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Off Topics > A question for engineers, tinkerers, smart people, and everyone else.

NitroSpazzz
Veteran
Location: Wisconsin and/or Minnesota

A question for engineers, tinkerers, smart people, everyone else...ELECTRIC JETSKI

Ok here is the story.....

My family owns a cabin on a nice little quiet lake. This lake would be PERFECT for a few jetskiis. Only there is a slight problem...the lake just so happens to be a wildlife refuge type thingy. So that means that there are ABSOLUTLY NO GAS ENGINES ON THE LAKE. I mean I fly my heli off the lake but thats different right

Well anyways I have an idea....

I have an idea for an electric jetski. I think 2 electric motors turning a single jet or whatever in the middle might work. Now I have NO idea how jetskis work, haven't had time or money to yank one apart yet. But I think I have most of it figured out. Some of the electrical stuff is gonna be a pain in the @$$ but thats ok.

So I was wondering if any of you know much about the mechanics of the jetski, if this would be worth trying, and most important what the heck am I gonna use as a power source. The thing has got to be as light as possible while stil having enough juice to run for a while between charges. I am gonna search the web for a while and figure out how these things work, but any info AT ALL would be great. Oh and there are no lakes around me to use a "real" jetski on so electric it is. Thanks

Blake Tennessen
507.279.3930

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

Phil Cole
Veteran
Location: Redwood City CA

No gas engines means you could use a steam engine or maybe a gas turbine. You need to read exactly what it says.

If they actually specify gasoline, convert one to run on alcohol. This will dump fuel and oil into the water, just like a gas engine, but maybe you will get away with it for a while.

To be serious...

I guess you need about 50 horsepower at a bare minimum to get something that performs like a jetski. 70 hp would be better.

50 hp is about 40 kW. That's quite a large electric motor. You won't be able to carry enough battery to run for more than five or ten minutes, so it doesn't have to 40 kW continuously. 10 kW continuous rating might be enough.

With a 120V motor, allowing for the efficiency of the motor, you would need 350 A at full power. Ten 40 Ah batteries would give about six minutes at full power. Ten car batteries is a lot of ballast to carry around, and NiCds would be quite expensive. Fast charging is going to require a special circuit: you need more than 20 A from a 220 V circuit to charge in an hour before another six minutes of fun.

In my area, they allow four-cycle engines but not two-cycle engines on some of the reservoirs. Four-cycle engines don't dump fuel+oil out the exhaust like two-cycle engines so you may be able to get four-cycles permitted.

07-03-2003 Over year old.

NitroSpazzz
Veteran
Location: Wisconsin and/or Minnesota

good point on the length and power stuff. This is gonna be lots harder than I thought, CRAP. Well time to start thinkin. Oh no alchohol or anything, dad tried that on our boat

Blake Tennessen
507.279.3930

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

NitroSpazzz
Veteran
Location: Wisconsin and/or Minnesota

THANK GOD FOR MONSTER GARAGE

they are building subs. One team is taking a gas motor and convertin it to run on compressed air. I iwll watch and see if it works, perhaps thsi is the answer??? We will see

Blake Tennessen
507.279.3930

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

ShuFly
Senior Heliman
Location: San Diego, Calif.

Enjoy the peace and quiet.....

...get a sailboat!

07-03-2003 Over year old.

its-a-trick
Senior Heliman
Location: Cymru

Hello, If it is a wildlife refuge then using anything that blasts across it at 40 mph (if that is your intention) is being a bit inconsiderate however you power it,
find another lake - we share this world with other creatures and it would be a horrible place if we did'nt

Happy Flying

07-03-2003 Over year old.

FinnDave
Elite Veteran
Location: Kouvola, Finland

Hi It's,

Well said, mate. If I had to choose between protecting wildlife or flying/boating whatevering for my own enjoyment, I'd go for the wildlife every time.

Trying to find ways around rules which are there for the protection of others, whether they're human or not, is irresponsible.

How's life in Wales? I was born there myself, but bought up in England.

David S., Kouvola, Finland

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

FinnDave
Elite Veteran
Location: Kouvola, Finland

Janek. that's like 'probably cold' for Finland, but in fact I am wearing shorts (note to Americans, this is different to the way you use the word shorts, ok?) and sitting here looking at an unbroken clear blue sky and the temperature will be up around 25 today.

Yesterday it was over 30 in Utsjoki, and that is right up the top of the country way above the Arctic circle. I was there last year and it was nowhere near 30, but still an incredible place. Lots of helicopters in Lapland, not many roads!

David S., Kouvola, Finland

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

Mr_Magoo
Veteran
Location: Reality & Nevada

extension cords................lots of them.

That'll teach you not to ask an engineer.

07-03-2003 Over year old.

its-a-trick
Senior Heliman
Location: Cymru

Dry at the mo but it looks like it may rain soon

got me shorts on too

Happy Flying

07-03-2003 Over year old.

Rawlie
Senior Heliman
Location: JHB

Nitrospazz, I have applied some serious thought to your predicament, and I have the perfect solution

1. Buy a jetski.
2. Yank out the engine.
3. Install a winch on the riverbank, the size they use to launch gliders.
4. Get a buddy to operate the winch.
5. Attach winch to jetski.
6. Paddle out on jetski until winch cable is fully unwound.
7. Activate winch and hang on to your testicles

07-03-2003 Over year old.

pilotError
Key Veteran
Location: Long Island, NY

Turbine Power

Get a pair of Large Hobby Turbines and mount them one to either side. Pull the Engine and put a bigger fuel bladder in it. Just don't suck any starlings into the turbine...

Good Judgement comes from Experience. Great Judgement comes from Bad Experience.

07-03-2003 Over year old.

NitroSpazzz
Veteran
Location: Wisconsin and/or Minnesota

Well thanks for the info. The lake is large enough though that I could stay away from the sides of the lake (where the critters are) and have fun in the middle. I have talked to a few people, some that pretty much run the lake, and they said that my idea is good just let them ride it once it is done. So I think they are backin me. So now I just gotta figure out how to do it

Some good ideas comin, oh by the way Junkyard wars the air pressure engine was never finished cause they lost a part or something. Dangit, well thanks for the tips, ideas, and critisism so far. Keep up the good work

Blake Tennessen
507.279.3930

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

NitroSpazzz
Veteran
Location: Wisconsin and/or Minnesota

I am looking for a lil more speed than a trolling motor can provide

Fast is good

Blake Tennessen
507.279.3930

07-03-2003 Over year old.

HOMEPAGE

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Off Topics > A question for engineers, tinkerers, smart people, and everyone else.

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