Got the jet ski done

[Wood Spinner]

WELL I FINALLY GOT IT DONE AND I AM READY TO GET OUT THERE FOR A TEST RUN.
Plans are for to be down on 9-27 for the weekend and lots of water time if weather permits.

 

[Wood Spinner]

Sorry for the dupes of pics. A little explanation # 2 Bait tank / fish box showing inlet from copper pick up or a pump. # 3 Transducer mounted to a stern saver block, thanks Nathan, also copper pick up tube for bait tank while running. # 5 Anchor trolley to put anchor rope to bow while anchored.

I know some of you think I am crazy but I have to give it a try. See you out there.

 

[Kenny]

It looks great and fishing from a Jet ski is going to be fun, but knowing it's limitations is paramount.

 

[rockyptjoe]

Hey Bill...nice...one question though.....are you able to pull down the boarding "step" if you should get tossed? It is extremely difficult to reboard without having that capability....possible...but difficult, particularly with the sea conditions you'll have if you have been tossed.

From the photos, it looked like something was in the way preventing it from swinging down.

 

[moore_rb]

I dig the sonar/GPS/Compass mounting bar...

 

[rockyptjoe]

Bill..forgot to mention...hope that the frame for the cooler/bait tank is attached pretty well....you're going to be grabbing it or the cooler "when" (I won't say "if") you get dismounted. There is no way you can reach the grab handle on the back of the seat. My cooler is smaller, and I can just reach over it, with an assist grabbing the frame.

Is the frame metal or pvc?

When's the christening??

 

[Stuart]

Congrats on your hole in the water!

I'll still sell ya my boat, Bill, if it doesn't work out as you expect. One time good deal, today only! That way, you can take Edna with you! Oh wait... maybe that's why you bought the jetski? <snicker>

All kidding aside, looks good. I also wondered about that cooler frame being pvc. Man, stuff breaks on boats for apparently no reason -- stress. On my old boat, I had to have the aluminum console welded back together a couple of times from stress fractures that broke. The sea, she knows how to deal punishment in weird ways, especially to plastic!

uff:

 

[Wood Spinner]

Fame is pvc for a trial run on design. I do anticipate some practice on re mounting in deep water. I am thinking about a strap with loops attached under the seat for both sides. Kenny Limitations are a real question here except I just read about a guy landing ?? a 650 lb marlin. I would have to think a catch and release. And yes I can pull down the boarding step but I question how I will be able to use it. I just hope there is no re boarding required!
We will be going down next week so I have a lot of learning to do. Sure hope the weather is nice.

 

[rockyptjoe]

That strap idea might work...as long as you have it shock corded so it's reachable from the water. Once you have something to pull yourself up with (the strap), it's a snap with the boarding step (spring loaded). Practice several times in calm water, cause you know it's going to be interesting wtih a 10+ ft. jetski bobbing/hobby horsing in rough water! Fortunately, your model is pretty stable.

 

[Kenny]

I just hope there is no re boarding required!

We're all with ya Bill and it's going to be a blast, but you have to look at it like this, and I'm sure Stuart will agree, that anything that can happen, will.

 

[azfish]

Bill this pipe is going to your pump? If so I would turn the 90 so your not scooping water when your driving. Less restriction on the pipe. Looks cool, you just need a big inner tube with a cooler of ice to pull behind, for the fish and beer.

 

[Wood Spinner]

The pipe is a pick up for use when I am driving. The top of it has a hose connection so I can attache it or a pump to the cooler. It does swivel and also can be pulled up out of the water. My concern is that it may cause turbulence for the transponder while I am underway and make the depth finder not function properly

 

[Stuart]

We're all with ya Bill and it's going to be a blast, but you have to look at it like this, and I'm sure Stuart will agree, that anything that can happen, will.

You, my friend, just said more than a mouthful! If there's one thing I've learned from years of boating and fishing in the Sea of Cortez, no matter how well you plan/prepare, have back up or redundancy, there will always be SOMETHING that happens you had no way of predicting!
uff:

 

[Wood Spinner]

Stuart
True for all of life and everything we do. At sea or in the air does tend for things to become more significant for sure.
I am moving my boat S to S radio into the RV so at least Edna can hear me if I am not to far out. I will carry a hand held. A big old whip may look a little strange on the ski or may be not. Due to power and range do you think the hand held should be on shore. If I get in trouble it might be better that I have the power so others can at least hear me?

 

[az-dan]

Might be worth the investment just for the peace of mind.

Lifeline for Sailors

 

[rockyptjoe]

It's been a bunch of years since I stopped carrying a vhf radio on my jetskis....was almost no traffic on there. I understand that the repeaters also were taken down.

For the fisherman types...is there any point in having a VHF to try to get help if you run into problems? How about cell phone coverage out there?

 

[joester]

be safe out there Bill, we look forward to seeing you and Edna in a couple months!

tight lines!

 

[Stuart]

Your best friend at sea in Mexico is still a VHF radio. You can get cell coverage for 10 miles or so out. And yes, the repeaters are still down as far as I know. The Mexican Army forced them off because they said the drug traffickers were using them. Channel 23 seems to be the current channel of favor in RP these days. Used to be 26. Last time I went out, I couldn't even get anyone to acknowledge a radio check in the morning, but did hear some traffic on the channel later in the day.

 

[Mexico Joe]

I thought Via and the launchers out of cholla bay use VHF? I know they used to, VIA, VIA VIA ????!!!! lol

 

[rockyptjoe]

Your best friend at sea in Mexico is still a VHF radio. You can get cell coverage for 10 miles or so out. And yes, the repeaters are still down as far as I know. The Mexican Army forced them off because they said the drug traffickers were using them. Channel 23 seems to be the current channel of favor in RP these days. Used to be 26. Last time I went out, I couldn't even get anyone to acknowledge a radio check in the morning, but did hear some traffic on the channel later in the day.

Thanks Stuart...that's essentially what I was encountering back when I did carry a VHF radio....no acknowledgements at all. When I did take the run out to Bird Island, I left a VHF with some friends at one of the rv parks....don't know if I would have been able to reach from out there....probably just a "feel good".....