[JARVIS]

hey guys, so bought for first jet boat, 21' tahiti, day cruiser i think...460 bbf, berk pump.  aside from having a gauge telling me motor was running at 240 degrees-   it didnt seem to have much power (even before running hot-if gauge was accurate).  maybe i expected too much.  but the most concerning part for me was the dash moving.  so when hitting a bit of chop, wake or wave.... the boat would shimmy and i can feel and see the dash shift around or flexing.  first i thought steering wheel mount or rack was loose from the dash....til i saw the entire dash rock side to side.  ive driven many boats, but none were jet boats and have never felt or seen this before.  is this normal for this type of boat??
thanks in advance.

[GT Jets]

hey guys, so bought for first jet boat, 21' tahiti, day cruiser i think...460 bbf, berk pump.  aside from having a gauge telling me motor was running at 240 degrees-   it didnt seem to have much power (even before running hot-if gauge was accurate).  maybe i expected too much.  but the most concerning part for me was the dash moving.  so when hitting a bit of chop, wake or wave.... the boat would shimmy and i can feel and see the dash shift around or flexing.  first i thought steering wheel mount or rack was loose from the dash....til i saw the entire dash rock side to side.  ive driven many boats, but none were jet boats and have never felt or seen this before.  is this normal for this type of boat??
thanks in advance.

Not at all normal, time to start looking for broken bulkheads, rotten wood supports and potentially a bad floor.

I have a little tiny ball peen hammer I use to find bad plywood under fiberglass, strike it (not real hard) with the hammer and it should sound like the wood is over concrete, not on a wet cardboard box...

[beerjet]

Just take the boat back to the guy and pound it as far up the guys ass as you can get it.
Problem solved.

-beerjet-

[GT Jets]

Just take the boat back to the guy and pound it as far up the guys ass as you can get it.
Problem solved.

-beerjet-

It's always butts with you... 

[beerjet]

It's always butts with you... 

Glen my friend......while the butthole can be ones man's greatest pleasure, it can also be anther man's worst nightmare.

-beerjet-

[JARVIS]

-beerjet-;

very funny.  thought did cross my mind....

thanks to all for the reply.  regarding bulkheads....in my mind im picturing larger walls or brace like pieces (like transom) only further up in the boat and would go from floor to deck.  so when i look, im not seeing any.  i have some small panels along the sides similiar to what would be kick panels in a car.  the radio is mounted to it on one side with speakers on both sides. it is a bit loose, i can grab it and shake it around a little.  also, the piece of wood that makes up the little storage tray along side of hull next to front seats....ahead of fuel tanks, is loose as well. would any of these be considered bulkheads on this boat....or would they be much smaller and beneath the floor??

[JARVIS]

....this movement of the dash would be like.....between 3/4 and one inch.
of course i didnt measure....but the steering wheel wasnt being pulled out of my hand and my other hand was holding the lip of the dash to see if it was moving and how much....or if ive been out in the sun too long...

[JARVIS]

hmmm...ok.  this helps a lot.  ill be sending you a pm...

thanks to everyone !!  glad I joined