# jet outboards for river running....tell me what your hull looks like now!



## Alan in GA (Jun 25, 2011)

I've been thinking about a jet outboard and of course a hull that is best for one. The G3 1860 has a small tunnel that allows mounting the jet foot above the rest of the hull bottom for it's protection.
However, watched a bunch of YOUTUBE videos and it seems that IF you get a jet boat, you're gonna bang up the bottom sooner or later because the shallows just look too tempting [or your buddy says "you can't get thru that"] HA!
Does anyone get a jet and keep the hull in excellent condition?...or is it bound to leave paint on rocks and gravel?
How does owning a 'river jet' boat work out as far as banging up the hull?
I have one method that gets me in backwaters, SLOW. I have a stick steer and prop drive w/trim/tilt. I'm about to believe that if I got a jet outboard, I'd keep running shallower and shallower until SCRAAAAAAAPE!
How is it in real life?

I've run a jet center console in the Hooch in Bull Sluice and just below Morgan Falls but it belonged to a friend that never had it out before. I was super careful and there isn't many 'shoals' in the river sections we fished. Sure is tempting though : )


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## FishingAddict (Jun 25, 2011)

I have a buddy who has a really nice one.  He's managed to put two holes in the side, but he was running it way too fast in skinny waters...having too much fun with it.


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## Grey Ghost (Jun 25, 2011)

You aren't going to just scrape the bottom. You will beat the heck out of it. Plan on some welding and it AIN'T  a lake boat.


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## Alan in GA (Jun 25, 2011)

*I've heard rumors of.....*

I've heard rumors of drain holes being peened closed! : O


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## striper commander (Jun 25, 2011)

It is best to have uhmw plastic bolted to the bottom of your boat. I don't have it but my hull is 7/16 thick 6062 tempered from the middle of the hull to the back. I have a lot of scrapes but no holes. The G3 boats are nice but you would not want to fish a river like the etowah in them. I would check out rhino boats if you are wanting a outboard jet boat. I prefer inboard mercury sportjet powered boats.


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## Heath Geter (Jun 25, 2011)

Check out a sea-ark tunnel I have a 1652 center console and love it the only time i hit anything is when i get scared and let off the gas you just got to look for the most water flow in the shoals and hit it wide open .I've got a 60/40 merc jet on it the sea-ark has a deeper tunnel than the g3's I have seen but if you fish the lake any it is a ruff ride.running up the river ain't to bad but back down is the hard part because you can't see the rocks as good.


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## BradMyers (Jun 25, 2011)

Alan you got me looking at something I've been wanting to build, a jetski jon boat conversion. Not saying it would save money cause some customs are like factory builds with a heafty price tag but ain't nothing cheap about jets. You got some good advice on hulls so far.

Look at this homemade jet, this thing hauls the mail in some real skinny water.



Of course I had to add this one too.


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## Alan in GA (Jun 26, 2011)

*Reality check here....*

With every 'river boat' video I watch, I'm convinced the ONLY way to go is with the 'sacrificial' UHMV sheet mounted to the bottom of the hull. I went with a SCUBA class [my son's] to Florida, and I saw several airboats that had these 'sheets' of UHMV screwed onto the hull bottoms. 
I just can't see aluminum, no matter how thick, "sliding" over rocks very well. Galling comes to mind!
Great video, and I'm starting to see that 'river boating', or probably better described as "water rocking" is a fun sport [challenge!] in itself. Point A to point B type stuff just for the challenge.
And to think I'm wanting "Keel Shield" for my little Triton JUST for sitting the front of the hull on the launch ramps while boarding and unboarding!
Rivers are the last frontier in fishing....and I'm sure every jet/river boater hopes he is the last to buy and have one.


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## mtr3333 (Jun 26, 2011)

Cool videos Brad.


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## FishingAddict (Jun 26, 2011)

Glad I could live vicariously through the videos, rather than being in the boat!!


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## Gbang (Jun 26, 2011)

I have more damage from floating down rivers than running rivers.


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## Laneybird (Jun 26, 2011)

That UHMV is some tough stuff. I hate cutting it on a saw table.


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## Alan in GA (Jun 26, 2011)

*thanks guys...*

videos and comments appreciated! Guess I'll just keep IDLING around! : )
"rocks eat props",....and anything that sticks in the water!


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## j_seph (Jun 26, 2011)

while your looking around Google jetjon


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## Nicodemus (Jun 26, 2011)

BradMyers said:


> Alan you got me looking at something I've been wanting to build, a jetski jon boat conversion. Not saying it would save money cause some customs are like factory builds with a heafty price tag but ain't nothing cheap about jets. You got some good advice on hulls so far.
> 
> Look at this homemade jet, this thing hauls the mail in some real skinny water.
> 
> ...





If I fished the Flint River only down here where I live, I would have me one of those like the one in the first video, without a doubt. Unfortunatley, I don`t think it would do well on Seminole though.


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## Cy Grajcar (Jun 26, 2011)

When you get a jet it isnt a question of IF you will get dents in it but how many, how big and if they punch through the hull.  lol  The funny thing is that the real skinny water for the most part doesnt get ya.  Its the going along in a couple feet of water and there is a rock just under the surface that isnt throwing a wake that will trash your boat out.  The bottom of mine looks like a golf ball but it still runs great!  UHMW will help but needs the proper support, structure and thickness of the hull to do its job.  Call me if you have any questions.  Cy 770-815-9579


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## BradMyers (Jun 27, 2011)

mtr3333 said:


> Cool videos Brad.



