Is a Thunder jet going to be enough boat to get up the Rivers in Northern BC

[Jonny outdoors]

Hey Guys

I just bought a 19ft TJ with a 175 sport jet I was limited by a budget and time to actually use the boat.I have been hunting up around 101 and fsj for the last seven years and was thinking of trying to incorporated the boat into a elk / moose hunt.Is this boat to light duty of a boat.I also was wondering am i better off to plate the bottom with alum or uhmw? I have been told uhmw runs around $2500 for a 19ft where alum I can get through work at about 3/4 the price,

Your guys input would be greatly appreciated
Thanks:?

[Dirty]

What rivers do you plan on running? I think plating with aluminum is contradictory to your intentions. It will add weight and is still "sticky". The biggest problem with aluminum is that it grabs rocks. UHMW and QT100 plates are the most popular things to put on your bottom. Some guys also use bucket paint.

[Jonny outdoors]

The area we have start researching is muskwa river.

[mxracer328]

X2 on the uhmw, maybe pricey but is well worth it, you ll slide alot easier over gravel bars and shallow water, and any logs that you want to jump. not to mention that when stuck its 100 times easier

[Rock Doctor]

I see the odd one up here, so you can rest assured that they can do it.
On the other hand, I know a guy that bought one last fall, he has it for sale already and says he wants to get something else. Don't know all the details, just spoke to him briefly.

[srupp]

I am not an expert on the Muskwa per sey..however from last years trip up and down the Muskwa BE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THE HECK you are doing..owning a jet boat no more makes you a competent boater for any river.. no more than owning a piano makes you a pianist..:wink:

I have been fortunate to have been on many rivers with many great jetboat operators...PLEASE ensure you are up to the task...and imho..yes the teflon is $$$ but a hull saver..
cheers

Steven

[300ultra]

been up there couple times i would put t1 steal plate down center of hall hmw on the side . also dependes what degre hall you have . you may want to talk to omeneca jet boats or alli craft up in pg for some info,they have lots of info for you they do this for a living.

[srupp]

Good info Chris..we even saw a big drop in water level in August..I ahve used and been in the same outfit you now have and its fast a manoverable....but talk to someone like THOMAS @ tnt MARINA IN ABOTSFORD...he KNOWS these boats..and is a very very qualified jet boat pilot...and he will have the info..

cheers
Steven

[mountainman]

With the 175 you will be limited with what you can pack in the boat. The more you pack the more sluggish your boat becomes. If you are going into remote areas always try and have a second boat with you.
Go with the UHMW for sure. As for the Thunderjet I think they are more of a big river boat except for the smaller Bulldog (I think) models. Seem light to me and light is not what you want when you tag a boulder.

Know your water read your water and remember what you and your boat can do, don't go past your limits.

[Jagermeister]

There is a product called Gluvit.
Willie boats covered the bottom of their drift boats with this product at one time, not sure if they used it on their power boats. It worked fine on the drift boat that I had, but then you're not powering up or down the river either.
On the plus side, it does not add too much weight and has a relatively easy application. On the downside, IMO is it would not slide over rocks quite as easy because of it's thinness and as the small pieces start to break off, it would create quite a bit of drag like the reverse flap thrusters on a jet engine.

[bridger]

don't leave home with out teflon on the bottom and don't overload your boat travel light and don't make the mistake of taking all your buddies along (too much weight and too much gear) if you stay on the muskwa you should be ok might want to get some miles and bumps under your belt before you tackle the tuchodi. take an extra battery as it seems like the always go dead for some reason. good luck and good hunting

[Jetboater]

There is a product called Gluvit.
Willie boats covered the bottom of their drift boats with this product at one time, not sure if they used it on their power boats. It worked fine on the drift boat that I had, but then you're not powering up or down the river either.
On the plus side, it does not add too much weight and has a relatively easy application. On the downside, IMO is it would not slide over rocks quite as easy because of it's thinness and as the small pieces start to break off, it would create quite a bit of drag like the reverse flap thrusters on a jet engine.

Willie boats used slip cote not Gluvit... and you really need to under stand the application for it to work right, typically it will scratch right off....

Johny outdoors where did you find full UHMW for 2500????

[hunter1947]

What I have heard from a friend that has been going up the muskwa river and the others for the past 30 years in this area is you should have 1/2 teflon under your boat or you will be asking for trouble ,he has a 454ci motor for a power plant in his 20 foot boat river boat the river can be very hi or low in the mid Sept months or very low in the first weeks of Oct..

