New to boats help need info

Joined
Jun 30, 2020
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Hi i am new to boats and i just bought this boat its a 77 jetster ?

im having trouble finding any info on it , like where it was made and how many years they were produced? was it originally an inboard motor ?
just looking for a little history lesson on it because i cant find anything online .

thanks
 

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GA_Boater

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Welcome aboard.

Jetster may be a model, not a make. What are the first 3 letters of the HIN? It will be on the paperwork and on the upper starboard stern.
 

emoney

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Always check the title. There’s been a TON of fiberglass boat builders come and go. They good news is they’re all pretty much made the same way. Spend your time trying to determine the motor info. That will be the easiest. Everything else is either Fiberglass, wood or wiring.
 
Joined
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Thanks .
HIN starts with JEB

the title has jetster as the manufacturer ?

the motor is a mercury 850 thunderbolt that seems to run good.
I didn’t get to hear it run when I bought it . I had to buy a new battery and repair some of the motors wiring herness and started right up .
 

roscoe

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In Business:2/22/1973
Out of Business:11/26/1985

JET-STER BOATS5845 193RD AVE SWROCHESTERWA
 

CaptainSteveo

Seaman
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May 1, 2020
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thanks
I’m not a boat expert but it feels very solid to me .

Most important things to check out on a vintage boat like that is the deck, stringers and transom. Are there any soft spots in the deck where it flexes and feels soft? Any cracks or flex in transom? Any of those would indicate wood rot that could compromise the hull integrity.
 

Starcraft5834

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He's already bought it.. so hope it's solid.. had a Thunderbolt Merc on first boat I had.. was a 74' Glastron trihull.. had fuel pump problems.. that does look remarkably good shape boat and motor. best of luck
 
Joined
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Most important things to check out on a vintage boat like that is the deck, stringers and transom. Are there any soft spots in the deck where it flexes and feels soft? Any cracks or flex in transom? Any of those would indicate wood rot that could compromise the hull integrity.


The deck feels very solid with no flex or soft spots . The owner i bought it from kept indoors for years until the last year it was outside but covered .

the transom feels solid also , sounds solid when I smack with my hand and when I move the motor I don’t see any flex .

the previous owner made a transom saver backer to support the motor when being towed .

I don’t have a lot of money so I looked it over real good before I bought it . But like I said I’m no boat expert but I am mechanically Inclined and I have good common sense .

thanks for the replies guys I appreciate it .
 
Joined
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Also I can’t exactly see the stringers because the deck is complete and solid with carpet . I would have to tear it apart to see the stringers but I assume if the deck is solid the stringers should be also .
 

CaptainSteveo

Seaman
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Also I can’t exactly see the stringers because the deck is complete and solid with carpet . I would have to tear it apart to see the stringers but I assume if the deck is solid the stringers should be also .

Usually boats tend to rot from the bottom up. But the fact the deck and transom seem good and it was kept inside are good signs.

If the stringers do have some rot you probably still have some time since everything else still seems to be in good shape.
 
Joined
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Usually boats tend to rot from the bottom up. But the fact the deck and transom seem good and it was kept inside are good signs.

If the stringers do have some rot you probably still have some time since everything else still seems to be in good shape.

Yep that makes sense , the water sits on the bottom .

i felt better buying it because the guy had a nice house and nice truck . It was obvious he cared about his belongings
 
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I haven’t tore the floor apart but after further inspection the deck appears to be fiberglass . How likely is that?
 

KJM

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the floor is most likely fiberglass over plywood. If the boat was made in the 70's or early 80's you may be lucky and have some rot resistant wood in the stringers. It was a lot cheaper back then. I currently have the floor off mine for replacement and the floatation foam was wet in places and the stringers were wet but very solid. I think they are mahogany, a dark reddish wood that don't seem to rot. If your floor is not soft then leave well enough alone.
 
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