I'd love to have been on either of those river rides.



j_seph said:


> while your looking around Google jetjon



Good info there man.



Nicodemus said:


> If I fished the Flint River only down here where I live, I would have me one of those like the one in the first video, without a doubt. Unfortunatley, I don`t think it would do well on Seminole though.



You know it, them things don't like hydrilla or sand. The best way I got around down that way was in a airboat, however Jack's hopped up bass boats did good too.


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## BradMyers (Jun 27, 2011)

Alan in GA said:


> videos and comments appreciated! Guess I'll just keep IDLING around! : )
> "rocks eat props",....and anything that sticks in the water!



Alan there is one other option on not bust'n props, eliminate them. This is a lower unit that has been around a while, the military commissioned them back in the early 90's for safety issues but they have other advantages like better on fuel than other jets and better speed too. I often wondered how they would perform on a good semi tunnel. It might be another option for jets in our rocky river system.
http://www.smalloutboards.com/pumpexpansion.htm

http://actorlando.com/


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## Alan in GA (Jun 27, 2011)

*Durajet?*

there's not much info on them, and I couldn't google a video. Wonder why they've not been heard of more? Looks interesting. 
I couldn't see where they locate the jet drive relative to the boat bottom. How far down below the hull is it?
Interesting!
{hey, just opened the second link and found more info} Thanks!


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## Rattlecrap (Jun 27, 2011)

Good friend of mine has a Allweld 16' aluminum boat with a Yamaha (I think) 60 horse jet drive.  We have been fishing in club tournaments in lakes (Jackson, Sinclair etc..) we don't do a lot of river fishing.  It works great, but because of the width of the boat it is a little slow and rough to ride.    I believe he has it up for sale, he is wanting to buy a bass boat for the lakes around here.


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## SemperFiDawg (Jul 13, 2011)

Alan.  I after months and months of fretting over a jet drive, I went with a G3 1860 with the jet tunnel and 90/65 yamaha.  I got it because I fish the Oconee River and when it gets low like it is now it's almost impossible to navigate with a prop drive.  I think it's the perfect boat, and here's why.
With the river low like it is now(and probably will be until October or later) I can run up and down it like it was full.  But because it's so low I have the river pretty much to myself.  It takes me 15 minutes to go up to my favorite fishing hole whereas it used to take me 2 hours to idle up there in my little 14 foot duracraft with a 6 hp johnson.  That allows a lot more fishing.  I have dinged the bottom on rocks, but each and every time it was because I WASN'T on plane.  I was either idling or just putting along.   Hope this helps.  PM me if you want any more input.  If I had to do it again.  I'd do the same thing.  Can't imagine ever having any other boat now.


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## dphillipx (Jul 13, 2011)

is the 6hp for sale?


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## SemperFiDawg (Jul 13, 2011)

Sure.  Shoot me a pm.


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## woods-n-water (Jul 13, 2011)

Rattlecrap said:


> Good friend of mine has a Allweld 16' aluminum boat with a Yamaha (I think) 60 horse jet drive.  We have been fishing in club tournaments in lakes (Jackson, Sinclair etc..) we don't do a lot of river fishing.  It works great, but because of the width of the boat it is a little slow and rough to ride.    I believe he has it up for sale, he is wanting to buy a bass boat for the lakes around here.



Let me know if he has it for sale i might be interested.


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## Alan in GA (Jul 13, 2011)

*Did you?....*

Did you buy new? The green or Deluxe version? A friend of a friend has one up here in Atlanta and I'm supposed to get a ride. I think I want one, too!



SemperFiDawg said:


> Alan.  I after months and months of fretting over a jet drive, I went with a G3 1860 with the jet tunnel and 90/65 yamaha.  I got it because I fish the Oconee River and when it gets low like it is now it's almost impossible to navigate with a prop drive.  I think it's the perfect boat, and here's why.
> With the river low like it is now(and probably will be until October or later) I can run up and down it like it was full.  But because it's so low I have the river pretty much to myself.  It takes me 15 minutes to go up to my favorite fishing hole whereas it used to take me 2 hours to idle up there in my little 14 foot duracraft with a 6 hp johnson.  That allows a lot more fishing.  I have dinged the bottom on rocks, but each and every time it was because I WASN'T on plane.  I was either idling or just putting along.   Hope this helps.  PM me if you want any more input.  If I had to do it again.  I'd do the same thing.  Can't imagine ever having any other boat now.


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## SemperFiDawg (Jul 14, 2011)

It's a 2007 that I bought used from Linda's Lakeside Marine in Bean Station TN.  Only had 180 hrs on the motor.  Got a great deal on it, and it was already tricked out with all the goodies like a trolling motor, bilge pumps, extra batteries, etc.   It's the green one.  I don't like the deluxe one as much just because I like the color of the O.D. green more for a river boat.  The deluxe is just too shiny for me.  Get one.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  It will go almost anywhere.  It's like having a 4 wheeler for the water that you can fish out of.


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## Alan Matthews (Jul 24, 2011)

*Jet Boat*

I had a G3 1860 with a 90-65 I loved the boat would go about anywhere I done more damage floating than when running only down fall to the yamaha 4 stroke they are to heavy . Polymer bottom is the way to go to save your hull my next boat will have it


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