Jet boat for hunting

[Dre]

Here are some pics of my DIY jet boat. I built it last year and it is usable, but needs some final finishing like, deck paint, anchor winch, fold down bimini top, second deep cycle battery for my electric outboard and back-up, 1/2" UHMW bottom, headlights and other minor odds and ends.
The purpose of this boat is shallow river and/or lake use for sheep, goat, elk....and whatever happens to be the itch that needs scratching at the time. It weighs 1600 lbs all in, except for fuel and measures 19' long by 76" wide. It has a 137hp 3cyl 2-stroke motor and matching pump from a Polaris 785 pro seadoo. Right now, it drafts so shallow that the pump outlet is just barely covered, about 8" or so. It gets on plane in about 2-3 boat lengths and hits 35mph/56kph max speed, comfortable cruise at 25mph/40kph. The fuel tank is in the floor and has a capacity of 85GAL/321L.

I had it out a handfull of times last summer and intended to take it up north hunting for 2 weeks, but ditched out at the last minute due to insuficient testing and time on the water. I still don't know how much fuel it burns and how far the tank will take me. Also fuel burn rates increase rapidly with added weight. I need to do some long hauls with simulated payload.

It is suposed to take 2 guys deep into the wilds of our North with enough supplies to last 10-12days and come back with (idealy) 2 sheep or similar.

I would like some feedback from anybody with real world experience in hunting via jetboat to help me make some of the final decissions or just advice in general.

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[stinkyduck]

nice looking sled you have there, looks like you could get a quad up front!

[Dre]

Yup, a quad fits no problem with the front seat out. I have ramps ready to go too.

[Husky7mm]

Very cool! You must know what your doing, what do you have tied up in it?

[albravo2]

very, very interesting. nicely done. the fabricating looks excellent.

i'm considering an alaska series inflatable jet like Gattho showed in his upper tuchodi thread last fall. Much smaller and portable but not nearly as much room for gear.

i have a bunch of questions about running a jet in rivers so i'll be watching this thread carefully.

where have you tested it?

[Dre]

Nothing tied up in it, that was my dock rope. I only had it at Alouette Lake 4-5 times. About an hour or two each time. Tons of fun, but loud as hell. I think I will be lining the underneath of the floor with closed cell foam. Positive floatation and sound deadening.

[Dre]

My initial design was to be 14', then I wanted a bit more room, so I thought 16' is better, then the way the sheat of aluminum worked out I could do 17'. In the end, with the nose extension and swim grid it became 19' overall, oh well.

[The Dawg]

I think he meant cost ;)

looks good!

[Drillbit]

Tied up = $$

Looks great, really great,how does it handle? Good maneuverability?

[Dre]

Well, costwise, I think the last time I crunched everything, the tally was around $5000. That includes a full aluminum trailer with brakes, which you don't see in these pictures. I think by the time I'll be happy with it it will be $6000. Still a lot cheaper than anything I could find used that was comparable. Never mind the 300 or so hours I got into it so far, but who's counting :).

[Fred1]

Great looking ship!!!
Here is some thought: The boats I have been using are 31 feet long and 6 feet wide welded aluminum with 65hp merc jets, approxx 1100lbs no fuel. They burn about 28 liters an hr. And loaded... not sure, I know 5 moose isn't too much, and neither is 10 fuel barrels... However... the fuel consuption really goes up! Moving hunters up and down the river burns about 150 liters a day.

Three hunters and gear for 10 -12 days... You are probably going to bring all the comforts, so I would recommend you do a pre trip in and make a fuel cache. I don't think 321 liters will be enough for that time - I wouldnt risk it anyway. Would kinda suck to limit your hunt- or worse - due to a fuel shortage. If you do, please secure the fuel so no matter what flood may happen it doesnt end up in the water. Oh and remember ... Grizzlies like gasoline. If you use plastic gas cans, don't leave them on the ground... ;)

[Dre]

It handles great. Steady as a rock, no drifting or wandering at speed. Maybe too steady, I can't do a 180 or drift it sideways, but it turns sharp and clean. I have a lot of longitudinal ribbing on the bottom which acredit to the type of handling I am getting. I like it, feels under control and predictable.

[Dre]

Great looking ship!!!
Here is some thought: The boats I have been using are 31 feet long and 6 feet wide welded aluminum with 65hp merc jets, approxx 1100lbs no fuel. They burn about 28 liters an hr. And loaded... not sure, I know 5 moose isn't too much, and neither is 10 fuel barrels... However... the fuel consuption really goes up! Moving hunters up and down the river burns about 150 liters a day.

Three hunters and gear for 10 -12 days... You are probably going to bring all the comforts, so I would recommend you do a pre trip in and make a fuel cache. I don't think 321 liters will be enough for that time - I wouldnt risk it anyway. Would kinda suck to limit your hunt- or worse - due to a fuel shortage. If you do, please secure the fuel so no matter what flood may happen it doesnt end up in the water. Oh and remember ... Grizzlies like gasoline. If you use plastic gas cans, don't leave them on the ground... ;)

Thanks for the input, I would try to keep everything as minimal and light as possible and add on the fuel. I still have some room under the floor for a second, smaller fuel tank, maybe 60-80L.

[BigfishCanada]

One question, do you need any new friends :) ,

[Fred1]

Oh and add a couple long pike poles for river travels...

[Fred1]

Yes a second tank would help. But then we tend to fill it and run heavy with fuel more often, burning more. Refueling periodically keeps a lighter boat which is easier to handle (especially if you lose power) and more fuel efficient.

[Jack Russell]

Great looking boat - it looks just right for your purposes, and should have plenty of "go" when you are loaded up. Great price too for the size you made it.

Bimini tops are kind of painful when on step - not that aerodynamic if you know what I mean. A thought might be to get a "half tunnel" off the front bow towards the console. Short enough to see over, it will cover gear and keep stuff dry from bow spray/waves etc.

[Dre]

There is probably a sweet spot for running loaded up. Somewhere between being too heavy to plane and run efficient, and not bringing enough fuel to get back. I'm not sure that caching fuel will be all that efficient, and for sure time consuming.

[Dre]

The bimini top will probably be only when floating around trying to catch dinner at the end of a line. I agree that at speed it would be like a parachute/brake. I have a lot of storage in the floor with most of the floor pannels on hinges, but would like to keep the top open for transporting and accessibility for a quad.....you never know when you have to get to the other side of the lake.

[Fred1]

There is probably a sweet spot for running loaded up. Somewhere between being too heavy to plane and run efficient, and not bringing enough fuel to get back. I'm not sure that caching fuel will be all that efficient, and for sure time consuming.

Do your loaded trials and you will know for sure! Caching takes a bit of time, but there is always someone wanting to go for a boat ride with a fishing rod and a beer. Smart move not going out this year without all your testing done. Im always amazed how many people hit the wilderness not knowing their equipment or with new and or unproven gear. Let us know how it turns out!

[ryanb]

Very interesting. Lots of work there and looks quite usefull designed.

