Stern drive to jet conversion

[Poky]

I'm looking at taking a v bottom stern drive and converting it to a jet drive. How hard is it to do this? does the engine need to move forward? will the v bottom need to smoothed out in front of the pump?

[kellytheaker]

Got yourself wanting a jet I hear !
Yes it's easilly done if you have done a bunch and it's really costly as well .
My advice is maintain your current rigging and enjoy the piece . . And just wait it out for a jet ,
Personally I have always enjoyed the inboard with stern drive . Of course I bought and drive a really nice outboard but I think for me the stern drive with a nice I board is really great and all around a good boating - simple / durable -

[Poky]

well that what I needed to hear. I use a lake that is larger, so it gets rough on the weekend with wake boards, but it also have a very shallow area. so a stern drive gives a very nice ride, but sits way too deep. I personally run a checkmate with a outboard and a smaller 16 foot boat running a mercury sportjet. might have to try to find a old 70's boat with a jet drive.

[CharlieN]

Bit late to the party here.
To me the real answer is, what is your fabrication skill level and ability. As in, do you need to hire out all the work or will you be fitting the drive into the hull.
The Berkeley 12JE style drive allows you to rework the hull for the feed into the pump, this allows you to blend from the Vee into the inlet.
The more commonly used styles do need a pad or flat area under the hull to mount up into.
https://i.imgur.com/Uj4NJr7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qecu7IP.jpg

[Poky]

to be honest, there are very few things that I could afford to have someone else do for me. I just got done repairing the deck on my 18 foot hobie cat, I can't fathom what that work would of cost to have someone do for me. My thought on the jet pump was that it didn't seem that hard to do, that hardest part was what you pointed out, getting the V to transition to the pump intake grate.

[CharlieN]

The standard JG style pump which has the integral inlet is intended for a pad hull.
That is where the JE as I showed above allows allot of options for you to design an intake that blends from the V up into the pump.

[Poky]

missed that part, I assumed that the intake grate just missing, I didn't realize that pump was a option. So the first part of the pump intake is all fiberglass. Do you still work in a grate?

[CharlieN]

There is a simple grate up high in the intake tunnel, nothing down at the running surface. The grate just looked to be something to keep rocks fish and sticks out.

[Poky]

what
kind of surface drive are you going to use on your Glatron?

[CharlieN]

I am not really sure how to post internal links, see if this works,
https://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?364803-Glastron-Surface-drive