I want to build the fastest boat with a budget of $15,000. I ride mostly in salt water, mostly in light chop sometimes close to glassy. I want fastest all around (best of all worlds) fast off the line, fast top end, decent range (45 minutes of ride time between fill ups) and reliability so I don't get stuck in the ocean.

I currently own two 99 GP1200's with over 150 hours on each. Each is stock. I can sell thses or start building on these.

I have heard that you can take an old sea doo xp and trick it out to get speeds over 70 mph but might not get reliability.

I have heard starting with new Kawasaki stxr or starting with a new gp1200R.

Any suggestions. I need more speed.

I would say a gpr would be the way to go with that kind of budget. You should buy mine at 7000 obo to get you started See the thread "For Sale Jettrix Peformance R2"

Danny might be self serving with his advise.... but it's pretty sound, that boat is FAST and very well put together, heck if it's not the best platform to start with!

Thanks Mario I am definately not the type to just give someone advise and then say "oh by the way I happen to be selling one" unless I really mean it.

Ron, Danny Cs boat is very fast and super clean, it was built by the same guy that did my boat (Dana @ Jet-Trix). Dana builds them reliable. Check out Dannys' for sale thread.

For under $15,000 you could get a new 2002 GPR Stage III. You already live in Florida and could get it from Riva. Just my 2 cents.

Good luck with whatever you decide on

Ron, if you can do the work yourself you will be able to get into tripples for about $15,000. If someone else does it your looking at $17,000 to do it right. I just had a boat built this past winter and with the cost of the boat and the little extras that i did to it, it came out to just under $20,000. The price of parts adds up quick ! I also got great deals on my parts and still spent that much. Before you start building a boat sit down and work up a build sheet with the things you want, have to haves, and the extras you would like but can do without, then start calling around and putting prices with the build sheet. This will give you some idea about what your getting into. From what i gather you'll be looking at tripples and this will require that the whole motor be broken down and rebuilt even on a GPR just out of the box. The money goes quick !

I'll sell you mine and you can save $5000.00. I gaurentee NO dissappointments! I found a 27.5' Velocity that goes 83 that I want BAD. I cannot afford to buy it if I keep the ski. I have the title in my hand and ready to go. Click in the sig to see pics, I can send you more if you like.

Terry, your boat looks very clean by the way who built your engine and tune your boat? thanks Ray

It was built and tuned by Wade Chapin at Action Jet Sports. Thanks for the compliment.

==========:^(___________________) WOW!!!

How much does it cost to build something like this from scratch?
$15,000 GPR

I personally have just under 20 grand into mine if you include labor and everything, that boat would be little more because of the carbon fiber parts and Skat pump.

Gary Q,

That's actually a full s/s race boat with over $35,000 invested, it's also arguably the fastest expert boat on last years tour, not just your run of the mill boat. That boat originates from Lake Havasu City . It's built by Lilian Baumer of Rius Racing and Bullett Racing, both local companies, maybe you should look into having them build you a boat. You cannot buy a new race boat for $15,000, but you can get used race boats that are somewhat comparable for around that or less at the end of the season.

Ronrowars,

In FL you have Riva Yamaha, Greater Yamaha and Farthing Racing. Farthing closes out his inventory at the end of the year, Mike Thorne also in FL has access to a very quick boat of similar build for better than $15,000. There are many options, but one of the race boats might not be your cup of tea,they are very finicky and usually setup for closed course, which usually means top end is limited but down lo it will scare you. Some of these boats are also not terribly civilized, so you have to be careful as to what you get.

Good luck with your choice.

[ 08-03-2002: Message edited by: gp12trpl ]

Being a die hard Yamaha GPR fan, I would have to say go with an STXR. Out of the box you are WAY ahead with an STXR. The $$ you spend on a GPR to make it as good as a stock STXR are just to much.

I have almost $30,000 USD invested in my GPR, if it was a STXR, it would be half that amount.

Just my $30k worth.

Cheers

Peter

STX-R is one of the worst suggestions for his application. First he said FASTEST, and little to no chop mostly glass. A tripple pipe all out STXR wil be lucky to break 74, and that is spending over 15k. The built STXR will have a slight holeshot on the built GPR but that's it, the GPR will have 5mph more on top. For cc racing I agree with you, but not for what he wants to use it for.

Not that I am recommending one for his application, but you can get a triple pipe STXR for under $15k. Check out Performance Engineerig's STXR turnkey site for info.

Anyway, I bet a triple pipe STXR wouldn't last 45 minutes on a tank of gas. My single pipe STXR runs about 55-60 miles a tank full on smooth water @ high cruising speeds to WOT. So roughly an hour in those conditions.

Just for my own education, how long will a triple pipe GPR run on a tank of gas?

[ 08-03-2002: Message edited by: Jarrett ]

I can ride mine all day off and on and not go through a full tank. I generally don't run wot, everybody that I ride with is going 65-70 so I just hang with them. But it is so fun to be sitting next to them at half throttle while they are wot, then you clamp it and they just shake their head. Oh, the joys of triple pipe boats!

If speed is your only goal, the Ultra 150 is the fastest hull.
The Kawi engine is the best around and can be tuned up for for huge performance increase.
The GPR is ok, but very expensive to modify, and with 15000$, an Ultra would be faster.
Now this is all about speed.
If you want to save some handling, the GPR should be a better choice.
11

[ 08-03-2002: Message edited by: 11 ]