Neill Suitor Jetboat Design

01/08/2026

Nice video of the first Blackwater 3.3m ever built was just posted on Youtube. Shes wrongly credited as a Wattscraft. She was built by Korbin Fickell back around 2022.

The Bow River was flowing HARD, and this turned into one of the mos...

02/05/2026

Files ready for DIY pozi nozzle to suit Yamaha HO or SVHO. Works in conjunction with standard Yamaha reverse bucket. Original cabling does not need repositioning. Increase in cae lengths is just 15mm for steering and reverse and none at all for trim.
Ran it for the first time today - wow is all I need to say really. Steering is now dead light, centres better. Consistent centre position. Stays light as you pull plenty of steering lock. Super manoeuvrable at speed. Slow speed using Yamaha reverse bucket has even improved. I estimate just a loss of 2mph so far but this kay improve with a slightly smaller nozzle insert. All you need is stainless welding ability and a small hobby grade lathe that can handle a 7” aluminium bar stock.

12/04/2026

This weekend finished of the Pozi nozzle build. Its designed to go on 160mm yamaha pump. It utilises the Yamaha oem reverse bucket. My total build cost is £371 including bushings and fasteners. I am considering offering the plans however some basic lathe skills are needed. I did this on a Warco 280 lathe. She had a 5” chuck which I swapped for a very oversize 8”. The curves needed inside the ball section were done manually with a 3D printed follow guide. All drilling and taping were done using 3D printed jigs to ensure accuracy as I dont have a dividing head. Finished job has 0.5mm clearance and is buttery smooth after some adjustments.

11/04/2026

Got the nozzle fully welded and polished this morning. Its got a 4 degree up angle same as the SVHO Yamaha cone. This will improve the range of travel compared to some other nozzles on the market that have zero degrees. Basically the starting point is already 4 degrees ahead of the game compared to everyone else. Got to look at the stainless swing ring next

10/04/2026

So you can machine a ball and socket accurately on a little 5” hobby lathe! My pozi nozzle project is coming together nicely. Next step welding the aluminium and stainless parts. Many 3D printed jigs and fixtures ensured accurate drilling and machining of each item.

11/02/2026

3D printed steering nozzle prototype is fitting nicely now. I am in the middle of a lathe upgrade to be able to handle the billet diameter of the middle section. Keep an eye out for update’s!
I am undecided about using aluminium or stainless for the mounting brackets and pivoting ring.

02/02/2026

Doing an experiment with a hybrid plastic / stainless steel / aluminium steering and trim nozzle. I hope to fit the standard SVHO reverse bucket to it to keep cost down.

3D printing the nozzles and socket should allow quick testing and optimisation.

29/12/2025

Arney 10.5 build this year by Ricky Hinch. Shes very nicely finished! And has a Yamaha HO for very strong performance. This one was built with 14 degree deadrise and a 10mm thick delta. Also some custom features were added specifically for the owner.

12/01/2025

Started a new project for a regular customer of mine... .

30/11/2024

I started to update my first ever mini boat design Shannon 3m this winter. She was designed without a swimdeck or stomp grate originally. Now 4 years later she has been updated with Seadek and soon to get a full wrap. 4 years with a plain intake grate has been a real pain. We have a lot of w**d in Ireland and cold water so no jumping in to clear her for most of the season!