Summary
Refreshing a Jetstream 38: From Gleaming Brightwork to New Power and More
Here’s an update on the Crazy Horse refit project.
The mahogany veneer on the foredeck of Crazy Horse had seen better days.
A one-of-a-kind Bill Tripp design, Crazy Horse is a Tripp Jetstream 38 launched in 2001. The New Zealand-built Kevlar/E-glass jetboat arrived in our yard in dire need of attention to the mahogany-veneered house, the propulsion, and the electrical system.
After a few years of use-case evaluation with the owner, we began work stripping the veneer and rehabbing the underlying substrate for new mahogany veneers along the cabin sides, the coamings, and the house top. This is a complicated install, with highly visible parts fitting tightly amongst complex rolling bevels without the aid of mechanical fasteners. New low-profile Lewmar hatches will be installed to streamline the look of the vessel once the mahogany is all laid down.
Rehabbing the substrate that underlies the veneer.
LM is repowering Crazy Horse with twin 570-hp FPT N67 EVO diesel engines, which will power the new Hamilton Jet HJX30’s through newly fabricated carbon-fiber drive shafts. After careful planning, we opted to remove a significant portion of the deadrise and transom to be replaced with an LM built Kevlar/carbon-fiber transom designed to accept the new jets.
The entire vessel is being rewired, including the installation of a custom distribution panel and a new suite of Garmin electronics. Crazy Horse will be powered by a new bank of Lithium-Ion batteries, managed by advanced BMS technology and charged by high output alternators and solar panels.
At the business end of this Jetstream 38, the repower is a ground-up restoration.
Previously:
Lyman-Morse is in the process of a total refit on Crazy Horse, a 38-foot Jetstream commuter designed by Tripp Design and originally built by Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2001. Known as a “sailor’s power boat,” this sleek vessel combines classic aesthetics with responsive performance—an ideal candidate for a comprehensive modernization.
The LM team worked closely with the owner to deliver a series of major upgrades that elevate both form and function. Highlights include:
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Twin FPT N67-570 engines (totaling 1140 hp)
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New HamiltonJet HJX30 waterjets integrated with a MouseBoat autopilot interface
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Upgraded Garmin electronics suite: radar, depth sounder, speedometer, plotter, autopilot, VHF/AIS, and wind instruments
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Complete new battery system featuring Lithionics GTX power banks
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Sea Frost 12-volt refrigeration system
To complement these systems upgrades, the LM carpentry team removed and replaced all teak veneer on the cabin sides, deck, and interior—restoring the yacht’s warmth and elegance. Crazy Horse will also receive a striking new paint job to finish off her transformation.
The result is a revitalized powerboat ready for coastal cruising, weekend getaways, and spirited runs with confidence and style.