Jet Or Jon Boat??

[Secrets of the Hunt]

I wondering what set-up would be best for manuverability, payload, weight, horsepower etc. (most bang for the buck) to use for hunting in BC's Northern rivers like the Muskwa, Ketchica, Prophet, etc.

River running tips, tools, and accesories (for when you get stuck on a gravel bar!:mad: )

Any resources for the above would be appreciated.:smile:

[hunter1947]

454ci big block has lots of horse power. hunter47.

[shoot to kill]

#1 most important thing:
A Deep Pocket so when you ***k your boat up you can fix it for next year. :)

[daycort]

yikes! did you ever just open a can of worms. I myself bought a explorer boat that only weighs 460 lbs plus the outboard jet motor is about 250 lbs. this little set up will take a large load.(i had over 850 lbs in mine and got on step no prob). the best thing is a price tag about half of what you would pay for a wolffe, outlaw, harbour craft jet boats. the website is www.explorerindustries.com

[Secrets of the Hunt]

yikes! did you ever just open a can of worms. I myself bought a explorer boat that only weighs 460 lbs plus the outboard jet motor is about 250 lbs. this little set up will take a large load.(i had over 850 lbs in mine and got on step no prob). the best thing is a price tag about half of what you would pay for a wolffe, outlaw, harbour craft jet boats. the website is www.explorerindustries.com (http://www.explorerindustries.com)

What is the size of the boat and motor?

[Chuck]

yikes! did you ever just open a can of worms. I myself bought a explorer boat that only weighs 460 lbs plus the outboard jet motor is about 250 lbs. this little set up will take a large load.(i had over 850 lbs in mine and got on step no prob). the best thing is a price tag about half of what you would pay for a wolffe, outlaw, harbour craft jet boats. the website is www.explorerindustries.com

I agree that's popular for unfamiliar waters - somewhat wide and long with a flat bottom powered by an outboard jet. Though I'd love to see something in a 454 alright!

[daycort]

the boats are either 14 or 16 feet with 60/40 jet motors. 4 stroke motors, you can talk to your buddy without yelling. you might won't to ask the same question on river jet magazines website.

[Fisher-Dude]

Ask Blacktail3113, he runs TNT Marine and sells river boats.

[daycort]

secrets of the hunt,

tips for river running. go as slow as you can to stay on step. Its not a race, inexpierence and speed equals trouble. bring friends that like to push and you should be just fine. its mostly trial and error. reading a river ain't that hard once you get used to it. pm me with your email address and i will send you some pics of me with my wet sled.

[Hilgy]

Just wondering what any of you guys that already own Jets thought of those explorer boats in the link.

They look like they would be a good entry level boat for beginner level river running. I think a trip to Edmonton is in order to check them out.


Hilgy

[tuchodi]

Nice looking boat but built a little light for the northern rivers like the Prophet. The lower end of the Muskwa would be OK but upper parts gets a little rough. No place did it say what the guage of Alum was on the bottom which has a big bearing on how rugged a river it will stand. I believe you said it handled a payload of 850 lbs ok which by the time you take 2 people gear and gas you dont have much room for a couple elk or moose.

[daycort]

i've tested my boat on rocks. you know the kinds that can't be avoided and you know you are going to hit and i make it through fine. there is a break in the hull every 8" that adds strength plus it has 3 full length 1/8 channel stringers. the back 4 feet is 3/8 and the rest of the bottom is 1/4. with less then a quater of the weight of a 16' linxs you don't hit near as hard. I have gone up to 70 river km's on 5 gals. I am pretty confident I can take 1 animal out. I have been up the muskwa in a linx and with two elk it still was hit and miss. I thinkl this boat is great starter run on wet grass get you in the nasty spots kind of boat. not saying that i wouldn't own a big outlaw boat. they are wicked nice. all i am saying they are the best bang for the buck considering a guy drops a hundred dollar bill every time he decides to go for a quick boat ride in a outlaw type of boat.

[tuchodi]

daycort: the bottom being 1/4" would make it so you could go up the northern rivers. Usually on those smaller boats they only put 1/8" which is to light. Sounds good, maybe I will see you up one of those rivers some time. Practice is very important so you should go up the upper Pit a few times it is simular to the northern rivers. Good Luck

[daycort]

hey tuchodi glad you think my boat is okay. i live in the great white and already have tried her out on the murray pine peace halfway and i am going to be brave and tackle the graham this weekend or week coming up.

[tuchodi]

hey daycort: You will really enjoy the Graham and you should also try the Cameron which is off the Halfway. Anouther nice trip is put in under the bridge at East pine where the Murray joins and go up the pine and then up the Sukunka, there is only one bad spot on the pine which has quite a small narrow canyon with wirlpools in it so be carfull there I just about lost my 24' there one day but it was in real high water, its not so bad after the spring run off. Have fun I really miss being able to go out on thoses river. Also in high water you can go from the Peace up the Moberly to Moberly Lake, the only thing is take a chain saw as I have had to cut sweepers down quite a few times to make it throught.

[steel_ram]

Fuel economy (mileage) might be a big issue. Caching fuel is farely frowned upon now.

[daycort]

caching fuel is not so bad if you take it all out with you. its the guys that just leave a drum laying there to get knocked over and picked up in high water and then is stuck in a log jam and leaks fuel. that is what the tree huggers don't like and i myself think it is lazy to just leave the barrel laying there knowing what is going to happen to it.

tuchodi: i ripped up the cameron aliitle last year where it dumps into the halfway didn't get on the mob though i missed high water and there wasn't much for runoff or rain last year to try it without wrecking something. another nice trip is to the falls on the murray that liile river is fun and the fishing last august was some of the best. dollies, big dillies. several in the 8-10 lb range. one bottomed out the 15 lb scale. of course we released them all.

[tuchodi]

daycort: Yes I have made many trips to Kinuso fall on the Murray, great river to run and the fishing was also good like you spoke of but never got any over about 6 lbs. The Cameron and Moberly are only runable in spring run of or real good rains for a few days.

[Ramshot]

I wondering what set-up would be best for manuverability, payload, weight, horsepower etc. (most bang for the buck) to use for hunting in BC's Northern rivers like the Muskwa, Ketchica, Prophet, etc.

River running tips, tools, and accesories (for when you get stuck on a gravel bar!:mad: )

Any resources for the above would be appreciated.:smile:

Been going up Muskwa/Tuchodi since 1995 and have travelled in a lot of different jetboats. I like my 18ft lynx with the 175Sport-jet. Had some great trips with it and some small episodes8) but she made it through all the time! Guess you gotta decide what want to do with it. I put a new five blade impeller in mine and it has a stainless wear-ring and it will get on step with an unbelieveable payload and stay on plane at low rpm. Just painted her last week. Here are a few pics. Ramshot.

[Ramshot]

Trouble with pics. Here is one I think?

[tangozulu]

yikes! did you ever just open a can of worms. I myself bought a explorer boat that only weighs 460 lbs plus the outboard jet motor is about 250 lbs. this little set up will take a large load.(i had over 850 lbs in mine and got on step no prob). the best thing is a price tag about half of what you would pay for a wolffe, outlaw, harbour craft jet boats. the website is www.explorerindustries.com (http://www.explorerindustries.com)

So how much did you pay? Also what are we callin a jon boat? Is that the flat bottom, usually riveted, outbourd type boats like a Lowe?
Lots of those on the Taku.
tz