Looking for Jet Boat Advice

[tyreguy]

This is what my boat looked like on an August Tuchodi trip. i was actually light on fuel with about 575L and a summer trip so more relaxing trip
Boat burned average of 10 gal/hr on a sportjet 175 going up, light coming down with no game at about 6GPH. Normal running is about 5-7GPH
On my moose trip i had 6 more totes for a total of 800L of fuel. Fuel in Fort Nelson happened to be $144.9 on this trip year - $6.58/Gal
2 guys per boat MAX, your fuel in weight going in is your weight in meat coming out.
Word of advise, don't try to enter this jet boat hunting with a budget or try to do it cheap - it won't work too well and its dangerous for you - boating on a lake is easy but moving dirty water is a whole different ball game. Many many things to consider before you get on the water.

[xlcc]

Here's an 18ft. jon boat loaded with a moose and 2 guys.No matter what engine you have there is not enough room to carry the load you are talking about.

[Quesnel Kid]

You may have been on the right track with your inflatable. For your purpose a larger inflatable with a rigid floor might be the best bet. They can pack a tremendous load. Have you check out the Solar Boats?

[fuzzybiscuit]

I’ve had a few jet boats over the last 8 years. Started with a 1448 Jon with a 25hp Merc jet. It did ok with 2 guys and could get a moose out of the water if packing light. Then I went to a Explorer 166 with a Yammy 115/80hp outboard jet. It was a great boat. Tons of room and could pack some serious weight and still get up on step. I packed my Honda 350 Rancher around on the back of it without issue, although only in a big, slow moving river. It was fairly quiet and good on fuel too. Should have never sold it but decided to get out of jet boating and build a buggy to get around up here in the Muskeg. A rear ago I bout a 12-1/2’ Solar tunnel hull inflatable with a Merc 25hp jet. Decent on fuel and can go through the skinniest of water but with 2 guys and some gear it couldn’t get a whole moose up out of the water this past season. Just made two trips to get it done.

[fuzzybiscuit]

I’ve had a couple people PM me for details on my Solar inflatable tunnel jet. NR Motors in Prince George is now importing them so you don’t need to import one through Jetech LLP in Alaska anymore. I just set a buddy up with them and he managed to get a 420 tunnel jet with all the bells and whistles for a great price.

Darren Bell
NR Motors
https://www.nrmotors.ca/
Dbell@nrmotors.ca

Anyway, sorry for the derail...

[bensonvalley]

What you’re proposing to buy is going to get destroyed and you won’t accomplish the type of trips you describe. Seriously, there’s a reason why most jetboat hunting is done using thick welded aluminum hulls with UHMW and either a V8 or a SJ, and also increasingly the small eco boost motors. I saw someone mention Hamilton or Scott, yeah they have great torque but hard to fix in the bush, like really hard. I wish my SD-309 had the short take off the Hami and Scott do but for the money, the bush “fixability”...I’ll take the extra boat length it needs to get up. The other thing to consider is if you can find a decent used V8 heavy duty jetboat you’ll likely sell it for what you paid for it if it’s in the 30-40k range.

[Ride Red]

What you’re proposing to buy is going to get destroyed and you won’t accomplish the type of trips you describe. Seriously, there’s a reason why most jetboat hunting is done using thick welded aluminum hulls with UHMW and either a V8 or a SJ, and also increasingly the small eco boost motors. I saw someone mention Hamilton or Scott, yeah they have great torque but hard to fix in the bush, like really hard. I wish my SD-309 had the short take off the Hami and Scott do but for the money, the bush “fixability”...I’ll take the extra boat length it needs to get up. The other thing to consider is if you can find a decent used V8 heavy duty jetboat you’ll likely sell it for what you paid for it if it’s in the 30-40k range.

The SD309 is easy, pull the eight bowl bolts, move bowl/bucket assembly to the side and there’s your impeller. I could have mine apart in 15 minutes. Never needed to do a bush fix, but nice to know I could. I did have a stick jam sideways in the impeller between the vanes one year coming down Pitt Lake. Sure doesn’t take much to create vibration. That’s the one problem the 309 impeller has.

[northof49]

17ft Wooldridge Alaskan with 200hp outboard jet just listed on facebook BC Boats for Sale. Located in Quesnel. Not mine but a good price if motor is solid.