Technical Update for the PowerSki Jetboard™ Igniter 330 Production Model:
The first PowerSki Jetboards™ delivered this past year to dealers and distributors were the Beta model PowerSki Jetboards that were designed only for testing and promotion. Prior to purchasing their Beta model boards, every dealer and distributor was fully informed and agreed that no Beta model PowerSki Jetboard™ is to be resold to the public. It was explained to every dealer and distributor that the primary purpose of the Beta program is to uncover and correct all of the technical problems that arise whenever a new, complex machine, such as the PowerSki Jetboard™, begins operating extensively over time under excessive conditions in the water. We said from the beginning there were particular problems with the Beta model boards that needed further testing to uncover any new problems that become apparent that would need to be corrected and improved. That's why we titled it the Beta model PowerSki Jetboard™. We knew it wasn't ready for full production and sale to our potential customers, but would be beneficial for our dealers and distributors to help us test, improve and promote the PowerSki Jetboard™.
PowerSki International will continue to improve the Igniter 330 PowerSki Jetboard™ with further refinements, as needed, for the following reasons:
Based on the data we've derived from the Beta model boards, tested under actual operating conditions, we have made improvements that are incorporated into the current Igniter 330 production model PowerSki Jetboards™. For example, we have refined our hull design, piston, gear assembly, pump/drive train assembly, ride plate, baffle plate, crankshaft bearings, gear shaft bearings, crankshaft, crankcase, engine case, motor mount bracket, pulleys, safety T-handle, and the one-way valve silencer, air intake, electrical, water flow, and inflatable seal systems. Several of these improvements were made to not only improve performance, but also to reduce our production costs. Parts like the pump/drive train assembly, crankshaft, and electrical system were off-the-shelf parts used for the last 20 to 30 years in other recreational watercraft and had to be purchased for very high priced mark ups. To view some of these improvements, please click on the “Old Beta versus New Production” selection on the Engineering page here at powerski.com.
Therefore, PowerSki International Corporation announces that the standards it set for the PowerSki Jetboard™ Igniter 330 Model have been met, and it is ready for full production and delivery to the buying public.1. To reduce the cost of goods for PowerSki Jetboard production.
2. To correct technical problems that have yet to be encountered that will increase production efficiency and product dependability.
PowerSki International will provide the new electrical system, when available, for dealers and distributors who purchased the PowerSki Jetboard™ Igniter 330 model prior to the electrical upgrade. Since the existing off-the-shelf crankshaft and pump/drive train are operating correctly, PowerSki International Corporation will not upgrade them.
The PowerSki Jetboard™ is Water-Resistant, NOT Waterproof! <>A primary problem we have with the Beta model PowerSki Jetboards™ is maintaining a perfect seal of the engine and fire extinguisher compartments to the hull. All of the Beta model PowerSki Jetboard hulls and hoods were shaped by hand, not produced by a CAD tooling machine and are far from exact in their tolerances for a good seal. The new inflatable seals incorporated into the PowerSki Jetboard™ Igniter 330 Production Model are far superior to the seals previously used in the Beta model PowerSki Jetboards™, but are still not 100% watertight. (You can find photos comparing the old Beta model seals to the new seals in the “Old Beta versus New Production” selection on the Engineering page here at powerski.com).
Maintaining a good seal is a difficult problem for both manufacturers and PowerSki Jetboard™ riders. To design a watertight seal is both an art and a skill. For example, underwater camera housings have only a 1 to 2 foot circumference to seal with a flat lid and a rubber O-ring. This lid has bolts every 1 to 2 inches around the housing's circumference to secure the seal, but still doesn't insure a perfect seal.
A diver must still check constantly for leakage before, during and after diving. By comparison, the PowerSki Jetboard™ has 7 feet of open hood circumference to seal and PowerSki's engineers have really raised the industry standards for sealing impermeability.
The PowerSki Jetboard™ Igniter 330 Production Model's inflatable seals are the same type that are used in aircraft, submarines, industrial washing machines, and nuclear power plants. The reason the industries that produce these products use inflatable rubber seals to prevent leaks in areas with large circumferences is that any leakage could be both life threatening, and destructive to the proper operation of their products. An inflatable seal expands with equal pressure around a symmetrically designed door, curved cockpit, or as in our product, complex curved engine and fire extinguisher compartment openings in the hull. During the execution of high-speed G-force turns, the PowerSki Jetboard™ experiences both extreme torque and water pressure. This type of sealing system is perfect for filling in those areas of the circumference between the hull and hoods that are most susceptible to leaks when stressed by the torque and pressure created during extreme turning maneuvers. Read more about G-Force TurnsThe photos on our web site, mentioned previously, show the design improvement of the new seals which have virtually eliminated the wrinkling in the corners of the old seal. The hulls and hoods for the Igniter 330 PowerSkiJetBoard™s are now being CAD tooled to the tightest tolerances. Combined with the new inflatable seals, we believe we have produced a very efficient water resistant seal, but it still needs to be maintained to stay water resistant.
