Help identify this boat please.

[willowvalley]

Good morning everyone. My name is Ryan I'm from the city of Orange Ca. This is my first post on RD I figured this would be a perfect place to find some help. So a friend of mine was helping his father in law out after his buddy past away with the clean up of the garage and the goodies. Turns out he was a collector of all cool things. In the driveway sits a 18-19ft jet boat with a 454 and a berkley jet. The lady's nefew has since tried to work on that boat and has taken the motor apart and parts of the jet/droop snoot and lines off but the over all completeness of the boat with boxes of parts is very sound. Set of high rise twist style basset 3 inch dia + headers nostalgic high rise air scoop to match the boat with a high rise aluminum intake about a foot tall. Pardon my basic knowledge since I'm new to jet boats and have only owned 1 other boat being a 85 Caribbean 26ft day cruiser Tahiti which is now in Mexico The gel coat on this boat is very nice, always covered and the
stringers are solid except for some water that got caught in front of boat near the throttle assembly. Interior is compete but will need some love. The gas tanks look nice and there is no stress cracks that I could find through out the hull. I should be picking the boat up this week after I return from work. Anyways back to my original question. I didn't want to see this 70s piece of history just get tossed out so I told the lady i would like to own the boat and restore it and get it running the river again. The boat has fixed cavitation plates and a tunnel/channel down the center of the hull making it not a complete flat bottom and this T transom. I saw a Kona badge plate laying in the garage but couldn't find anything that kona made to compare it to. If anyone knows what this might be if greatly appreciate it and I'm sure I will need some help with getting everything back in order to get it running and going down the river.
I'm in Orange ca thanks for the look guys. If anyone has old parts that might work with this build if like to keep it period correct. Boat last saw water in 2001 I think.
7143505491 if you feel like texting me with any helpful info that would be much appreciated.

 

[rivrrts429]

Good morning everyone. My name is Ryan I'm from the city of Orange Ca. This is my first post on RD I figured this would be a perfect place to find some help. So a friend of mine was helping his father in law out after his buddy past away with the clean up of the garage and the goodies. Turns out he was a collector of all cool things. In the driveway sits a 18-19ft jet boat with a 454 and a berkley jet. The lady's nefew has since tried to work on that boat and has taken the motor apart and parts of the jet/droop snoot and lines off but the over all completeness of the boat with boxes of parts is very sound. Set of high rise twist style basset 3 inch dia + headers nostalgic high rise air scoop to match the boat with a high rise aluminum intake about a foot tall. Pardon my basic knowledge since I'm new to jet boats and have only owned 1 other boat being a 85 Caribbean 26ft day cruiser Tahiti which is now in Mexico The gel coat on this boat is very nice, always covered and the
stringers are solid except for some water that got caught in front of boat near the throttle assembly. Interior is compete but will need some love. The gas tanks look nice and there is no stress cracks that I could find through out the hull. I should be picking the boat up this week after I return from work. Anyways back to my original question. I didn't want to see this 70s piece of history just get tossed out so I told the lady i would like to own the boat and restore it and get it running the river again. The boat has fixed cavitation plates and a tunnel/channel down the center of the hull making it not a complete flat bottom and this T transom. I saw a Kona badge plate laying in the garage but couldn't find anything that kona made to compare it to. If anyone knows what this might be if greatly appreciate it and I'm sure I will need some help with getting everything back in order to get it running and going down the river.
I'm in Orange ca thanks for the look guys. If anyone has old parts that might work with this build if like to keep it period correct. Boat last saw water in 2001 I think.
7143505491 if you feel like texting me with any helpful info that would be much appreciated.

The HIN comes back as Makai Boats.

Looks almost exactly like my Southwind Tunnel Dragster. Could be a splash of the Southwind.

 

[willowvalley]

Rad ! ok that's good start. Thanks now I need to find out more history on makai boats.

 

[willowvalley]

The HIN comes back as Makai Boats.

Looks almost exactly like my Southwind Tunnel Dragster. Could be a splash of the Southwind.

How does it ride? I'm usually in needles does it handle chop well ?

 

[Joker]

How does it ride? I'm usually in needles does it handle chop well ?

For mid week boating it should be fine but I see smaller jets going south of the bridge getting beat up pretty bad.

 

[willowvalley]

For mid week boating it should be fine but I see smaller jets going south of the bridge getting beat up pretty bad.

What's a running restored boat bring if I wanna just flip it?

 

[rivrrts429]

How does it ride? I'm usually in needles does it handle chop well ?

If it's similar or a splash of my Southwind they can be ass draggers. Experimenting with small incremental changes to setup results in big differences in how they ride.

They're a mod V tunnel. Those are not fixed plates for a better ride but more intended to work and assist with air entrapment.

