New guy with jet Jon ?

[Ranchero50]

Sounds good. If you are going to play on the Susky I'd also recommend looking into the UHMW for the bottom.

 

[Fordracing2105]

I have been thinking about the UHMW. Well I have some more builds to read and a lot to think about till next winter. I have to finish another boat before I start this one. Thanks for all the help guys. I'm sure there will be a lot of questions to come.

 

[airbornemike]

I wish a manufacturer would start producing a boat like this, love these builds.

 

[PSG-1]

airbornemike » Yesterday, 20:13[/url]"]I wish a manufacturer would start producing a boat like this, love these builds.

I wish there were some people willing to spend the money to have these boats built, because that's what I'd be doing right now, sending jetboats out the door, and putting people on the water!

I just can't figure out why this potential business seems so hard to get off the ground, and get something going. There's a market where people with more money than sense are willing to spend $100K on a customized chopper from Jesse James, or that arrogant, abusive, loud-mouthed walrus-looking POS Paul Sr from OCC.

But, when people hear a price of $2K for labor to install the engine and pump, or a price of $5K for labor to have it turn-key ready, they start hemming and hawing about "my pockets aren't that deep" To which, my sarcastic response is "this boat can run in water shallower than the average pants pocket, so your pockets ARE that deep, you just don't know it" (Hey, I can be arrogant, too, especially when people jerk me around like they're dealing with some schmuck at a used car dealership)

Seems that people just don't understand that performance costs money. It's 100 dollars per horsepower. Anyone who doesn't think so, go price an outboard motor, and see if that isn't just about right. Also, when you have custom work done, it costs money to have a job done right.

Had one guy that wanted a price, and I gave him a price. Then he said he found somebody local to do it for 600 dollars labor. Yeah, good luck with that one, pal! Can't wait to see how THAT works out for him! There will probably be a maiden voyage, and that's all we'll see. Then he will likely have issues with the cheap, substandard work. And if he contacts me back, there will be no need for me to say "I told you so" When you're as right as I am, there's no need to say a word, just feel vindicated when your prediction turns out correctly. And I can predict that a jetboat built for 600 dollars labor is going to have more issues than a publisher's clearing house lifetime subscription.

Sorry, but I didn't get an AWS certification to work for crackhead prices, or to do sub-standard half-a$$ work for someone who wants something for nothing, and is willing to cut corners. If they hire me to build a jetboat, it WILL be built to NMMA/ABYC/USCG standards, or they can take it somewhere else and have goober the drunken mechanic slap some chicken-crap together for them. Then, when it tears up, they can both stand around and scratch their rear end in confusion like a couple of chimpanzees, trying to figure out why JB welding an engine into a boat, or gluing the pump in with chewed bubble gum, isn't working out for them.

Anyhow, out of the 50 or so people who have contacted me about having a jetboat built, there's about 3 or 4 right now that did NOT balk at my prices. Obviously, they understand that performance and quality cost money, and in a case like that, I'm more than willing to work with them any way I can. Over the past month, these 3 or 4 people have said they're ready to have one built, and I'm hoping to hear from them soon.

If I DO get lucky enough to take on one or more of these projects, I will definitely post them here on the forum, so people can see the progress.

Holding out hope........

 

[gotasquirt]

it sure is funny the guys that say its easy to build one and they do it and use one the river once and then you see on craigs list the next week for sale and you them about the performance and they tell you it works ok if you know what I mean lol will

 

[PSG-1]

That's EXACTLY what I was referring to, gotasquirt! (And BTW, I really, really, like that little 10' jetboat of yours, this is what I want to build for my next jetboat.)

As for building a jet john, anybody can slap some parts together and make something run for an hour or two. But the REAL test is the test of time. How many of these boats are still running 2 or 3 years later?

I know there's several of us on this board who have built jet johns that have stood the test of time, such as you, Ranchero, Scubapro, Painlesstom, and myself. And if you look through some of our threads, we've all had our own issues with trial and error, finding out what works and what doesn't. You only gain that through experience and testing.

So, some shadetree goober that has never built one, that says they can do it for a case of beer and some cigs for labor costs, be my guest LMFAO!! If I see 'em broke down, I'll give them a tow back to the hill with my jetboat...on plane (I have done this before with towing, particularly across shallow areas, my boat has enough power to do it, too)

 

[Ranchero50]

PSG-1 » Today, 09:02[/url]"]As for building a jet john, anybody can slap some parts together and make something run for an hour or two. But the REAL test is the test of time. How many of these boats are still running 2 or 3 years later?

