Launching a 680HP Big Block Chevy Jet Boat - Engine Power S6, E2 

A family friend use to keep his jet boat at our dock. Lucky me. He gave us kids rides and took us skiing. It was a 454 corvette engine with a Berkeley jet. Sometimes he ran dry headers on it. When he did the lake patrol would try to catch him. He never got caught unless the patrol just sat at our dock waiting for him to return. Days before the cell phone. He called the house and asked if they were waiting for him. If we said yes he found somewhere to hide out for awhile. A couple times he just beached it. The boat was a chick magnet. Unfortunately for us kids who want to ride in it all the time. When I skied behind it he loved to tease me noand throw a roster tail. Let me tell that hurts. I thought I would be a smart ass and try to ski though to the side. Lesson learned. This was in the late 70s and early 80s. On West Okoboji lake. Ron Van Pelt was the owner of that awesome jet boat. He gave many rides to people. We did get turned in for catching ducks with a fishing net. But always let the ducks go right away. Great times growing up. Ron also raced cars. Every once in a while when I tell this story about Ron ( we called him Itch) someone will remember Ron or had a ride in his boat. If you happened to be someone who got to meet Ron please tell me what times did you get to meet him and if you rode in his boat. Would love to hear about it. Unfortunately we lost our friend a couple years ago. I really loved Ron he was an amazing guy. I remember his gas petal was a big bare foot. Ron was like my second dad. I will never forget those fun years growing up on West Lake Okoboj with uncle Itch! Naturally I have a obsession with jet boots now. Hoping someone to mean another person who knew Ron! Happy boating everyone!

Growing up int the 70's on the water was so awesome. My parents had dear friends who owned a jet boat with an blown Old's 455. It was so rad. This was a blue metallic flake finish with this huge motor sitting there with the blower and supercharger. It was about a 28 footer I believe. But once it was up and planed out, there was only the back 5 feet touching the water, and that was occasionally. The owner would ski barefoot while his wife drove the boat. I remember riding a thing called a Torpedo that was shaped like a hotdog and you could actually steer to one side or the other. I would get off to one side, cut it hard to the other when a large boat would pass us and jump his wake, sometimes coming six feet out of the water. How can a kid grow up today without those kind of stories?

1:23 Pat always has to sport the pen protector, that's his thing :)

The foot throttle doubles as a "dead mans switch" so when you get thrown overboard, the boat doesn't keep on going, like with a conventional hand throttle in a boat.

Made for someone 4' tall lol dudes knees were hanging outta the boat lol

Finnegan said come get ya sum boys 😂🤣👍

Great video my 440 powered 1973 southwest gt is a blast these boats are getting rare these days I would love too see a revival of these jets!

Jet boats are the street rods of the lake. Sure other boats are faster, turn better, whatever. Who cares. Gearheads who own boats want something that sounds like their car and a bass boat doesn't sound or look like this : 1:45. I enjoyed this episode

Pat for someone who's a land lubber, you drove that beast like a boss. My two cents : stay the heck away from those things since they're dangerous as hell for a Noobie especially w/ that much H.P.

1:10 I freakin love that part lol

As Carrol Shelby said "Too much horsepower is just enough!"

good times back in the day when jets ruled the lakes and rivers

Finally a boat episode!!!! I have a 1973 Donzi Classic 18 if you guys at PowerNation are interested in messing with a vintage race boat. #holmanmoody #1973 #donzi #donziclassic18

"It dosent turn well at all" well from a fellow jet boat enthusiast, they do, but you need the balls to give it power in a turn! A jet boat only tunes, and turns under power! Also , use the place diverter under turn, point it down! no rooster needed to turn!

My Big block Ford 460 Jet Boat would Turn on a Dime! Something is just not right? Maybe it's the Hull? Or the Driver! LOL

Jet boat 101, you got to gas it to turn it. With proper footwork that thing will turn on a dime.

Great to see Pat's packing some pens in the life jacket Let's face it, he'd be out of balance without them

Pocket protector in the life jacket was a nice touch.

