After talking with someone about the dangers of small cats, I'm thinking about a cougar cub for my son, I may have a new project. Appearently that spinning prop is a huge danger if you should get into trouble and tossed from the boat. I'm thinking I may be able to shoe horn a jetski motor into each sponson of a cub. I need to double check the sponson width to see if it would fit. Also need to make sure I could get the intake grill located in a place that would give me lots of flow. Then I could have a little twin engine cat that would probably fly in calm water and still be relatively safe.

Another option my be to drop jets into the sponsons that are driven by a single 4 banger mounted atop the tunnel. This would require a lot more engineering be done to actually drive the two pumps from a single motor.

Teague sells a trimable nozzle with a rudder, I'd probably use two of those to improve overall handling.

I haven't calculated the weights of the drive system yet, but what are the opinions of trying to build something like this?

Sounds cool to me, keep us updated with PICS if it works out.

How big is that boat? You mite be able to pick up an older Seadoo speedster fairly cheap (they have 2 engines) then yo would have everything you would need. sounds cool!

There's been some talk on another board about (twin engine) dual jet drives on cats...

...seems they might be a little twitchy (if one pump unloads, they wanna spin).

Good luck!

Everything except a cat. We already have a jet boat that is a blast to play with but my son really wants a cat. He also wants me to paint it exactly like the race boat.

Havasu can you point me to that other thread. Having a jet unload was something I was thinking about last night. This project might end before it starts. If it does we'll have to stick with the OB. With the boat being so short, around 10' it may get really twitchy.

mr velocity, I have been wanting to find a small cat as a project myself, a little Ocean Express or maybe a Vicious. I have never heard of a Cougar mini, do you have any info or pics?

How about a jet-drive outboard?...I know all the major manufacturers used to make them for commercial & shallow water use. Easy to install & maintain / no prop!
Hugh

I was in the F-Cove in Barnegeat Bay (NJ) this Sunday, and someone had a white Cougar Cub. First time I had ever seen one. Pretty damn cool! The kids were put putting around the f cove all day. Looked like just the thing for a kid .....although dad took a run or 2 as well...

i went to the vicious web site but no pics. The cougars have been around for a while although I think I like the idea of a wider cat like the Vicious or the Thunder Cub, they have a 5' beam vs the 4' of the Cougar. I would like to find a boat only or a boat with a crappy engine so it'll be cheap.

INSTALL A KILL SWITCH!!!!!!!!!!! If you enforce the rule of no tether/no drive,the prop will never be a problem. With the weight of twins back there,it will never plane off. Start the kid off with about a 25hp and let him learn to drive at 30 mph. My Cub is so dam safe at that speed its unreal. You can crank the wheek full over and all it does is lose bite and fall off plane. They are an absolute hoot to drive but very very wet riding. On a tech note,check and really seal the hull to deck joint well,thay plow coming on to plane and scoop up water there real fast. Mine is currently undergoing a complete restoration so I can hang more power on it on a hand made jack plate/set back in an attempt to fly the nose higher and thusly dryer I hope. Its also getting the paint to match dads boat deal as well as new gaffrig controls,gauges with bezels and a new interior. Hope to have it ready for next year. As for pics,search general discussion for mini cigarettes. Theres a few pics there.