My first jet drive boat 77 Sleekcraft executive 23 ft..... PICS !!!!!!!

**corbin5754** · 08-05-2011, 02:54 AM

I just bought my first jet drive boat i havnt took it out on the water yet but planning on it this weekend i got a 77 sleekcraft executive 460 with edelbrock intake and carb it has a berkley 12 je-a jet drive on it. What mph am i looking at here just an estimate. is it easy to drive one of these can anyone throw me some pointers for me to keep in mind. the motor runs great the interier will be a project though and ill post pics as my journey begins on the interier. I love the look of these boats....

**Last Mohican** · 08-05-2011, 07:44 AM

Glad you made it over. Hopefully you get some feedback here. Lots of jet knowledge on this site.

**cruzer** · 08-05-2011, 08:18 AM

I owned a 78 for ~22 years. 454, JG Berkeley, stock interior layout. I probably have a few pictures around here somewhere. Good family boat. I replaced the floor when the boat was about 15 years old and redid the inerior around the same time.

Your speed will likely be somewhere in the mid to lower 50s. Good boat for tubing, ok for wakeboarding(big wake) and recreational skiing. We used to fill the bow/cabin area with camping gear and stay on the lake for a week or so every summer.

I should have pictures of the interior around here somewhere.

**ICECREAMAN** · 08-05-2011, 08:55 AM

Nice boat! Good family boat for sure. I have a 21 Jr Exec, very similar just a Little smaller. Best tip on driving I would give is, give yourself as much room as possible until you get a feel for how it reacts. I use the motor as much as the steering wheel to steer. What I mean is with a jet, there's no transmission to worry about, so going between forward and reverse and using the thrust of the jet to stop and turn you around the docks is the easiest way to steer. Remember jets turn slow at low speed so think well ahead and anticipate what you want the boat to do. Have fun.

**Brendellajet** · 08-05-2011, 09:26 AM

Sounds like you've been running it on the trailer. This is a great way to damage the impelled in the jet drive as well as the packing seal, though the packing may be different in the JE. Still, a bad idea to run the engine on the trailer with the driveline connected because of the tight tolerance between the impelled and wear ring.

**corbin5754** · 08-05-2011, 06:03 PM

Thanks for the replys its almost water ready im in the process of changing the water hoses right now along with temp sending unit, plugs stuff like that next weekend ill put in some new carpet and try to reupholster the seats looking forward to seeing your sleekcraft pics and any other info you have for me thanks again.

**corbin5754** · 08-06-2011, 11:26 PM

**Last Mohican** · 08-07-2011, 06:36 PM

Looks like a little progress. Did you get to the lake this weekend? I did GPS mine today. Drum Roll Please.... A whopping 39 MPH. LOL. There was a little left I think but I had a fuel delivery issue. Clogged a fuel filter.

**rivrrts429** · 08-07-2011, 08:11 PM

Wow... That thing is hhhhuuuuuuuugggggggeeeeeeeee

**corbin5754** · 08-07-2011, 10:51 PM

I did get to the lake today, let me tell you I was a nervous wreck, im used to driving 150 hp outboard for the past 3 yrs, to this 460 jet drive. I had a hard time adjusting to the steering, Had a couple problems. first off I noticed a small leak in engine area where steering cable goes through transom I think I need new boots they were cracked, another thing the engine sounded like the meanest motor out there it sounded great but my top speed was only 30 mph gps with about 35 gal. of fuel, whats up with that, i know it can go faster then that. The hand hole cover i have is a homemade one, looks kinda janky lol, with old silicone around it air and water is probably getting in there, what happens if air and water is getting in there, could this be causing me not to go as fast. couple more questions what rpm is safe for my motor. @ full throttle i was around 4500 and what temp is safe, temp got up to about 190.

**Last Mohican** · 08-08-2011, 07:35 AM

How about some better pics of this hand hole cover. That 460 should be able to handle 4500 RPM but that MPH seems low to me even for that big ass boat. There are a lot of things that can slow a jet boat down but my guess is it's probably due for a pump rebuild. That does not mean you can't use the boat as is for the rest of the season and rebuild the pump over the winter. Just depends on what is actually wrong with the pump. If it is just worn you are probably safe. If it has a cracked impeller or large pieces missing, you probably want to go ahead and fix it.

**GA Jet** · 08-08-2011, 11:24 AM

I think the 460's are gas hogs, the one in our Rochelle drinks the fuel almost as fast as the jet pumps the water

we got a low compression smog motor though so that'll change soon enough

**corbin5754** · 08-08-2011, 11:25 AM

Ill get a pic of that up soon. I found some insurance paperwork inside boat which had the guys phone number that owned it b4 the guy i bought it off of, this is the guy who put all the money into this boat he told me jet drive was rebuilt in 2009 stainless impeller so i hope the drive doesnt need rebuilt. will any berkley hand hole cover work.

**corbin5754** · 08-09-2011, 03:35 AM

here are the pics of the hand hole cover that was on the boat i bought. if water was coming out of here wouldnt that slow it down cause its letting pressure out. idk im guessing. I looked at impeller today it looked good no cracks or chips.

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My first jet drive boat 77 Sleekcraft executive 23 ft..... PICS !!!!!!!

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