Jet boats seem to be the Rage....?

[thudpucker]

I wonder why?
A drawback to a jet is a very hi fuel usage.
Another drawback is Grass and Gravel clogging the inlet.
Slightly shorter engine life, and noisy operations.

The good part, is shallow water transport.

So tell me now, is the Expense and aggravation worth the shallow water handiness?

 

[Bobsbaits]

Depends where you fish and the water you have around you, but yes, they are worth the extra cost for fishing shallow rivers. Good shallow rivers and current will out fish lakes many times (at least in my area)

 

[thudpucker]

And what area is that Bob? I didn't see it in your info.

In AK I had a 19' Jet that went well in Rivers around the Shallow parts of a Lake where an occasional Rock might startle you. :LOL2: Long Grass was it's nemesis though.
There were some Rapids it couldn't get up speed over Rocks. Getting turned around in that hi foamy current and trying to keep the boat off the Rocks was a thrill. Sorta like going over Niagara Falls in a Barrel.

Outboard Jets weren't so well adapted. They were not well respected you might say.

 

[PSG-1]

I don't have much experience with outboard jets, but I will say from my observations, that outboard jets are considerably louder than outboards with prop drives.

As for fuel consumption, my boat gets about 5 MPG, or about 3 GPH for fuel consumption at average cruising speed.

BUT, here's the advantage:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOoOPv1SQM&list=TLMpBpYv3B-qxDXtIWbIHfKBrIZRgw7mnH

Skip to 4:00 for a white-knuckle ride through some shallow water.

 

[JMichael]

PSG-1 » Today, 06:08[/url]"]I don't have much experience with outboard jets, but I will say from my observations, that outboard jets are considerably louder than outboards with prop drives.

As for fuel consumption, my boat gets about 5 MPG, or about 3 GPH for fuel consumption at average cruising speed.

BUT, here's the advantage:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOoOPv1SQM&list=TLMpBpYv3B-qxDXtIWbIHfKBrIZRgw7mnH

Skip to 4:00 for a white-knuckle ride through some shallow water.

So average cruising speed for your boat is only 15mph?

 

[Ranchero50]

The simple answer is a jet boat will take you away from the ski boats, the wake boarders, the jet skis and even most prop draggers. It will open up huge stretches of otherwise unfishable water. The peace and quiet factor is well worth the trouble to buy or build one.

Where I go (Potomac above Williamsport MD), only in spring can a prop boat run the full 15 miles of river and then the water's up so high that it's hard to fish comfortably. Once the river gauge drops to around 2' the prop guys only get a mile to fish in and I can run 10 miles of river. During the week on a busy evening I might see 2 jet boats up there. Once the gauge drops to 1' it's me, the kayakers and the fish.

Economy isn't a real issue for me. I run 5-8 miles at 40+ mph. On an 8 gallon tank I can do three trips before I have to select 'reserve' to feed it.

I built my boat because I got tired of fishing around other boats or dealing with idiots.

 

[overboard]

Bobsbaits » Today, 00:39[/url]"]Depends where you fish and the water you have around you, but yes, they are worth the extra cost for fishing shallow rivers. Good shallow rivers and current will out fish lakes many times (at least in my area)

Anyone that fishes the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers here in NE Pa. would know why most guys want and use jets.
"IF" you get to know these rivers, you have some chance of fishing a fairly large area of the river from some launches. If you don't you will end up doing major damage to props or lower units while trying to navigate these rivers.
On a lake, I would only use it to get from point A to point B. Then it would an electric or small gas kicker for trolling.
There's another thing that will clog the intake, leafs, and there's a billion of them coming down these rivers right now.
Better to have to clean the grates, than to spend $$$$$ on busted up motors.
I am still running a prop on the river, but only in a few areas I know well. I am also looking to buy a jet so I can access a lot of other areas that I am not as familiar with.
If I didn't fish this type of water, I would never even consider buying a jet.

 

[thudpucker]

We fished a lot of water with the Jet that we'd never have reached with a prop.
I was only remarking at all the posts on Jets.
I know from practical experience how useful they are.

Fish on....

 

[S&MFISH]

I bought a jet because of two reasons; 1- I live within 1.5hrs of twenty ramps on four of the best bass fishing rivers in the St.Louis area. 8 of them within 20-25min. There is no way I could fish them without the jet. 2- My two best fishing buddies both have prop boats. They would never be able to fish these rivers in their boats(19ft Ranger(glass) and a 17ft Fisher(tin).

I knew going in the drawbacks of a jet. But,as said before the reward is much higher. That is my personal reasons for having my RiverRunner Jet.

 

[PSG-1]

JMichael » Today, 09:17[/url]"]

PSG-1 » Today, 06:08[/url]"]I don't have much experience with outboard jets, but I will say from my observations, that outboard jets are considerably louder than outboards with prop drives.

As for fuel consumption, my boat gets about 5 MPG, or about 3 GPH for fuel consumption at average cruising speed.

BUT, here's the advantage:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOoOPv1SQM&list=TLMpBpYv3B-qxDXtIWbIHfKBrIZRgw7mnH

Skip to 4:00 for a white-knuckle ride through some shallow water.

So average cruising speed for your boat is only 15mph?

Average is about 28-30 MPH. Top end closes in on 45 MPH. Again, my figures are for average cruising under variable conditions. That includes slowing down or idling once in a while. I've mapped out the mileage of all my river runs, as well as calculating run time, and, depending on whether you choose the MPG or GPH figures, that's about what they work out to for my boat.

So, these are the figures I use to calculate max. allowable travel distance on any trip I take, which errs on the side of caution, just to keep me from running out of gas and paddling.

 

[PSG-1]

Ranchero50 » Today, 10:03[/url]"]

I built my boat because I got tired of fishing around other boats or dealing with idiots.

