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Thread: Advice Re: Jon boat

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    145

    Default Advice Re: Jon boat

    Looking at a crestliner 1546 and a yamaha 40/30 jet. Want to run the lower klamath, me my dog and occasionally a friend 2-3 times a season. Also want to hunt ducks in the napa slough area, not looking to get in the mud just up the slough and get out and walk to my hunting spot.

    Specifically looking at the Crestliner retriever jon at 15'1" which has a max hp rating of 25.

    https://www.crestliner.com/retriever...retriever-jon/

    The boat weighs 290lbs. Would a jet with 25hp at the pump be enough? Would 30hp at the pump be enought?

    I understand the risk of running a 30hp motor on a 25hp rated boat, not sure there's really much risk there other than people saying the insurance company may not like that. As best I can tell it's not illegal either federal or state wise.

    I did speak with a crestliner rep via chat who wouldn't advise anything more than 25hp (for obvious reasons) and I did specify I would run a jet on it. I'm wondering if they don't differentiate jet vs prop (I'd be using a tiller model).


    Plan would be to use it for 5 years until I retire and if my girls at that point would still want to chase fish and shoot birds go with a bigger boat. Not looking to go bigger at this point.

    Any thoughts on the set up?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Stockton
    Posts
    269

    Default

    Call some insurance companies and see if they will insure it. Often times these boat companies use hp ratings for marketing as well as liability. In other words, they hope you'll move up to a bigger, more expensive boat. I have a cousin who runs a 115 optimax on his 17' Tracker which is rated for 75 hp. He was able to insure it.
    Bottom line is you never want to be underpowered with any boat.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    This is a very scary situation.

    The 15' x 42" with a 30/25 jet would be my pick for one person.

    A 16' x 48" Tracker Grizzly Jon with a 40/30 jet would be better for two and some gear.


    I think the 40/30 jet is 230# which is probably too much weight for a 42" wide boat.

    Do not put much weight in these boats if you want them to get up fast.

    Go to Sutter Marine in Yuba City and chat with Brian up there....he is an expert here.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired View Post
    This is a very scary situation.

    The 15' x 42" with a 30/25 jet would be might pick for one person.

    A 16' x 48" Tracker Grizzly Jon with a 40/30 jet would be better for two and some gear.

    I think the 40/30 jet is 230# which is probably too much weight for a 42" wide boat.

    Do not put much weight in these boats if you want them to get up fast.

    Go to Sutter Marine in Yuba City and chat with Brian up there....he is an expert here.

    Thanks Bill, that's the information I was looking for in terms of is it doable/safe.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    On the River in Shastanistan
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    162

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    <<<I think the 40/30 jet is 230# which is probably too much weight for a 42" wide boat.>>>
    I second what Bill said. It's not just the horsepower, it's also the weight of the engine. A combo of the weight and HP may lift the bow of the boat too much (and also sink the stern) when you're pushing to get on plane. It's about balance and stability also. And a 40/30 jet, weighs more than a 40 prop, so the it's "only 5 HP over" isn't really valid. I'd be careful here.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    On the River in Shastanistan
    Posts
    162

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    <<<I have a cousin who runs a 115 optimax on his 17' Tracker which is rated for 75 hp. He was able to insure it.>>>
    Be careful here. I have a 150 on my 200 rated boat. I'm glad I put a 150 on it, because if I would have went with the 200, my insurance company (Nationwide) classifies it as a high performance boat and that comes with a hefty premium increase! After that little tidbit, I didn't even consider going with a 250!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    North Bay
    Posts
    58

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    Just because they wrote the policy does not mean they will not try to find a way out of liability.

    .[QUOTE=MThompson;1. I have a cousin who runs a 115 optimax on his 17' Tracker which is rated for 75 hp. He was able to insure it.
    [/QUOTE]

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
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    Some years ago I bought a new Lowe Roughneck 14' x 48" Jon boat with a side console.

    I bought a used Evinrude 28 hp 2 stroke with red San Leandro jet pump installed.

    They say you loose 30% with the jet? so maybe 19.6 hp at the jet?

    I also built custom aluminum casting decks front and rear adding lots of weight.

    This boat was prefect with one person but just did not go well with 2 anglers.

    In this experiment I wasted a lot of money but found a guy who fished alone so it was perfect for him.


    I that boat was empty with only a tiller it would have worked for two anglers.

    It is all about weight and horse power....I am a fan of Max horse power for boats.

    _______________________________

    This is the company who makes all the jet pumps for outboards in the USA.

    If the pump is the color of the motor it is probably a factory setup.

    If the pump is red it was probably added on later.

    http://outboardjets.com/

    _________________________________

    Brian at Sutter Marine in Yuba City is our leading expert on outboard jets in Nor Cal.

    http://www.suttermarine.com/
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    chattanooga, tn
    Posts
    45

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by WLREDBAND View Post
    <<<I think the 40/30 jet is 230# which is probably too much weight for a 42" wide boat.>>>
    ...and a 40/30 jet, weighs more than a 40 prop, so the it's "only 5 HP over" isn't really valid. I'd be careful here.
    If the boat is in the water and not running, much of the pump and grate on a jet (where the weight difference is) will be underwater, so the difference between prop and jet <functionally> won't impact balance of the boat. If the OP is that concerned with the extra weight over the rated hull capacity, have a pair of sponsons added to the transom to support the extra weight. They work!
    Last edited by ptychocheilus; 08-06-2019 at 02:36 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Placer County
    Posts
    1,135

    Default

    Talk to Brian. "They" send hulls to welders to beef up transoms and gussets. Weight is one thing, but the forward pressure while under power is another...........

    As far as bottom width is concerned, Koffler in Oregon, builds all kinds of jet hulls with bottom width increments of 6"............ there is a sweet spot for each bottom width to hp based on occupancy and weight. 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke, etc. Koffler builds to spec based on a person's exact needs, etc.

    Go see Sutter Marine. They have G3 and Lowe.

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