Man's Tesla-Powered Jet Boat Costs Him $6,000 After One Wrong Move

A homemade Tesla-powered jet boat is back on the water after a single mistake caused about $6,000 in damage. The builder has since repaired the electrical system and taken the tiny boat through Nashville, Tennessee, but the trouble started with the push of a button.

In a video published roughly two months ago, the YouTube channel Prop Department follows the latest test of an unusual electric boat. Its creator spent three years building the project, which uses Tesla electric vehicle technology to power a small jet boat.

During an earlier river test, the builder shut off the motor while it was still spinning. That decision damaged several expensive electrical parts, forcing him to replace equipment before he could get back on the water.

With a new inverter installed and a temporary fix for another problem, the crew headed toward downtown Nashville. This time, the boat would get a longer test, although the builder still wasn't ready to use its full power.

An Expensive Button

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Before getting back on the river, the builder showed viewers a burned inverter control board. Replacing that board alone would cost around $600, but the damage went further than he first hoped.

The inverter and charger were also damaged. Without the charger supplying 12-volt power, the boat's fans, water pumps, and other electrical parts couldn't work as needed.

Rather than delay the test, he installed another inverter and used car batteries to provide the missing low-voltage power.

Later, he explained why the earlier shutdown had been so costly. An electric motor can generate electricity when something else keeps it spinning. In his setup, shutting off the power while the motor was still turning appears to have sent unwanted electrical energy into the system.

"I've never pushed a button and it immediately cost $6,000 before," he said.

The problem has a connection to electric cars. Tesla's towing instructions warn that spinning the wheels during improper transport can generate electricity and damage the vehicle.

To help prevent another costly mistake, the builder plans to add a system that stops the main electrical connection from opening while the motor is still spinning.

Back on Water

Once the repairs were finished, the crew returned to the river. The small white boat moved through the water under its own power, giving the builder a chance to study how it handled.

One early concern was battery life. After some time on the water, the display still showed about 90% remaining, although that wasn't enough to establish how long a full charge would last.

Another issue came from air entering the jet pump's intake. The builder called it cavitation, but the problem he described is more accurately known as aeration or ventilation. Air getting into the pump can reduce thrust.

Part of the trouble appeared to come from the hull's design. Changes to the bottom of the boat could help the intake receive a steadier flow of water.

Even with that problem, the boat was running at only a fraction of its possible motor speed. More testing would be needed before attempting a full-power run.

More Speed Ahead

As the trip continued, the crew tested the boat's cruise control and watched electrical readings while accelerating. Cruise control behaved unevenly, and the speedometer eventually stopped working.

Despite those issues, the boat appeared quick enough to impress its builder. With fewer people aboard, its acceleration became noticeably stronger.

He also checked the motor temperature, which reached about 55 degrees Celsius, or 131 degrees Fahrenheit, during testing.

The creator hopes the boat might eventually reach speeds in the 60-to-70-mph range, although those figures remain his estimates rather than measured results.

For now, the official top-speed test remains unfinished. Future work will focus on improving the jet pump, adjusting the motor's settings, and making the electrical system safer before another full-power attempt.

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