wildman326
Who else?
- Location
- Kansas
This may sound a little weird - or maybe you sympathize.
I've had some motor issues but I finally got my little beast back together. Went to test her on Sunday without incident. So, last night I started to get my ski ready for this weekend. I pulled the motor, pipe, gas tank, electrics, and part of the exhaust. I hand washed everything that was visible and rinsed it all off. I pulled the short shaft to find that the female spline was WORN and the bearing was loose. So, I pressed apart an old school SJ shaft, found a new style bearing, pressed everything together, and re assembled it. Then I took it into the garage and suspended it from the ceiling to inspect the pump. Found that it needed a new shaft, so I built a pump for it, with a fresh concord prop, like new long shaft, wear ring, and reduction nozzle.
Then I looked at my hull suspended there in mid air, with very few components still attached - almost naked . . . and I had this funny feeling in my gut. Like the first time you get a new hull/ski. Excitement started to build as I realized that after I raised her up and repaired all the cracked and broken fiberglass that she'd be almost as good as new.
None of her parts would be brand new, but she'd be the best of everything I owned and I could be fairly confident that she'd last through about anything (except a direct hit t-bone, or nosestab into the sand, or a flailed BR attempt, or . . . you get the point.)
Anyway it was a pretty emotional moment.
BTW I was sober.
I've had some motor issues but I finally got my little beast back together. Went to test her on Sunday without incident. So, last night I started to get my ski ready for this weekend. I pulled the motor, pipe, gas tank, electrics, and part of the exhaust. I hand washed everything that was visible and rinsed it all off. I pulled the short shaft to find that the female spline was WORN and the bearing was loose. So, I pressed apart an old school SJ shaft, found a new style bearing, pressed everything together, and re assembled it. Then I took it into the garage and suspended it from the ceiling to inspect the pump. Found that it needed a new shaft, so I built a pump for it, with a fresh concord prop, like new long shaft, wear ring, and reduction nozzle.
Then I looked at my hull suspended there in mid air, with very few components still attached - almost naked . . . and I had this funny feeling in my gut. Like the first time you get a new hull/ski. Excitement started to build as I realized that after I raised her up and repaired all the cracked and broken fiberglass that she'd be almost as good as new.
None of her parts would be brand new, but she'd be the best of everything I owned and I could be fairly confident that she'd last through about anything (except a direct hit t-bone, or nosestab into the sand, or a flailed BR attempt, or . . . you get the point.)
Anyway it was a pretty emotional moment.
BTW I was sober.
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