I ran my plates at 2 degrees down and ride plate two degrees up. Mine responded well to a wedge, nozzle bushing, droop and place diverter. Roughly 600 hp single carb iron block

If you're real serious about squeezing every ounce of performance out of this thing your best investment will be getting pump pressure readings and experimenting with different shoe setups and all the hardware hanging below the water line. I'd also experiment with engine placement from the transom.

Any chop under a foot they're fun. Not so much above that. They are not a rough water boat whatsoever.

If you want just a nice cruiser with a hot lap every once in a while then I'd identify what intake and pump you have, slap a diverter on it if it doesn't already have one, and run it from needles to Laughlin. Enjoy it for what it is and it's somewhat unique design for the day.

If you start digging too deep they will drain your wallet something fierce [emoji2]

 

[willowvalley]

If it's similar or a splash of my Southwind they can be ass draggers. Experimenting with small incremental changes to setup results in big differences in how they ride.

They're a mod V tunnel. Those are not fixed plates for a better ride but more intended to work and assist with air entrapment.

I ran my plates at 2 degrees down and ride plate two degrees up. Mine responded well to a wedge, nozzle bushing, droop and place diverter. Roughly 600 hp single carb iron block

If you're real serious about squeezing every ounce of performance out of this thing your best investment will be getting pump pressure readings and experimenting with different shoe setups and all the hardware hanging below the water line. I'd also experiment with engine placement from the transom.

Any chop under a foot they're fun. Not so much above that. They are not a rough water boat whatsoever.

If you want just a nice cruiser with a hot lap every once in a while then I'd identify what intake and pump you have, slap a diverter on it if it doesn't already have one, and run it from needles to Laughlin. Enjoy it for what it is and it's somewhat unique design for the day.

If you start digging too deep they will drain your wallet something fierce [emoji2]

I'll find out what it has for a pump later and post it up. I'm most likely going to use every original part on the boat from what the guy said his buddy loved to go fast.

Luckily I have friends that know how to rebuild motors and we will tear it down and do a nice build on the motor. What does the boat do as far as speed? With 600hp I can imagine high 60s? Even the tunnel has a cav plate underneath the pump.

 

[rivrrts429]

I'll find out what it has for a pump later and post it up. I'm most likely going to use every original part on the boat from what the guy said his buddy loved to go fast.

Luckily I have friends that know how to rebuild motors and we will tear it down and do a nice build on the motor. What does the boat do as far as speed? With 600hp I can imagine high 60s? Even the tunnel has a cav plate underneath the pump.

That is not a cav plate but rather a ride plate. Cav plates, air entrapment plates, and ride plates all perform different functions. Cav plates are on V-Drives and not on jets.

You have plates on the tunnels designed for air entrapment and a ride plate under the jet. Both work together at speed, but perform very different functions to achieve optimum performance. A ride plate, in theory, tricks the boat into thinking it's longer than what it is. Ideally you want the boat to sit back on the ride plate at speed.

You have a cool little project. If you're not familiar with mod-v jets I'd get it put together for minimal out of pocket money and have a nice little hot rod than can run really well.

 

[rivrrts429]

I'll find out what it has for a pump later and post it up. I'm most likely going to use every original part on the boat from what the guy said his buddy loved to go fast.

Luckily I have friends that know how to rebuild motors and we will tear it down and do a nice build on the motor. What does the boat do as far as speed? With 600hp I can imagine high 60s? Even the tunnel has a cav plate underneath the pump.

Low 80's on GPS. You sit on top of these boats rather than in them. Feels like your doing 80 on a piece of plywood. Much different than 80 in a deeper boat lol.

 

[willowvalley]

Ok thank you for the clarification. I've always wanted a vdrive an actually found a cheap original 64 Gaylord in Santa Ana but it had major stress cracks and needed a ton of money to be sunk Into it to bring it back. This one seems fairly complete hoping I can find all the correct parts in the garage that the nephew decided to remove thinking he knew what he was doing...headache now but I definitely scored big time almost stupid score. I won't mess with the ride plates until I get it all running and pump back together. I'll need hardware new steering lines and linage and seals for the jet transom housing. If I can't find the pump transom housing cover where would I get one for. Decent deal? Should I take the pump an have it gone through sinc it's been sitting? The guy seemed to take care of the boat.

 

[willowvalley]

80 is plenty fast on a Magic carpet haha. No kids yet so the wife an I can enjoy a 2 seater with room for a cooler for awhile.

 

[Abc123]

For mid week boating it should be fine but I see smaller jets going south of the bridge getting beat up pretty bad.

Meh, It's a tunnel. Pack some air under it and hold on.

