really old family owned boat (sweet rig)

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Kracker Jack

Ok so here my buddies jet boat. It was built in 1962 for his grandfather (I didnt know they had jet drives back then) and as far as i was told it is a one off custom boat built by a guy here local way back in the day . It is a jet drive backed with a 390 that has been tuned down a bit. this thing screams!!!! here are some pics of us headed to the river today on the intercoastal. what a sweet boat!!!! I drove this thing today and shes insane!!!

We (the US Navy) used Berkley jet drives on our RPB's (Riverine Patrol Boats) in VietNam. The Swifts were aluminum and had twin 500 hp Diesels w/props, but the smaller plastic (fiberglass) RPB's used jet drives so they wouldn't foul the prop in the smaller, shallower rivers they used to operate in on patrol. Fast as a scalded cat, able to spin 180 degrees in just about one boat length at top speed. When you weren't getting shot at and no one was looking they were flat out fun. That was in the mid sixties, so yes, there were Berkley Jet drives back in the early sixties. They were first introduced in 1960 if I recall, which makes your friends grandfather's one of the oldest.

[cfelton]

Thats really neat!! I bet that thing sounds good too!

[Road King Cole]

Thanks!

rkc

[bradford]

Sweet! I love that its stayed in the family.

[spareparts]

Very cool. I used to have a Stevens v drive boat that looked similar. I had 427 going in it but never finished it. Probably a good thing that I didn't.

[lumberslinger178]

I was in Va Beach this week I would have liked a ride...

[garagenc]

Why didn't you let me know you were in VA Bch I'd made the hour trip to come see you.