[digger dogger]

i went up the tuchodi in a 21 north river a few years ago, (no teflon) i would'nt bring a boat without again. we left alot of aluminum oc the rocks and when we got home to see the dents in the bottom, i was floored.. we got the dents out with a sledge and a phone book.. GET TEFLON! 5500 to install uhmw on his N.river, get a stomp grate installed for sure,EZ clean.. TRUST ME.

[bridger]

another guy that runs the river more than most of us is kevin willis who runs riverjet adventures. google his website www. riverjetadventures for contact info and give him a call. he is on the river for about 60 days each fall and see's just about every type of boat on the river. he is great guy and has a ton of experience.

[digger dogger]

another guy that runs the river more than most of us is kevin willis who runs riverjet adventures. google his website www. riverjetadventures for contact info and give him a call. he is on the river for about 60 days each fall and see's just about every type of boat on the river. he is great guy and has a ton of experience.
thats a good idea bridger, kevin is a great guy, he'll let you know what you need..

[Dirty]

another guy that runs the river more than most of us is kevin willis who runs riverjet adventures. google his website www. riverjetadventures for contact info and give him a call. he is on the river for about 60 days each fall and see's just about every type of boat on the river. he is great guy and has a ton of experience.

You hit the nail on the head Bridger. Kevin has A TON OF EXPERIENCE. Sturdy Construction and UHMW, albeit beneficial, are no substitute for experience. Depending on where you live, get hooked up with other boaters and go out and play. If your boat can't take a hit on a local back channel, you will be up shit creek with out a paddle if you have a boo-boo on a remote river.

Get aluminum bars about 8 ft long and 2" diameter made so you can pry your boat off when stuck. In addition, take an extra battery and starter for your sporty. They are notorious for blowing starters.

A major concern over the past couple of years is low water. With the hot summers and hot falls we have been getting the water gets low quick. Talk to other about when you should be concerned about getting out, as far as water levels go. In addition, different water levels can make the river inherently more difficult to drive. Furthermore, upriver is the easy part, you can stay on plane and make a decision. Whereas, down river you are committed. You have but a split second to make your decision and go with it.

[SHACK]

Your boat will be up to the task if you are. I have a Luxor as well, and have run it in all kinds of skinny water, but I have also bashed it arround quite well too.
I will go "somewhat" south of the views others are giving you, first off, your boat, if it is in stock format, you will only have a 3/16" bottom, so to put UHMW over that is a waist of hard earned $$$. You will dent, mash, and crater your boat because UHMW is not in any way a sturdy bottom protection for your boat, the long and short of it, UHMW slides....thats it....period. If you hit, the UHMW will flex, and you will still sustain a dent, or worse.
That said, I still believe anyone running these types of rivers should have UHMW, just over a sturdy enough platform, and a stock 3/16" bottom IMHO is not a sturdy enough base for the UHMW. I would look FIRST at having your center section plated with at least another 1/4" of aluminium, then UHMW or QT (quench tempered steel QT100 being the softest-QT400 being a real pain in the arse, hardest) the later being a difficult task, as you must drill and tap your boat to mount the QT, this is what I have done, 1/4" QT400 over the 1/4" aluminum bottom of my boat.
Not trying to spend all your money here, but if you have not run skinny water before, your in for a few ugly supprises as you learn. The higher up the rivers you go, the larger the rocks get, plain and simple, so if you want to mess about in some of the silty lower sections, no problem....but if you want to travel you better be prepared.

[Hydrojet]

bang on Shack....you will need some more beef. I would recommend (imho) 6061 aluminum for a hull cap or just a keel cap....steel= bi-metal corrosion=bye-bye boat or lots of maintenance. Also allows you to weld on the uhmw...(6061 washers plug welded to the boat so no holes in hull or bi metal corrosion) Make sure that the lifting strakes are left on the hull to keep the lift at speed and have larger reverse chines welded on so the control and planing capacities are not too deminished.....then play LOTS because she is a different boat now....also play with a load....empty boat will do what a loaded boat won't and visa versa.

I did this to a 20' north river I had with a 350 and a 3 stage and I didn't lose in the performance or weight carring areas at all.....just made the base weight heavier so I took that into account with gear, supplies and fuel when planning. I cut my own impellers and nozzel though to get what I wanted out of the pump. The high skew impeller works great when your doing this to a 200hp and up sport jet.....the 175 I have seen mixed reviews, but it may be something to entertain.

I think I was close to 8 or 9 grand by the time I was done but I was 1 inch through...1/2 aluminum( 1/4 5086 stock + 1/4 6061 hull cap) and 1/2 teflon chine to chine with stiffiners and internal reinforcment...NR weak spot (as well as most production boats) is between the beams for the length of the fuel tank. I wouldn't sneez at 6-7 G for full uhmw and some 6061 bracing.I ran the pi$$ out of that boat with no problems....beaver dams, gravel bars and ledge rock were non issues though any boulder I hit was a glance or touch as I went over it. I didn't have a full on SMASH only glances and hard rubs which is what you would want I think. AHHH! also a pump guard!!!! can't go over anything once the pump end is knocked off!