This might be tough to hear, but I think the boat might be too big for that engine and pump, if you're talking about loading it up with gear guys and fuel to get "way back there"...you need to buy a fuel totalizer and accurately gauge your fuel usage for the amount you want to haul and the distance. Worst case you might have to repower or do shorter trips.

Very few northern boats run with fuel tanks in the floor. Too easy to rupture when you hit rocks.

i used garage floor epoxy paint to paint my floorboards. Very durable and if you get a grey with the speckle it will go well with aluminum.

If you are adding uhmw consider reinforcing the bottom if it isn't already. You didn't mention how you built the bottom.

[Rock Doctor]

What's the plan for adding Plastic to the bottom? Welded, Bolted, Sprayed? I prefer the bolted method, I just re-plasticed the bottom of mine,it's not a bad job. If you go bolted, then you might want to rethink the belly gas tanks. Saddle Tanks might be a good option for your boat. Do you have Stringers inside to brace the bottom, or just those ones on the outside?
I also think you might want a little more power, my boat is 19' with a 175hp SJ...... It's enough, but not overkill by any means. I feel you will be able to do a 10-12 day trip, with 2-3 guys, as long as you're not "river huntin" (might want to leave the kitchen sink at home, lol)
I'm not sure that the "lowered" transom is a good idea, especially with the Swim Grid out there.... I would loose the swim grid, imho.
You also might want some type of "Holy Shit" handle around your steering console. You will want it at some point. Most of my impacts are taken at the rear of the boat, and with your console at the rear, you can really get tossed around (It's the best spot for a smooth ride though when running rough water)
I would not paint it, it looks great like it is. Paint is a PITA.
What are you doing for an Intake Grate/Cleanout? I would HIGHLY recommend a Stomp Grate with tight bars (As tight as you can go without cavitating). Seadoo pump impellors are more finicky, they want a tight clearance and sharp leading edges, keep as much gravel out of that pump as you can.
Good Oar Locks, that is a nice little unit, and with a set of Oars, you could pilot that thing down the river from that front seat no problem. Makes for a nice drift down the river.... quiet too.
Any pics from the back? Would like to see your Jetguard, Planer Board/Trim Tab setup, if any.

Always tie it up with 2 seperate ropes, that way, if a Beaver chews down your tree, the boat doesn't get away on you, lol.

I don't know if you've hit much for rocks with it yet, but be prepared to fly over that console if you catch one of those Keel Strips on a sharp rock :-). Not sure what you will want to do about that, putting plastic between them will help, but they will stick out well beyound the plastic. Good for steering, not so good when hitting rocks. 3/8" UHMW will be plenty for this boat, 1/2" is a little overkill.

Just some thoughts
RD

[Dre]

Gteat info, a lot to think about. I like the idea about the 'holy shit handle' around the console. I was thinking about doing a hand rail that goes up the 4 vertical corners of the console and wraps around the top, following the shape of the console. Good for grab rail and protection from the sharp corners of the console. The oar locks and oars is a must. This boat was modeled after a Wooldridge Alaskan, 17' rated for 135-140hp outboard. My boat is actually 17', only the nose deck and swim grid stretch it to 19'. The water displacement and weight is nearly identical to the Alaskan windshield model. There are a lot of tests done with these boats and different payloads with the 135hp 2-stroke outboard, so as long as my motor doesen't fail, I will make do. Swapping out to more power and higher volume pump will not likely be a consideration due to cost and complexity of this type of change. No stomp grate at this time and the intake grate bars are about 3/4 inch appart, not sure how much tighter I should make them without cavitating the pump.

Here are some more specs on the hull:

1/8" thick bottom with 3/8" x 14" wide center doubler, so the lowest part of the boat has an effective thickness of 1/2" running the entire length of the bottom, 8 degrees deadrise
1 1/2" x 1/8" wall sq. tubing longitudinal stiffeners and cross stringers about 8" appart on entire bottom
Fuel tank is in the floor, but it is a seperate unit, removable and not a part of the boat. It sits on rubber strips on top of the 1.5" sq. tubing bottom stiffeners, so it is actually 1.5" off the bottom. In case of hull rupture it is safe for that 1.5" and then has its' own wall thickness of 1/8", fully baffled.
I like the tank in the floor, because it leaves the whole deck open and not as many jerry cans to slide around. The motor is so short that it also fits completely in the floot with no raised section in the back like most jet boats. Most boats of this size come with 35 Gal. tanks built into the hull.
I think 2 guys on this type of trip is the max. The gear list would resemble a backpacking list, not too many luxuries. It would be a get there with the boat and hunt with your legs type of hunting, not so much cruisin arround in the boat looking to shoot something.
The plan for the UHMW is 1/2" due to the way I want to attach it. It will be the welded washer type of attachement.

Thanks for the feedback,

Here are some more pics :

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[Husky7mm]

I think its awsome, but I have no river boating experience. I like light gear, your not in such a pickel if you get stuck, you can muscle it around somewhat. What are you gonna do for more seating for the "local" fun trips? Curious on the fuel tank in the floor, how can you ensure that you can use all the fuel in it, like what if you front heavy and it runs out at 1/3 tank or so? Did you rebuild the engine and pump before installing it so you know its as good and new as you boat?

[Dre]

I think its awsome, but I have no river boating experience. I like light gear, your not in such a pickel if you get stuck, you can muscle it around somewhat. What are you gonna do for more seating for the "local" fun trips? Curious on the fuel tank in the floor, how can you ensure that you can use all the fuel in it, like what if you front heavy and it runs out at 1/3 tank or so? Did you rebuild the engine and pump before installing it so you know its as good and new as you boat?

I was able to use the original pick-up unit and the depth worked pefect, it sits 1/4" off the bottom, right in the centre of the vee. The fuel level at this point is less than a gallon. This also gives me a fully functional fuel gauge. I put 160L and it showed 1/2 tank. I did not rebuild the engine or pump at the advice of a 2-stroke pro buddy of mine, but I do have a rebuild kit sitting in the garage just in case.

[dabber]

I'll bet you spent as much time designing and thinking about how you were going to actually build it than you did building it. O Ya nice trailer to.

[Husky7mm]

Again it looks awsome,I wish I had your talents, is there a riverboat company that offers the same ideas, platform, weight,HP, and still can fit a quad?

[finaddict]

Looks a little under built:mrgreen: hahahaha

[gitnadoix]

x2 on the oars and oarlock, (not paddles) I have drifted close to 1000 km so far in a 19' jet boat and its a very economical, and quiet way to move down a river, of course based on the river being safely driftable.

