Vumad
Super Hero, with a cape!
- Location
- St. Pete, FL
A lot of people forget where they came from, and tell you to just drop money on anything and everything (maybe they just came from money and have always had it?). I know what it is like to be on a budget, and your budget is definitely in the tight category.
You have a great platform, don't get ahead of your self. "ride it until it dies" is pretty broad advice given because that thing may run for ever.
Sounds like you have a great platform. Don't let cosmetic issues make you think you have a bad ski. That poorly patch hole is unlikely to cause a problem, beach gouging is common and most stress cracks are just in the gelcoat (non-structural). That broken bolt in the flywheel cover is a non-issue as long as your electronics are staying dry. Someday worth fixing, but not worth buying a ski over. Don't reinforce that hull yet. Adding 10-20lbs of reinforcement you don't need will only keep you down in the water. You may never need to reinforce if you are not riding in the surf. Wait until you are starting to roll to worry about the sides of the engine compartment. You can avoid reinforcing the bole base for now (which you probably can't do with the motor in) by installing a limiting rope.
Don't mess with the jetting. If it runs good, the jetting is likely right. Ensure your tuning is right, and if it's not boggy or running lean, then any adjustments necessary can be likely be taken care of from the high/low screws. A 61x single carb will only run your $10 in jets, so it's not a big deal in any case.
Your hood issues can likely be patched. If you seal area is slightly damaged, maybe a ratching hood strap or just a new hood will help.
You have a good platform. I would just put the money into fixing worn out part. Cables for example, my RN has a broken cable, I got a kawi style cable and AM throttle to use it from JM for under $100. JM sold me a 10/18 stainless prop like mint for $75. I would put the extra money into front sponsons and a RN pole conversion.
Just take care of that thing, keep it clean and running nice, make minor repairs as you go, patch the hull here and there, and when the off season comes, yank your stuff, glass/patch/paint and reassemble. You'll have a nice looking ski. (I used a single stage selathane paint $13 pt from the fiberglass store and UV resistant clearcoat polyurathane from home depot shot from a $50 home depot gun and my hood came out great, except I was a little heavy on the clear and it sagged, it's very thin, so do several very thin coats).
I think for $500, you can fix you steering and replace the hood, with money left over for a prop, intake and sponsons, and if you are really thrifty, maybe even enough for a conversion bracket and RN pole. Money can go a long way when your smart with it and make the right friends.
Oh, last thing, go through your fuel system, make sure all your lines are clean, air tight, and your carbs are properly clean, working right and tuned. Goes a long way.
Edit: I like my sponsons, but they are pretty low on my upgrade list unless you plan to hit the bouy course. Shortening the pole (or getting a pole you can shorten) is much more valuable in the surf than sponson imho.
Edit again...: I have a RN, but only because I could afford a newer, more problem free ski, and because I wanted easy access to lowered hoods, poles and well, I liked the look. This is not in your budget, and quite frankly, a relative waste of money for you since the bottom decks are very similar and parts are interchangeable with each other and AM hulls. I bought a 2004 RN SJ in 2011, it was only ridden 3times/yr in brakish water, flushed the motor but not washed. I have since replaced the midshaft housing (WSM), rebuilt the carbs twice (SBT stuff sucks, buy mikuni kits), cracked my pole, broken my throttle cable, and so forth. Newer doesn't mean problem free, so just keep what you have going. My ski has of course gotten a lot more done, which you can see in my build thread via my sig, but my point was about reliability and maintenance, not upgrades. Newer stuff breaks too. Reliability above all else.
You have a great platform, don't get ahead of your self. "ride it until it dies" is pretty broad advice given because that thing may run for ever.
Sounds like you have a great platform. Don't let cosmetic issues make you think you have a bad ski. That poorly patch hole is unlikely to cause a problem, beach gouging is common and most stress cracks are just in the gelcoat (non-structural). That broken bolt in the flywheel cover is a non-issue as long as your electronics are staying dry. Someday worth fixing, but not worth buying a ski over. Don't reinforce that hull yet. Adding 10-20lbs of reinforcement you don't need will only keep you down in the water. You may never need to reinforce if you are not riding in the surf. Wait until you are starting to roll to worry about the sides of the engine compartment. You can avoid reinforcing the bole base for now (which you probably can't do with the motor in) by installing a limiting rope.
Don't mess with the jetting. If it runs good, the jetting is likely right. Ensure your tuning is right, and if it's not boggy or running lean, then any adjustments necessary can be likely be taken care of from the high/low screws. A 61x single carb will only run your $10 in jets, so it's not a big deal in any case.
Your hood issues can likely be patched. If you seal area is slightly damaged, maybe a ratching hood strap or just a new hood will help.
You have a good platform. I would just put the money into fixing worn out part. Cables for example, my RN has a broken cable, I got a kawi style cable and AM throttle to use it from JM for under $100. JM sold me a 10/18 stainless prop like mint for $75. I would put the extra money into front sponsons and a RN pole conversion.
Just take care of that thing, keep it clean and running nice, make minor repairs as you go, patch the hull here and there, and when the off season comes, yank your stuff, glass/patch/paint and reassemble. You'll have a nice looking ski. (I used a single stage selathane paint $13 pt from the fiberglass store and UV resistant clearcoat polyurathane from home depot shot from a $50 home depot gun and my hood came out great, except I was a little heavy on the clear and it sagged, it's very thin, so do several very thin coats).
I think for $500, you can fix you steering and replace the hood, with money left over for a prop, intake and sponsons, and if you are really thrifty, maybe even enough for a conversion bracket and RN pole. Money can go a long way when your smart with it and make the right friends.
Oh, last thing, go through your fuel system, make sure all your lines are clean, air tight, and your carbs are properly clean, working right and tuned. Goes a long way.
Edit: I like my sponsons, but they are pretty low on my upgrade list unless you plan to hit the bouy course. Shortening the pole (or getting a pole you can shorten) is much more valuable in the surf than sponson imho.
Edit again...: I have a RN, but only because I could afford a newer, more problem free ski, and because I wanted easy access to lowered hoods, poles and well, I liked the look. This is not in your budget, and quite frankly, a relative waste of money for you since the bottom decks are very similar and parts are interchangeable with each other and AM hulls. I bought a 2004 RN SJ in 2011, it was only ridden 3times/yr in brakish water, flushed the motor but not washed. I have since replaced the midshaft housing (WSM), rebuilt the carbs twice (SBT stuff sucks, buy mikuni kits), cracked my pole, broken my throttle cable, and so forth. Newer doesn't mean problem free, so just keep what you have going. My ski has of course gotten a lot more done, which you can see in my build thread via my sig, but my point was about reliability and maintenance, not upgrades. Newer stuff breaks too. Reliability above all else.
Last edited:
. Thankfully the whole reinforcing idea is off of my mind.
