Buying a jet boat - making the right choice

[msawyer]

Hello all...

I am seriously considering buying a jet boat for hunting, fishing and generally traveling the rivers of northern BC, Yukon and NWT... I have a solid boating background but have never purchased a jet boat - so I need your collective advice on a number of questions...

1. When I look at the capital cost of a low tech 18 to 22 foot sled with an appropriately sized outboard jet (like the old style river punts very common in the Yukon, Stikine country - but made of aluminum) versus a similar sized high tech sport jet, I need someone to explain the trade offs in terms of capital cost, speed, load capacity, comfort, fuel consumption and other factors I have missed. For 90 percent of the rivers in northern BC which are being accessed by jet boats, do you really need a fancy rig? Or would a good sized jon boat-like boat and 75 HP jet get you into most of those places?
2. When I look at various inboard/sport jet specifications, it is clear to me that the cost of purchase may pale in comparison to fuel and maintenance costs over the life of the boat. Is there an approach that would allow the use of jet boat technology while being fuel and maintenance efficient and therefore more economical? If there is, what is it? This is particularly important with oil being $110 a barrel and climbing?
3. Are any of the sport jets being offered a diesel as the fuel option? If not, any thoughts on why not?
4. Given the hull parameters common to most river boats, can a 1 boat family also get multi-use (ie lake and in-shore ocean fishing from the same boat that us used for northern rivers?

I have read most, if not all, of the threads that reference jet boats but the answers to the above questions have eluded me... Thanks for your patience and help...

Many thanks

Mike
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Ford Mustang variants

[riflebuilder]

I just moved back to BC last year from Missouri everyone there runs outboard jets, now most of there rivers are not to rough but some are and they seem to prefere these type of boats. I also have been thinking about getting a jet boat to use in the EK and possible trips up north. I too would be interested in peoples comments.

[mark]

I have 2- 21' aluminum river boats for sale, $16,000 for either, both in excellent mechanical cond. PM me for more details.

[boyd050]

I've kind of been looking too and I had the opportunity to be in one a couple years ago , a fella here in cranbrook has one, he phoned me the other day saying it's time for him to sell it and was I interested....hell ya... but I just bought a new quad dtc so... his name is Roger Panchyshyn, ph number 489-3443 I believe he wants 14.000 so if your looking it's a great boat.!!!!

[abbyfireguy]

There are a few jetboat builders who are dabbling with the diesels..I have a friend in Vancouver washington who has been building jets with Cummins and Yanmar diesels for a couple of years.The diesel option started as a lofty option ,but, has really taken off for him.
He seems to be putting more diesels in his boats now than gassers..
His boats may be a bit big for your needs and too spendy but,,,here's his site..
His name is Tom Maxfield...One of the nicest gentlemen you will ever meet,more than happy to talk to anyone..

http://www.precisionweldboats.com/

[Jetboater]

I will take a stab at this, rememeber what I say is only my opinion.... I have been in the river boat business for the last 4 years... so I feel I have a little knowledge on the matter....

1. Out board Jets are the least efficient motor of all jet motors, they use a crazy amount of fuel for the loads that they can pack.... as an example a 90hp motor is only 65Hp at the pump, but will burn 6 gph at cruising speeds. to push a 20 ft boat yu would need a 200hp jet minimum at the power head with 165 at the pump so in turn you use 16-17GPH... ever motor manufacturer will claim their jet is the most effiecint but in reality it will just suck the fuel back...

2. we sell a lot of boats now with the hunter in mind.... granted our boats are not an outlaw or wolfmade or omeneca boats they can be order tough and built for northern rivers ... power is a huge issue , we recommend that most people over power their boat, mainly because the motor will not work as hard to stay on step... in a 19 ft boat we power them typically with a 350 fuel injected motor and an AT312 or AT 309 pump... this package burns at cruise RPM 5-6GPH which is extremely good for a small block... add plastic to that bottom and you will have an extremely shallow running boat that can also to a tuber or a wake boarder...we have also had customers lift a full load of moose and elk with ease becasue they have the bottom end power in it. unless you are buildin a large boat 23-25 feet a diesel is a huge cost that you will not feel the benefits from... not to mention the sheer size of a diesel... the yanmar alone is 10 inches longer than a standard 350.

3. Jet boats can be utilized as an everything boat, if you dont mind sacrificing little things, a standardf 12 degree bottom will give you the best of both world, good handling in the lakes and ocean in moderate chop and good for running fairly shallow water... when buying a boat look for a variable deadrise bottom our boats start at 22 degreee in the bow and taper back to 12 degree inj the transom...

hope this helps a little.

[tuchodi]

blacktail3113 pointed out most of your concerns. I started riverboating back in 1974 with an outboard jet. They have not changed the jet since then and they are still very ineffiecint. I had a 24' boat with a 140 HP outboard jet and then changed over to an inboard with a 12" Berkley which are now American Turbine in the same boat. On the same trip with very close to the same load as far as gear and my partner I went from burning 180 gallons of gas to 90 gallons so I would recomend staying away from the outboard jets. As far as the hull design: as blacktail said you can not get one that will do everything so I would chose one that would give you the most use in a specific area and you will have to live with the lack of use in another area. The higher degree hull the better it will handle lakes and oceans and the lower degree will be best on rivers so you have to choose. Going halfway will give you both but neither really good.
Good luck

[msawyer]

Thanks for all the information.... but on the fuel consumption question, when I use the burn rate/HPs provided in comparing outboard versus sport jets, I get a burn rate of 0.09 gallons per hour per HP for outboards and a burn rate of 0.1 gallons per hour per HP for inboards - essentially the same - essentially the same burn rate. If this is an accurate comparison, why the enthusiasm for sport jets or inboard jets? Or am I missing something?

Best regards

Mike
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Suzuki GS500E

[Jetboater]

burn rates mean nothing on paper when dealing with outboards... especially Jets. Sport Jets are great for carrying a moderate load but the lifting power is not there unless you are looking at a 240 or 250 HP, they are gas guzzlers as well.being in remote areas means you havbe to travelas far as you can while using the least amount of fuel in the trip other wise you will end up packing 1500Ltrs on a long trip....the best thing I can suggest is take both for a ride... one you feel the Hp and torque of a small block V8 you are typically sold on the great things about them...

[eric]

msaywer, try going over to myboatforum.com and posting your question. Lots of river boaters over there.