- Location
- Kern County, So. Cal.
He always responded to my emails within 24 hours.
Tom21/#zero sponsons-for superjet
- Thread starter BrightE's
- Start date
waxhead
wannabe backflipper
- Location
- gold coast
I just sms to the number on his website not sure if that's a mobile or not I will wait and see if he gets back to me
Quinc
Buy a Superjet
- Location
- California
Took him close to two weeks to email me back. Busy guy!
tom21
havin fun
- Location
- clearwater FL
sorry guys I don't have the same time to lurk like I used to. I think I posted a few times that my son now has some physical issues and I am preoccupied with family stuff.
Text is the best way to get ahold of me. my pc skills suck and I lose a computer like once a year lol. prob not that bad but I do have issues with stupid stuff. recently fed ex changed their print format and I couldn't get the damn labels to print right. called for help, got it right and then the next time it was crap again. upgraded win 8 to 10 and now have to get reacquainted with the setup. wish I hadn't. now I only get email from one account and not the other 2. screw it. I don't have days to sit here and mess with it. wish I could move to woods and leave all this crap behind. technology pfft!
sending pm wax.
Text is the best way to get ahold of me. my pc skills suck and I lose a computer like once a year lol. prob not that bad but I do have issues with stupid stuff. recently fed ex changed their print format and I couldn't get the damn labels to print right. called for help, got it right and then the next time it was crap again. upgraded win 8 to 10 and now have to get reacquainted with the setup. wish I hadn't. now I only get email from one account and not the other 2. screw it. I don't have days to sit here and mess with it. wish I could move to woods and leave all this crap behind. technology pfft!
sending pm wax.
tom21
havin fun
- Location
- clearwater FL
sorry guys I don't have the same time to lurk like I used to. I think I posted a few times that my son now has some physical issues and I am preoccupied with family stuff.
Text is the best way to get ahold of me. my pc skills suck and I lose a computer like once a year lol. prob not that bad but I do have issues with stupid stuff. recently fed ex changed their print format and I couldn't get the damn labels to print right. called for help, got it right and then the next time it was crap again. upgraded win 8 to 10 and now have to get reacquainted with the setup. wish I hadn't. now I only get email from one account and not the other 2. screw it. I don't have days to sit here and mess with it. wish I could move to woods and leave all this crap behind. technology pfft!
sending pm wax.
Text is the best way to get ahold of me. my pc skills suck and I lose a computer like once a year lol. prob not that bad but I do have issues with stupid stuff. recently fed ex changed their print format and I couldn't get the damn labels to print right. called for help, got it right and then the next time it was crap again. upgraded win 8 to 10 and now have to get reacquainted with the setup. wish I hadn't. now I only get email from one account and not the other 2. screw it. I don't have days to sit here and mess with it. wish I could move to woods and leave all this crap behind. technology pfft!
sending pm wax.
Quinc
Buy a Superjet
- Location
- California
E350
Site Supporter
- Location
- Sacramento Delta
@Quinc et al. Do you have any suggestions for installing the Tom21 bolt on sponsons?
I received them from Tom a couple of months ago and am just getting around to installing them.
Looking at the back side of the sponsons, will the foam soak up water or not? I don't know. What do you think?
If so, would it help to protect the foam fill from becoming water soaked by squeegy-ing/spreading a thin layer of epoxy or polyester resin on it and let it cure to pro before bolting them on?
Do you recommend any edge treatment, such as 5200 or a thin application of epoxy or polyester resin? Not to adhere the sponsons but to fill in any gaps between the edges and the hull or to keep the edges from raising and closing during use?
VXSXH20
Sionis Industries
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
@E350
I'll chime in, I installed my tom21s a few years ago, On my fx1 I installed his OG design without Bolt holes. That being said, The fx hulls are all hand laid and can vary from hull to hull, add in the fact his sponsons are hand made and back filled with foam.. There will be a lot of fitting to make them right. I had to sand back his foam and add a touch more foam here and there to fit the best line on my hull. Even then they still had to be bent inward and clamped to hold at the nose section. I did not order bolt ons as it was mentioned they may not line up and still need anchored up front in the nose.
