Opinions On A Jet Boat

[gotmuddy]

with the way riverboats are designed around here, they dont really plane out. all I need is a reliable way to propel the boat in a few inches of water. There haven't been any jets that small because no one has tried.

[Al Agnew]

I guess you might be onto something...if your boat drafts shallow enough when not under way, all you need is a motor that will work and doesn't stick farther down into the water. Problem I could see with the concept is that it wouldn't be pushing the boat fast enough to keep the intake from sucking up gravel if the bottom was just a few inches under the intake. It's the speed of jet boats as much as anything that allows them to run in water just an inch or two deeper than the intake without sucking gravel. I know from plenty of experience with it happening that if you're not moving fast enough to get the boat on plane, you WILL be taking gravel into the grill and intake if the water is only a few inches deeper than the bottom of the boat.

[Gatorjet]

For the rivers you mentioned the 17' with a 60/40 would be perfect. It is also allowed in the areas of the Current River I can't take my inboard Gator. The larger inboard V bottom jets like mine will do the rivers OK, and gives me the advantage of being perfectly safe on larger impoundments.

Just for grins, look here.

http://www.gatorjetboats.com/

And next year you might want to join us for some fun like this on the lower Gasconade.

[Smalliefreak]

For the rivers you mentioned the 17' with a 60/40 would be perfect. It is also allowed in the areas of the Current River I can't take my inboard Gator. The larger inboard V bottom jets like mine will do the rivers OK, and gives me the advantage of being perfectly safe on larger impoundments.

Just for grins, look here.

http://www.gatorjetboats.com/

And next year you might want to join us for some fun like this on the lower Gasconade.

The guys @ Gator boats have really really made some impressive boats!!!my buddy has one but I just don't know if I could afford one right now.I did look at the model that is more geared to a fisherman, it was rediculous!!! actually did a test run with the guys @ Troutt & Sons who now sell them and it was very cool. I already have so many other boats at this point, my new jet purchase is going to be a fishing only and doing nice easy rides on the river. I would like to hook up with you sometime on the river, it's just I'll be about four or five bends in the river behind you...lol... we aren't to far from each other at all, my wife is an executive with SSM and she had a great deal to do with the building of St.Clare Hospital by you.We live in Kirkwood right near the Meramec, I have boat ramp right down the road about a half mile.

[gotmuddy]

I guess you might be onto something...if your boat drafts shallow enough when not under way, all you need is a motor that will work and doesn't stick farther down into the water. Problem I could see with the concept is that it wouldn't be pushing the boat fast enough to keep the intake from sucking up gravel if the bottom was just a few inches under the intake. It's the speed of jet boats as much as anything that allows them to run in water just an inch or two deeper than the intake without sucking gravel. I know from plenty of experience with it happening that if you're not moving fast enough to get the boat on plane, you WILL be taking gravel into the grill and intake if the water is only a few inches deeper than the bottom of the boat.

I figure that if I can get the hp output to around what it is now I should plane out fine. I cannot wait to get started but I have too many other projects in front of it.

[Gatorjet]

The guys @ Gator boats have really really made some impressive boats!!!my buddy has one but I just don't know if I could afford one right now.I did look at the model that is more geared to a fisherman, it was rediculous!!! actually did a test run with the guys @ Troutt & Sons who now sell them and it was very cool. I already have so many other boats at this point, my new jet purchase is going to be a fishing only and doing nice easy rides on the river. I would like to hook up with you sometime on the river, it's just I'll be about four or five bends in the river behind you...lol... we aren't to far from each other at all, my wife is an executive with SSM and she had a great deal to do with the building of St.Clare Hospital by you.We live in Kirkwood right near the Meramec, I have boat ramp right down the road about a half mile.

The great thing about Gator Boatsis that you can sit down with Randy and design what you want. They still sell them right at the shop in Cuba MO. They have the

20-60 flat bottom, more of a river boat, the 20' Fish & Sport V, along with the V and tunnel hull sport boats.

I started with the Fish & Sport, but had it built with a full front deck, dual rod boxes, large divided livewell, built in cooler, and large storage area. The biggest thing I had to decide on was the paint job. All are your own design, color, graphics, etc. The more elaborate, the higher the cost. Mine was a no cost basic paint.

I've been on the Meramec from Times Beach to Pacific, but want to get on the river more. I mostly fish Taneycomo, and sometimes Truman, Mark Twain, and Lake of the Ozarks. With the V bottom, it does a great job on big water.

See ya on the river, Bob

[flytyer57]

I figure that if I can get the hp output to around what it is now I should plane out fine. I cannot wait to get started but I have too many other projects in front of it.

Yeah, like fishing this weekend.

If anything, fish the pond. I'll bring my fly rods.

[gotmuddy]

Yeah, like fishing this weekend.

If anything, fish the pond. I'll bring my fly rods.

I am going to the river saturday afternoon.

[Bman]

You have gotten some great replies. Another thing to condider on the rig you choose. Running shallow rivers isn't all about just how shallow you can RUN, it's also all about how shallow you can start and shut down! If the rear end drops a lot when jumping up on plane, or when coming off plane you will have a lot more problems running shallow rivers. You want a balanced boat. This will help the boat dead drifting as well. The boat will draft less water.