RN Superjet Colander Build

[charlevoixboy]

I'm nick-naming this build the Colander Build because this hull has so many cracks it must have leaked like a colander before I picked it up.

This is my first Superjet (and my first post) I bought a bare RN hull with literally nothing on it as a candidate to be pieced back together and turned into a good all around play ski. I'm from Michigan, and mostly ride Lake Michigan, currently on an old JS550.

I picked up a 97 Wave Venture 760 as my donor, and I'll be using the 760 and electronics, all the bits and pieces for switches, straps, etc, and I'm going to be putting the 155 pump in as well. Lot of debate over this I've seen, but I've decided that's the route I'll be going, and I'll be widening the tunnel to feed the 155 and fit a WB2 pump shoe.

The engine will be lightly ported, b pipe and a different head put on it. I'll be grinding off the other nub on the 760 flywheel to get rid of that weird cylinder spark table.

The rest of the hull will be glassed back up, full length footholds, and the usual mods, maybe a slight chop of around 3inches. We shall see. I'll attach some pics and get this thread rolling! Thanks all!

When I dragged it home:

 

[charlevoixboy]

Cutting the tray/defoam and routing out all the cracks

 

[charlevoixboy]

The donor, it actually ran alright on the trailer, but pulling it down I found the top ring completely missing in one of the cylinders : O

I'll be overboring the sleeves 1mm and that'll clean most of the crap up, not fully, but a lot better. Further down the road I'll be building a bigger engine, so this will keep me on the water until then.

 

[charlevoixboy]

Ground all the ribs out and all the deck seam glue out in prep for reinforcement and reglassing

 

[charlevoixboy]

I picked up 2 hoods (to make 1 good one), a pole bracket, turn plate, exhaust tube and a tank. I acquired a pole that is missing the bottom riveted bracket, so if anyone has a junk pole they'd sell or that bracket, I'd be interested!

 

[charlevoixboy]

Chopped up the pump tunnel to fit the WB2 shoe. Will be widening it next

 

[charlevoixboy]

Snip snip

 

[charlevoixboy]

Glassed in the pump tunnel. I'm sure there's easier ways to do this, but oh well. Will use epoxy and micro balloons to smooth everything out once it's all glassed in

 

[Req]

I really like what you did with the pump tunnel. I also dont know if its the most efficient way to go about it but it seems like it will turn out really nice. How many hours for the tunnel work?

I have a hull I am digging into this winter (-2, reinforce, dance-floor tray) and this pump tunnel mod has me interested. I plan on using a 144 for a while but may step up to a 155. I imagine that a larger inlet would be beneficial on any pump.

How are you ensuring the new tunnels symmetry?

Keep up the good work!

 

[charlevoixboy]

I definitely went about it the total wrong way lol way too much work, but lesson learned. CarterB's tunnel would have been money well spent! The pump tunnel symmetry I'm just measuring a lot and hoping for the best honestly. If I did it again I would have covered the 144 tunnel with duct tape and layed a layer of glass on the inside of the hull (under the tray) popped it off, cut the 144 tunnel out and then glass that layer on and build it up thick. The difference between the 144 and 155 pump is basically the thickness of the hull in that area so it'd work well.

The problem with that for me is I wanted the mouth to flare more than stock (was trying to emulate some of the other tunnels I've seen) so I had to hand form the foam.

 

[charlevoixboy]

Started glassing it in

 

[charlevoixboy]

Adding additional layers to the pump tunnel. I'll be using resin/micro balloons to shape the inside of the tunnel and guarantee a smooth flow

 

[schicks]

Nice work! Rockering the nose is worth the effort imo. When i did a very similar pump tunnel job, i used a profile gage to get a symetrical shape. Sanding filler in the tunnel is real fun!

 

[charlevoixboy]

I was tempted to rocker it with wedges seeing the nose already needs work, I just don't want it to porpoise real bad in the chop I ride in. I ride Lake Michigan and chase boat wakes, not sure if a rockered superjet would be any worse than my 550 or I'd just have to get used to it haha. What kind of profile gauge did you use? Thanks!

 

[charlevoixboy]

Still plugging away, work and other projects are eating up free time, but it should be on the water by this summer

 

[Req]

I was tempted to rocker it with wedges seeing the nose already needs work, I just don't want it to porpoise real bad in the chop I ride in. I ride Lake Michigan and chase boat wakes, not sure if a rockered superjet would be any worse than my 550 or I'd just have to get used to it haha. What kind of profile gauge did you use? Thanks!

Regarding the rocker. I have been debating the same issue and ride smooth and rough conditions, so I have some of the same concerns. I really like the look as well as some of the benefits, more pop over wakes, and if you rocker the bond line you get a sharper turn, sort of like sponsons.

I am leaning toward a mild rocker, nothing like what the surf guys do, probably only like 3" at the very tip of the nose and not reducing its length. I think for splash protection as well as aesthetics moving the bond line up with the rocker and keeping it on the nose would be nice.

Im just saying you can keep it conservative and you dont have to go crazy. Im using the Apex hull from Hurricane Industries as inspiration.

 

[charlevoixboy]

Definitely good points Req. I think for this build I’m going to leave it un-rockered and try it -3 to see what happens. I can always chop it up more next fall to really make it pop. From my measurements, the 155 pump I have has the reduction nozzle with 2.5 ish degrees of trim in it, so that’ll be making the nose lighter, and coupled with the shorter hull hopefully will ride a little nose high and pop nicely. I’ve literally got less than an hour on anything but my 550 so I have a lot of learning to do before I go too crazy.


On a different note, can someone tell me what the spacing between the front and middle bolt holes are on the 6 hole ride plates (SN and 08+ SJ rideplate.) I’m moving the rear holes forward due to chopping the back and don’t have a rideplate here to measure where I should glass them in. Thank you!

 

[Req]

Definitely good points Req. I think for this build I’m going to leave it un-rockered and try it -3 to see what happens. I can always chop it up more next fall to really make it pop. From my measurements, the 155 pump I have has the reduction nozzle with 2.5 ish degrees of trim in it, so that’ll be making the nose lighter, and coupled with the shorter hull hopefully will ride a little nose high and pop nicely. I’ve literally got less than an hour on anything but my 550 so I have a lot of learning to do before I go too crazy.


On a different note, can someone tell me what the spacing between the front and middle bolt holes are on the 6 hole ride plates (SN and 08+ SJ rideplate.) I’m moving the rear holes forward due to chopping the back and don’t have a rideplate here to measure where I should glass them in. Thank you!

Ill get you a measurement in the morning.

 

[Req]

On a different note, can someone tell me what the spacing between the front and middle bolt holes are on the 6 hole ride plates (SN and 08+ SJ rideplate.) I’m moving the rear holes forward due to chopping the back and don’t have a rideplate here to measure where I should glass them in. Thank you!

150mm on the money.

 

[charlevoixboy]

Filled in the bond line lines, and finished off the rear chop. Getting somewhere finally. It’s amazing how rock solid the micro balloons / epoxy sets up. I mixed until it was runny then poured / let soak into the seam (about 28 grams of mixed resin per side) then followed it up with with the stuff mixed to a thick peanut butter and filled the step. Should work well!