[leadpillproductions]

bang on Shack....you will need some more beef. I would recommend (imho) 6061 aluminum for a hull cap or just a keel cap....steel= bi-metal corrosion=bye-bye boat or lots of maintenance. Also allows you to weld on the uhmw...(6061 washers plug welded to the boat so no holes in hull or bi metal corrosion) Make sure that the lifting strakes are left on the hull to keep the lift at speed and have larger reverse chines welded on so the control and planing capacities are not too deminished.....then play LOTS because she is a different boat now....also play with a load....empty boat will do what a loaded boat won't and visa versa.

I did this to a 20' north river I had with a 350 and a 3 stage and I didn't lose in the performance or weight carring areas at all.....just made the base weight heavier so I took that into account with gear, supplies and fuel when planning. I cut my own impellers and nozzel though to get what I wanted out of the pump. The high skew impeller works great when your doing this to a 200hp and up sport jet.....the 175 I have seen mixed reviews, but it may be something to entertain.

I think I was close to 8 or 9 grand by the time I was done but I was 1 inch through...1/2 aluminum( 1/4 5086 stock + 1/4 6061 hull cap) and 1/2 teflon chine to chine with stiffiners and internal reinforcment...NR weak spot (as well as most production boats) is between the beams for the length of the fuel tank. I wouldn't sneez at 6-7 G for full uhmw and some 6061 bracing.I ran the pi$$ out of that boat with no problems....beaver dams, gravel bars and ledge rock were non issues though any boulder I hit was a glance or touch as I went over it. I didn't have a full on SMASH only glances and hard rubs which is what you would want I think. AHHH! also a pump guard!!!! can't go over anything once the pump end is knocked off!
what does uhmw mean?????

[Jagermeister]

Willie boats used slip cote not Gluvit... and you really need to under stand the application for it to work right, typically it will scratch right off....

Johny outdoors where did you find full UHMW for 2500????
I'm absolutely certain that the drift boat I owned came with Gluvit on the bottom.
From a website, "Gluvit barrier coat seals and protects hulls and decks. Provides superior protection for fiberglass, wood, aluminum, and steel. Seals leaky seams and rivets in aluminum hulls, and leaks around fiberglass cabins or decks. Hard protective coating flexes with hull movements to bridge and seal hairline cracks."
I googled slipcote and slip cote and turned up no such product except for cheese and a lubricant. There is a product called Cote-L which is used for surfacing decks in many non-slip applications including boat decks and bedliners for pickup truck boxes.

[muledeercrazy]

nice to see a really informative thread where guys are adding more and more info as they go. really refreshing to not see any arguments!

[SHACK]

Leadpill, UHMW is Ultra High Molecular Wieght Plastic, more commonly called teflon by some, although I do believe the two are different.

Basicaly, you dont put a shingle roof over balsa wood decking! You must have a strong bottom to begin with.

[Hydrojet]

teflon is different stuff...no were near as tough....you can also get the UHMW in different grades...virgin (white), regrind (black), titanium (titanium grey) and a host of others that are harder or softer....I say go with the regrind because it's black so won't stain or show stains like the white and it's cheaper (it's recycled). The best smash'em boats have the qt100 steel as a keel cap and the UHMW on the bow...see outlaw/eagle sport series with the sj in it....yeehaw!!!

[leadpillproductions]

could you use uhmw and teflon would be better wouldn't it

[Barracuda]

I'm absolutely certain that the drift boat I owned came with Gluvit on the bottom.
From a website, "Gluvit barrier coat seals and protects hulls and decks. Provides superior protection for fiberglass, wood, aluminum, and steel. Seals leaky seams and rivets in aluminum hulls, and leaks around fiberglass cabins or decks. Hard protective coating flexes with hull movements to bridge and seal hairline cracks."
I googled slipcote and slip cote and turned up no such product except for cheese and a lubricant. There is a product called Cote-L which is used for surfacing decks in many non-slip applications including boat decks and bedliners for pickup truck boxes.

I have tried glovit on my boat and it seals well but it provides no protection. Even if you managed to get it on thick it will scratch off . Great for sealing but it isnt for protection from rocks etc.

[Salty]

Re. a slippery bottom but a bit off topic. ..

