Crazy Project: 1967 Glastron Jetflite 1988 Yamaha 130HP V4 Advice Needed

Greetings Scream & Fly:

Very very long time lurker here and first time poster. I found out about the Scream and Fly website back in mid to late 90s when I last owned a Ventura race layup hull with a worked over Merc 2.5L. Since that time a kid and a divorce have happened which caused me to sell off many of my go fast toys. I have however managed to hang on to my old 1967 Glastron Jetflite V143 and I am about to pick up a new (to me) 1988 Yamaha 130hp outboard this Friday. The Yam tested out at 123-125psi compression across all cylinders and started and idled like a charm.

The Jetflite had it's transom rebuilt about 7 years ago and I told the boat builder the #1 goal was to build a transom to hold a 100hp+ motor. He obliged and the transom on the boat today is 10x what the factory had built. Since the time of the new transom I have been running the boat with a 1996 Mariner 60HP which results in about a 38mph top speed.

I have many questions about this motor swap but I will keep focused on the most important stuff right now. I also know that the Jetflite was designed in a time when consumers could not even imagine 60-70mph boat speeds unlike today. My goal is to build a very fun, holeshot biased boat that is propped for fun and acceleration rather than ultimate top speed which this hull is not built for. 60mph I think is a reasonable goal with this project. Here are my questions:

1) Hydraulic Steering vs Dual Cable Steering: Is Hydraulic Steer set up ok in this boat? I know in the past in go-fast boats dual cable was the way to go.

2) Cost and parts needed to convert 25" leg to 20"? - The one big downside to this otherwise mint motor is the 25" lower unit. The Yamaha includes a CMC manual jackplate that I believe allows for 6" of lift and looks to have 3-4" of setback. The 6" lift will offset the 5" longer lower unit by +1" but also somewhat defeats the real purpose of a jackplate. I understand the conversion from 25" to 20" is NOT a simple bolt on.....has anybody made the swap in a cost effective manner?

3) Hot Foot - mandatory or not? The hull (at 14'3") I expect to be a handful under hard acceleration.

4) Ideas to ultimate reinforce the transom? I am dropping boat off after labor day to have a soft floor in rear replaced by same builder who did the transom 7 years ago.....I have no pretense of leaving the back of boat behind two front seat passengers in tact......In other words I do not care if the transom reinforcements eat into the back storage space behind the only two seats in the boat. I am looking for ultimate transom integrity so that the boat will stand up to the new heavier motor.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can share. My goal is to build a retro old school boat that has some modern day HP and performance. I in no way intend to try to make a Hydrostream fighter which this hull will never be. Thx.

The old jetflite was a neat boat. Most old V boats were 20 inch. A 15 inch motor made it a nice rig. Just add to the transom and save on all the motor work. Race boats like short motors but for playing around a tall motor is a dry motor. Don't get me wrong guys..... I was running 10 inch heights 40 years ago.....make the floors strong to the transom.

Thank you for the advice. I live in Maine and it seems that it is almost more common to find 25" saltwater series type motors from mid-range on up to 200+HP 2 strokes.

A 15" would be killer on this hull, however that is probably not in the cards.

I did speak with my boat builder guy last night on the phone and he had a few ideas about knee braces and additional strengthening that could be done to the hull when he replaces the floor.

I am picking the motor up in a few days. Rented a 12'x25' storage unit w/electricity and lights so I will be able to sand/patch and repaint the old Glastron hull over the fall and winter months which I will document in stills/video.

Decided that Hydraulic steering is the way to go since this boat lives at my parents' summer place and my 68 year old mother likes to take it out occasionally for a lap around the lake with the current 60hp Mariner set up.

Looking forward to this winter project. Also want to add in a 16 gallon gas tank to be placed in the rear compartment lengthwise and situated on the opposite side of the driver which should help with hull balance since I am 210lbs which is noticeable in a 14' hull when I sit on the driver's side.

I have a 20" mid that I will be more than happy t donate to your project. You would just have to figure out the freight part----' from AL to Maine won't be cheap......

You are a god send. Way more than happy to pay freight. The powerhead is a 1988 Yam 130hp - however I want to make this easy for you I will. My personal email is josh.odonnell.1971@gmail.com

I have cash/Paypal. Please decide what is fair. I promise this 20" leg is going toward an old boat that is much loved and cherished and will not spend its life uncared for.

Get in touch with me and I will pay you whatever you feel is fair. Thanks!

The mid is from an '89 excel, was a very clean freshwater motor with virtally no corrosion. You will have to swap tuners- your 130 will not like the excel tuner.....All I ask is that you return the excel tuner to me. Let me work on getting the mid from the lake to Atlanta and we can work out the freight details. Pickup will be from a commercial location which should help with freight charges. I should be able to have the mid in Atlanta sometime next week.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mackeral5

The mid is from an '89 excel, was a very clean freshwater motor with virtally no corrosion. You will have to swap tuners- your 130 will not like the excel tuner.....All I ask is that you return the excel tuner to me. Let me work on getting the mid from the lake to Atlanta and we can work out the freight details. Pickup will be from a commercial location which should help with freight charges. I should be able to have the mid in Atlanta sometime next week.

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I would be more than happy to return any part you need. Thank you so much. I am beyond excited that I now will have the "right" set up with 20" lower rather than trying to work around a 25" leg on a boat that it has no business being on. Your timeframe is fine - I have a last weekend of boating here in Maine for Labor Day weekend and then the boat gets pulled and dropped off to my fiberglass guy for reinforcements.

I can not thank you enough!

This kind of interaction is what makes s&f great.

Yep good people.....

Little update on this whole project....some more "feel good" boat stuff too.

Yesterday I fetched the Yam 130HP outboard - what I did not mention is that the Yam is hooked up to a 1977 Ranger 17' bass boat on an older but solid trailer. Took whole package home for $1500 (the motor/jackplate/stainless prop worth more than $1500 to me without the hull and trailer!). My co worker has a son about to graduate college with Dean's List grades and the kid is a total fishing/hunting nut who loves nothing more than hitting the water for fish. Trouble is, the kid currently has no boat and no budget for a fishing rig.

I told my buddy at work that the hull and trailer were his if he wished to put a little TLC into the boat and mount a different outboard once the 130HP is taken off. This is a bonus for me since here in Maine, boat storage is a long season and I do not want to deal with the Ranger hull this winter. The Ranger hull is now going to get a full wet sand and BONUS - my buddy at work told me he will buy my 96 Mariner 60HP to hang off the back of the Ranger and give to his son this Xmas as a graduation present from college.

I know this guy's kid is going to be absolutely thrilled with the refurbished Ranger/Mariner 60hp and I do not have to store anything extra nor deal with selling crap next spring when the boating season ramps up here in the Northeast!