Sidewinder/Panther complete restoration plus a bit.

[NZ Sidewinder]

Thanks.
The boat will be finished over the next 3-5 months.
My youngest son was looking a spending 12k or more on a social ski boat for the coming summer.
I suggested we just get this one on the water and finished and he can use it.
He already has a fish/ ski boat with a 90hp Merc but wanted a nicer one.
These 2.4 motors as you will know, drink gas but as I said to him, he didn't have to buy the boat so the cost of gas isnt really an issue.
If it was going to be a serious circuit racer I'd have put the propshaft at 2 or 2 1/2 inches below pad.
But for social asking 5 inches is good.
As a family we have many boats and even more motors.

[NZ Sidewinder]

Here are some of the laser cut profiles of components for this seasons 260 race motor.
In effect a 15inch motor to fit on a 20 inch transom pod.
Normally I run a 20 inch motor on a 20inch transom, set 2 inches above the top of the transom.
This new motor had a std 20inch clamp that sits hard downs on the transom and the powered is on a 1/2 inch thick exhaust plate.
This, combined with sitting the clamp hard down, give a total lowering of the powered of 4.5 inches.
That sits on a fabricated midsection and stock lower unit.
The mid is 1/2 inch shorter at the bottom than stock.
Attachment 533361
Another thread maybe

[NZ Sidewinder]

Here she is being tested
Ran sustained speed of 73mph with a 26p ballistic Michigan wheel.

Propshaft 5 inches below pad


https://youtu.be/DDKZ9Tzryrs?si=3n0tofZKvmzGV2c8

[LakeFever]

Congratulations! Great build to follow thanks for posting all this

[NZ Sidewinder]

So she went out for sea trials and is now back where she started out this time 4 years ago.
She proved to be a 70 plus mph boat with a 2.4L 200 Merc and that was good enough for me.
So now shes gets some paint.
This is primer but will be finished in 2K white like all my boats.
White is the easiest color for an amateur to use.
In 1 months time she will line up for the annual Bridge to Bridge sprint witch is a 40km sprint on the Waikato River.
the main focus of the event is Ski racing and some classes of skiers will be towed at well over 100mph for 60 miles

[NZ Sidewinder]

Rigging this week

[NZ Sidewinder]

All the boat needs now is a fender rubber which is not far away.
It's a 70mph boat with the 26p power tech semi cleaver running 3inches below the pad.
73mph with a 26p Michigan Wheel Ballistic running 5 inches below pad.
Jacked up where it is now and using the Ballistic it would probably see 75mph.
Safe and forgiving boat.
I'd post a video if I could but here is a photo of the young fellas figuring out how to drive it in a 25mile river race next month.

[LakeFever]

She looks great! It’s amazing isn’t it that all that work and all that time that goes into such a thing can only be appreciated by those who know. My hats of to ya for seeing this all the way through

[NZ Sidewinder]

Thanks.
Here is a link to the video on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/htAC6KiZmMXk2Z5J/

[89LASER]

Boat looks great, I've been following your build. Good luck and have some fun with it now.

[NZ Sidewinder]

Thanks
I'm already planning the next Sidewinder build.
Rather than work with the factory underside, I'll build a new bottom from near the chines down.
So keep the chine profile and a enough hull to fabricate to, but replace all the rest including the floor and transom.
I'll do it in foam core with a full length pad and strakes that are glued on last.

[NZ Sidewinder]

Possibly the fastest Sidewind/ Panther ever assembled.
I'm happy with the outcome but already have plans for another one.
Better, stronger, faster

[NZ Sidewinder]

Her she is doing the business in a 40km river race.
70-75mph in the straights and we survived all the turns.
Good historic boat.

[NZ Sidewinder]

This photo is from the boats first Offshore race.
It took a few yrs to get her there but this is what the boat was re built to do.
In this race we are running a 140hp Yamaha and the sea is much rougher than the photo looks.
Probably 1m swell/ chop.
Really strong caperble boat.