 

[rivrrts429]

Ok thank you for the clarification. I've always wanted a vdrive an actually found a cheap original 64 Gaylord in Santa Ana but it had major stress cracks and needed a ton of money to be sunk Into it to bring it back. This one seems fairly complete hoping I can find all the correct parts in the garage that the nephew decided to remove thinking he knew what he was doing...headache now but I definitely scored big time almost stupid score. I won't mess with the ride plates until I get it all running and pump back together. I'll need hardware new steering lines and linage and seals for the jet transom housing. If I can't find the pump transom housing cover where would I get one for. Decent deal? Should I take the pump an have it gone through sinc it's been sitting? The guy seemed to take care of the boat.

Are you asking where to find transom plates or the inspection cover on the pod?

Transom plates are going to vary wildly from pump to pump and transom to transom.

You can either pay someone to build them for you or build them yourself. It's really not that difficult to do yourself. Use some cardboard to cut templates and you can make yourself a nice set. Silicone will be your friend lol.

I'd probably see what you're working with first in the jet. Spending money just to spend money on your pump will nickel and dime you. If you need to rebuild it there are numerous peeps highly recommended if you're not up to the task yourself mechanically. Chris @ B1, Jack @ MPD, and Tom at JBP would be my shortlist of folks to use, both for parts & service.

 

[willowvalley]

I'm looking for the cover that would say berkley on it the would fit around the pod that would be bolted to back of transom an sealed with gasket or silicone
I have the ride plate on the boat still. Also if I need to replace the shaft from motor to pump where would I have one made or of the shelf ?

 

[willowvalley]

See how it's missing
Big opening into transom

 

[rivrrts429]

View attachment 414383
See how it's missing
Big opening into transom

You need to build yourself a set of transom plates to seal up the transom. Are you sure there not with the boat somewhere?

Not terribly difficult but if you're not totally comfortable doing it yourself, any of the three companies I mentioned earlier will either build them or direct you where to have it done.

 

[willowvalley]

Looks like I've got some searching to do then in the lady's garage. Are they usually made out of aluminum or fiberglass?

 

[rivrrts429]

Looks like I've got some searching to do then in the lady's garage. Are they usually made out of aluminum or fiberglass?

Generally aluminum, at least mine were, and most of my friends were. There is a lot of movement/torsion back there at speed so the aluminum can add strength. Minimal strength but it does help. Having a pump brace built for these isn't a must but is recommended.

The pod is a good distance off the back of the boat, that's the piece the jet drive is housed in, and you want to make sure it's well braced for the beating it can take.

Any good driveline company can help with making you a driveline and u-joints.

 

[willowvalley]

Are you so cal local? Sounds like I have a fun summer project besides finishing my house haha would it be a two piece or 1 piece cover I could have a buddy of mine fab up a nice aluminum cover that would extend off transom to the cone make it look clean and solid. Where off the pump do you brace ? And would I brace off the inner transom wall?

 

[rivrrts429]

Are you so cal local? Sounds like I have a fun summer project besides finishing my house haha would it be a two piece or 1 piece cover I could have a buddy of mine fab up a nice aluminum cover that would extend off transom to the cone make it look clean and solid. Where off the pump do you brace ? And would I brace off the inner transom wall?

I'm in the Inland Empire.

Take a picture of your bilge and post it so we can see what you have working in the motor area.

The pump brace, most often, will run from stringer to stringer and tied into your intake.

It's the blue plate running from side to side and under the driveline in this picture.



The transom plates will be two piece like this picture. (Inside and outside view)





Do you see where they meet at the top and down the middle?

 

[willowvalley]

Yeah that's a clear image so 2 side plates and that center cap to tie them together. I'll be at the boat in about an hour now I have a better idea what to look for.

 

[willowvalley]

 

[willowvalley]

Looks like I'm going to need a pump brace any particular brand or maybe I'll make one

 

[460]

Nice find. Good luck

 

[willowvalley]

This should be fun

 

[rivrrts429]

Look at the transom and gunnels of these two boats. The one I pulled off the internet is a Mach 1 mod v and then yours.

I'm thinking your boat is a Mach 1. Similar bottom as the Southwind but different deck.

You might want to see if a transom adapter, like the one in the picture, versus transom plates will work. You can find transom adapters on Craigslist or the boating forum classifieds.

 

[willowvalley]

I'm in the Inland Empire.

Take a picture of your bilge and post it so we can see what you have working in the motor area.

The pump brace, most often, will run from stringer to stringer and tied into your intake.

It's the blue plate running from side to side and under the driveline in this picture.

View attachment 414401

The transom plates will be two piece like this picture. (Inside and outside view)

View attachment 414402

View attachment 414403

Do you see where they meet at the top and down the middle?

So off the flex plate is there suppose to be another plate so I can attach the driveline ?