If you are going to do long trips, get a fuel flow meter installed, they are cheap and its great piece of mind to know exactly to the litre what is left in tank, shallow under deck fuel tanks have such a short arc on the metering float that they often, tell you 3/4 full till almost at 1/4 before they start moving and then they move fast.

get some buddies and or clean empty garbage cans get on a local river and do some weight test with four fuel flow meter and a gps, that way you can calculate your most effeicent fuel speed. Untill I did this I thought 4200 was my sweet spot, turns out if I want to get the best economy its 4650 rpm.......which when I ran at that speed felt like I was in a race, but based on GPS over ground speed, and fuel burned its the most economical speed for my boat with 2000lbs on board never would have guessed that

The garbage cans are for bucketing water into for quick weight addition

[Rock Doctor]

Don't take any of my earlier comments in a negative way, it looks like you did a fine job.
I like that you don't have "Planer Boards" at the back, but I would suggest a bit of bracing on the Jet Guard.
My last boat had a similar design, 1/8 bottom, and box stringers inside. The only real issue I had with the light bottom was taking hits right at the back, just forward of the transom. Over time, even light hits would dent the bottom up, creating a "hook" in front of the Transom. This will effect the boats handling. It's hard to avoid, as you will naturally try to avoid hitting the jet intake on rocks, so impacts will happen on either side.
There are a number of different UHMW grades out there. My understanding is that Black is the best for boat bottoms. Tough and high UV resistance.
Do you have any particular reason to be going with Plug Welded Plastic? Just curious, as I don't see that done up here any more.
The reason I mentioned the "low" transom is because in some places it's easy to have water come pouring in over the back. For example: When 2 main river branches come together, sometimes you will want to stop and check things out a bit, the natural place to stop is the "calm" water right where the branches hit each other. There can be small whirlpools there that don't look like much, but they can allow your boat to drop far enough to have the water rush in over the back.

Again, nice job, I've always wanted to do something simillar, but on a smaller scale

RD

[Dre]

Fuel flow meter is now on the list :-D. Most companies that build boats capable of transporting a quad call them landing crafts. A bit different than what I have but, I think that front ramps can be installed on a Wooldridge Alaskan Center Console or Tiller models as they are quite open on deck. The Alaskan's bow, or nose is narrower than mine, so I couldn't say for sure.
I love the idea of drifting back dow the river on purpose, I'll have to try it.

[Dre]

I'm not taking any of the feedback in a negative way, I wanted to hear from experience, so I don't find out the hard way on my own. I never actually thought about the very back end of the bottom taking that much of a beating, but it makes perfect sense. Same goes for the low transom. I have 18" or so freeboard there, hope its enough. The plug-weld method for the plastic seams less likely to leak in the long run and I have already thought out and researched it, it seamed my best option, but I'm open to suggestions.

[ryanb]

I have zero leaks in my bolted uhmw. It has taken three years of heavy abuse too. If you drill then tap the holes, use silicone to seal the threads on the bolts, and a rubber backed washer under the nuts it should never leak unless you shear a bolt off. I think the only reason people plug weld washers is that they can't get over putting hundreds of holes in their boat.

I personally don't have experience with the welded washers, but have heard about all sorts of problems doing it this way. These include: meting a lot of the plastic around the weld (they usually fill the voids with bondo, but this is going to disappear quickly on the river), the bottom failing before the weld in the event of a direct hard impact on a washer, and not being able to repair damage on the river.

I would talk to some of the makers of rock crushing boats (outlaw, firefish etc) about why they don't use plug welded uhmw...they would know better than myself all the shortfalls of doing it that way. None of the big makers of tough bottom jet boats do it that way. That says something to me.

Keep us updated on the project, it's very interesting. I'm jealous of your fabrication skills.

[pete_k]

Congratulations. Looks fantastic. Quite a floaty boat to boot. Only 8" when motionless?
A good looking boat for a utility craft. Nice design.

What type of welder setup did you use?

[Dre]

I have zero leaks in my bolted uhmw. It has taken three years of heavy abuse too. If you drill then tap the holes, use silicone to seal the threads on the bolts, and a rubber backed washer under the nuts it should never leak unless you shear a bolt off. I think the only reason people plug weld washers is that they can't get over putting hundreds of holes in their boat.

I personally don't have experience with the welded washers, but have heard about all sorts of problems doing it this way. These include: meting a lot of the plastic around the weld (they usually fill the voids with bondo, but this is going to disappear quickly on the river), the bottom failing before the weld in the event of a direct hard impact on a washer, and not being able to repair damage on the river.

I would talk to some of the makers of rock crushing boats (outlaw, firefish etc) about why they don't use plug welded uhmw...they would know better than myself all the shortfalls of doing it that way. None of the big makers of tough bottom jet boats do it that way. That says something to me.

Keep us updated on the project, it's very interesting. I'm jealous of your fabrication skills.

What thickness is your bottom, because with only 1/8" on mine there is not much there to tap? Also, what size bolts are used, 3/8", 1/4"? With a 1/4" bottom the tapping would work very well as you describe, but not so sure on mine. Then again, the tapping is mostly for tight contact and better seal, the nutt being the main holding component. I'll think about it. If I go with 3/8" UHMW and countersunk 1/4" ss bolts, sealled in the manner you describe, it would probably work well.

[Dre]

Congratulations. Looks fantastic. Quite a floaty boat to boot. Only 8" when motionless?
A good looking boat for a utility craft. Nice design.

What type of welder setup did you use?

The whole boat was built in my garage with a Miller 251 Mig with a 30A spoolgun and a Miller Syncrowave 180 Tig. I had to take it to work to do the strakes on the bottom, because I could not flip it over at home. The overhead crane makes it a one man job. Some of the forming for the rolled and bent material was also done at my work as I don't have that type of machinery at home.

[nap]

First off, looks awesome, building it yourself makes it that much more special, We all have our own idea of what may or may not be better, it sounds like you are and have been doing your home work. As for plastic mine is bolted, Tapered stainless 5/16 bolts with rubber coated washers and lock nuts, holes tapped. Pay lots of attention to what the Rock Doc is mentioning to you, His videos say it all. last thing be carefull if you are going to do any northern rivers, the power of water is unforgiving. A stomp grate is a must because bad things happen quick.

[limit time]

Sweet machine!! And all for under ten grand!? Do you have plans for a kicker?
What rivers have you been up?

[Dre]

I'll have to see how I can add on a stomp grate. It will have to be built from scratch, much like everthing else. I think I'm a little further from being ready to hit the fast water than I thought.
Half the fun is in the build though, I like to see thing come together and work.
I have not had it up any rivers yet, only lake testing. I always bring a spare kicker, since I am still testing things out, usually my 5hp Evenrude or my Min Kota. Don't feel like padling back to the dock.

[BlacktailStalker]

Very nice, good for you. Enjoy!

[BCRiverBoater]

Nice looking boat. Just a few things that jump out at me but this is totally just things I do not like personally.

The bottom looks good for stringers and like the center strip but 1/8" has me a little nervous. Take it easy on the rocks, especially near the pump. A holy sh*t handle is a must especially with the shorter looking sides.

