Osterkraut wrote:mtn wrote: IMO, I think that the best way to get thrills on water are with Jet Skis or Wave Runners. So much fun, and probably a lot cheaper than a boat.People really have fun annoying the hell out of people trying to ski/wakeboard? Because that's all I've ever seen a PWC do.
Every time I'm on a PWC, its out on Green Bay... Not a whole lot of skiers out there, and I've never seen a wakeboarder.
Grassroots boats... because "Grassroots watersports" would attract the wrong viewing crowd.
the problem many of you are missing... besides the hole in the water thing. You need torque for a boat. the Drivetrain of most boats is designed for low shaft speeds. A 1litre bike motor running 13k revs is going to need a reduction box.
I need another GP 14
pilotbraden wrote: Of course you could go really old school riverboating as these good ol' boys do http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RaFApVP0zU
That. ^^^
That...is awesome.
pilotbraden wrote: Old pontoon boat. I met some fellows at the marina on Skidaway Island GA that had come from Baltimore following the Inter Coastal Waterway. They had a bear bones 22' pontoon that had enough space to erect a tent for sleeping, a couple of bicycles and a gas grill. They appeared to be having a great trip. I have found several 20'+ ponttons in my area that will sell for $400-$700 without an outboard. The only thing that they lack is furniture. Lawn chairs and coolers will fix that.
Oh yeah...I'd love a pontoon boat. It's a floating patio...what's not to love?!
But alas, craptastic old pontoon boats go for STUPID money in these parts.
http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/boa/2262883784.html
http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/boa/2244113979.html
Those were the cheapest I could find. I can't even find an engine suitable for a pontoon boat around here for $400-$700. Oh...I probably can, but only just.
They are kind of like the minivan of the waterways...but I'm in good sleeper-minvan-lovin' company here.
Clem
it would be mildly interesting to make a boat-shaped cage (with solid mounts for a SBC) and then just bond a fiberglass hull to that. yes, I know I just described a sprint boat, but perhaps not drop a 700+hp monster into it, stick with "merely" a 350-450hp crate motor (LSx crate engine? I think possibly...) and go to town with it! maybe even put a lexan windscreen on it so you don't sustain head trauma from the dragonflies you overtake 
Clem these are higher priced than they would be in october. The 2 listed above are not good deals. Wisconsin may be a good place too look for good deals as well.
http://jxn.craigslist.org/boa/2284292651.html
http://jxn.craigslist.org/boa/2286249445.html
http://jxn.craigslist.org/boa/2290248826.html
http://swmi.craigslist.org/boa/2291903286.html
http://flint.craigslist.org/boa/2287478692.html
Those do look like good-ish deals. But I'm in Missouri, so they're not ones I can capitalize on.
Like I said, the two I posed were THE cheapest ones on my CL.
I'm starting to think I just need to buy a running boat for $1,500-$2000 and be money ahead of cobbling together a dilapidated boat.
But...We'll just see what deal comes along first.
I've got a line on a REALLY junky aluminum boat (actually very similar to the one I just sold thi winter) that I could probably get just for hauling it off. Or...a $1400 (asking price) boat that is ready to go. (I just lack cash to make an offer on that one 
).
Clem
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/boa/2349529073.html
This posting has been deleted by its author.
Looking at boats around MidMO this weekend ;)
In reply to ClemSparks:
I've got a 20' SeaRay boat with 5.7 Mercruiser I'll sell for challenge money or less. Needs a starter and some wiring in the back and the floor needs to be replaced. I haven't run it in two years. It's a 50+ MPH rig when running right. I rebuilt the floor eight years ago and didn't do a very good job at it. I just don't have the urge to mess with it any more. Let me know if you're interested and I'll shoot some pictures of it.
HAHAHAHA! Low dollar fun on the water? That is a knee slapper!!!
Disagree. With the exception of the obvious marine parts like electronics and bellhousings, they have direct road-going counterparts. Parts are dirt cheap if you don't buy them at the marina.
mtn wrote: For 10 grand? yeah, it can be done. I don't know about hopping it up, I've always dealt with outboard engines.
Nah... I built a 65-mph Baja with a total investment of about $4000. Check it out here:
http://www.teambajamarine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9895
A big part of it is that you have to spend so much time just to get ready to go, unless you actually live on the water.