I like fast power jet boats.There fun to ride in.

Funny seeing"pocket protector Pat" in the boat.....lol.....

You might wanna re-position those seats farther back lol.

Sweet boat guys.

If Pat adds one more thing to his belt, we will need to contact Batman, to purchase a "Batman Utility Belt"....

Never been a fan of a jet drive (poor handling and slow, let alone a cigarette butt will clog them up) stern drive will get you the most out of the big block.. What’s up with the steering wheel in the wrong side, that was odd? That foot throttle can be a trip with that set up (jet drive and a big block) I’ve been on the Ohio river for over 40+yrs and love boating. Us ol boys have a saying about boating.. Break Out Another Thousand Expensive hobby for sure. Great show like always guys!!

I've hit the water at 50....my ass did ragdoll cartwheels 5 times before i sank, that shit isn't soft at all so 80 mph is scary as hell

What else besides Coors on a lake in the mountains, a big block Chevrolet , with Weiland supercharger to give you the real rocky mountain high

No stop signs no speed limits nobody's gonna slow me down

It’s probably hopping because of the trim. Play around with it and you should be able to ride much smoother

Pats jowels started flapping at 60mph lol

Had a boat like this but less power. Great fun

A big fan from Libya

Awesome boat

That motor is probably making nearly 700 to 720 because the air on the lake is much cooler and the engines out in the open sucking in much more air than it would in a car or on a dyno

Seems fast, till you meet a V-drive of similar power.

I've always wanted a Tahiti but flat bottoms are so unsafe. I've seen a few high side at lake mead in the chop only going 40 mph and it's not pretty.

Jet Drive Boats actually are the only ones that have brakes, You can switch from Forward to Reverse, even at high revs, the thrust will then slow you down very fast With that kind of Increase in Power, you might want to consult with the Drive manufacturer about an Optimal Impeller. That kind of HP should be putting you closer to the Century Mark, even taking into account the Inefficiencies of a Jet Drive

Think Pat was a little nervous at first. Looks like he had a blast afterall.

Grew up with a supercharged 455 olds jet boat, pretty embarrassing to get smoked from the line from a dude with a 150 merc outboard. Very loud and cool looking but...

You should cover shrader's performance boat with 1000hp. It's coyote powered 💪

Put hydrolox steering in it it will drive and steer a lot better.

Wow! What a incredible rock video! The music was rad! Chief, I clicked this as I wanted to hear the engine and learn something about this boat. Disappointed

Pat... dude... stay w the girls in the campsite

What do you guys mean: "the boat doesn't turn so good"? These things will turn on a dime! the only problem is, it will throw the Driver & Passenger overboard while doing it.

They don't call them kidney busters for nothing.

Put it in the car and much more fun😎

lol wonder how many passes they did with that before the residents were coming out. dont think you get a big block ford WAT'n around there alot

Maine is the best place on earth

What mph did it run in the boat??

Imagine having 680HP and only going 80mph.

Figured it would hit 100 at least. Bass boats with 300hp outboard hits 80’s with no problem.

No water valve for the headers?

It is like a LITTLE sports car; where you feel like you should hang one of your legs over the the side. I be you really need to pull a fuel barge behind it to keep its tank(s) filled.

Why RiteStuff on an intake???? Good luck getting that intake off! At least it won't leak!

Jet propulsion is about the most inefficient way to move a boat, 680hp with a propeller would be fun.

You guys need to do a spot on finnigans game over jet boat.

Seems kinda slow for a such a big engine, you can get a 150HP two stroke outboard in the 60-80mph range depending on the hull/prop, is that just cause its a jet boat and less efficient?

Hole in the water to throw money in.

Jet boats crack me up.....and the insane money people will dump in them. A bass boat with a big outboard prop engine will pretty much beat any jet boat in existence.

20:02, bummer dudes. what are the numbers?