 

[rivrrts429]

View attachment 414838 View attachment 414839



So off the flex plate is there suppose to be another plate so I can attach the driveline ?

Yes. It needs an adapter.

You can see it in this picture.

 

[willowvalley]

Ok easy to find?

 

[rivrrts429]

Ok easy to find?

Yup. It's just a PTO Adapter.

Here's one off of eBay (hopefully link works)

http://r.ebay.com/5t1sek

 

[willowvalley]

Ok cool
Pulled the block today and drained it...lots of water and oil talk about shitty luck.

 

[willowvalley]

Yup. It's just a PTO Adapter.

Here's one off of eBay (hopefully link works)

http://r.ebay.com/5t1sek

So is this a good pump?

 

[willowvalley]

Floors are solid except a light chipping next to the tanks minor fiberglass which I think I can sand down and lay some new resin over it. Any suggestions to how to polish the floors to make that wood look new again?

 

[willowvalley]

What cable should I run for steering I need the rack and also reverse and throttle

 

[Abc123]

What cable should I run for steering I need the rack and also reverse and throttle

Tom at Jet Boat Performance hooked me up with mine. The entire set up isn't much.

 

[willowvalley]

Tom at Jet Boat Performance hooked me up with mine. The entire set up isn't much.

They so cal local ?

 

[willowvalley]

So I decided to have the engine I have rebuilt. Using the 396-427 98.4 cc close chambered heads with a mild port job and getting bored over .60 so I'll have a simple 468 running flat tappet hydraulic lifters with a 230-250 cam with .50 lift and a edelbrock tunnel ram intake with a 750 Holley carb. Even found the old school Mickey Thompson finned valve covers now I just need to find a matching timing chain cover that would match the finned old school look.
Enderle made some rad looking products. Any of you know of a fair engine dyno shop?

 

[willowvalley]

How do you run the alternator off the pump near transom ?looks trick and clean.

 

[willowvalley]

Almost done with this old girl

 

[redone76]

More pics please!! Did you ever get the transom plate?

 

[fmo24]

Can't believe I never saw this thread. Lots of info shared. Will be cool to see the boat back together

 

[rivrrts429]

I've been following along on the other site. Nice job [emoji106]

 

[willowvalley]

Been a while since I posted on here the Mach 1 has come along way since I brought her home.

Engine rebuilt 468 flat top Pistons with 427 close chambered heads, engine made 401hp and 500ftlbs

The tunnel ram and small heads really kills hp but I like it and so it stays.
Wiring was fun that took a few nights to figure out.

 

[willowvalley]

More pics please!! Did you ever get the transom plate?

I did I ended up making I at home with a jig saw some c-clamps and used my flat bed trailer as a table haha turned out better than most would think.
This was taken after I finished it a while back since then it has been completely buttoned up sealed and hopefully leak proof/resistant lots of silicone was used to ensure that would happen.

 

[willowvalley]

Btw thanks guys for the compliments

Hope to be on the water soon if your out there don't hesitate to say hi I'm usually at pirates cove

 

[redone76]

Boat looks badass! Transom plate came out clean! I was going to offer you a stock Berkeley transom plate that's just sitting in my garage. If you need it its yours

 

[Flying_Lavey]

I'm not a jet fan in almost anyways but..... if I ever did have one, I'd be a tunnel like this.

 

[willowvalley]

I'm not a jet fan in almost anyways but..... if I ever did have one, I'd be a tunnel like this.

That means a lot! Thanks I've only owned one other boat which was a 26.5 day cruiser Tahiti Caribbean she was built for Havasu waters.

Glad you guys approve of the work I've done to it. It's minimalistic but I wanted 70s nostalgia with the boat to be a very neat and clean build I could do by my own means at home.
I assembled a 4 relay set up to delete the diodes and dpts that place diverter uses on there pumps. Going to go with a bj marine pump down the road but 580$ was out of budget for this season for a trim pump.


I really am a V-drive guy just as much as jets I would love to find a 24xs spectra vdrive or 21 day cruiser so I could haul the family around someday.

 

[willowvalley]

Here are some ransoms I took along the way


Kinda pist about not color matching the bondo to the floor color...I got the idea of the aluminum plates for the tank mounts out of 2006 hit boat mag article on mounting saddle tanks that someone had posted up in here
Made them from scrap material I got at work and then layered glass down over it in sections using a epoxy based resin. The boat is s polyester based layup this was just quick and easy not perfect but got it done so I didn't have to worry about wood rot if I used plywood for the base like it had before .

The steering wheel is bland but it the original that was in the boat so I used two momentary switches that share 12v+ that power up 4 relays 2 for up and 2 for down.
Get rid of the ugly toggle switch

Thinking I might use my isotta Italian wheel I pulled from a 911 looks cool but goes against 70s nostalgia