Restoring the Mark 1 to Jet power.

Post by **Ron** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:39 pm

Lou -

I occasionally keep my jet boat in the Florida water for up to a week. Any growth on the hull can be power washed off at that point. I take care of the motor and jet by flushing it with fresh water perhaps 4 times a day using a programmed water timer. There should be a garden hose adapter on the motor to connect the hose. I don't think most of these paints will stick to the housing or impeller with the water rushiing by. Depending on the gearing, the impeller shaft may be rotating at 2,000 rpm or better. It makes a pretty big splash when exiting. Maybe a real hard paint could take it, if it will stick to the composite housing.

trashpad · Post by **trashpad** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:11 pm

Some type of transducer paint like
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1%7C10918%7C296162%7C1017093&id=28012
might work.

Post by **Ron** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 3:29 am

I've been using the MDR transducer paint for years. Seems to work OK on the transducers, but the jet's impeller will be pushing a lot more water with much higher pressure and at a lot higher speed than what a paddle wheel sees. You'd also need about 20 bottles to cover this area. I'd look at the paints they use on lower units and out-drives first. Some of them and their props are composite now.

luigisante · Post by **luigisante** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:31 pm

Final fairing coat is on. For the final coat, I used west's 410 microlight fairing filler. It is much less dense than the 407 fairing compound. It can easily be sanded by hand. This coat will be hand sanded with fine sand paper to feather in the transitions and smooth out the surface to make it ready for 3 - 4 coats of west epoxy + barrier coat compound. One more uninterrupted working day and the glass work on the insert is done. The forward end of the insert was the hardest to mold but it looks really good. I think when it is done, you won't see any seams.

Final Fairing 2.jpg (8.13 KiB) Viewed 28 times

The Starboard side almost needs no additional sanding.

Final Fairing 3.jpg (8.58 KiB) Viewed 28 times

The port side needs a little work, but it should not take too long to make it look fair.

Final Fairing 1.jpg (7.26 KiB) Viewed 28 times

The weather around here has been the worst that I can remember. It has been raining nearly the entire fall. In the past two weeks, we have had only occasional breakthroughs of sunlight. We are well over our annual average already (around 42") with a couple of wet months to go and no end in sight. I am becoming a bit concerned about the time I have remaining before it starts to get cold. I have to have the cabin completely closed in for the winter so I can warm the inside with a small space heater and keep working through the cold weather. Otherwise I will never be able to have the boat ready to launch by the late spring or early summer.

Lou G.

Pat Ross · Post by **Pat Ross** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:30 pm

I have begun to have that type of conern for you as well and I am glad you can see you may need to change your focus a bit so you can work through the winter. Great Pic's !

Pat

luigisante · Post by **luigisante** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:26 pm

Hey all:

Here's a status on the jet conversion. Fairing is completed and the first coat of West Barrier Compound is on.

First coat! Barrier Coat 1.jpg (7.93 KiB) Viewed 24 times

Another view. Barrier Coat 2.jpg (10.82 KiB) Viewed 24 times

I was lucky to have a great weekend to finish the sanding and get a base coat on the work area. The long range forecast looks good for this weekend too, so I will probably finish the barrier coat and put bottom paint over the molding area. As you can see from the pictures, the transition area looks nice and even. When I get bottom paint over the entire rear area, I think it will look good. Almost factory.

I also used the good weather to hang the cabin doors and to get the teak base for the hatch epoxied onto the coachroof.

Installing the doors. Portside Cabin Door.jpg (6.13 KiB) Viewed 24 times

This weekend, if the forecast is correct, I will have the hatch on and the boat will be closed up for the winter. I guess I need a small quartz heater to keep the cabin warm enough to work in there. It should be nice and snug for the winter.

Lou G.

luigisante · Post by **luigisante** » Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:44 pm

Hatch is on ... Here are a few pics.

hatch Base Hatch1.jpg (10.95 KiB) Viewed 17 times

Hatch base masked, sanded and ready for hatch installation. Hatch2.jpg (3.9 KiB) Viewed 18 times

Hatch Installed. Hatch3.jpg (3.3 KiB) Viewed 18 times

At long last, the boat is sealed up and ready for winter. The molding on the jet drive installation got another coat of barrier coat this weekend too. If the weather holds out, it'll get another 2 coats before winter sets in. In spring I'm painting the entire topsides and freshining the bottom paint.

Now for the fun part. I'm putting lights in the cabin for working in the evenings. Finally, I can work regardless of the weather. Time to start on the cabin - I can't wait.

I'll start a new thread in the project section for the cabin work.

Lou

Pat Ross · Post by **Pat Ross** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:01 am

Looks great Lou, thanks for showing all your work. Looking forward to your interior work.

Pat

luigisante · Post by **luigisante** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:17 pm

Thanks Pat - with the blackberry in my pocket, taking the pictures while doing the work is easy. I started documenting the jet drive conversion because it was so unique but also belived that the stuff I'm going to do now may be of more general interest to other 26' owners.

Hey the pictures of the Derrick Kelsail seminar are incredible. I have read about it. Seems like a great way to build.

Lou

JoeWalling · Post by **JoeWalling** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 1:17 pm

Me too. Am particularly interested in your double decker port side bunk arrangement, and dining table ideas. BTW, HUSH is still in the water so have not yet started stern conversion.

Joe

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