my 1st stream, finally!!

[freddyspens]

hi everyone, i just got an ole ventura, '77 to be exact.. it is in pretty nice shape but i am going to redo the core this winter cause even though it was stored in a barn for almost 20yrs the core has a couple small soft spots towards the outer edges of the hull.. everything else is completely solid and the transom, pad and stringers are mint..it took a LOT of cleaning and buffing to get it to shine and its still not even clos eto done yet.. it had its original 115hp inline merc still on it when i got it, i changed it about 4days later...i found an early style 2.0 175hp merc to put on it for a STEAL, $120!! the guy who ran the big marina said it prob needed a head gasket or something but ran..well it wound up that the only thing it needed was a switchbox and i had one on another old 2.0 i had that had gone under.. i bought a used dual cable steering from an allison boat and a used jackplate and hotfoot and i was in business...now the only thing i REALLY need is a prop...i am hoping to find one in less then perfect condition,well nice shape would be great but when you dont have the money, and i mean dont have the money i will be happy with anything i can get around 28 to 30pitch.. i have my own business fixing,repairing and buying/selling boats that just kinda happened a few monthes back and its going great but most everything i have made has gone towards tools and stuff cause i got robbed not too long ago and had everything of value stolen from me.. there are some things i can never get back but getting this boat, which is something i have loved and wanted since i was a kid growing up on this lake here in upstate new york- this boat has already brought me a lot of fun and satisfaction esp knowing that i put it together.. i guess the hundreds of hours reading about setting up a performance boat has paid off (went to school for marine mechanics too).. with the 24 chopper i am using right now i have gotten 69mph gps with just myself in the boat and almost the same with 2,3 or 4 people in the boat too. i also have used a 26merc cleaver that was a few mph slower then the chopper and no where near the holeshot(wouldnt plane with a few people in the boat i think cause of such a small blade area) but ran much smoother with only me in the boat and handled much better by myself but there is usually another person in the boat..after talking with a few other ventura owners, i think a 30pitch chopper or cleaver would get me where i need to be-- but i think something in between those 2styles would work best... anyone got an old prop they dont need?? just something cheap-- or if the 24chopper could be traded would be even better... thanks and i will post some more pics with the new motor as soon as i get get someone to upload the pics onto a computer cause my families camrea is messed up.. i think its pretty nice for a low budget project......-- thanks for looking,- sean

oh, and any tips, info or suggestions as well as any leads on a cheap prop around 30pitch to at least get me going would be greatly appreciated.. thank you

oh, one more thing, i cleaned up the casting marks and porting in the exhaust as well as matched the block to the mid plate and tuner and also changes the exhaust divider from a bridgeport motor which is a lot thinner and gives more room for exhaust to flow.. it is MUCH more responsive and snappier then before although until i get a tach that i know is accurate, i am not sure if i gained any rpm's...

[march3stv]

Straighten and sharpen the bottom 4-5 feet from the transom forward (pad and strakes)...a couple of mph depending on current shape. Sand paper (adhesive backed) on an 3 ft pc of 4" aluminun angle.

Lose the windshied...1-2 mph...plus it looks better w/o.

Tight opposing steering...dual Ride Guide.

Trim on the wheel...

Foot throttle...

Adj. jack plate to dial in set up...

Your on your way! Have fun ...

[freddyspens]

hey stv, thanks for the tips but i think i have all the safety stuff pretty much set...even this cheap-o motor had solid mounts and a cone with lwp's(i dont consider this for safety really)!!! and yeah, the bottom looks very nice, only thing i see aside from the built in hook, looks like maybe 1/4in over 3 or 4ft, is a couple of tiny nicks on the outer edge of the pad, very minute and where they are is prob not in the water at speed but it will still be made absolutely correct at some point... im not looking to get into that for the moment(only have a month of good warm boating left) but i am going ot make this thing perfect over the winter for sure... i already fixed the one spot where the core was soft for now, about a 18inch triangle i cut out and fixed while i had it out for the porting,matching and relieving the exhaust(what a hole shot now that theres very little exhaust going past the prop but im still not impressed with 69 point whatever mph it just gets there quicker now)...but at some point it will be straightened and sharpened,esp when i get it running closer to the 100mph mark for next summer..

the windshield was taken off after i tried the boat for a few minutes and is not going on although i might at some point make one that is very low profile and sleek looking...has to be the ugliest windshield on a stream i have seen for sure!

trim on the wheel came with the allison steering setup and thats the only way i will run it although when i rebuild the jackplate pump(pump doesnt work -why i got it for $100 but at least i can still adjust it manually) or put another pump on it i will prob get a floor mounted trim button for that... -also like i said in my 1st post, i bought a hot foot from the same guy i got the jack from so that worked out really good cause for the price i would have paid for the average jackplate i got a foot throttle and jack...the main thing i am hoping to find soon is a usable prop, even if there are a few nicks at least with a 30pitch i will be able to see some better speeds and then can get the prop fixed over the winter...

