Getting a jet boat let's see your set up and ideas

[bigwhiteys]

I've been scouring the river boat threads lately and wanted to revive this one. 2018 seems like as good a year as any to buy a river boat, so I've started researching boats with the intention of buying some time next year. I don't hunt on my own, I've got fast growing boys who want to go everywhere I do. I'm looking for a good, safe boat for hunting/fishing rivers and the odd lake. My budget is $20k-$25k. I've watched some older boats (90's and early 2000's) come and go in this price range over the last few months so I know there is more out there and one will come along.

I'd prefer something from the late 90's/early 2000's that has a few battle scars already. 18-20 ft, UHMW, with a V8 (5.7) because of the abundance of parts and my ability to work on the motor. I don't really care about paint, seats, stereos or fancy interiors. The intention is for this to be a meat wagon and a mode of transportation. Outlaw, Wolfmade and Shuman are the manufacturers I've narrowed in on but both Wolfmade and Shuman are no longer built so the used ones seem to hold their resale value really well. I know there are many other manufacturers too like Marathon, Alicraft, Alumar, Omineca, Weldcraft, Thunderjet, Firefish and more... I'm not against any well-built, safe boat in my price range.

Some questions for those with more experience than myself...?

There seems to be a few boats on the market in the less than $20k range that are running older big block V8's. Other then the weight and fuel cost, what is wrong with big block V8 power in a river boat? I see 460's and 454's are out there in older boats in abundance. I know the 454 is easy to find parts for, not sure about 460's. Fuel consumption in a river boat isn't something I'd whine about but are the big blocks that much worse than a 350 or 351? They aren't working as hard as a smaller motor and would have all the torque and hp needed for hauling hunters and gear. Spending several grand less on a boat that is less desirable because of the big block can buy a lot of fuel.

I see lots of sport jets for sale too, but the cost of a replacement power head scares me a little and they are motors I am unfamiliar with if there was ever an issue. They sure are light though and many boaters seem quite happy with them.

What would you recommend in my price range?

[S.W.A.T.]

The reason for the small block is fuel injection. Close to the same power but with better fuel consumption and weight. You might not wine at first but putting 70gal of premium into your boat your going to want the best bang for the buck. One thing to consider when buying a jet boat is what water are you going to be running 80% of the time. If your only going to do skinny water once every couple years I would consider a deeper V like 12deg but if your the type that doesn't mind skipping on the rocks better to stay in the 6 to 8 range. Something else to think about is capacity, long run equals packing fuel and that equals weight. Weight is not your friend in a river boat. Do you want rails, mid deck, high deck or walk around. Sky is the limit on those babies. Also age doesn't necessarily reflect price. Hours on engine and pump can be much more important. Also another reason for the 350's is that they are cheap as borsh to fix, bore or replace

[fuzzybiscuit]

Still running the WT166 Explorer.

I ended up putting a new quick-flow rack and pinion helm and cable in it and a set of Nauticus Smart Tabs on the back. The combo really helped slow the boat down while remaining on step and I've gone from 4 turns of the wheel lock to lock down to 1 1/2. I can keep it on step at 14 mph and by punching the throttle with the quick steering can really throw it around. I gained a couple mph top speed with the tabs too. Two guys loaded light gets about 37 mph top speed on the lake. At 20-24 though it burns very little.

Still not the be-all-end-all but it is relatively cheap to own and run. Being an outboard it has a lot of room in it for its size.

[xfactor]

How does it handle the weight of the quad in rough water? And any detailed pics of rack and how you mounted it to the gunnels?

[okas]

big block and a bit wider beam works and go 7 deg. with a bit wider it will draw less water and the big pump has the push . i now just have a 15ft 22inch tube inflatable with a yam 40 jet with jacking plate as crossing big water in the spring you have to get that motor down there and this will pack 3500lbs and drift back to camp