Mine doesn't take any real prep. Hitch and go. I live about 10 miles from the ramp.
Nashco wrote: Tossing bigger/more powerful engines into an I/O setup also requires you upgrade the I/O drive(after it self destroys itself, of course).
Both Volvo and Mercruisers smallest outdrive was used for all 4, 6, and small block V8s. You had to go to a really heavy boat or the big block to get the Bravo-size.
Volvo little Penta and Mercruisers Alpha will both take 300+ hp and 6000 RPM. So, taking a 4-banger boat and dropping in a V8 isn't much of a big deal. The motor stringers are also the same in most boats. You could get a 4 Winns (at least back in the 90s) with the 3.0L I4, the 4.3 V6, or the 5.0 V8. The motor stringers are the same and they'll take the torque just fine. I replaced the 180hp 5.0L in my Baja with a 290 hp Vortec 350. No worries.
Thanks Curtis...that's my favorite post of the whole thread!
Curtis:
do you run offshore or inland?
FlightService wrote: Curtis: do you run offshore or inland?
Lakes only... mostly because I'm not really near any saltwater. I have been known to fish and boat off the coast of VA, but I haven't been there since owning this boat. I didn't build the engine with specific saltwater intentions (aluminum intake for example) but I wouldn't mind running it for a week or two and then flushing it.
Right now I mostly boat around Austin (Travis, Georgetown, Lake Austin, Buchannon) and the summers I spend in Ontario fishing.
I just picked up the best Grassroots boat, a FREE 12' canoe.
Now to take a picture of it with my friend Troll holding a flounder and I will have the best GRM MEME.
Me and two buddies split a 1973 Ski Nautique in college. It had a 318 Chrysler in it. The boat was a mid mounted inboard with a rudder as all proper ski boats should be. Other then replacing the started once and the risers it was relativly maintinance free. It never left us stranded other then the time we ran out of gas, but it always required a bit of fiddling to get it out on the water. The best part was the 3 inch exhaust exiting through the transom it sounded great.
We sold it after 3 years for more then we bought it for so it was essentailly free...
It would jerk a skier out of the water no problem. This isn't ours but it looks the same...
So...just to prove that I'm not simply theorizing...I figured I'd show a picture of my boat.
I picked this up a couple weeks back:
The transom wood was shot:
I have the newly constructed transom almost ready to varnish and put back in the boat...so I'm not too far off.
I plan to put a 6 h.p. Johnson on it and buzz around the river.
In the meantime, I'm collecting parts for a bigger boat. I dragged home an '85 horsepower Mercury and a Trailer with a big pile of junk fiberglass in between this past weekend.
Clem
curtis73 wrote: Nah... I built a 65-mph Baja with a total investment of about $4000. Check it out here: http://www.teambajamarine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9895
Curtis73. I'm interested in seeing your boat. But...teambajamarine requires registration...and that you have an email address that is not the kind that I have. So...I have no use for teambajamarine.
Any chance you could post up some info here? Or just send to me in an email?
Thanks!
Clem
Speaking of rotting transoms, mine is starting to look like it needs replacement. It is in a 14 foot aluminum Jonboat. The boat gets used maybe 4x a year, since I spend most of my time in the kayak, and never sees saltwater.
I can't remember if this was asked already: Would it be viable to just cut a piece of outdoor plywood, apply polyurethane or some other sealer to it and throw it into the back of the boat?
Thanks!
Brett, that's exactly what I'm doing. Well...except I'm adding a couple of steps:
I cut TWO pieces of exterior plywood, Glued them together, and then routed the edges to the proper thickness for my transom cap and base flange.
but yeah...it seems pretty popular to use exterior plywood for this type of thing. The general concensus seems to be that it's probably better than the ply that the OEM used the first time around.
Clem
Clem (and anyone else who wants to see):
Here are some photos of the progress so far. Right now its getting used pretty regularly.
As I got it with a locked 305 and grass growing out of the motor stringers:
Outdrive off, gimbal housing off, engine out:
Flooring and motor stringers stripped out:
New lumber being glued in for motor stringers:
New Vortec 350 ready to go in:
Cured bilge with Duplicolor spray on bedliner:
Engine in place and carpet folded back over some scrap plywood flooring:
Construction of new engine room cover:
Launching:
The wife likes it 
Cool...thanks!
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