Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Lowe and Alweld are your best bet if this is your route. Their hulls are 0.100 thick which is fine for larger water, but won’t withstand rock bashing. I’ve gone up many rivers over the years with smaller equipment, but it can be nail biting in certain water. Understanding your abilities and packing light are key to your adventure. Lots of guys get into trouble as they don’t recognize the looming dangerous situations which can happen in an instant with one bad move or just poor judgement.
My latest jet boat is an 18’ Firefish with 1/4” wings, 3/8” center, 9 stringers and full plastic. Does it make me superman, hell no, I can have just as many problems with one wrong move or lack of judgement. Another thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s way easier going up than coming down. Your always under power pushing into the current, but on the way down the river is pushing you. That’s when most guys run into problems as they don’t want to go any faster but you need throttle to make a jet boat steer.
Sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you want, just be prepared with some local river practice before heading out. Knowing your equipment intimately is also another key piece of the puzzle.
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ride Red
I picked up a Solar 380 (12-1/2’) jet tunnel inflatable with tabs and a 20hp 2-stroke Merc factory jet late in the fall. I also ordered a 25hp carb and a rubber intake for it, so it will be about 17hp at the pump once I mount the carb and advance the timing a bit.
With the heavy-duty polyurethane bottom and jet tunnel it should be good for some of the smaller rivers around here. I’ve watched a ton of videos on the 380 and 420 models, and they go amazing places with minimal hp. The moose don’t stand a chance next year...
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ride Red
Ha that was fun! Not a clue what they were saying but love those guys! What BC rivers would be similar to the one these guys are playing in?
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
You could find water like that on the upper pit, lots of little braids in the river to play in.
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Whichever boat you choose I would get the biggest HP it can handle.
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Not trying to take away from your initial post Ron .I once thought about hunters using jet ski,s Can you hunt using a jet ski ? If I have the law down pat when using an outboard motor the motor needs to be out of the water ?
Arctic Lake
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
fuzzybiscuit
I picked up a Solar 380 (12-1/2’) jet tunnel inflatable with tabs and a 20hp 2-stroke Merc factory jet late in the fall. I also ordered a 25hp carb and a rubber intake for it, so it will be about 17hp at the pump once I mount the carb and advance the timing a bit.
With the heavy-duty polyurethane bottom and jet tunnel it should be good for some of the smaller rivers around here. I’ve watched a ton of videos on the 380 and 420 models, and they go amazing places with minimal hp. The moose don’t stand a chance next year...
Where did you find the 12.5 solar inflatable. I cant find them anywhere
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Arctic Lake
Not trying to take away from your initial post Ron .I once thought about hunters using jet ski,s Can you hunt using a jet ski ? If I have the law down pat when using an outboard motor the motor needs to be out of the water ?
Arctic Lake
Jet ski isn't an outboard.
Same rule as every other inboard jet.
As for the OP
I run a 3/16" welded flat bottom 14' with a Yamaha 4strk tiller 60/40. No tunnel or teflon.
I'm very careful with it and don't take any chances.
Even then, I've bounced it here and there and it's been tougher than I thought it would be.
Re: Aliminum boat with outboard jet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drillbit
Jet ski isn't an outboard.
Same rule as every other inboard jet.
As for the OP
I run a 3/16" welded flat bottom 14' with a Yamaha 4strk tiller 60/40. No tunnel or teflon.
I'm very careful with it and don't take any chances.
Even then, I've bounced it here and there and it's been tougher than I thought it would be.
There’s a big difference between 0.100 and 0.188 (3/16”). A lot of jet boats built not that many years back were all 0.188 (3/16”) bottom. Your 14’ will slide you into some nice tight places and easy to move with just one person.