LMAO, I have not done that in quite a few years, but I can remember years ago some of the youngsters in the neighborhood rolling by to make sure I was OK, laughing their asses off. 
My garage has always been open to the neighborhood kids for air for the bikes or whatever else they needed that their fathers or mothers could not provide. 
Now most of the kids are in college or have jobs and I'm happy if they have the time to wave to me when they drive by to visit their parents or grandparents.  Some stop to say hello sometimes.
Hopefully I made a positive influence in some of their lives. 
Whitey isn't always bad.

Same here, and same with the neighbors! All my water ski's came from them (Neighbor across from me in the Cul De Sac is a retired pro ski'er). He even gave me the ski racks that I never installed on Moo, maybe they'll go on the Yellow Submarine, who knows. I gotta get that thing done, it's killing me, lol.

Dave, you make a positive influence everywhere you go. My kids adore you, I adore you, as well as make fun of you, as you do I. It's a win win just even having MET you.

Ray

Pits aren't scary or mean dogs...Media makes them out to be attack dogs. Been bit by a few dogs but never a bully breed. Best insurance is everything you have to protect your investment. I raised my fence to 8' and added carpet tack strip along the top edge, 4 dogs, cams, guns and various things inside prop....Don't have a sign that states beware...must read enter at own risk, dog on duty and smile your on camera.

Never thought about carpet tack strips........Wonder if that'd work for keeping strange women that keep waking up here out of my master bathroom???   

RAy

Built my own XM-177 machine gun before the updated Machine Gun law in 1982. 10" barrel, a little different (needed an expansion chamber in the flash hider I hadda make), but it ain't rocket science. Typically, they go together like assembling an MPC Model car.

AK? Never built.  Bought mine as is (expensive as that was), but maintaining? AK rules!   

Ray

You can get a couple hundred quick bucks outta that.....Stand your ground, I know it's not complete, but you would NOT believe what some of the individual parts you show go for, if even available these days! 

Ray

PS, The transom/steering seal, all the assorted hardware, make it as complete as possible, then yeah, $200-$300 shouldn't be a problem.

I lock mine, regardless. In the garage, out of the garage, out with the SCJB group, where ever. Just an east coast habit I got into. Built a nice utility trailer back east years ago. Brought it home from the shop, parked it in the street, GONE at 6AM the next morning. Nowadays, between me, and the neighbors, busted 3 guys trying to hook onto my "In Process" 26' with chains, whatever since I lock all the hitches (Don't use cheap ones, the tamper, bolt cutter proof ones are the BESTEST!  )

I even lock the hitch in my receiver! Back east, I had a beautiful Class 4 (Weight Distribution bar mounts 'cuz I towed backhoes and stuff)  disappear when I was in a grocery store for less than 5 minutes to get cigarettes! $500 hitch back then, dunno what it'd cost me today. I guarantee the rednecks that took it had no idea what it was for UNLESS it was to move their home.......

Not that I don't trust you guys! Far from it! But with Craig's list, Ebay, etc, easy stuff like this turns into cash quick. Boats? They dpn't need no stinkin' boats! But that tandem trailer would haul at LEAST 5 lawnmowers and a handful of leaf blowers!..........   

Ray

Sleeks are fantastic hulls. Dunna whatcha got, but any of them are worth the trouble.

'Glas work? you're on your own there, with some help from here. But we like pitchers......I mean pictures........to see what your dealing with.

Free is free, I'd be on anything free like a fat kid on a cookie........ 

Ray

Yes, they are the same

Ray

They are only the best boats ever made.
Ever.
In the entire history of boat building.
Ever.

-beerjet-

Omar musta got off early and is already at Hooters.......

Ray

Whats wrong with the Jacuzzi/Energizer set-up? Even if you replaced the bowl, impeller/wear ring and front bearing, it shouldn't run ya a grand. performance wise I don't think an 'all Berk' set-up would be any better, just more expensive. the back half of that pump is already 'Berkeleyized". We need to see some pics of the carnage to make an informed decision.
What hull do you have?

Dan'l

Exactly. What would be the point? I sport an energized YJ on my Charger, and for the most part, it IS a Berk with a wider intake.......   

Ray

Just make sure your crankshaft to pump shaft are parallel. I set my hull up slightly off trailer with jack stands to control movement. Used a cheapo angle finder from harbor freight. Set it on pump shaft, then motor to get that dialed. If you have a 4 point you should be able to get it to zero at parallel.  I had to grind two small spots on my bell where the bolt through grate is to get mine to zero out.  As I said before 1/2-3 is prime...but if you close to 3 your fine.

Kinda, you don't wanna do QUITE that, set them up as parallel, then drop or raise the engine to give a few degree's of deflection. You NEED that deflection to force all the bearings under the caps to rotate fully and last nearly forever.

In other words, keep the shaft centerlines parallel, crank and pump shaft, but ones gotta be lower than the other. 

Ray

hello I am new to the site and new to the jet boat world but have been checking out the site for a wile and you guys are awesome and always seem to have the answer im looking for. I have a 1977 omega 21 foot open bow with a bbf and Jacuzzi yj with an energizer kit on it. like I said im new to all of this and it took me a lot of research to find out what jet I even had but anyways when I put my boat in the water and put it in forward or reverse it went know where even when the bowl was going up and down when I went from forward and reverse so I gave it a little gas and then it seemed like it slipped into gear per say and I was able to go but so I didn't think any thing of it and it worked fine all day. put it on the trailer and the next day the same thing except this time I was cruising at 3000 rpm's which is usually about 35-40 on gps and I lost all power and was going like 10 mph. my first thought is I sucked something so I looked under the boat and there was a thing that looked like a plastic shoe lace but was about the same diameter as the impeller and wrapped up in it so I pulled it out and started to go again and same problem so now im lost I pulled the bowl off the boat today and nothing in the veins of the bowl or in the impeller so any help would be much appreciated

One of the hardest to read posts ever! 

First off, the pump was probably cavitating when you first launched it. (Trapped air in the pump, completely normal) but to help this, and combat another problem, always double or triple dip the boat when backing it in. Back it in, leave it sit for a minute, pull it back out, and back it in again. This clears the intake from any possible road crap, grocery bags, rocks, from the trailering experience, and helps "prime the pump" for firing. 

Second, if you sucked up something the "same diameter as the impeller".......you got serious issues son........I'd be more willing to believe you sucked up an anchor rope, ski rope, case of used diapers, 25 million tampons, something, or other that has wrapped itself around the shaft so tightly it looks like one piece.

No matter what, whatever it is, THAT is your problem, and it needs to be removed!

Ray

Don't need one, but isn't this an oxymoron? "Downhill Mountain Bike"? 

The "downhill" side of a Mountain usually involves "free fall and sudden impact" , and I fail to see where A bike can help? 

LOL

Ray