"Jet Ski" Boat Works Great In Shallow Water

"Jet Ski" Boat Works Great In Shallow Water FARM HOME recreation 31-3-34 "It runs like a champ and goes as fast as a jet ski. I can use it in water that's only 1 ft. deep," says Tim Smith about the one-of-a-kind "Jet Ski" boat he built. The Prior Lake, Minn., man removed the outboard motor from an old 14-ft. aluminum speedboat and replaced it with a 1993 Kawasaki 650 cc Jet Ski, which he took apart. The back half of the Jet Ski, including its seat and gas engine compartment, mounts at the rear of the boat. The handlebars, with choke, starter button, kill switch, and throttle controls on them, are positioned 8 ft. ahead and come up through the boat's hood. An 8-ft. long cable under the floor leads from the handlebar controls back to the engine. The driver sits on a plastic fishing boat chair. "Everyone who sees it for the first time does a double take," says Smith. "It's a lot of fun to buzz around in - I think of it more as a little hot rod than as a fishing boat. I came up with the idea because I like to fish, but I don't like dealing with broken propellers caused by hitting rocks in shallow lakes and rivers. My Jet Ski boat has a much shallower draft than a boat because there's no propeller on back. I can go in any water the boat can float in, as long as the boat isn't rubbing the bottom of the lake." He completely gutted the boat, removing the windshield and hull. He replaced the original plywood floor with a new wooden treated floor that's covered with outdoor carpet. Polished aluminum was used for the trim. He used a sawzall to cut the Jet Ski into pieces in his driveway. He cut the front end off and threw away most of the components except for the handlebars and steering apparatus. He also cut the sides off the Jet Ski where the driver's feet would normally go, keeping the gas tank and filler which are foam-mounted in the bow under the front hood. The Jet Ski's seat and engine are bolted to the bottom of the boat in front of an intake hole that he cut into the back side of the boat. The Jet Ski's jet tunnel fits through the hole and is supported by a wooden board that's covered with a sealant to waterproof the area. The handlebars are bolted to a metal plate that bolts onto the hull. "It didn't cost much to build. I've got less than $600 invested in it," says Smith. "A friend gave me the Jet Ski, and I already had the boat." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tim Smith, 14100 Rolling Oaks Circle, Prior Lake, Minn. 55372 (ph 952 445-0245 or 952 670-3343).

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