Due to the pressure applied over time to the front and engine hoods by the inflatable seals when they are inflated, the metal locking tabs can get bent and cause the integrity of the seal to lose efficiency. If you begin to notice more water than usual in the engine compartment after a normal riding session, we advise that you use a pair of pliers to manually bend the tabs back as close as possible to their original configuration. This should help regain a more efficient seal. If after re bending the tabs, you still find more water than usual after riding, contact your local PowerSki dealer to inspect your PowerSkiJetBoard™ Igniter 330 for a more detailed evaluation of the cause of the water leakage.
Because of this imperfect seal, it is very important NOT to sit or lie on the PowerSkiJetBoard™ for an extended period of time while it is shut off or idling in the water. Depending on the rider’s weight, the PowerSkiJetBoard™ will be submerged enough to allow some water to penetrate around the inflatable seals. This is not a serious problem as long as the rider is aware of this and makes sure to drain the hull between and after riding sessions.
The PowerSki Jetboard™ is the smallest, most powerful, high-performance, state-of-the-art motorized surfboard ever developed. It is never intended to be used like a submarine, or as a raft to float on, but as an innovative motorized surfboard that eliminates the need for paddling. The PowerSki Jetboard™ is designed to plane on the surface of the water at high or low speeds. Like surfing, you need to get up on the board quickly in order to ride on the surface of the water, NOT under the water.
The Best Way to Avoid this Problem: When you fall and/or shut off the engine while operating in deep water, do not immediately remount the JetBoard. While floating in the water on either side of the PowerSkiJetBoard™, grasp the handle and attempt to restart the engine as soon as possible. If the engine doesn't start, press the primer button once (over-priming will flood the engine) then attempt restarting. When the engine starts, the Jetboard will begin moving slowly through the water.
Maneuver yourself around to the back of the PowerSkiJetBoard™ and pull yourself on to the rear deck. At the same time add a little throttle to increase your speed to approximately 5 to 10 mph/knots. This will stabilize the Jetboard, lifting it up in the water, and making it easier to remount the PowerSkiJetBoard™. Once onboard, increase speed and return to a riding stance.
Performing this remounting procedure as promptly as possible will help keep the interior of the PowerSkiJetBoard™’s hull dry by keeping the sealed areas of the hull above the water line while planing across the surface of the water.
In the future, PowerSki possible intends to build a larger, more buoyant version of the PowerSkiJetboard. A larger PowerSkiJetBoard™, like a long board compared to a short board in surfing, will be easier to balance on and ride, but won’t have the same turning capability or maneuverability of the current high performance PowerSkiJetBoard™ Ignitor 330 Short Board Model. This potential long board future model's main advantage would its extra buoyancy which will allow riders to sit or lie on the board while it is floating or idling in the water and not submerge the seals. This will make it easier for novice riders to gain experience operating the PowerSkiJetBoard™ while avoiding a lot of mechanical and performance-loss problems caused by inadvertent submersion of the PowerSkiJetBoard™ during the learning process.
Until this potential larger PowerSkiJetBoard™ is available to the public, we again emphasize the need of the owners and riders of the current Beta models and the PowerSkiJetBoard™s Igniter 330 Model to strictly adhere to the procedures we’ve outlined herein to prevent excessive water leakage into the hull through the seals, and if your riding sessions result in a lot of submersion of the PowerSkiJetBoard™ beneath the water surface, BE SURE to CONTINUALLY DRAIN the PowerSkiJetBoard™ between and after all of your riding sessions.
IMPORTANT!
It is the owner’s responsibility to immediately remove all water from the engine and engine compartment. Failure to remove any accumulation of water in the engine or engine compartment can cause damage to the engine and also damage electrical components. Water damage is not part of the warranty agreement from the dealerships or the manufacturer. Owners will be held solely responsible for the financial costs to repair or replace any engine or electrical components that are damaged by failure to remove excess water left inside a PowerSkiJetBoard™.
WARNING
Be careful that the metal tabs that secure the front and engine hoods to the hull don’t come into contact with the inflatable seal. If you rub up against the seal with the tab’s edge, you could rupture, or puncture the seal, or dislodge it from the hull’s surface. It is the owner’s responsibility if they puncture the inflatable seal. That is not considered normal wear and tear usage. Some punctures can be repaired using a silicon sealant, like a bicycle inner tube, but this should be considered a temporary solution. We recommend replacing the inflatable seal.It is very important when you are attaching either the engine hood or the front hood to keep the metal tabs from contacting the seal abruptly. Carefully insert the tabs on the rear of each hood down under the seal and lip of the hull, staying clear of the inflatable seal, before sliding the hood back and seating it into the hull. (Fig. 1, 2, & 4)
Once you have the rear of each hood seated correctly in place, lower the front carefully and make sure the metal tabs on the front and/or side locking latches clear the inflatable seal as you lower and seat the hoods into the hull (Fig. 3 & 5)
MAKE SURE THAT ALL HOOD LATCHES ARE SECURELY LOCKED DOWN BEFORE RIDING.
Click here to view beta verses production PowerSkiJetBoard™ improvements.