Mine's still ticking although I'll be honest and admit that I welded most of the tunnel with mud dobber nests in the argon hose. #-o

 

[PSG-1]

LOL @ the obstructed argon hose! I bet you played hell trying to keep the puddle shielded with argon, trying to weld. :shock:

That said, your build is a fine example of a jetboat that was properly built, and has stood the test of time. And like me, you also went through a little trial and error to get everything fine-tuned. All of us that have built these boats have been there, done that. I probably have as much time in testing/trial/error/back to the drawing board, as I do for the actual build!

But if the time should come for me to build a boat for someone else, I know there is no room for trial and error, it has to be done right, the first time. Knowing that, if I were to do a build, as I said before, it would be done using my boat as a prototype, and built to the same type of specs, because this setup has proven itself to be reliable and durable. It's the only way I would be able to do it and be able to send it out the door with confidence.

 

[zacksimpson]

PSG-1, when my VA disability comes through, I might have to take you up on a turn key rig. I'd even help out with it just so when it's done I'll have a better idea of how to fix it if it ever has trouble. I'm very intrigued by these jet jons, I think they'd be an awesome solution for me and my buddies where we fish and hunt (plus they're just plain cool).

 

[PSG-1]

Zack, that sounds like a plan to me! 8) By all means, if you want to get your hands dirty and take part in the build, that would definitely help reduce labor costs. Not to mention giving you a chance to see some of the idiosyncrasies involved, so you would know how to tackle any problems that may aries in the future.

99.99% guarantee that any future issue that may arise, wouldn't involve any kind of structural failure, most likely it'll be mechanical issues, like having to replace an impeller or something like that.

 

[Fordracing2105]

Well it's been cold out and I have been thinking about this boat again. I have another question about it again. I was wondering if I would still have to make a spoon to run an outboard jet.

 

[PSG-1]

As far as I know, you don't need any kind of spoon to run an outboard jet. Some boats have a tunnel modification which allows you to set the engine a little higher to guarantee clearance of the jet unit as the boat goes across rocks, etc. But again, from my understanding, you can run a jet outboard with a flat bottom with no problems.

Inboards are different because the water is being drawn in from underneath the boat, where it still has the tendency to form air bubbles, especially from the chines under the hull. As such, they need a spoon to displace the air so that the water flows more efficiently to the intake.

 

[dhoganjr]

Well it's been cold out and I have been thinking about this boat again. I have another question about it again. I was wondering if I would still have to make a spoon to run an outboard jet.

All that is required to run an outboard jet is a clean apron of water coming off the bottom of the hull.

To get the height correct put a straight edge on the bottom of the hull extending out to where it hits the front pin of the shoe (the one that holds the intake grates in). If it cavitates drop it an 1/8 inch and retest it. Most boats can run at this height and should be near the optimal setup.

The leading edge of the shoe should be higher than the bottom of the hull or it will drag in the water, cutting performance, reducing speed, and causing backspray.

 

[Fordracing2105]

What about the boat being so wide and flat. The boat has a 60" bottom. I'm also thinking about adding a tunnel and flote pods.

 

[dhoganjr]

I run an 1860 flat bottom, the boat in my sig. If you are going with an outboard I would go max hp and keep it light. The wide bottom will put it on plane faster and keep it on plane a bit longer than a narrower bottom, but will run a bit slower than the narrower bottoms.

I would try running it without the add-ons first and then decide if you want to add them. A tunnel will provide some protection to the shoe, but will also increase the draft adding the need for float pods. The tunnel also must be designed correctly to feed the pump, so research extensively before cutting.

 

[Fordracing2105]

Well that makes me feel alittle better about this. I really didn't want to get a different boat I like this one. There won't be much added so it should stay light. I really only wanted a tunnel to help save the jet. The bad is the boat is still only rated for a 40 hp. My old 35 prop does ok I'm hoping a newer 60/40 will do just as good maybe alittle better. That 35hp merc got to be getting tired.

 

[dhoganjr]

A 60/40 should get you 28-30mph with proper setup. They are about the most common size used in Southern Missouri due to the hp restrictions on the Current River. semojetman on here runs one on an 1856 Blazer. They run good as long as you don't overload them.

You will need to build a riser on the transom to get the proper height.

 

[Fordracing2105]

If I would get in the high 20 for speed that would be great. I think if I do this I'm going to rebuild the transom anyway right now it's just light aluminum sheet and some plywood. I want to get rid of the wood and beef it up alittle.