cutting more off pole and or sticking lead in nose (which btw can fatigue a hull). How did you get so much weight out of the nose of the boat????? Or did you reshape the rear of the boat?

 

[WaveDemon]

put a conversion hood on it!

 

[njfl]

I would try to avoid adding weight up front as you just lost 25 pounds on the hull, you will likely have to add more than 25 pounds up front to compensate for the light nose. The lightness of the nose is enhanced by the added effective thrust of the motor pushing the nose up too.

Working on getting your body weight forward is the easiest thing to try, but may not be practical.

An extended plate is the next easiest thing to try.

Do you have a trim system to aid in setup wake and back flips?

How much do you use it? You could consider installing it as a trim down system to get you up on plane after tail landings (like the originally-designed purpose of the trim system for getting racers out of the hole and around turns).

 

[FL-cracker]

put a conversion hood on it!

^^^^ That would surely get my weight up toward the nose!..... that is what makes me believe I can go shorter on the pole without any problems.... got any good pics? Im sure that if i put my bars at the same height yours are..... your bars will still be 4-6"s further forward then my -6" pole!:bigeyes:

 

[FL-cracker]

I would try to avoid adding weight up front as you just lost 25 pounds on the hull, you will likely have to add more than 25 pounds up front to compensate for the light nose. The lightness of the nose is enhanced by the added effective thrust of the motor pushing the nose up too.
Working on getting your body weight forward is the easiest thing to try, but may not be practical.
An extended plate is the next easiest thing to try.

Do you have a trim system to aid in setup wake and back flips?

How much do you use it? You could consider installing it as a trim down system to get you up on plane after tail landings (like the originally-designed purpose of the trim system for getting racers out of the hole and around turns).

Makes since.... great info!

I am working heavily on this..... I can get myself up..... its just alot more work.

I dont have a trim system, but I was hoping to put one together for doing roles and maybe a flatwater backy attempt..... once I install my 780cc flattop bigbore motor.:Banane01:

 

[njfl]

^^^^ That would surely get my weight up toward the nose!..... that is what makes me believe I can go shorter on the pole without any problems.... got any good pics? Im sure that if i put my bars at the same height yours are..... your bars will still be 4-6"s further forward then my -6" pole!:bigeyes:

A shorter pole will definitely get the weight forward. However, ther fundamental difference between the H2O-X hood and a short pole is that the H2O-X hood is in a fixed position. The super-short handlepole puts you in a very uncomfortable riding position, leaning forward in a metastable state. There's only a small window of positioning that you can firmly lean in without dropping the pole to the hood. when the pole gets so short you lost the ability to stand and you end up leaning All of the time, even between tricks.

 

[Big Kahuna]

maybe a reversed pump wedge..........

 

[Sanford]

I don't think anyone will agree that a lightened flywheel will improve bottom response if you are shooting for that powerband/speed. However, a (stock) heavy flywheel will give you more consistent hook-up in chop or on the backstretch (more linear RPM). It also has the benefit of increased crankshaft life.

As for your issue with keeping the nose down, ease into the throttle, shift forward and use an extended ride plate. My SJ isn't 180hp but if I nail the gas from idle (or 20mph) it will jump out of water so I usually need to feather into the throttle. YMMV.

 

[WaveDemon]

^^^^ That would surely get my weight up toward the nose!..... that is what makes me believe I can go shorter on the pole without any problems.... got any good pics? Im sure that if i put my bars at the same height yours are..... your bars will still be 4-6"s further forward then my -6" pole!:bigeyes:

pics like this?

 

[WaveDemon]

not to be a d!ck but when pulling out of a landing your could put one foot forward to get the nose down.

I don't think your get a conversion hood but the amount of nose to tale control is great. when pulling out of a jump (or any surf riding) I can put a footforward with my knee against the hood and my weight on the bars and have a lot of control over where the nose goes.

 

[FL-cracker]

^^^ Thanks! Looks like for now I will put my Protec ride plate back on..... im not doing and BF'ers yet anyways....... I think stock rideplates suck!

 

[FL-cracker]

not to be a d!ck but when pulling out of a landing your could put one foot forward to get the nose down.

I don't think your get a conversion hood but the amount of nose to tale control great. when pulling out of a jump (or any surf riding) I can put a footforward with my knee against the hood and my weight on the bars and have a lot of control over where the nose goes.

I can only get my weight so far forward even at -6"....... im hackn 2" more off.... fuc it:cool2: call me a conversion wannabe.:haha:

I still wont be a huched over as you are on a conversion boat...... when the hell is someone gona let me ride one of those things damnit!

 

[Mark44]

^^^ Thanks! Looks like for now I will put my Protec ride plate back on..... im not doing and BF'ers yet anyways....... I think stock rideplates suck!

Stock plate is the only way to go IMO.:biggthumpup:

Mark44

 

[FL-cracker]

^^^^ HAHA, I new id get that.

 

[WaveDemon]

I can only get my weight so far forward even at -6"....... im hackn 2" more off.... fuc it:cool2: call me a conversion wannabe.:haha:

I still wont be a huched over as you are on a conversion boat...... when the hell is someone gona let me ride one of those things damnit!

drive over here and ride mine.

cut it much more and it will be easier to ride it with fix steering.

 

[special fx]

Try some "old school" style and take your feet out of the foot holds :biggrin:

Not trying to be a smart a** but I can't figure out why everyone rides with their feet so far back? I get the idea of locking in for certain tricks, but why do people ride that way as a "style"?

Let's see........shorten pole to get weight up front, then stand as far back as humanly possible........I don't get it?

 

[WaveDemon]

Try some "old school" style and take your feet out of the foot holds :biggrin:

Not trying to be a smart a** but I can't figure out why everyone rides with their feet so far back? I get the idea of locking in for certain tricks, but why do people ride that way as a "style"?

Let's see........shorten pole to get weight up front, then stand as far back as humanly possible........I don't get it?

good point.

 

[FL-cracker]

^^^^ I always ride in a surf stance style, other then when Im doing tricks that require the holds...... when recovering I aways pole my left foot out of the hold and put it forward...... my right foot I put toward the back of the ski to push myself up..... I need to try a wedge on top of my turf.

I also considered moving my holds forward a 1" or so, but not sure what that may do.