Amen!! Same here. My jet gets me to areas that only kayaks can access, and away from all these pickle-brained mental midget wanna-be captains.

Too many ocean cowboy rednecks where I live. They all seem to think they need a 24 foot twin, (or triple) engine fiberglass boat (gotta be a minimum of 150 HP each) just to catch flounder. Worst part about it is, they don't know how to run a boat, they plow at half throttle, trying to make the biggest wake they can.
And God help anyone that catches a fish within eyesight of one of these rednecks, because, their idea of fishing involves looking to see if someone catches something (while they're running past everybody swamping them, of course) and as soon as they see a fish caught....BAM! Immediately pull in as close as possible to that boat, throw out a 10 pound anchor (and when I say throw it out, I mean hurl it 10 ft into the air so it makes the biggest splash possible) then throw out a float rig and let out about 200 yards of line so it drifts right into the path of the guy they saw catch the fish....then, they get an attitude with that guy for screwing up their fishing. But then again, this IS South Carolina, just about the dumbest state in the nation. :roll:
Hate to say that about my native state, but every day, I see living proof of it.

Sorry for the rant.

 

[PSG-1]

overboard » Today, 11:23[/url]"]

Bobsbaits » Today, 00:39[/url]"]

There's another thing that will clog the intake, leafs, and there's a billion of them coming down these rivers right now.
Better to have to clean the grates, than to spend $$$$$ on busted up motors.

You got that right! Here on the northeast SC coast, we don't have rocks in our rivers, not until you go to the fall line, which runs from Cheraw to Augusta. Down here in the coastal plain, we do have lots of stumps, logs, sandbars, and out in the saltwater, lots of oyster bars, and of course, the occasional 'ghost trap' (abandoned crab trap with no buoy) Any of these can do a number on a prop drive. Only issues I ever have with my jet is idling in shallow water, it becomes a vacuum cleaner, especially when you throw it in reverse. That, and during the fall when the rivers are full of leaves, etc.

I went to the North Santee River today, and ran back in the dark (although, a full moon and prow lights made it a little easier) Had to stop and clear my grate once on the way to Cane Island, and once on the way back to Pole Yard Landing. But on the way back in the dark, I hit a couple of objects that went 'bump' . Nothing really bad, probably limbs the size of an arm, but they just slid under the boat. Hit something like that with an outboard, and it's another body DNR is gonna add to the list for lost/missing/recovered boaters in North Santee Bay. I would not have made that run back with no moon, even with a jet. But I guarantee I wouldn't do it in the dark with a prop drive, under any circumstances.

 

[thudpucker]

You guys sure make it sound good. Maybe someday I'll get up that way?

 

[PSG-1]

If by 'up that way' you meant coastal SC, come on up sometime! Any time from March to December-early Jan, I can usually find something to fish for, and a few of the places I fish with the jet, no one goes to, particularly at low tide. We play with a variety of tackle, too, including fly rods and bream busters, and even the little ice fishing rods, which are really fun with a 3-4 lb sheepshead, or a good red drum peeling some drag! And a 7 lb sheepshead on a 20 ft bream buster is a serious workout LOL

 

[Ranchero50]

If you are thumping at night it's probably fish on the surface. If it's a whack or bang then something solid. I've thumped fish often in the dark, especially during a mayfly hatch.

 

[PSG-1]

I hadn't thought about that possibility, ranchero, but you're probably right. I saw floating clumps of grass, but never saw any logs or even limbs, so, it might have been fish, or maybe even gators. After all, the Santee River Delta has the highest population of nesting alligators on the east coast.

There's a really big one in the N Santee River just before the ICW crossing, he's about 14 ft long. Seen him several times basking on the bank. Locals call him 'Volkswagon' LOL
Wouldn't want to hit THAT with an outboard! Another good reason for a jet!

 

[ShadowWalker]

Probably the same reason that I have a mud motor. To go places others can't. My mud motor is louder (exhaust doesn't go in water) and slower in deep water than an outboard with the same HP rating. But I can beat people to the duck blinds all day long because I can do 20mph in 4 inches of water through weeds, while they try and run their outboard or trolling motor and have to take the long way.

 

[thudpucker]

Near Cameron LA I saw my first Mud Motor in action.
There was another one there, with a 350 Chevvy V-8 Mud motor.
I'll bet you could paint the tree tops with Mud from that thing. :LOL2:

Mud boats work well. We went out to a guy's Gator Slings in one. A great invention.

 

[ShadowWalker]

Yeah people do some crazy things with them. The real nice part is that working on them is super easy because most are lawn mower engines.

 

[PSG-1]

ShadowWalker » 19 minutes ago[/url]"]Probably the same reason that I have a mud motor. To go places others can't. My mud motor is louder (exhaust doesn't go in water) and slower in deep water than an outboard with the same HP rating. But I can beat people to the duck blinds all day long because I can do 20mph in 4 inches of water through weeds, while they try and run their outboard or trolling motor and have to take the long way.

Very true. Jets are bad about pulling in debris, especially in shallow water, they aren't good for idling. Great for crossing a shoal on plane, as they only draw the first inch of water from the surface. But idling, they draw down more than 1 ft.

Closed-loop cooling system type PWC engines fare a little better, but it still uses water to muffle and cool the exhaust. So, the engine may not run hot as long as the ride plate/heat exchanger is in contact with water, however, it's still possible to cook an exhaust hose on a closed loop engine by idling in too much sand and mud.

This is why if I know I'm going to be doing a lot of idling in shallow water, like, oyster harvesting, shrimp baiting, or the occasional run in and out of my channel to prop-wash the accumulated sediment, I prefer my outboard. It's much easier to clear a clog, and much easier to monitor the pee stream to make sure it's not clogging.