Other The What is your biggest Rookie move on a build.

I've done almost everything on this list at least once. Didn't think it was a big deal that I touched the positive to the negative on the battery, spent 3hrs tracking down the issue at 3am, blown fuse. Assembling the pump in the ski and forget to put in the rubber impeller cone. Not adding enough hardner to resin and having a soft cure. Putting the Kawi bedplate on backwards. Get the motor assembled, back in the ski, and find the spacer washer for the bendix on the work bench.
 
My list of rookie mistakes made by me and my friends this summer:
Forgetting to Lock Tight stator bolts on a fully re-built engine.

Not making sure your tie down strap is secure.

Making sure your fuel is turned ON before spending 45 minutes trying to figure out why your carb tuning is so out of whack.

Not making sure your rescue vessel won't die and sink in the middle of a tow.

Not making sure you cleared out ALL of the debris from the last crankshaft failure.

Not making sure your starter is fastened correctly.
 

kcmasterpiece

Sweet Baby Ray's Sucks
Location
Daytona Beach
This whole thread is brilliant.

I think the funniest mistake ive read so far is D cutting the rideplate on the wrong side. I just cant stop laughing thinking about it.

all the mistakes ive made have been said already.

the biggest mistake i made was buying a 550. although it was a nightmare, my troubleshooting has improved greatly.

using epoxy filler on the hull then gelcoating the bottom. took me a while to figure out why the gelcoat wasnt drying in some spots. what a mess that was to clean up.
 
This whole thread is brilliant.

I think the funniest mistake ive read so far is D cutting the rideplate on the wrong side.

Now that is a winner right there!! After all that work I hope it got a test ride to make sure they hadnt discovered something amazing!
 
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Location
SW UT
When I first got my beach cart I forgot to hook up the strap. When I pull the handle up my boat went sliding off into the middle of the road at Crazy Horse campground...

Similar to that, I went skiing in this break I have between my two classes one time. I was in a rush and didn't put the bolt to hold the nose of the ski to the trailer, and was getting all pissed off what a bad idea it was since I was gonna surely be late (I wasn't), so I hit the accelerator and the ski started sliding off. Everyone was shouting at me at the top of the boat ramp, somehow the ski was perfectly at it's CG at the end of the rails of the trailer, like PERFECTLY. I saw it in the mirror just bobbing up and down. Off course, I come to a stop and I look and there it goes, nose comes up and then it slides off the trailer. Biggest fail ever, and totally in front of everyone!
 

tshank123

Yo hablo ingles
Location
Vegas
When I first got my beach cart I forgot to hook up the strap. When I pull the handle up my boat went sliding off into the middle of the road at Crazy Horse campground...

Haha. Done that too, dont feel bad.

I had a crank rebuilt by Crankworks. They forgot to reinstall the collar that the rear seals sit against. This was my first rebuild, so I didn't really notice until the entire motor was completely assembled.

Bought a limiting rope, decided to install it some other day, you get the picture.

Bought a ski from someone at high elevation, brought down to my ride spot without changing a thing. Rode it WOT, you get the picture.

Had my cylinder decked. Rebuilt it without checking compression. Broke in ok, rode it WOT, you get the picture.

I've done several things in the attempt to save money, only realizing that you might as well just spend the money up front. For example. I changed to a 62T motor, decided to have the FPP exhaust mani machined to match the ports. Ran 8mm coils in the cylinder. Spent way more than a manifold would of cost.
 
This whole thread is brilliant.

I think the funniest mistake ive read so far is D cutting the rideplate on the wrong side. I just cant stop laughing thinking about it.

all the mistakes ive made have been said already.

the biggest mistake i made was buying a 550. although it was a nightmare, my troubleshooting has improved greatly.

using epoxy filler on the hull then gelcoating the bottom. took me a while to figure out why the gelcoat wasnt drying in some spots. what a mess that was to clean up.


so does it make it better or worse that it was a 2 man operation?
 
While driving my first trailer up the alley to meet the guy buying it. Forgot to latch and bump detatch drag slide grind. The neighbor girl thought it was hilarious.
 

FlightPlanDan

Don'tTrustAfartAfter50
Love the "wrong side d-cut"!!!

Not grinding hull ribs prior to installing b-pipe on rn/sj. Nearly ruined 2 mod chambers....(thanks to Blue for giving me a heads-up on this!)

hoodathunk?

Removed carbs for cleaning. Removed gas cap to relieve any pressure. It got dark. Screwed cap back on, layed fuel lines in hull. Came home from work the next day....a hot one.... to a hull full of gas.
 
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