OK, Here goes nothing, I get my first jetboat at the ripe old age of 18 (18', 400#, balsa floored, bubble deck Renegade) this thing is a blank, no numbers, no holes cut, jet black, bad to the bone.
So I call my dad and tell him I need a 454 (he then owned an automotive machine shop) to put in the boat, let's just say over thought that one, ended up with a retired bracket racing 427 Chev., bought a whole bunch of stuff from swap meets and flea markets etc...Anyway finally get the pump set, the motor freshened up, new Bassetts, the friggen works, built a bench rear seat and two fiberglass buckets stitched in "burn the crap out of your ass dark maroon" looked really killer (did I mention the boat was black?). Thinking this is going to be badass, we got it running at the local fishbowl and it hauls ass, actually a little intimidating, only drove my dads "new" boat (1983 Galaxy "little dipper" with a 305 Chev. and a Merc. I/O).
So its time to go to the lake for the weekend (I'm 18) and took it to Lake Nacamiento towing it with my 1972 K5 Blazer 4X4, heading down 101 south at Greenfield, cross the overpass and realize I disobeyed rule #1 (of 50,000) make sure you, not your buddies latch the trailer onto the ball and hook up the chains, anyway, we hook the boat back onto the truck....So we get to the lake and it's 200*, the truck is threatening to overheat and we forgot the icechest (did I mention I'm 18?) so were just dying. We decide to camp on the beach (we call this rule #2) go launch the boat and broke rule #3,4 and 5, which are #3- bilge plug, not only did I not put it in, we forgot the damn thing! #4- Safety gear (after this trip, is the new rule #1) no throw cushion, and no horn and the "gatekeeper" would not let me use the "I have a water ski therfore I have a paddle" defense, and don't forget the almighty "who the hell has the damn keys!" rule (#5).
So by the time we get on the water its dusk... one day down.
The next morning after going shopping for an ice chest and sun screen (rule #6), we go on the water for what we think will be awsome, because we have not given up all hope yet, we skied, tubed (on and old earthmover tube which is also black) we ate lunch and got back to the boat afterward and hopped on the deck (black + 105* + 1 hour = two smoking ass cheeks) we decide to head back until it cools off a little, we're cruising back and this dude in a cool flatbottom pulls up next to us and gives us a thumbs up, we wave then he takes off, so (18 years old) I hammer the hell out of the boat (which at this time has about three hours on it) and start to catch him, the boat had a second hand tach that only went to 5,500 RPM and it was on "M", sounded bitchen, then "it" happened, the boat took a couple of pretty good hops and the pump sucked air, needless to say what comes out must go back in, that big block blew up to the point there was nothing salvagable, not even a head. To make matters worse, got towed in by a 15 hp Johnson on a 12' aluminum, very humbling indeed...Learned a lot and went back every year since.....That was the coolest boat ever (at least I thought it was).
Still don't know why no one was injured or worse, someone was watching, and laughing his ass off....
GT