I am not a fan of floor tanks or bow tanks. If you need access to the floor it makes it difficult. Especially if on the river with a full tank of gas. You will eventaully need access to this at some point. If placed right it will balance the boat right but my preference is still side tanks. Also I wouldn't go with that big of a tank personally. I have a total of just under 40 gal in a 17' ft boat and it is more than enough. If you are going hunting you carry the fuel either way but during non hunting trips you will never need that even half full. 85 gallons is a ton of weight for day trips that just burns fuel for no reason. Also if you are loaded full and get stuck good with 85 gal of fuel, your light boat just became as heavy as a much larger boat with that extra 45 gallons of fuel. I have had to unload all of my gear and 100 gallons of fuel before and pack it down the river 300 yards to get my boat flaoting again. It was 2 hours with two guys and we barely got it off. The extra 45 gallons woulf have made it a day long affair. Of course these occurances are rare but bound to happen with shallow rivers and sheep hunting. lol

But overall it will be a very useful hunting rig for 2 guys and sheep/goat gear!!!

[Dre]

Nice looking boat. Just a few things that jump out at me but this is totally just things I do not like personally.

The bottom looks good for stringers and like the center strip but 1/8" has me a little nervous. Take it easy on the rocks, especially near the pump. A holy sh*t handle is a must especially with the shorter looking sides.

I am not a fan of floor tanks or bow tanks. If you need access to the floor it makes it difficult. Especially if on the river with a full tank of gas. You will eventaully need access to this at some point. If placed right it will balance the boat right but my preference is still side tanks. Also I wouldn't go with that big of a tank personally. I have a total of just under 40 gal in a 17' ft boat and it is more than enough. If you are going hunting you carry the fuel either way but during non hunting trips you will never need that even half full. 85 gallons is a ton of weight for day trips that just burns fuel for no reason. Also if you are loaded full and get stuck good with 85 gal of fuel, your light boat just became as heavy as a much larger boat with that extra 45 gallons of fuel. I have had to unload all of my gear and 100 gallons of fuel before and pack it down the river 300 yards to get my boat flaoting again. It was 2 hours with two guys and we barely got it off. The extra 45 gallons woulf have made it a day long affair. Of course these occurances are rare but bound to happen with shallow rivers and sheep hunting. lol

But overall it will be a very useful hunting rig for 2 guys and sheep/goat gear!!!

Some excelent input, I had not thought of the running with too much fuel for no reason, and taking the fuel out if you get stuck. The tank is removable with 8 bolts, but not when its full of fuel. Depending on the river, if its really rough, it might be better to run half tank and carry the rest on board. Thanks.

[yama49]

Looks like a fun project, congrats..

[pete_k]

Do you have any video you can post?

[Dre]

Here is a video my wife shot of the first time on the lake with the motor in it. It is not as finished as it is now, there are no seats or handrails, there is big gaps missing out of the floor. Driving it standing up with nothing behind me was a little exciting. I haven't made another video since, but i will when I start testing it this spring.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbGbkiZ9Z0I

[mexican]

i no a few guys with boats with siilar power and jet set ups and they only found they work at about 10-12 feet,,pump can only put so much water out to push the boat,,,,by the looks of the boat u no ur stuff,,i have run jets in white water for years,,and with a sweet a$$ boat like yours i would drop 10k into it and put a new 175 sport jet or a similar style power head disighn and a bigger pump or a nice 200 optimax out board jet and be done with under power and fuel issues and b outa the water with 2 guys gear and a moose and sheep!!!,,,cheers and happy safe back country river running and slaying of out mtn animals....

[Dre]

i no a few guys with boats with siilar power and jet set ups and they only found they work at about 10-12 feet,,pump can only put so much water out to push the boat,,,,by the looks of the boat u no ur stuff,,i have run jets in white water for years,,and with a sweet a$$ boat like yours i would drop 10k into it and put a new 175 sport jet or a similar style power head disighn and a bigger pump or a nice 200 optimax out board jet and be done with under power and fuel issues and b outa the water with 2 guys gear and a moose and sheep!!!,,,cheers and happy safe back country river running and slaying of out mtn animals....

10-12 foot boat with a 100+HP motor would be an absolute rocket, probably 55mph. Sounds sweet, but not what I had in mind. The 35mph I clocked was with 2 guys, 1/2 tank fuel, fishing gear, spare motor/tank. I can see about 700lbs on top of that for a 10 day trip, starting out with a full tank and hunting gear, sheep hunting gear that is, 'no kitchen sink' :). Coming back will not be too different, even with 2 sheep sized animals, considering that most of the fuel will be gone.

[Dre]

This motor is rated at a maximum consumption rate of 10Gal/hr, that is the max this motor will move through the carbs at 7800rpm wide open throttle. With 80Gal on board at 25mph (5700rpm), using the "worst case fuel consumption", it would do 200miles/320km. I know there is a current going 1 way, but going the opposite way the current is helping me. This is all just theory, but I will confirm actual fuel consumption before taking on the remote northern rivers. My biggest consern is reliability of the motor, but then again, test and tune is the key.
A theory of mine is that for any boat to have descent fuel economy, it needs to be on plane, on top of the water and not pushing the water. When the boat doesn't have enough power to get up on plane, fuel economy would suffer drastically, maybe double or tripple.
I would appreciate some input on this thoery of mine from some of the more experienced boaters.

[Dre]

Some items I knocked off the to do list last weekend. Pump skidd plate reinforcement, tie-down cleats, trailer winch reinforcement and a couple of custom aluminum 8'6" oars. Still lots to go.

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[ryanb]

This motor is rated at a maximum consumption rate of 10Gal/hr, that is the max this motor will move through the carbs at 7800rpm wide open throttle. With 80Gal on board at 25mph (5700rpm), using the "worst case fuel consumption", it would do 200miles/320km. I know there is a current going 1 way, but going the opposite way the current is helping me. This is all just theory, but I will confirm actual fuel consumption before taking on the remote northern rivers. My biggest consern is reliability of the motor, but then again, test and tune is the key.
A theory of mine is that for any boat to have descent fuel economy, it needs to be on plane, on top of the water and not pushing the water. When the boat doesn't have enough power to get up on plane, fuel economy would suffer drastically, maybe double or tripple.
I would appreciate some input on this thoery of mine from some of the more experienced boaters.

Actually, nearly every boat out there will get better fuel economy (mpg) at a slower off-plane speed. Displacement hulls are the most fuel efficient, and even a planing hull gets better fuel economy sitting in the water at low speed. Just immagine off plane, the boat is pushing the water out of the way, but on plane the boat actually has to push so much water to actually lift OUT of the water, exponentially more resistance. Of course motoring up a river at 10kph fighting the 10kph current is not practical. You NEED to be on plane, not being on plane is not an option except for coming down river.

[Jack Russell]

Actually, nearly every boat out there will get better fuel economy (mpg) at a slower off-plane speed. Displacement hulls are the most fuel efficient, and even a planing hull gets better fuel economy sitting in the water at low speed. Just immagine off plane, the boat is pushing the water out of the way, but on plane the boat actually has to push so much water to actually lift OUT of the water, exponentially more resistance. Of course motoring up a river at 10kph fighting the 10kph current is not practical. You NEED to be on plane, not being on plane is not an option except for coming down river.

