Mild WDK ROK Build

[holygoat]

So, I picked up a rough WDK ROK hull last week and started to put it together. She needs paint bad but I want to hit the water first to see what I think and then paint it over the winter. I still have my superjet to ride so she might hit the water for a few weeks, feel out what I like about the riding position and what I need to change, make some glass repairs and then go to paint.



This was the evening I got her home. I have both a single 44 on a 61x and twin 38s on a 62t, but I'm thinking I'll just stick with a straight 61x, single carb. I've got a B-Pipe for her, adjustable pole, and not much else, save for maybe some porting and a trim system. I want a fun all round ski, nothing extreme one way or the other.

In a past life she was looking like this, but my plan will be a plain white, probably with some modified OEM graphics. She's been sanded down to bare fibre on some of the bottom half of the hull so I'm gonna take the plunge and just gelcoat the entire ski white. This will be my first am build, and my first since the rebirth of my original basket case 440.

 

[Storbeck]

Very cool ski! Is that a glass hull or carbon?

Either way my opinion, I would suggest paint not gel coat. I've had a glass chan and a glass superfreak, admittedly both of those are not super high end hulls, but both eventually had tons of spider cracking in the gelcoat in higher stress areas. I think gelcoat is only used because it's cheap and easy to apply at the beginning of hull construction for a poly-resin glass hull. It's heavier, more prone to cracking, less resistant to stains, and harder to apply if you're doing it after the fact. $.02 from some guy in the Internet.

Either way I always though a ROK looks like it would be a fun hull. Should be awesome!

 

[fastgtfairlane]

Gelcoat is also heavier.. I sanded all of my gelcoat off on my superfreak and painted it with a base clear. I've also had decent results with spray paint. Need a good primer coat and light coats on the spray paint. The last coat you can lay it on thicker. My old superjet in the pic was painted with rustoleum in a can.

 

[holygoat]

Jury's out on paint vs gelcoat. The ski is down to fibreglass in some place, I was gonna gel the bottom then just thought I might as well gel the top too since I'm only going for a plain white and the ski is all glass.

I don't want to see it crack though, so there's also that.

 

[holygoat]

Very cool ski! Is that a glass hull or carbon?

Either way my opinion, I would suggest paint not gel coat. I've had a glass chan and a glass superfreak, admittedly both of those are not super high end hulls, but both eventually had tons of spider cracking in the gelcoat in higher stress areas. I think gelcoat is only used because it's cheap and easy to apply at the beginning of hull construction for a poly-resin glass hull. It's heavier, more prone to cracking, less resistant to stains, and harder to apply if you're doing it after the fact. $.02 from some guy in the Internet.

Either way I always though a ROK looks like it would be a fun hull. Should be awesome!

Glass ski btw!

 

[holygoat]

Not really anything interesting to share. Engine in, tank in, capped off my unused thru hull lines for now.



Found out pretty quickly you should not fit the pipe before the motor.



Motor in, need to mount my e box, fit my b pipe, mount a battery and plumb the cooling in. Then I should be ready for a pole and controls! Looking forward to seeing what it's like, then ripping it all apart for glass repairs and paint!

If I can borrow a throttle cable, I could be out Sunday which would be nice.

 

[fastgtfairlane]

I always out the pole on,and route cables etc first then the engine last so I'm not having to work around it the entire time. You'll figure out what works for you the hull when it comes to assembly.

 

[holygoat]

So after being told what a pinch pole was, I sealed off the old holes, and moved it 3" forward. Those holes were drilled off center and really annyoying, so I plugged it with an old license plate and silicone, aim of the game is get out and see what works before I do glass and paint.



I just want to see the ski out as soon as possible, it's not gonna be pretty but it's gonna work.

Now I need to drill the hole, fit my pool hose, and uh, I think that's it! Should hit the water next week and see.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Wait, you are moving your pole bracket back 3"???????????????????????????????????????

 

[holygoat]

Wait, you are moving your pole bracket back 3"???????????????????????????????????????

Yes. At full extension on my pole that puts my grips right over the lip of the hood / hull. This is a rec ski, I don't want to be bent over. Plus all the holes were misaligned witb the pole bracket. I'm going to try both variants and see what I prefer.

 

[fastgtfairlane]

Yeah don't move the pole back. The bars at the rear hood lip is the ideal spot to have the bars. Use some cabosil and a few layers of glass to cover the holes and drill new ones that line up. If you intend to do any aerial tricks you'll want the pole forward. Don't make any changes like that before riding it especially something like the pole mount location..you think the pole seems too short but you need to ride it first. The aftermarket skis are a completely different type of riding and require a more aggressive ride to get the most out of the shorter hull. Instead put a taller pole pad to sit the bars up higher, then use some riser bars.then you can rear the pole on the pad and ride when you want to "relax." The pole on my freak looks short but it's actually the perfect length once you're on it.

 

[holygoat]

Yeah don't move the pole back. The bars at the rear hood lip is the ideal spot to have the bars. Use some cabosil and a few layers of glass to cover the holes and drill new ones that line up. If you intend to do any aerial tricks you'll want the pole forward. Don't make any changes like that before riding it especially something like the pole mount location..you think the pole seems too short but you need to ride it first. The aftermarket skis are a completely different type of riding and require a more aggressive ride to get the most out of the shorter hull. Instead put a taller pole pad to sit the bars up higher, then use some riser bars.then you can rear the pole on the pad and ride when you want to "relax." The pole on my freak looks short but it's actually the perfect length once you're on it.

Lots to take in being totally new to aftermarket skis, so I really appreciate the detailed response. I currently have no pole pad, so I'll maybe go for a 1" pad. It's hard to imagine a pole that looks that short being correct, but I'll try it first.

Thanks again

 

[fastgtfairlane]

The pole on my shortened rockered superjet had the bars a foot in front of the hood seal area. Pole was very short and needed to be that way to get the nose to stay down.

 

[Roseand]

It's normal for your pole to feel too short on land. Whole different animal on the water.

 

[holygoat]

Really appreciate all the guidance guys. Will revert back to my short pole and see what I think.

 

[holygoat]

Yeah don't move the pole back. The bars at the rear hood lip is the ideal spot to have the bars. Use some cabosil and a few layers of glass to cover the holes and drill new ones that line up. If you intend to do any aerial tricks you'll want the pole forward. Don't make any changes like that before riding it especially something like the pole mount location..you think the pole seems too short but you need to ride it first. The aftermarket skis are a completely different type of riding and require a more aggressive ride to get the most out of the shorter hull. Instead put a taller pole pad to sit the bars up higher, then use some riser bars.then you can rear the pole on the pad and ride when you want to "relax." The pole on my freak looks short but it's actually the perfect length once you're on it.

Btw, putting my pole bracket as shown puts my bars back to the lip of the rear hood.

 

[bkspeedwerks]

Btw, putting my pole bracket as shown puts my bars back to the lip of the rear hood.

wouldnt be suprised if you want them even shorter

 

[holygoat]

Quick little update today, took my adjustable steering plate and cleaned it up at work.

Face was pretty marred from 10 years of nuts being clamped down on it, so a quick pass on the bridgeport and it's like new. Beforehand, I could hardly move it, so I'm pretty happy with this. Now I can really play with adjustment.

Before;



After;

 

[fastgtfairlane]

Nice! I also run a lathe and bridgeport for work. Love it and do little side projects all the time like that.

 

[holygoat]

I wouldn't claim to be a machinist! Just a MechEng who knows enough to be dangerous.

Nice to have for stuff like this, for sure.