79' Miller Bubbledeck Ski-Jet

Owned for 7 years by Deb and I.

Purchased with a rebuilder crate motor, would not do 45 MPH. On maiden voyage, we got passed by a Skeeter Bass boat...not good.
Deb told me: "Do whatever you have to do, but do NOT let another bass boat pass us ever!"

I took that shit to heart!

So, pulled the engine THAT afternoon and got started. It has taken a while, and been a process, but boat now does 80+ MPH.

454 .030 over
Forged Eagle internally balanced Crank, Eagle H-Beam rods with cap screws, SRP forged pistons, 9.8:1 CR.
Brodix 280CC runner rectangle port BB1 aluminum heads, Comp Extreme Marine 305 Hyd. roller, Morel lifters, Crane gold rockers, Comp. springs, retainers and superlocks, Brodix girdles.
fully massaged Wieand tunnel ram, 2 Holley based 750 4150's with Allstate billet plates, Holley perf. polished bodies, side hung 4160 bowls with dual feed lines and modified 2 corner idle.
Canton pan and PU, as well as pan screen and moroso Acceleration baffle.
MSD R2R Pro Billet, yada yada yada.

This is the final config, first attempt at the engine blew up at Red Bluff in the Sac river while watching the races.


The Boat:

Was very rough as far as the pump and bilge area. All cooling hoses were rotted and ready to sink the boat. Had the intake reset by the wrong guy, and nearly DID sink the boat.

While that was being done I had the JC bowl modified for a JG style 2 piece bowl, droop snoot, Hyd. Place with a trim gauge, and detailed AB impeller.
Got it all back together and took it out to Shasta.
That outing led to a violent spin out when the intake came loose, and tore my seat out and deposited me upside down against the starboard Gunwale, with Deb pinned in between.

Pulled the engine and took the boat to Tom and Josh at JBP.

They reset the intake correctly, added a shoe and rideplate, and reinforced the keel at the cut outs.

Drug it back home and got it all back together. Took it out and hit 86 MPH straight off the trailer!

Then promptly destroyed the aluminum impeller. Pulled it down and took it back to JBP for one of Josh's custom CNC rail kits, "a work of art" is what Josh's rail kits should be titled.
Truly top notch!
Add in a Stainless A Impeller.

After getting it back together the boat was where I wanted it...except for the completely unsafe sating.
So...

Another call to JBP got me a custom glass bench seat shell, and I got 2 buckets from CP.
Covered locally in Redding by Richards upholstery in old school style and it is good to go!

Boat runs all day on 20 gallons of 91 octane, and I have a scribe to back the timing off to 32* from 36* in case I have to put lake gas in it.
Does 80 MPH loaded, and idles through no wake zones like a champ.





























86 MPH first WOT test run after plate and shoe, 5400 RPM.



Can not thank Tom and Josh enough for the work they have done on this boat. It would not be anywhere close to what it is without their help and dedication!

At the risk of cross advertising, there are detailed write ups on PB under "intake epoxy" and "rail kits" by Tom.