Looks so uncomfortable as hell. I would rather have a party barge

😂😂 whats funny is most tournament bass boats will run 80 I know my cousins does

Damn only 80 mph that can't be right I had an old bass boat with a merc 150 two stroke that would run 70. Seem like that thing should go a lot faster.

If it wasn't a JET it would go A'lot Faster.... And be a REAL BOAT....V DRIVE

Specs on the CAM please

The balls on the end of those lifters, Can they possibly snap off under Hi- boosted application. aka-Toast - Cleetus McFarland????... I love how scientific & thorough he gets when measuring volumetric displacement, Teaching us laymen! Just the way an engine builder should be! AWESOME!!! What a shop teacher/engine builder!!! Worth his weight in gold!!! Just the person I would want building any engine for me!!

Completely useless on all but the most calm days.

Guys your two high speed electric trim tabs (steering connected) a high capacity impeller and a bolt for a rooster tail short of show and go. It may turn like crap now but that's all you are from spins tighter than a Saturday night drunk. Newbies lol

he increased the horsepower and didnt change the impeller to compensate the increase. That looks like a Jacuzzi pump which more than likely has a B impeller, you more than likely needed a D impeller judging on the fact it was only running moderately faster than when it had the original engine. With 680 horsepower that boat should be in the 90s and you were barely running 80. My 18 foot Hydrostream with a 200 Black Max would run off and leave you.

Why in the hell did they keep the jacuzzi pump that pumps an anchor for a motor like that where’s the berkley swap? this was painful to watch non jet boat guys do this where’s finnegan when you need him

So what's the difference between a marine and a regular engine?

You noted rpm makes boat go faster how does hp come to play would high rpm small block acually go faster

How long can a fresh built engine sit before it would have to be through again?

LLLLLLAME!!! Talk and music over the engine sounds. If I wanted to hear a pathetic guitar or idiots talking, I would have titled a search for one.

This VS Finnigan's twin turbo Hemi boat

680hp and gets passed by a bullet with a 250

Not water injected headers

the color thou

looks like fun for about 10 minutes, what do you do after that?

Are Earles hose and lines (5:42) coast gaurd approved? (they need to be or you are in violation operating a vessel that is noncompliant) You might be sorry upon inspection by authorities... Just an experienced boat mechanics observation.

Cool

He alludes to the boats poor handling, I have driven two and both turned very poorly. I can relate to the comments about driving skills but they do steer like a beast.

Wow, all that power in such a small boat and it's a turtle. Jet propulsion is so unbelievably inefficient!

Is it a big block or a jet?

Any TV host that refers to a jet boat like this 18' Glenco Jet boat as: 'A chunk of metal flake' does not know S#!T about Hot Rod Ski Boats and/or V-Drives. End of story.

What is the gorgling sound.. The motor.. Nah... The vibration of the gasoline tanks...

Fist they said l.S. then the said Big block Ford. So. What is it? Ford or Chevy? They don't even know what ther putting in the water?

Almost 700hp and only 80? Lame... I've seen new bass boats with 300 Merc do 80 mph lol

They have no idea how to drive a jet boat let alone a boat of any kind

cool

People don't get jet boats, all these comments are funny about your bass boats and outboards. Jet boats are like driving a 66 GTO. Does it turn well? No. Does it stop? Nope. Is it fast in a straight line compared to modern cars? Negative. Is it comfortable? No. Top speed? Slow.... but is it cool? Absolutely. Anybody can go buy a new outboard, these are hot rids, built not bought, and each one is unique.

Never understood these jet boats. They are so slow and inefficient.

Wow! From Maine myself, beautiful place to live. Just way to damn expensive to live there.

Perhaps impressive in 1974

Nice boat. Be ssfe

Jet boat. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 75mph 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

That thing probably doesn’t track very well on turns.

Weak at best my friend! You should know your audience with jet boats. 680 HPs is a family grocery getter in our world.

CA Reproductive Harm label on the headers is ridiculous.

why doesnt that guys voice match wat his lips are saying?

picked the wrong boat design...…..bow gas tank also a red flag...….rides wet, nose heavy