I had spoke with Tom years ago and he even mentioned the bolt ons need some trial and error to mock up. after your dry fit is done. You can seal the foam fill with resin if you want to. Just don't mix it too hot that it disturbs the foam. Moreover if you need more flex to get them to contour to the nose... You will increase the rigidity and could crack them if you epoxy/seal them up. I ended up using stainless screws, 5200 around the perimeter of the sponson to hull. and a few quarter size globs along the center of the sponson to the hull.
I'll chime in, I installed my tom21s a few years ago, On my fx1 I installed his OG design without Bolt holes. That being said, The fx hulls are all hand laid and can vary from hull to hull, add in the fact his sponsons are hand made and back filled with foam.. There will be a lot of fitting to make them right. I had to sand back his foam and add a touch more foam here and there to fit the best line on my hull. Even then they still had to be bent inward and clamped to hold at the nose section. I did not order bolt ons as it was mentioned they may not line up and still need anchored up front in the nose.
I had spoke with Tom years ago and he even mentioned the bolt ons need some trial and error to mock up. after your dry fit is done. You can seal the foam fill with resin if you want to. Just don't mix it too hot that it disturbs the foam. Moreover if you need more flex to get them to contour to the nose... You will increase the rigidity and could crack them if you epoxy/seal them up. I ended up using stainless screws, 5200 around the perimeter of the sponson to hull. and a few quarter size globs along the center of the sponson to the hull.
E350
Site Supporter
- Location
- Sacramento Delta
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
I bought the bolt on sponsons from Tom quite a few years ago. I don't recall if I had the engine bay gutted out or not but I do know when I reinforced my hull this year I had to remove the waterbox to get to the front bolt. I would say the worst you would have to do is remove the fuel tank and waterbox, loosen the motor and move it around as needed and they should go on just fine. If you have a B-pipe you will find there is no room to work on the hull on that side without the motor at least being moved out of the way. You don't want to send a drill bit into your pipe and those bolts he supplies are a good bit longer than they need to be. I ended up cutting mine off just past the nylock nuts to prevent the remaining threads from contacting anything.
I also read that a few guys were using 3M 5200 as added strength to bond them to the hull, I found that even with mine put on that way too, the water eventually weaseled its way under the 3M and broke it free. I not only added a good pattern of the adhesive in the middle of the foam but also made a sealing bead all the way around and the water still eventually broke it free. Sometimes I would see little white 1/8" thick ribbons pulling out from under the sponsons lol. Maybe the hull flexes too much from the waves pounding or harsh landings, I'm not sure but as an eventual result the front 1/4 of my left sponson snapped off while on my last ride last year. My sponsons also did a little flyaway at the tips where the small screws go in. I couldn't get the tips to stay flat to the hull, they're just too rigid so I did my best to get the screws to bite and finished sealing the area with the 3M. They did last on the hull for a good at least 6 years but after the one broke, I removed them and patched up all the holes and going back to the stock hull. I did notice too that the holes had oblonged from the waves pounding the sponsons. What used to be I believe was a 5/16" hole wore into being almost a 1/2" long by almost 3/8" wide lol. You do need to check the bolts every now and then as well, I had to re-tighten mine about once every ride season. Oh, also, you want to use big stainless fender washers inside the hull with the nuts. My sponsons didn't come with any as I recall so I added the fender washers to save the hull from any fasteners grinding their way through the bottom deck. They probably saved me from a lot more wave damage than what I had.
I think the install might even be in my build thread here...
I also read that a few guys were using 3M 5200 as added strength to bond them to the hull, I found that even with mine put on that way too, the water eventually weaseled its way under the 3M and broke it free. I not only added a good pattern of the adhesive in the middle of the foam but also made a sealing bead all the way around and the water still eventually broke it free. Sometimes I would see little white 1/8" thick ribbons pulling out from under the sponsons lol. Maybe the hull flexes too much from the waves pounding or harsh landings, I'm not sure but as an eventual result the front 1/4 of my left sponson snapped off while on my last ride last year. My sponsons also did a little flyaway at the tips where the small screws go in. I couldn't get the tips to stay flat to the hull, they're just too rigid so I did my best to get the screws to bite and finished sealing the area with the 3M. They did last on the hull for a good at least 6 years but after the one broke, I removed them and patched up all the holes and going back to the stock hull. I did notice too that the holes had oblonged from the waves pounding the sponsons. What used to be I believe was a 5/16" hole wore into being almost a 1/2" long by almost 3/8" wide lol. You do need to check the bolts every now and then as well, I had to re-tighten mine about once every ride season. Oh, also, you want to use big stainless fender washers inside the hull with the nuts. My sponsons didn't come with any as I recall so I added the fender washers to save the hull from any fasteners grinding their way through the bottom deck. They probably saved me from a lot more wave damage than what I had.