When I was a kid I used to see wood river boats all over up north. They've pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird with the availability and affordability of aluminum now, but not quite. Most of the drift boats these days are wood, sort of. They're marine plywood with the inner and outer of the hull glassed with epoxy resin (not polyester resin like in fibreglass boats). The expoxy impregnates the wood and completely seals it as does it fill the weave of the fibreglass cloth making a pretty darn tough substrate. I abused a little dory skiff made this way for years over barnacles and whatnot and it held up pretty well.

But wait it gets better. A fairly recent tecnique is to add a bunch more coats of epoxy thickened with graphite powder. Build it up a few coats and you've gained a bit of strength plus put on an extremely slippery surface. Ya it will get worn down with time, but just mix up some more epoxy/graphite mud and redo it once in a while.

This could theoreticlly work on aluminum too, but you'd never be able to weld to it again so prolly a bad plan.

I just ordered plans for a small river sled that I'll build with marine ply and epoxy glass then graphite epoxy. I have no plans of abusing it like you aluminum boat guys can, lol, I'll be the guy turning around long before you would but it will be interesting to see how this little unit turns out. What I will have going for me is a small light boat, easy to push around and I won't be doing 50 mpg! lol more like 15-20 knots being a lot more carefull. My research and a bit of experience tells me that it'll be up for some pretty nasty bumps on rocks. We'll see. ..

[Jagermeister]

I have tried glovit on my boat and it seals well but it provides no protection. Even if you managed to get it on thick it will scratch off . Great for sealing but it isnt for protection from rocks etc.

Agreed, the Gluvit covering on my drift boat lasted 4 or 5 years and was in need of re-doing when I sold it.
Gluvit would be fine for drift boats as impacts are what you encounter while drifting as opposed to the high impact that occur with a power boat.
I agree with the posters that suggest using UHMW on the bottoms, it's pretty cheap to install and replace compared to the damage that is done without it.
I was always amazed at the braking action of aluminium on rock.

[gitnadoix]

I do not know your expereince level so listen to this with a pinch of salt and caution. I have taken a 19 foot 175 SJ boat up to the Gatho area in early Sept and hauled out elk, moose and caribou. (Not al in one load) We have only a 6061 extra keel plate, other than that she is stock. I never had any hits and in the area from Kledo to there did not see any thing that I would call real major uglies. Of course water levels can change that dramaticaly in 24 hours. I am guessing the ugly stuff is above that. So lots of country accesible with out risking your boat. There was a bit of braiding in the lower end that could cause concerns if you came down the wrong one. But again thats where expereance keeps you out of trouble.

From what I have seen a certain % of the boats that do get damaged, would get damaged regardless of what they were made of as technology can only do so much when trying to compensate for Hero's, (drive like its a race) - idiots, (drive drunk) and the still learning to run a river. Two of those risks are avoidable one is not. The other % is just well some times we all screw up. If your fairly new to running boats I would not venture on to this river in the first year of ownership, unless you have Bill Gates kinda money. Spend some time learning to read the river and what you and your boat can do first. In locations where mistakes are just embarasing not costly.

[Jonny outdoors]

well thats a lot of info ,thanks.I am planning on loading the boat with some weight this weekend and taking it for a burn.I think building up the bottom with another 1/4 inch and then uhmw is something I am going to price out.I was watching some of the rock doctor's videos man that would be a fun boat to be a passenger in. So what rivers or lakes would you guys recommend around fsj to fort nelson for elk / moose?
I have ran boats on the fraser for the last fifteen years so in other words not a lot of experience on skinny rivers. Well Thanks for all the advice guys and have a good new years.

[browningboy]

One of my good friends does all the bottoms and actually all of TNT's boats, just remember one can get it cheap but you get what you pay for...

[Kapow]

I've been in a few Wolfmades strapped with uhmwtfgtrelsol...(teflon). We nailed so many rocks coming down the creek last trip it jarred my brain bigtime. The next day; trailered them up and not even a scratch to be seen. I think the teflon consumes some of the impact for the aluminum... my brain, not so much:(

[Rock Doctor]

Hi Jonny
My boat is 18'4" long, 175 SJ, 1/4" Bottom 6'wide. It has 11 stringers at the back, and progresses to 9 stringers in front of the engine. Bottom is covered with 1/4" UHMW, and has lasted through almost 15yrs of abuse. I can push over a Tonne of weight up on step with no problem, and actuall I usually run out of room before I reach my load limit.
I'm in the process of re-doing the UHMW right now, with 3/8". For your application, I would go with the 3/8", 1/2" is overkill IMHO for your boat.

Glad to hear you enjoy the vids, and maybe we'll meet up there sometime:-D

RD

PS, Are you running a 12deg bottom?

[SHACK]

Kyle, it will be 12 degree, all luxors came with that bottom. Did ya get my e-mail?