Practicality and the law of diminishing returns completely throw the above theory out the window.

It has been stated in this thread before that running a couple hundred rpm higher than what you "think" your boat should run/cruise at, actually improves fuel economy.

[Dre]

Actually, nearly every boat out there will get better fuel economy (mpg) at a slower off-plane speed. Displacement hulls are the most fuel efficient, and even a planing hull gets better fuel economy sitting in the water at low speed. Just immagine off plane, the boat is pushing the water out of the way, but on plane the boat actually has to push so much water to actually lift OUT of the water, exponentially more resistance. Of course motoring up a river at 10kph fighting the 10kph current is not practical. You NEED to be on plane, not being on plane is not an option except for coming down river.

I was not clear about the on plane off plane thing. What I meant was that when trying to get somewhere at a reasonable rate of speed 20mph +, a boat would get better fuel economy when on plane than pushing through the water out of the way. When on plane you are in contact with the water with only a small portion of the bottom of the hull, therefore having much less drag than when pushing through. I agree that a large amount of energy is expended getting on plane, but once there, the load on the motor decreases even if the rpm stay up. The motor is revving, but not having to work as hard as when accelerating. I think that the reason for the better fuel economy people are experiencing is partially due to the less contact with the water at the higher speed-rpm and also hitting the motor`s sweet spot, right where the torque curve and horsepower curve cross paths. Putting around at 10mpg in a lake is a good option, if you have the spare time though.

[ryanb]

Okay, well if we are talking about getting the best fuel economy on plane, every boat is going to be very different. In my boat, lightly loaded or heavily loaded I usually get the best economy at the lowest speed that has me out of the hole plowing water like you say. This speed increases of course with more weight. Current speed against you will change the calculation and in my boat this is where going faster sometimes helps you burn less. I also run in the shallow slow water near shore going upstream to get less current fighting me and you get a bit of help planing out at higher speed with less rpm. Having said that, I hit rocks more often doing this. But If I am burning 1 gph less and getting 5mph more, this works out to a LOT of fuel over a long trip.

I was merely stating that you do actually get better fuel milage well off of plane in still water.

[wildnfree]

Nice job welds look good too, 6061 btm? uhmw adds weight might be up to 400 lbs depending if you cover the full btm or just add strip down the middle, belly tanks might give you some grief because of the lack of stringers when runniing shallow. But hey it looks great, good job man. see yah on the river sometime

[Dre]

The bottom is 5052, 1/8" thick. 6061 is not recomended bellow 3/16" because it is harder and instead of denting, it can crack. When it is thicker than 3/16 or so, it is the better choice. I will probably go with 3/8" uhmw, 4'x8' sheat is 68lbs, I will need less than 2 sheats - about 120lbs including hardware. Not too bad of a weight sacrifice.

[limit time]

So...how's the progress??

[browningboy]

Big winner is the guy that can plane at the slowest speed in my opinion, but to each their own, as for stomp grates they are easy to make, look up Ketchikan stomp grates for ideas and make one, the bottom you will have an issue as you only have a 1/8 bottom, plug welding would even be a pain as that's not much meat but if you aren't hitting much now maybe you can weld tabs on the inside to create a thicker hull? Anyhow a good idea is weld a receiver hitch on front a back for portable winch, just in case! Have fun and play safe

[leadpillproductions]

Awsome lookin boat ,keep us posted how it works

[DR.DOUG]

Excellent thread! Great job with the build,nice to see some quality workmanship. Hope you have many successful hunts in it.

[moonshine bandit]

boat looks great !! who did the hull for ya ? i have a 90hp sport jet i want to slam into a 13-14ft hull but need one made,, just a basic open boat with center unit for controlls

[Dre]

I built the hull myself, 1/8" bottom, 1/8" sides, 8 degree deadrise. The bottom thickness is a little light, but it has a lot of reinforcing structure in the floor/hull and weighs 1500lbs including motor and all boating gear, without gas.

[browningboy]

Now sell it and build another with 1/4" bottom and 1/8" sides, you know you want to!...

[GOLDEN TOP SNIPER]

SICK ..Id love to have one ..

[Dre]

I thought to do an update on this thread as I just got back from my Liard/Kechika/Turnagain river hunting trip.

Last winter I rebuilt the motor from bottom to top, new crank, pistons, rings, all the bearings and seals. Added some final touches, floor paint, skid plate, oar locks, fishing rod holders windshield and most important - 3/8" UHMW full bottom. I did quite a bit of testing and tuning, messed around with the jetting and, in the end felt pretty confident in it. The boat handles a little different with the UHMW bottom, its a bit more flickable and I can get it to slide a little with a lot control. The motor revs out better and tops out around 63kms/hr, better than before. The jetting is still a bit fat, but I'd rather it eat a little more fuel and be safe than make more power and melt a piston. I also installed a Pyrometer Gauge to keep tabs on exhaust temps.

A major house reno (new kitchen) put a kink in my boat testing and preparation. Taking up all of July and most of August, I scrambled to finish the kitchen and prepare for a river hunting trip. The date we decided on was the 1st to 12th or so of September. The rivers were to be the Kechika and Turnagain. Although we were going very late in the season for sheep we were planning to make a go of it and then hunt for whatever else was around. I really wanted to do some load testing with the boat to determine how much weight it can carry and how much fuel it uses when loaded, but my hands and schedule were full with the house reno. So we would 'cowboy' it a little and do the testing on the go. We decided to bring what we wanted and eliminate items on the spot if the weight was too much. I had some info from people that ran those rivers and the consensus was that 600 to 800 litres was enough for a v8 powered 19-20' boat. We decided to bring 450L. 450L = 1000lbs + my partner and I + 105lbs of dog + all our gear added added up to around 2000lbs. My mind was full of doubts, but there was only 1 way to know for sure - try it.

[Dre]

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26hrs after leaving my house, we arrived at Skook's Landing, the boat launch from which our adventure was to begin. There were around 30 trucks and trailers there. We expected that it would be busy as the 10 day elk season coincided perfectly with our trip. Judgement day arrived shortly after some much needed sleep. Sat. Aug.30, we launched the boat in the little bay and loaded it with gear, complete with 2 kicker motors (a 2hp and a 5hp), generator, shelter/wall tent ect. We had the privilege of watching a V8 boat leave the bay and battle the powerful rapids immediately up-river of the launch area. It struggled, but slowly pushed through and disappeared. So, in front of several spectators we pushed off. I circled around in the bay a couple of times warming up the motor and then throttled it towards the rapids. The power of the rapids was so great that at 3/4 throttle we were standing still when looking at the riverbank. I pinned it and the motor screamed to 7500rpm, we were now gaining ground, but not fast. My partner looked back at me and made a 'gas it' gesture. I just smiled and shook my head. Slowly but surely, we made it through and into some slower waters. I kept it pegged but all it did is plow the water at less than 10mph. This was not good, if we cant get on plane, we were wasting our time. We tried for a while, but it was obvious that we had too much weight in the boat and in order to continue we had to shed some of it.

