OUTLAW EAGLE MANUFACTURING

[Bam Bam]

I have a story for you!

The Mighty Jetboat Adventure

Once upon a time there was a very pretty Jetboat that thought it could be a river boat. It was sleek and shiny and red. It knew that if it wished long enough and tried really, really hard, it could run a river.

So, its new owner, proud of this new shiny boat, tried to follow his crazy brother up the river. His brother (pictured left) is an experienced river rat and assured the owner 30 hours of operating experience was all he needed to prevent scratches on his sleek boat and run a river with the reputation of a boat wrecker. The proud new owner looked doubtfully on the scratched, dented and oft repaired boat of the crazy brother. However, in the end, blood is thicker than water, and he decided to run the river. After all, what could go wrong?

Alas, through no fault of the driver, the Teflon ripped off the shiny new boat, shoveling rocks into the impeller and stranding the pretty boat in the river. After many of hours of pushing, we knew the little red boat that thought it could, would have to spend the night outside, all alone. The proud owner, with a tear in the very corner of his eye, watched from the back of the boat until his new toy was no longer in site.

Upon giving the matter much thought we knew we had to replace the impeller. A quick river-side repair was all that was needed to get the pretty boat as good as new. So the next day, with jack all in tow, we headed out to the river for an in-water pit stop. Now, this may sound stupid, but bear in mind that an angry Jetboat owner, the size of a bear, can get a mechanic to come with him and claim warranty.

With the boat safely on jack stands (safety first, after all), the marine mechanic sets out to change the impeller. We gather round with bated breath. Will he drop a bolt? Will the current wash the housing away? And, how long do you think he can live trapped under the swim grid? These are all questions we contemplated throughout the afternoon.

After much helpful advice, the mechanic finally persuades the housing to give up the rock encrusted impeller. Success…we think…!

The crazy brother again enters the picture and tows the boat that almost could off of the rock bar and into the deep water. The engine starts. The engine revs. The engine revs. The engine smokes. The boat floats back down the river. The pretty boat spends one more night all alone tied to a downed tree. Our fears begin to compound as we worry about the fate of the trapped, strapped, pretty boat.

By now, the proud owner is very angry. Flames shoot out of his nostrils and there is talk of air lifting, dynamite, and why or why won’t anyone just steal the damn thing so he can collect on the insurance?

After a good night’s sleep, the proud owner is done fooling around. He takes over an entire fabrication shop for the morning to build him a lift capable of servicing a small ocean liner. Hundreds of pounds of tools, chain, parts, come-a-long’s and the “monster lift” is loaded into the rescue boat. Today, we know, pretty boat comes home!

As we wallow up the river, the mood is high. We have all the equipment of a small shop and there can be no doubt of the outcome, right??

We get to the crash site, I mean docking station, and quickly erect the boat lift. No time is wasted. No beers are consumed. It is straight to work, boys!

With the boat suspended in free air, looking like a giant Christmas decoration hung with care, we can see underneath and our suspicions are confirmed.

A damaged intake grate is to blame!
No problem, we have the technology, we have the parts, and we can rebuild this boat. It is simply a matter of replacing the impellor (again) and the intake grate.

The mechanic gets quickly to work while the Outlaw quietly waits.

Success at last! The pretty boat has survived its encounter with nature. The proud owner celebrates the rebirth of pretty boat under the direction and supervision of the doctor Jack Daniels.

Now, as all good tales do, this one has a moral and a truer moral there has never been for river rats.

If you blow rocks through your impeller, get ready for a fuck of a lot of work!

Check out photos at http://s899.photobucket.com/albums/ac194/DaveHaut/Jetboat/?albumview=slideshow

[Arthur]

WOW....great story and even greater pics!!!

[Rapid Transit]

was your " teflon" bolted on or plug welded ?

[Windowlicker]

Was this a Thunderjet hull and what was the reason for the UHMW failure? Can you clarify chain of events not sure what caused what.

[Bam Bam]

This was indeed a Thunderjet. What happened was we were running the river and tagged the bottom creating a very small dent. I guess that this dent then worked at the Teflon weakening the glued bond. It peeled all the way back to were, at the very aft of the boat, they had 2 bolts holding it in place. This caused a sort of scope which trapped some rocks and the next bottom hit, drove them into the impeller, destroying both the intake and impeller.

The Teflon was very thin and glued in place (except for the 2 rear bolts). Since then Thunderjet installed 3/4 inch Teflon, stud welded in place. No problems since.

For what its worth I run QT on my boat and love it.

[Windowlicker]

Thanks for explaining, my faith is restored.

[Rock Skipper]

We where the only boat on the Brazeau on the weekend, got stranded on a mud bar (up stream not too far the dam). Had to spend the night on the boat, couldn't make it to shore. My cousin was with me and we called his brotherinlaw the next morning to help us out.
I need to find an other jet boater in the Drayton area that also has a Eagle Sport to buddy up with.

[rokchucker]

who the @#%**$# decided it s a good idea to GLUE any thing to the bottom of a boat?great story and pics.thanx