I think the install might even be in my build thread here...
Super Jet - 1996 Round Nose SuperJet Project
With the tray clean and free for removal, it was time to start cutting into it and get it out of there. I used my trusty Dremel with the cut-off fiber discs. I was expecting to go through a bunch of them but it actually only took 3 discs to go the full distance around the tray. Once cut, the...
www.x-h2o.com
E350
Site Supporter
- Location
- Sacramento Delta
@Pro-pulsion What a great build thread!
Thank you for your application instructions and description of your long term experience with the application. I can see where glassing them on could be better. Full commitment for best results . . .
How about their effect on performance?
In turns?
On the straight?
Thank you for your application instructions and description of your long term experience with the application. I can see where glassing them on could be better. Full commitment for best results . . .
How about their effect on performance?
In turns?
On the straight?
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
On the straight I found a lot of turbulence. I find they're more of a surf application. They did add buoyancy though and help some with reducing that slow going tippy rolly feel. Handling for turns to me I didn't really notice anything. I was so used to how the original hull shape handled that I preferred it but that's just my preference. I added them on because there's a lot of really good reviews about them and I trust those reviews. Tom's production quality is top notch, I've always been the odd one out, the black sheep if you will lol...and have always found my own way to suit me best so please don't take this as a negative review because it's really not, it is just my preference leans towards my original hull shape is all 
If you try them you might really like them. And placement is everything on how they handle, I went with Tom's recommendations for freeride in rough water and waves up to 12 feet. I might have had better reviews if I raised them up tight to the bond rail or maybe went lower than I did. Just remember though the lower you mount them, the more stress they're putting on the hull and holes to distort the holes. What I also believe though is they really help break a wave impact from being so agressive to a flat side of the bottom deck. I had mine break open right beside the battery tray once, I'm pretty sure these sponsons helped to alleviate the flat face slap from waves by their shape.
If you try them you might really like them. And placement is everything on how they handle, I went with Tom's recommendations for freeride in rough water and waves up to 12 feet. I might have had better reviews if I raised them up tight to the bond rail or maybe went lower than I did. Just remember though the lower you mount them, the more stress they're putting on the hull and holes to distort the holes. What I also believe though is they really help break a wave impact from being so agressive to a flat side of the bottom deck. I had mine break open right beside the battery tray once, I'm pretty sure these sponsons helped to alleviate the flat face slap from waves by their shape.
E350
Site Supporter
- Location
- Sacramento Delta
That "tippy rolly feel" is amplified in my experience with the more "round" cross-section oem bottom hull shape of the FX-1.
I bought Tom21's front sponsons for the FX-1 to give if more of a pan cross-section bottom hull shape (like the SN SJ) than the circular cross-section shape of the oem FX-1.
So, we shall see.
I went with bolt-ons to be able to remove them if I did not prefer them.
My guess is that if I do like them, I will glass them on.
We shall see.
Thank you!
I bought Tom21's front sponsons for the FX-1 to give if more of a pan cross-section bottom hull shape (like the SN SJ) than the circular cross-section shape of the oem FX-1.
So, we shall see.
I went with bolt-ons to be able to remove them if I did not prefer them.
My guess is that if I do like them, I will glass them on.
We shall see.
Thank you!
Last edited:
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
Agreed, if you like them definitely glass them in after. They take far too much beating from the waves to be left as a removable item and realistically, if you truly do like them you're not going to want to remove them later anyway. I'm just getting to the tail end of my build re-build lol...and will be adding pics etc to my existing thread mentioned above ^^. You'll see what I mean about the holes getting oblonged from the waves.