[Dre]

A suitable spot was located and we unloaded the generator, small kicker, and 4 jerry cans of fuel all in all adding up to around 225lbs. We decided to try it before parting with the wall tent or other more necessary items. I turned on the GPS/Sounder to watch the actual speed of the boat. At first it seemed there was no difference, but the speed was climbing, 10mph, 12mph, 14mph, it was starting to rise out of the water and at 16-18mph we were planed and the speed quickly climbed to 23mph. We had been over the limit of the pump/motor combination by that much. From there on the boat performed like a champ, averaging 21-23mph, skimming through the shallows and overcoming rapids. The Kechika river is not difficult to run, but it is very silty and you don't see the rocks till its almost too late. I quickly learned that it was better to accelerate before rapids as they tend to slow us down and if we come off plane in the rapids, there was a chance of hitting rocks. Using this method we only bumped some small rocks once as I strayed too close to the shallow bank once, but that's it. We made it to the Turnagain in about 2 1/2 hours.

The Turnagain River is probably half the size of the Kechika and crystal clear, you can see the bottom at least 6 feet deep. In the beginning, the rocks are big and easy to see, but you have to pay attention as some are just bellow the surface or sticking out a little. Further up the bottom is more like gravel and sand. We had no issues and carved our way up the winding river for probably more than 2 hours. We passed several boats and cabins, looking for a suitable location to set a base camp. I was not sure where we were in relation to the map as the GPS was only plotting our course, so I let off and we came to a stop in a slow part of the river. The warning light on the display was flashing and it read Low Fuel. "Impossible" I thought. I then realised that the gauge showed 1/4 tank, 'CRAP'. We had burned over 200L in about 5 hrs, 40L/hr max load up-river.

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[Wrj]

Keep it coming!!!!!

[Dre]

Not trusting the fuel gauge, we dipped it and confirmed that we really were down to a 1/4 tank. The only other fuel left on board was 23L that we planned on saving for the kicker if needed. We looked around and weighed our options. The area we were in looked pretty good and since we did not have the option to keep going up and the last boat we saw was at least 5 miles back, this was home.

We spent a day glassing from the river valley finding plenty of goats on the side of the river that was closed for goats and a couple of elk cows on the slopes. The next day we packed for 4 days and started to climb one of the mountains in search of sheep. A 5 hour grueling climb through brush that you can barely stick your hand in we came out of the timber in view of some nice looking sheep country. Our immediate concern was that we had only about a litre of water left. We were confident that we would run into a creek on the way up, but everything had been bone dry. We dropped the packs, grabbed all our water containers and went in search of water. I checked 2 drainages, flipping rocks and putting my ear down to listen for a trickle, but nothing. I made my way over to where my partner had gone and found him bent over doing something. He stood up and there was a puddle at his feet. "The dam is ready." he said "Just gotta wait till it settles." He had found two moose tracks in the mud with water in them, then dug a bigger hole and dammed it so the water would collect. Nice work.

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[steveo]

If you built another one would you build it the same way, as in design. From the pics it looks like you did a very good job.

[markomoose]

Great thread DRE .Keep It coming as I have the equipment and skillset to do a similar project.

[browningboy]

Love the Kechika, we are looking to go up there next year, I bet I would have to bring 1500 litres but also minimum of two boats, heard the elk hunting is tremendous up there, but magic question how busy was it, 30 boats at the ramp? Sounds pretty busy! Also great job on your tub, mines a 21.5 ft with 5.7 and 212

[pin_head]

Great story so far, I'm checking back like a mad man. Can't wait to see how the story ends!

great boat, great story!

Brad

[r106]

Cool looking boat. Keep the story commin

[Dre]

I'm not the fastest typer, but I'll keep it coming. I'll try to answer question after.

[Cdn-Redneck]

Great looking boat where did u get the plans? I have looked at www.specmar.com boats before and would love to do this one day I have a couple friends that can weld aluminum.

[Salty]

Not sure how I missed this thread last yr awesome stuff Dre love the DIY mode congratulations to you on the boat looks great. Is it just me or are the original pics not available anymore? Looking forward to more 'slow typing' and the rest of the story :mrgreen: edit: can see all the pics now :mrgreen:

[Dre]

Our water problem was solved. Every time we came back from a hike, we came by and filled our 6L bladder and 2 1L Nalgene bottles. The water was clear and tasted great, but we filtered it through my bino micro-cloth bag to get rid of the surface floaters.

It took us the better part of a day to find some sheep. Its always exciting to spot them, even if they are ewes and lambs. By the time we got within spotting range we were about 2 hrs away from camp and it was late afternoon. Over 30 sheep and not a ram in sight. We came back the next day and glassed all day, finding the same band of ewes and lambs and no rams. I decided to come down from our perch and cross the valley to climb over the other side of the mountain the sheep were on to look for rams. We had seen the sheep crossing over and hoped that the rams are holding up in the basin on the other side. My partner and Blue stayed behind to keep an eye on any sheep movement caused by me. At the bottom of the valley I found the remains of a camp. The un-burnt branches, with the needles still green, in the fire pit told the tale of a hunting party having been there some time before us. Probably at the opener, and it seemed as the rams were spooked and nowhere to be seen. Maybe the guide outfitter. It took me an hour to get there and coming over the hump revealed a sweet drainage made up of loose schale slides, grass covered ledges and a lively creek. Looked perfect but no matter how many times I glassed it, no rams appeared. Over the radio, my partner expressed concern that he couldn't feel his legs from the cold, so reluctantly, I headed back. We were getting low on our supplies and would have to come down the next day, so this attempt was a bust. We did have an interesting encounter with a huge moose near our camp.

We heard him grunting one evening and I jumped out of tent gun in hand. He was BIG, over 50" and 10 point a side, only 20 yards away. "Don't even think about it." my partner said. I was thinking about it, but the reality of the 5 hour hike up through bush that left my shirt all torn set in and we only clicked off a few pics. We ran into the same bull on 3 different occasions. We estimated him around 1000lbs and calculated at least 4 trips to get him out, if nobody got hurt in the process.
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[Dre]

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[Barracuda]

great story looking forward to my getting out on ours for hunting this year

[Wrj]

What a moose! Must've been reeeeaaaaall tempting ha ha

[Dre]

On the fourth day of our sheep hunt we reluctantly came down to our base camp. As it was now well into the 6 point elk season, we decided to concentrate on elk for a few days. In the back of my mind I was hoping that that moose might make an appearance in the valley bottom. For 3 days, the weather was crap, warm, rainy and nothing moved, then everything flipped. It suddenly got cold and snowed in the 1000ft elevation range above us. Things looked better and we started spotting some game. We locked in on some elk abut 2kms away on the slopes and got the spotter in position. The Vortex Razor 85mm did an excellent job, but the old burn the elk were in made it difficult to distinguish if there was a 6th point present. I was convinced that it was a 5x5, but my partner thought there might be a 6th on one side. That alone was enough. We'd make a stalk the next morning and have a closer look.

