rgardner928
Well-Known Member
I have a 97' Seadoo Speedster. I bought it back in April 2018 from a guy in Nevada. I knew nothing about this boat, but knew I liked it and wanted it.
I knew nothing of boating. As such I never looked under the boat. It was a disaster. It leaked and the underside was damaged beyond useable. It had a MPEM issue and the rear facing seat was missing the bottom cushion. But I bought it anyways and decided to dig into it only because the seats were almost new.
So I met a guy through one of the Facebook groups that I belong to locally who had the same boat. He took me under his wing and showed me everything I need to know about this boat.
We found someone locally that had a near mint hull but everything else was trashed and junked. So we began the process to swap everything over to the better hull boat including VIN's.
We did the following in no particular order...
I think I got it all. Plus any minor thing I felt like getting or replacing along the way.
Have $6k usd invested in the end. That's from buying the original boat, to the spare one to every little detail piece I got.
Before and after pictures to follow.
I do have to say..We love the final outcome and dont plan on selling. It maybe more then its worth in spending, but the 20 year old boats almost new now.
I've learned a lot along my journey from this place to others..thanks to you all. If anyone needs any advice pointers or help.. I'm not a pro, but I'm close to it now! Lmfao
I knew nothing of boating. As such I never looked under the boat. It was a disaster. It leaked and the underside was damaged beyond useable. It had a MPEM issue and the rear facing seat was missing the bottom cushion. But I bought it anyways and decided to dig into it only because the seats were almost new.
So I met a guy through one of the Facebook groups that I belong to locally who had the same boat. He took me under his wing and showed me everything I need to know about this boat.
We found someone locally that had a near mint hull but everything else was trashed and junked. So we began the process to swap everything over to the better hull boat including VIN's.
We did the following in no particular order...
- Scrubbed the engine bay clean of oils and grease
- Fixed MPEM issue
- New keys
- Magic erasered the entire hull from top to bottom, from inside to the underside
- Moved engines over
- Rebuild both carburetors
- Installed aftermarket flame arrestors
- Installed waterproof flame arrestor covers
- Swapped out plastic pumps for bronze pumps
- Replaced reverse gates
- Repainted entire pump assembly's
- Installed new impellers
- New neoprene seals
- Replace all washers and gaskets on the drive shafts
- Installed new fuel petcocks
- Installed all new fuel lines color coordinating them per engine and per main or reserve line
- Installed all new oil lines
- Installed all new fittings
- Replaced fuel filters
- Replaced fuel baffle
- Installed charging posts
- Installed voltage meter to know the voltage of battery at all times
- Installed battery disconnect
- New plugs and wires
- Repainted exhausts
- Ripped out the old seats and put the better ones in from original boat
- Found the missing seat cushion
- Ordered cover for missing seat (JetArmor.com)
- Replaced all cupholders (twice, first set blew away when driving down road. So second replacement sent were glued in, lol)
- Installed a 4 speaker Pyle stereo w/blue lighting
- Installed duo plug 2.1a usb charger
- Sirius satellite radio
- Waterproof radio head to protect Sirius radio
- Sirius mounted marine antenna also
- Installed rear mounted folding step ladder
- Installed trim tab (NauticusInc.com)
- Found missing screw on caps for inside the storage compartment
- Replaced fire extinguisher with OEM one
- Replaced the rear navigation stem light
- Replaced rear stem light socket
- Replaced front navigation light (black to white)
- Removed all factory decals and warnings labels
- Installed all new factory warning labels
- Installed new Bombardier decals at bow and stern
- Installed new "power my rotax" decal
- Installed new decals (WorldClassWraps.com)
- Installed Hydro-Turf (PWCMuscle.com)
- Replaced factory control decal with new one (PWCGraphics.com)
- Brought steering wheel cover back to life
- Installed Keel Guard "preventive protection" (Gator-Guards.com)
- Installed drain plug reminder tag
- Wrong bimini was installed causing wearing on hull sides when folded down
- Found new wider bimini to replace wrong one
- Replaced all plastic hardware on bimini with stainless
- Replaced bimini boot
- Got new cover for boat
- Replace bunks on trailer
- Replaced marker lights
- Replaced trailer chains and hooks
- Replaced trailer wiring
- Replaced wench
- Replaced wench strap
- Replaced trailer jack
- Replaced bow resting roller with poly one
- Got a spare for trailer
- Welded mounting bracket for spare
- Welded mounting brackets to trailer for cover
- New Seadoo logos on trailer
I think I got it all. Plus any minor thing I felt like getting or replacing along the way.
Have $6k usd invested in the end. That's from buying the original boat, to the spare one to every little detail piece I got.
Before and after pictures to follow.
I do have to say..We love the final outcome and dont plan on selling. It maybe more then its worth in spending, but the 20 year old boats almost new now.
I've learned a lot along my journey from this place to others..thanks to you all. If anyone needs any advice pointers or help.. I'm not a pro, but I'm close to it now! Lmfao
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