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How To : Make your own homemade hoodstraps
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DISCLAIMER: Below is a journal of how I made homemade hoodstraps for my own personal jetski. I do not sell hoodstrap kits and I do not guarantee perfect results if you attempt to imitate my procedure. I claim no responsibility if you lose your hood and your ski sinks as a result of following these instructions. If this is a concern, buy a bundled kit from a reputable jetski shop and let the pros install it for you.

Use my notes at your own risk and modify them as necessary to fit your own needs.

With that being said, you will need the following materials before getting started:

  • About six feet of 1" nylon strap (measure your ski to be sure you buy enough strap)
  • Two plastic buckles (buy new, or cut them from an old worn out lifevest)
  • Four STAINLESS STEEL bolts, long enough to go through the hull
  • Eight STAINLESS STEEL washers, at least 3/4 inch in diameter
  • Four STAINLESS STEEL nuts for the bolts.
I bought all of this new at West Marine for about $12.00. Cut the strap in half (two 3' sections). Then cut off about 8" of that from each strap so you end up with four sections (two short, and two long). Drill or cut small holes about 1" back from the end of each strap. I then took a lighter and melted the holes a bit so they wouldn't unravel.
Choose a location in the tray where you want your buckles to be mounted. Here is the location I chose when I did mine.
Loosen and remove your waterbox before drilling the holes in the hull. One of the bolts will need to go directly behind the waterbox. You may need to cut this bolt off, depending on how long the bolts you purchased were. You don't want it hitting against your waterbox.
Drill two holes through the hull, being careful where the bit will come out inside the hull. Try to choose a relatively flat spot inside the hull so your washers will provide the most support. Take a bolt, put a large washer on it, followed by a short section of strap. Put it through the hull, then add a washer and the nut on the inside of the hull. Repeat for the other side.

Remove the hood from your ski, and drill two holes in this location to support the other lengths of strap. Assemble and install them the same way (large washer, strap, then a large washer and nut inside the hull).

 

Clip the straps together, adjust, and trim off any excess strap that you feel you don't need.

Here is the finished product.

Another view of the finished product.


This page was last updated on Wednesday, November 8, 2006