Custom/Hybrid Mini X2 based jet ski for kids

[travbuilds]

Hey everyone, I'm new here, but wanted to share a project of mine. I'm building an approximately 1/2 scale jet ski for my little kids to ride, roughly based on the X2. I'm merging some of the features from the older ones, with the newer generation ones for what I think will work best. It'll powered by an electric trolling motor. I'm designing as I go, and may have some questions for the X2 experts.

You can see the build at kidjetski.wordpress.com

 

[Vumad]

Very cool. Have my first on the way so this is the kind of stuff I'm going to be thinking about a lot going forward.

 

[tor*p*do]

I thought the 300sx was for little kids!

 

[Vumad]

You mentioned the fiberglass being transparent in your blog. You can dye it as you lay it up to add color. 4oz of the color you like will run about $5 and should do the whole job. It's only mixed 3%. It will still have to be painted but it will help hide scratches and such down the road. I don't like using white much as it turns yellow with standard epoxy resin but dark colors dye fairly well.

Your project is very cool. You're doing some good work and a very good job being efficient in your molds. Can't wait to see how the driveline works out.

 

[travbuilds]

You mentioned the fiberglass being transparent in your blog. You can dye it as you lay it up to add color....

Interesting, never really thought about doing that. I should have maybe done that for the lower hull. Although sometimes transparency is nice, to see behind a layer your cutting or something.

I'm not great at fiberglass, so this project is partially to get better at it. And I have no patience to make real molds, so I used a snow-sled for the lower hull mold, and then again for the topside of the front nose piece. That is really what made this project possible, a silly $8 snow sled haha.

 

[Ducky]

Dude that is so awesome! But do you kids a favor and rocker that nose so they can be freestyle kids right out the gate!

 

[Roseand]

Wow that's amazing. Can't wait to see how this all turns out! Just make sure it doesn't sink!!!

 

[Midlake Crisis]

Cool fun! What do you have in mind for prop safety with the trolling motor?

 

[travbuilds]

Cool fun! What do you have in mind for prop safety with the trolling motor?

I am going to make a sort of nozzle to go around the prop (maybe use a ABS 6-to-4 inch reducer), then put a screen or something in the rear pivoting piece of the nozzle to keep little fingers and toes outta there. Deciding if I'll use 1 or cables from the steering linkage to the nozzle. I have an old auto-trans shifter cable from my f350 that would work perfectly as a push-pull cable, and running cable 1 seems easier than 2.
My kids are just turning 4 and 6 years old, and only weigh 40 lbs which is nice for floatation. The current hull weighs only 10 lbs without motor or battery.

And wow, thanks for all the nice comments, I was expecting to take a little heat like often happens on other forums I won't mention.

 

[j0hnny]

Awesome and let oking forward to seeing the conclusion. My 9 year old just started riding a 300. Would started him even sooner if we had something like this

 

[Big Kahuna]

Cool.

 

[Quinc]

Awesome! How are you planning on doing the trolling motor? I have been kicking around the idea of an electric ski and can share some ideas with you if you decide to go another route.

Nevermind! checked the blog:

 

[Vumad]

Awesome! How are you planning on doing the trolling motor? I have been kicking around the idea of an electric ski and can share some ideas with you if you decide to go another route.

Nevermind! checked the blog:

Im interested in any ideas. Im going to want to have completed a ski forva 2 year old in 2 years.

 

[travbuilds]

I have finally finished most of the cat's hair body filler, and have moved onto the lightweight body filler... and as is often the case with bodywork, so close, yet so far away.

 

[Vumad]

It looks good. Have you had the kid stand on it and see if it will balance. What age and weight is it designed for and what are the dimensions of the hull.

 

[travbuilds]

It's like 17" wide, 38" long. The intended riders are 4 and almost 6 years old, both weigh around 40 lbs. I have had them stand on it and hold the handlebars etc and it appears to be the right size. But I am just winging it as far as buoyancy, center of gravity etc. I plan on having a detachable strip of foam that goes around the rail and provides more buoyancy and a wider hull while they learn to ride it.

Heres my 4 year old on it to give an idea of scale...
https://instagram.com/p/5ip62hlKbW/

 

[Quinc]

It looks small even for the 4 year old! Have you ridden an x2 or blaster? They can be really hard to balance on until you get going.

 

[travbuilds]

Haha, Yeah I've ridden both, and I have no idea how stable this one will be, but they weigh less than 1/4 what I do, and how/high the ski sits in the water will be factor. I'm sure they will both start with knees down and sitting. I could always put bigger foam around the edge too. We'll see, I like not knowing for sure and finding out as I go, haha.

 

[bigdogtim]

please put a video when done love it your kids will have a blast

 

[travbuilds]

Yeah, I can't wait to get to takin videos! Also for anyone in the Portland Oregon area, I will have this little Jetski as well as my other kid sized vehicles at the OMSI Mini Maker Faire, Sep 12th and 13th, come check em out.

I decided to ditch the idea of a 6" to 4" pvc reducer around the prop, for the front of the nozzle. I think just using the ride plate, with possibly a few baffles to direct the water toward the center where the steering part of the nozzle is (piece of pivoting 4" pvc) should suffice. It may not be 100% efficient, but is much simpler, and less to go wrong. Something like this: