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Jag engines in boats

RobG

Freshman Member
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Major lessons learned. When putting a V-12 into a mahogany boat, make sure the propeller rotation matches the engine rotation. For a short time, I had the fasted boat in reverse ever recorded in the area. Since it is a water environment, change out the Lucas wiring. Increased water cooling in the exhaust jackets would be nice, discovered after my deck began to smoke. Even with short trial runs, bring a large reserve gas can. AAA cards won't work on the water. As my driveway attests, Jag engines, sitting still in any vehicle, look grand, and even better tied to the dock. At speed..., well, remember lesson one. A boat is a hole in the water into which you throw dollars. With a Jag engine, add British sterling. With working ignition, add yen. Uffda.
 
Must applaud your nerve, Rob. A daunting refit. You've managed to "marry" two of the most insane technologies to come out of the 20th century into one "thing!" This is revolutionary: Now you have a SINGLE place in which to dump ALL your money instead of spreading it out thinly over the two. Congrats!

...the smoking deck thing would be a bit alarming tho.
 
Never got to see it in person but I remember a boat with a Jag V12 that didn't have the deck problem. But it was really smokin'.

I was down at the engine shop with a friend picking up a ported head or some such thing and they had the V12 sitting on a stand. Man it was pretty, all clean and shiny with Hilborn fuel injectors and a dozen big ol' air horns. Suh-weet! They said it going in a customer's race boat.

My brother was there some time later and got to hear them running it on the dyno, said it made a heck of a sound. The next time I was in they had a pic on the wall of a hydroplane with all those horns in the back blazing across a lake.


PC
 
I am a Jaguar V12 fan and I also have 2 antique Chris Craft mahogany runabouts. This thread really has my interest since my boats run Chevrolet V8s. Tell me the details on how you converted the water pump to a marine style pump. I cannot believe that it is off the shelf. Are you also using marine style exhaust manifolds that use the exhaust cooling water for temperature control? Lake Guntersville would never be the same if a Sportsman 22.5 showed up with a V12.
 
John, the addiction for Jag boat power began when I purchased an older (1956) 36' Constellation with 2 Jag 6's. In mine, the exhaust manifolds were made by a car/boat nut who was later incarcerated for, uh, insanity (no kidding.) Few of the parts are off-the-shelf, but modified from old parts (darn my Lincoln welder). I'll try to take photos because she still floats. (By the way, your posts have helped me a great deal for other projects...thanks.) The Coast Guard does not like me. OSHA does not like me. Pep-Boys don't like me. Because of the boat (used for LA-Catalina Island runs) my ex-wives hate me. Life is good.
 
Geez, Rob!

There are sooo many things...

Glad "Life is good."

<bangs head against gunwhale>
 
Thats is really a great background and I am very interested in the marine adaptations of both the six and the V12. Your runs to Catalina sound akin to my raids around Guntersville. Fortunately my present wife is also a boat nut so the hobby is very active. My first wife wasn,t bothered so much by the Chris Crafts but by my Harley Hog. She went nonlinear when the Hog trashed her Oldsmmobile station wagon door. (I was just learning to ride it and got confused). My boats are a 22.5' Sportsman and a 16' Ski Boat prototype. The Sportsman could handle a V12 but I'm not sure that her 1949 white oak ribs could.
 
I know this is an old post but I thought this might be of interest ,a marinized v12 on test stand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9G6cUf0g-A&feature=youtu.be
and in wooden boat 20150421_063759.jpg20150421_063812.jpg20150421_063831.jpg20150327_181406.jpg
 
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A Jag 6 in an old wood boat would be quite stunning. And I thought I was off the wall wanting to put an MGB motor in an old wood boat! :D I grew up with old wood boats made by companies such as Ditchburn, Minett, Duke, Greavette and more. My cousins still own the Ditchburn our family bought new in 1926 or so.
 
Jag engines have been in war boats and tanks. Not new, but another plus for the durability and flexibility of the Jaguar engine.
 
A log of a a lap around the lake
And a video of the engine running on test stand
 
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