thanks again for your input and i am glad to know i have pretty much all the bases mentioned so far covered.. i have been on the water since i can remember and had my coast guard certificate when i was like 10 or 11yrs old(i remember it was as soon as i could get it)-- i have a lot of respect for the water and i have seen things happen fast even to experienced boaters so i always use my best judgement when out there... i hope you'all have a happy 4th and a safe boating season...please post up if your reading this and let me know what ya think..thanks -- sean

[Ron Hill]

Seems, I have quite a few MERCURY V-6 parts, and keep getting more...Let me or Chad know what you need, maybe we can part with some of our "STASH"..

[freddyspens]

still here at all hours of the night!!! i must read about 5hrs a day.... or should i say night..ill be paying for it in the morning as usual-- and i have to get a few boats done 1st thing in the am too!!..
ok, well thank you very much for the reply Ron - i feel honored to have such an artist almost right in front of me.. i really think its an art the work you do making and working your props... i would absolutely love to help in any way i could one day if i was ever out your way...
as far as parts i need...umm, well- i need a set of 2.4 pistons from a BP is better although i can mill the flat spot and drill the port holes bigger no problem if need be... i am hoping to put a 2.4 bridgeport motor together , although i do not think i will have enough moeny to have it finished until winter time but it would be nice to get started. also, i have been trying very hard to find a set of the early style 2.0 heads(head bolts on sleeve) that have been cut already,preferrably 28cc(should be around 145lbs compression)or something close to that so i could still run pump gas.. i would also love to infd some motor needing work, like a pistons or something to fix up..something like a 225 promax from the early 80's(or whenever they started) or any 2.4 motor...or an old 2.0 champ motor from any generation.. any of these motors or partial motors cause i have full electronics,carbs, flywheel-- i have basically everything else to get something like a short block running.. i had found a 2.4 200hp motor for $400(needed rings and a hone, poss piston but block was great) not too long ago but i missed out cause i was just starting to have my business really take off but i had been buying tools like its going out of style since i got robbed a while back and lost everything.. gotta have the right tool for the job.. i started out about 4 or 5 monthes ago with little more then a cheap-o plastic carrying case socket set from walmart and now have pretty close to everything i need(thank God!!!).. ok, thanks again for any help you all might be able to give me, i truly appreciate it..- sean

[Mark75H]

Darn Sean ... a little pitty for me when I back up the image files ..... 72 dpi and no compression? Try jpg compression 3 for files to be viewed on monitors

I resized these for you

[freddyspens]

hey mark, thank you-- but honestly aside from knowing you changed the size so it doesnt take up as much space, i really dont know how to do it. the camera is set for the lowest quality, smallest pic memory size from what it says.. can you fill me in on the program to use??.. this computer is new to me and i was able to shrink pics with a trial program that came with it but i havent been able to figure it out now that part of the program expired....i am not going to be posting a lot of pics for sure now because of this(i read more then anything cause i want to learn everything possible!!) but maybe if i do, either you or someone who knows how to do it can shrink them.. i should have pm'ed this to you instead of butchering this thread up with something besides boating stuff--oh well, life goes on...

on another note-- anyone have a 5petal horizontal intake they can part with?? i just got a horiz 5petal front but i do not have the right intake... i just walked in from buying a mint 30" merc big ear chopper prop from a local guy i met thats on a few of the boating sites. he just gave me a horizontal 5petal front and is letting me try a beautiful set of 4petal reeds and cages with option to buy if i like the way they run!!! its so great to meet one of these great people i talk to on here in person!!! i definately made a new friend! he wants to throw his '96 efi 200hp motor on my lil stream just to see what we can get out of it-- its gotta be close to a hundred, well easy 90's anyways but i dont think this ole 2.0 will be to far off by the time i have it set up the way i want,well not as far as it is now- lol.. i only have to get some heads cut or find a set of 28cc head bolts on sleeve style heads, match the intake side, get it flowing a little better and clean up the casting marks and ill be done with this motor.. then ill be putting the bridgeport together as money permits or whatever i can find that would be a little less money any opinions on the short piston pin pistons?? they are absolutely perfect condition and i can get a whole set for $100 but i gotta find rings for em too.. only thing is the BP motor has a port side needing a 30over piston and a star side needing a 20over so ill have to find 2more pistons for it still... if anyone has a 20over star piston and a 30over port piston as well as a 5petal hor reed bracket please let me know.. thanks and sorry again but i really had no way of knowing about the pic deal-- but now i do..- over and out, sean