A freezing cold morning promised a clear day. We hopped in the boat and cruised downstream a ways to where we thought the best access was. My partner would climb the mountain parallel to the one that me and Blue would climb and guide us based on the position of the elk. After 40 min of bushwacking, I started to ascend. "They are right at the top" my partner said over the radio. From memory, I plotted my course up he right side of the mountain. This would keep us out of sight and ear shot until I was ready to cross over towards the elk. The 3000 feet of elevation took us 2hrs and having lost radio transmission, I was climbing by brail. The trees in the old burn did not offer me any view of the top, so we had to make the best of it. Somehow, I managed to lead us to the exact spot I was thinking of and as I crested the rocky ledge 2 elk came immediately in sight. I dropped back and started to change my sweaty clothes to dry ones from my pack. The wind was freezing and I knew the cold would set in quickly.

The elk were about 400yds away and a little lower than me. I quickly found the bull and began dissecting his antlers with my binos. I could hear very faintly My partner calling and the bull, much louder, answering. He was making his way to me slowly and it was not hard to see that he was a clean 5x5. Disapointed, I snapped off a few photos. I tried the radio once more before heading down, it worked. "Where are you, I've been trying to call you for half an hour?" my partner said. "I'm up here....with the elk." I said. "He's a 5." he said. "Yeah, I know" I said. "I'm coming down." The bull came to 183 yds from me before I headed down.

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[Kami]

Thanks very much for the time you are taking to write up your story and post photos. Many, many of us a reading along with wide eyes and wider smiles. This sort of stuff is what makes keeps me coming back to this site.

40L per hour fuel burn? Wow!

[Dre]

The next couple of days were tough and frustrating. We were talking back and forth with another bull down in the valley, but he was holed up with his cows and would not commit to come out of the timber. We didn't dare use any more fuel as it was already too low to come down on. We never did see that elk's face. The time to leave was upon us and although we had enough provisions to go another week or more, the trip down was a concern because of the fuel, so we decided to leave a day early in case we had a problem and could not make the trip in one day. Sep.11 at 8am we headed down.

I knew that the fuel we had was not enough to make the trip back on the jet and some strategy was needed to compensate the fuel usage with the 5hp kicker. I estimated the fuel in the tank to be no more than 80L. We decided to run the kicker for an hour and see how much fuel it is using, then run the jet to make good time, and when we run out, go back to the kicker till we reach the spot where we stashed the gas. The 5hp Honda 4stroke used 2L/hr and we ran it for 1 1/2hrs. The gps speed was between 8mph and 11mph depending on current speed. The Turnagain River is very clear and we only scraped some gravel with the prop in one spot. Satisfied with our experiment, we fired up the jet and started to shed the miles at more than triple the kicker speed. We were running 30-33mph at almost 1000rpm less than going up. We made good time and covered some ground, but it all ended about 30miles short of our fuel stash. No problem, we got the back-up kicker and 21L for it. So we put in 10L in the big tank and we made another 10 miles or so. No choice now, we fired up the kicker and cruised along at 8-10mph. I did mention that the Kechika is very murky or silty, you don't see the rocks till it is too late. With the jet, its not a problem as you are on top of the water, but we had to be very careful with the kicker.

We had only gone a few miles when we entered some serious rapids. I tried my best to keep it pointed into the smoother water, but as the rapid lifted us and then slammed the boat into a low spot I felt an impact come through the handle of the kicker and then heard it increase rpm dramatically. 'The prop is gone I thought'. I lifted and saw it was still there, but not turning. The rapids took us and slowly spun the boat 360 as we scrambled for the oars. We managed to get the boat over to the bank after the rapids and assess the situation. The kicker was useless, something had broken inside. All we could do is dump the rest of the kicker gas into the big tank and see where it takes us. My partner grabbed the chainsaw and dumped that in too grinning. "Next is the moonshine" I said. The math didn't work, we had about 15 miles to go and only about 10L to do it. It leaves us short by a few miles, but no choice.

I watched the gps closely as the distance kept getting shorter and shorter. As expected though, the motor died about 3 miles or so short. Left without a gram of fuel, we got on the oars and started to steer the boat downstream. We soon had it down to an art and could keep it pointed in the right direction even in the rapids. The trick is to stand near the front on each side of the boat and work together, when the boat needs to turn away from me, I paddle, when towards me, I stick the oar in the water and brake. The other guy does the same. When we approached rapids, we point it in the smoothest water and paddle like hell. This is so the rapid does not pick up the back end and spin the boat, keep the speed of the bow up. In this manner we floated towards our destination.

We saw the blaze marker and realized a new problem, there were rapids to cross to make the landing and not miss the spot. We attempted to land further up and walk down to the gas, but it was too late, the current took us. The only thing left was to paddle like hell and cross the rapids. So that's what we did, like a couple of Olympic canoe paddlers, we turned the water to foam and just as the current started to turn the boat, we got out of it and into the calm water of the little bay. The two of us out of breath, a hi-5 was in order. All our gear was as we left it and with 80L in the tank we were good to go. It was critical to get this fuel because, to make the boat launch at Skook's Landing would be impossible without power, the current is too fast and the rapids too strong. We would have been swept past and landed who knows how far down stream. All good though, we cruised down and finished our adventure. Although not successful as a hunting trip as we were going home with too many uncut tags in our pockets, it was a success for us that we completed it regardless our hardships.

I should add that the fuel amount that we initially had estimated would have been more than enough and even a little to play around with. We also had plenty of time to re-think our gear and along with the dog being left at home we easily dropped 300lbs from the total. That is 75lbs less weight than the way we went up river with all the fuel on board. So next time, minimal gear, no dog and enough fuel. Now that I think about it, that was the idea from when I started this project, I guess its just hard to leave things behind.
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[Dre]

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[Buck]

Thats the way some trips turn out no harm done.Boat looks really good nice pics and i enjoyed the story

[digginsweatinswearin]

Very cool story, I hope to make that same trip soon.

[markomoose]

Very cool story and pics.Too bad no animals but looked like a hell of a trip/adventure.Looking forward to next season and a boat load of animals!

[albravo2]

Dre,

Superb story. Bummer about the uncut tags but you definitely put some adventure into that trip. I can just imagine the feeling of relief when you got out of that rapid into the calm water by your gas stash.

[Salty]

Dre thanks for the detailed account on the whole shebang. That's what this site is all about sharing stories and information a bunch of dead animals is all good but its just a part of it all and not the be all end all . We're planning some river hunting next year for the first time with a small boat and you're write up here has been a big help to me and made me think of a few things I hadn't. thanks dude

[Dre]

If you built another one would you build it the same way, as in design. From the pics it looks like you did a very good job.

I am very happy with the design and the only thing I would consider changing would be the motor, probably would go with a 4 stroke and shoot for around 200hp, fuel injected, with matching pump. I think there is a 'holy grail' motor out there that would give the best fuel economy and power combination without adding 2 stroke oil. I will be building a boat for a buddy this winter and will try something different as far as engine choice :). I'll do a thread on it. Thanks.

