Looking for my next winter project

Hello everyone,

Since finishing my restoration and engine rebuild on my '68 mark twain, I'm looking for my next winter project and wanted some opinions on what I'm tossing around.

I'm in the chain o lakes in IL where the water is incredibly shallow and jet boats and jet skis are everywhere... So I'm thinking I want to build a jet boat out of an old 16' outboard run about that I have.

I have a 1965 Atlas Traveler with solid a floor and transom, and dead motor. I have dicked with the motor for a bit, and can't get it going. Without going too deep into it, I'm over the boat and am moving on from it. I also keep seeing older jet skis with good motors going for $250-400 around the area. My idea is to take a match set of jet ski motors and transplant them into the Traveler. I'm figuring a match set of 550ci motors or a 750 if I can find one. I know I'll have an issue with getting reverse and low speed handling... but I think I have a solution for reverse, and I'll worry about going slow when I get there.

Any thoughts? Don't be too harsh, but honest opinions or references would be great. Both my buddy and I are able to do pretty much everything, and both enjoy fabrication and problem solving (we anticipate a lot of that haha)


Thanks!

Re: Looking for my next winter project

I toyed with the idea of cutting the whole tunnel assembly and glassing it into something, but never really got a handle on the how they would alter the boats handling and planing....

Similar to this jon boat conversion, but with twins on a glasser or plywood boat....

jet ski/jon boat project - www.ifish.net

Re: Looking for my next winter project

This should be of interest...
Inboard conversion of the Glen-L Squirt runabout by Kevin Brown. Page 1

Re: Looking for my next winter project

It's glass. I took some quick measurements and think I have it laid out that each drive will fit perfectly on either side of the apex of the hull.

I'm going to strip out lots of unneeded weight, and figure I can get it to ~2-3x the weight of a ski. Because if the shape of the hull I think the handling and performance will be pretty ok

Re: Looking for my next winter project

Just for yucks, take a look at this thread ...

Don't do any of the things you see in those pictures.

Re: Looking for my next winter project

Looks like I'm not the first one with this idea... Some are better executed than others though. The wooden project that woodglass posted looks like its done top notch.

It looks like I might want to go with the single larger engine. I think I'm going to go for it!

Re: Looking for my next winter project

That's a nice looking boat at the end. I'd for sure use that