There is nothing worse than a burning boat. Very sorry to see.
Pete

#1 son took the boat up to Huntington Lake to spend the weekend with my mom. I told him put it on the trailer at night, but my mom arranged for him to use the dock, so he left it in overnight. When he went down to the lake Sunday morning, the water was just lapping over the transom. As it turns out, there was a little leak where the exhaust hose connected to the port side bell--just a drop every 5 seconds. Well the more drops, the lower in the water it sat, and the faster the drops came. By the time I got there, just the front 5' of the bow was above the water, and the jet pump was sitting on the bottom. We ended up forcing the bow down so we could pivot the front under the dock, and attached a bow line to the eye. We took out the plug, and towed the boat until most of the water was out, then bailed the rest and put it back on the trailer. It was one of those crisis boating days, but now we laugh about whenever the subject comes. We ended up pulling the engine--mostly because it already needed a refresh, and then converted it to EFI, and had it back on the water within 2 weeks.

How did I miss this one--I guess spending too much time up at Shaver. I'm planning to spend most of August up there, and just commute down to Fresno a couple days a week as necessary. The lake is full, the water is great, and the air is cool (lows 50*, highs 80s) and clean. Although there are a lot of boats on the weekends, during the week it is mostly aluminum fishing boats.

I was going to put up some pics, but there are a bunch on the Shaver Lake facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/ShaverLake?v=wall&ref=ts

Also, I noticed that the logger jamboree is on the weekend of August 14/15.
 
Give me a call--maybe we can meet up.
Mark--"Sanger Pete"
(559) 917-1785

My son has one for sale
http://www.performanceboats.com/html/forums/showthread.php?t=62637

Hey Tom
You ought to recognize that orange Nordic--it spent 6 weeks at the JBP clinic a couple years ago.
Pete

Plugged pickup in tank? Did it happen on one or both tanks?

I've got lots of excuses Mark, 

1. No motor, still undecided on what do in this one. 
2. No pump, only have some of the big parts.
3. No seats, the ones that where in there are wayyy to heavy.
4. Way to much hull work to do, I have something kinda crazy in mind for this.

OK, Lets go through these
1. I have an extra 454 sitting in my garage--don't plan on using it until next year.
2. Use the WJ--with a little work it will run as good as a berkeley.
3. A couple of Lucky Stiff's fiberglass buckets would be perfect.
4. And now you still have more than 2 mos. to finish up the hull.
Bingo--you're at the lake learning to drive a tunnel/hydro.

You gotta love those Sangers.
Pete

Yep--but Andrew sold his JB pump and the guy needs the part to hold his nozzle on, and I am not sure of the timing for the return of my loaner. If I can find another one for a reasonable price, I'll just sell mine to to borrower and send the new one to the guy who bought the pump. Life really shouldn't be this complicated.

I was going to call you next.
Pete

My grandfather was a hot boat nut--raced outboard hydros in the 30s and built a cris craft style boat in 1949 that would run 55mph. My dad, however only had a sail boat, but we spent every summer at our cabin at Huntington Lake (60 miles N/E of Fresno) where I sailed, but also bummed ski rides from a number of friends, and dreamed of owning a boat to ski with. The first jet boat I saw was an 18' Valco (aluminum) with a SBC and an old Berkeley that looked like a box with a nozzle on the transom. Another friend had a 16' with a Buick V6 and a Berkeley Jet--only ran about 45 MPH, but it could pull stumps. I spent 3 summers working and saving for a ski boat and bought a 15' flat bottom with 100HP Johnson when I was a senior in HS. We ran the prop off that boat for 5 years until I bought a new 1975 18' Omega (Tahiti) with a 455/Jacuzzi WJ--for more room and better gas mileage. Since then I've owned and run 8 or 10 jet boats, but a few years ago, went over to the dark side with a 20' Sanger mini cruiser v-drive. I've enjoyed driving it, but have decided to sell it this spring and get another jet. I think I have a disease.
Pete

I met a guy a couple of months ago--sold a boat to his dad--who has a shop in Visalia. His name is Jeff and his business is called "The Magic Shop"--(559) 741-5550. He seemed to know what he talking about--gel vs paint, and showed me a couple pics of great paint jobs. I was going to try him out on my Sanger flat project, but would just as soon have someone else be the guinny pig (just kidding)

Wow, I know the guy that used to own that Hallett 3 or 4 years ago. Original gel and interior--probably the best I have ever seen on a 30+ year old boat.