[dabber]

Thanks for sharing, enjoyed the storey and pictures. Look forward to seeing pics of your next project. DB

[BimmerBob]

Thanks for the great writeups on your project and adventure on the river, much appreciated. I was wondering though, was it the shear-pin on the prop that went on your kicker? Sounded like it with what you said but I was hoping to hear your findings... Cheers, Bob

[Dre]

Great looking boat where did u get the plans? I have looked at www.specmar.com (http://www.specmar.com) boats before and would love to do this one day I have a couple friends that can weld aluminum.
No plans. It was loosely based on a Wooldridge Alaskan. I did all the dimensional sketches by hand. Motor and pump from a Polaris 785 Pro. Here is a slideshow of the build https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhigroa6af4

[Dre]

Thanks for the great writeups on your project and adventure on the river, much appreciated. I was wondering though, was it the shear-pin on the prop that went on your kicker? Sounded like it with what you said but I was hoping to hear your findings... Cheers, Bob
I popped off the prop and found that the shear pin did not shear and the engagement coupling shattered in about 6 pieces. The pin was just bent. Everything else looks good so not an expensive fix.

[Barracuda]

an ecotec type engine with a Hamilton or scott pump would fit the bill .

[Riverratz]

Good story, you guys had an adventure for sure.
A good learning experience for you.

Not sure if you were aware of this before you launched, (you didn't mention it), but in case you weren't, here's a "heads up" for future reference....... and some advice for anyone contemplating a Kechika River trip.

You don't want to suffer a power failure in the Liard !!!

About 1 km. downstream from the launch at Skook's Landing is Portage Brule rapids.
Pretty much not survivable, with a loss of power at or near the launch you'll have about 2-3 minutes to contemplate what's remaining of your life.
Very few have survived,........... the boats don't.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/lloymar/53dde269-3096-43ac-8e22-79e0e43afbf7_zps25192d46.jpg (http://s599.photobucket.com/user/lloymar/media/53dde269-3096-43ac-8e22-79e0e43afbf7_zps25192d46.jpg.html)


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[Dre]

That thing looks like a blender :0. No, I did not know that was there. Thanks for sharing. If I ever have to come back without power, I would try to land on the north bank of the Liard right after the Kechika joins it as there is some slow water and walk to the launch for gas, help ect. Thanks again, I'm sure people thinking about this trip will appreciate it.

[Riverratz]

When I was reading the beginning of your story with the problems you experienced getting up on step, then your fuel issues coming down I was thinking "oh oh, I wonder if those guys knew about Portage Brule ?". You had luck on your side, you were dangerously close to a disaster.

This is a very good reason why everyone should load test their boats extensively prior to setting out on these trips, both from a performance standpoint and fuel consumption.

There have been more than a few very serious and deadly "disasters" at that location over the years.
It was only 4-5 years ago that a couple of guys actually turned the wrong way when they left the launch.
It seems that someone had told them that in order to get into the Kechika from the Liard they had to turn "left".
They misunderstood those directions; instead of heading upstream on the Liard first and then turning left into the Kechika, they turned left as soon as they left the launch.
Their hunting trip ended about two minutes later; quickly donning the lifejackets, they bailed out of the boat and somehow miraculously survived after riding through the rapids, but the boat and all the gear gone forever.

[steveo]

Wow, I just watched your slide show on youtube and what a neat project. I haven't built or seen a boat with all that framing and extrusions, well almost but you get the point. Lots of time and fabricating on that hull and a very nice design to boot. I am envious and wish I could be part of the build but feel privileged I got to see it in pics and thanks for sharing.

[Dre]

When I was reading the beginning of your story with the problems you experienced getting up on step, then your fuel issues coming down I was thinking "oh oh, I wonder if those guys knew about Portage Brule ?". You had luck on your side, you were dangerously close to a disaster.

This is a very good reason why everyone should load test their boats extensively prior to setting out on these trips, both from a performance standpoint and fuel consumption.

There have been more than a few very serious and deadly "disasters" at that location over the years.
It was only 4-5 years ago that a couple of guys actually turned the wrong way when they left the launch.
It seems that someone had told them that in order to get into the Kechika from the Liard they had to turn "left".
They misunderstood those directions; instead of heading upstream on the Liard first and then turning left into the Kechika, they turned left as soon as they left the launch.
Their hunting trip ended about two minutes later; quickly donning the lifejackets, they bailed out of the boat and somehow miraculously survived after riding through the rapids, but the boat and all the gear gone forever.

That is scary. Those rivers can change their attitude pretty quick. The water level went up by 2' in a couple of days due to the snow and rain in the mountains. The rapids were much more powerful on the return trip as well. We tried to be prepared for anything, but still had to resort to the oars for a short distance. I would have not even chanced the current in front of the launch without power. Our gas stash was luckily a couple of miles up the Kechika, so we would have tried to land anywhere around it and walk over to get it. There was no way we were passing it completely.

[Mik]

That was a great adventure for me. I have never jet boated before so to see your project come to life, all the advise, and to read about your trip was phenomenal. Glad to hear ya made it back. Thanks for posting.

[limit time]

Dude !! I forgot about this thread :(. All I can say is WOW ! Your adventure is amazing... you started with an idea and followed it all the way to the end and included us in it. Not something most can ever say they did :).

[okas]

i no a few guys with boats with siilar power and jet set ups and they only found they work at about 10-12 feet,,pump can only put so much water out to push the boat,,,,by the looks of the boat u no ur stuff,,i have run jets in white water for years,,and with a sweet a$$ boat like yours i would drop 10k into it and put a new 175 sport jet or a similar style power head disighn and a bigger pump or a nice 200 optimax out board jet and be done with under power and fuel issues and b outa the water with 2 guys gear and a moose and sheep!!!,,,cheers and happy safe back country river running and slaying of out mtn animals.... yes 175 hp. and a stomp gate and when the nylon goes on that intake moves up so to speak as 1/4 plus nylon 3/8 makes 5/8 air bubble time with a 1/8 bottom the 3/8 will fit tight as it will be the strength here . i run 12gal tanks down the center stem to stern and put in or take out as i need allso great for going for fuel:wink:

[okas]

i have a 10 ft 83hp hard bottom 18inch tube avon 320 it is a scouting boat and a 15ft with a outboard jet but when it comes to packing the 28ft900 hp works great but a 1000.00$ for fuel :frown:

[joed4040]

When you leave Skooks landing till your up on the Kechika there is no substitute for power or reliability.

[Glslickshooter]

Nice job Mr Dre! Like others have said, install oar locks, get oars and a stomp grate.

[okas]

When you leave Skooks landing till your up on the Kechika there is no substitute for power or reliability. yes and make sure you have fuel to hit the other side:roll:

[Chopper]

very cool , I like it ....

[Asco]

I'm looking at jet boating; this article opened my eyes, thank you Dre and all those with experience who added their knowledge. Dry helpful