Jet boat recommendations

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You are getting all the info / question figured out pretty well now.

I would talk to Andy @ Kiene's and Brian @ Sutter Marine for good feedback about size of boat and motor sizes.

When you buy a new boat you want to be sure the combination is right for you.

Many complain their motor purchase was too small and this is just a lot of wasted $$$$$.

I have advised tons of folks about what size boat to get and helped them get it together over my career.

I can't count how many boats I have had, maybe 40, and 3 were outboard jet boats.


I think I am hearing that you will not be fishing from the boat so you don't need a bow mounted elect motor.

You might not need a $1,000 to $3,000 fish finder / GPS but maybe a $300 one?

For the rivers long drift boat oars are a good thing with a tiller motor.

They say to buy a boat for what you plan on using it for 80% of the time.

How often will you have 3 people in the boat?

Most of the time with non - guide fly fishers there are two people in the boat.

[boomer4]

All great advice on this thread. Wish I had some of it when I was searching for the right jet boat. Having owned four or five now, I will add my 2 cents of what I've learned.

If you are not using the boat for the Delta, this narrows your parameters to a true river boat. For just a river boat, I'd go with a flat bottom, the widest bottom you can find, which displaces less water and the boat rides higher. and gets on plane more easily.

The less it drafts, the easier it will be to row. The flat bottom should have ribs to assist in steering - most of the jon boats, like Lowe's and Roughnecks have these. If you go with a solid smooth bottom (usually found on higher end models), make sure it is thicker alum and a 6 degree V hull or your steering will be unsafe. A 10 degree hull compromises shallow river running. And I mean 4-6 inches or less of water.

Get good oars. Any jet boat with oars will be like handling a buick on a racetrack. Larger, stronger oars will give you more control and power in the stroke when it's needed. Don't get the little wooden ones some folks will put on G3's and the like.

Get the biggest motor the boat is designed for. Biggest motor and widest bottom are key, IMHO.

If you get a tiller, make sure you have plenty of leg room in front of you. Tillers are more responsive in steering. I have a tiller jet and a center console jet and for bigger waters or more technical waters where I'm running faster, I prefer the CC, but that is mostly a personal decision.

Good luck and have fun.

[Peter S]

I have similar requirements. I ended up with an inflatable jet boat powered by a 25efi Merc jet. The boat is a Solar, made in Russia. Very rugged and with an inflatable floor and tunnel hull. My boat is 14' long but they make a 15' model too. Runs shallow on plane, good for 2 people to get from spot to spot.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XYzL3GJvi5Np76be6

[boomer4]

That is one sweet setup. Raft and jet boat. I've learned that the perfect boat is....just one more

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I have similar requirements. I ended up with an inflatable jet boat powered by a 25efi Merc jet. The boat is a Solar, made in Russia. Very rugged and with an inflatable floor and tunnel hull. My boat is 14' long but they make a 15' model too. Runs shallow on plane, good for 2 people to get from spot to spot.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XYzL3GJvi5Np76be6

This "Zodiac" jet boat idea is all new to me but is very interesting.

[tcorfey]

Thanks for that guys your experiences are awesome to draw from. I do like the inflatable idea too, as I could occasionally forgo the trailer deflate it, then stick in the back of the truck and then put a crane in the bed of the truck to unload/load the motor (assuming avg weight of a 25hp jet at around 160 lbs) if I wanted to get in to more remote places. The oars don't look to strong though and rod storage might be more difficult.

Back in the 90's my friend and I used to run a 14' semi-rigid hull with a 40hp side console inflatable in the ocean for salmon. It was really fast but very wet and not the most comfortable way to travel. But it got you there and it was a very capable craft. My friend even took it down to Cabo and caught a 565lb black marlin out of it!

For the most part I will probably just have myself and one other person but there may be times I want up to three others to go on a joy ride with my family (very rare). I am no stranger to boats having multiple boats from age 7 and owning everything from canoes and small outboards to offshore sport fishing boat so I realize all boats are a compromise of sorts. I can also rebuild outboards having done so with many over the years. I do have some experience with jets from having jet ski's and for a short time a jet inboard runabout with dual motors.

I think I will be selling my Boston Whaler when I get the jet as I will not have time for two, the jet will probably see me selling my 10' pram and a couple of 8-9' pontoon boats along with my square stern canoe. Thin the herd ya know...

Getting excited about this as I narrow down my requirements. All people with experience running the major coastal rivers or the lower sac and it's tributaries I would love to hear your opinions.

[Peter S]

Thanks for that guys your experiences are awesome to draw from. I do like the inflatable idea too, as I could occasionally forgo the trailer deflate it, then stick in the back of the truck and then put a crane in the bed of the truck to unload/load the motor (assuming avg weight of a 25hp jet at around 160 lbs) if I wanted to get in to more remote places. The oars don't look to strong though and rod storage might be more difficult.

Back in the 90's my friend and I used to run a 14' semi-rigid hull with a 40hp side console inflatable in the ocean for salmon. It was really fast but very wet and not the most comfortable way to travel. But it got you there and it was a very capable craft. My friend even took it down to Cabo and caught a 565lb black marlin out of it!

For the most part I will probably just have myself and one other person but there may be times I want up to three others to go on a joy ride with my family (very rare). I am no stranger to boats having multiple boats from age 7 and owning everything from canoes and small outboards to offshore sport fishing boat so I realize all boats are a compromise of sorts. I can also rebuild outboards having done so with many over the years. I do have some experience with jets from having jet ski's and for a short time a jet inboard runabout with dual motors.

I think I will be selling my Boston Whaler when I get the jet as I will not have time for two, the jet will probably see me selling my 10' pram and a couple of 8-9' pontoon boats along with my square stern canoe. Thin the herd ya know...

Getting excited about this as I narrow down my requirements. All people with experience running the major coastal rivers or the lower sac and it's tributaries I would love to hear your opinions.

My Merc is darn close to 200lbs so it stays on the boat! A 25hp 2 stroke jet would be ideal but are hard to come by. The Solar comes with wimpy oar but an NRS rowing frame can be added with full size oars. I strap my 14' spey rod down when in transit so it doesn't fly out of the boat.

I run this boat on the lower Sac and will take it up to the Klamath and coastal rivers some day. Not the most comfortable boat and the ride can get bouncy but for relatively short trips up and down the river it works well for me. Also, it bounces off of rocks and is easy to get unstuck compared to hard boats.

Here's a video clip from the distributor in Alaska.

https://youtu.be/1GLac1s945w

[TaylerW]

Another handy item is a hydraulic jack plate so you can easily find tune your motor height. Really easy to make it too high sucking air, or too low and sucking rock. Always keep a decent file, basic tools and a replacement key for the impeller. The key is inside the impeller and is designed to break and free the shaft if the impeller gets jammed rather than breaking the shaft

[tcorfey]

Thanks Taylor good to know.

[Brian Clemens]

I love my 18x54 power drifter. It has a 115/80, but my previous one had a 90/60. A 17x54 with a 90/60 would be a great single man or 2 jet boat. I can take mine where others could only dream of. Look up Adrian Wood with Drift Wood Boats. You won't be disappointed and to get into a 17x54 with a 60/40 will not break the bank. Around 23k, for 27k you can have it with a 90/60.