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View Full Version : Old Jet Boat....Opinions?



HyperDonzi
07-14-2003, 10:30 AM
Found this... 750$ has 455olds in it bored 60 over, interior is gone, no rot, also comes with a car with 455 also. Sleek Craft 18.

HyperDonzi
07-14-2003, 10:33 AM
http://http://www.donzi.net/photos/Sleek Craft.jpg

Ranman
07-14-2003, 03:15 PM
Hyper,

Those old jet boats (especially the one in the pic) are big $$$ to get running and to keep running. THey've almost all been hacked and whacked and run hard. If a boat is a money pit, then these old jets are money pits squared.

You saw the one my buddy sold, right. Try putting over $20K in it over about 5 years and then have to sell it for $4500. Ouch.

Keep saving and buy a nice boat the first time out. Get a nice sweet sixteen Donzi to start. You can find them for well under 10K and there IS a resale if you take care of it. Trust me.

HyperDonzi
07-14-2003, 04:42 PM
I can see how their run hard, all that torque has to kill the stringers. And a 16 will be able to handle the more fun waters on 4th of July wink

Thanks for always keeping my head level ranman. Now it is time to put another quote of yours in my profile. :p

Tommy

Cuda
07-14-2003, 06:20 PM
I sold my two jet skis to a guy the other day that had about an 18 foot jetboat, didn't catch the name on it for sale with a 455 Olds and Berkley drive on a decent tandem axle trailer for $600. The hull looked decent, but the interior needed redone. Had some good looking bucket seats in the front (that's why I looked at it).

As Ranman said, wait until you find what you want, and save up for it. Believe me, every intermediate step just costs more money.

1996Z15
07-14-2003, 07:34 PM
How do I get to see the image? In 1976 my parents bought a 20' Sleekcraft Aristocrat new. What a beautiful looking boat; it had a 333hp 454 with a Jacuzzi jet. It was pearl white with red and blue metalflake trim and a white interior. It would do about 60 - 65 mph but didn't take too kindly to any type of wakes or waves. Depending on what kind of boating you like to do and where you like to do it would determine if this style of boat is for you. Personally, where I boat I couldn't get away with it but I still have a soft spot in my heart for the older jet boats like the Sleekcrafts, Avengers, Sidewinders and Nordics.

penbroke
07-14-2003, 09:18 PM
Photo:
http://www.donzi.net/photos/Sleek_Craft.jpg

Frank

swampfire
07-15-2003, 10:07 AM
It looks like it might be a Hondo from the mid 70s, built in Merced Ca. I know fiberglass work and Hondos have some of the best. For an economical project jerk out the motor and jet drive, put a new floor in over the old motor mounts, beef up the transom and put a jack plate and a Yamaha V-Max 150 on it. With a new 25 gallon aluminum tank in the bow you'll run a 25 pitch prop and go 70 mph. I did this and took my time and enjoyed the process, took me about 6 months of spare time, cost $12000 including a new aluminum trailer. You can pick up these old Hondos for $500.