Hello all - I have a 2010 G3 with a 50 hp Yamaha 2 stroke set up with stick steering. I've had it a few months and have already damaged 2 props while fishing the rocky rivers close to my home. I was thinking of buying a jet boat if I bought a new one, but found this prop boat at a good price and decided to get it.
I don't regret buying it; with it fully rigged I've got about $7k in it so I think I could get most of my money back if I decide to sell and get a new one. But as I research things I am thinking that the best thing to do might be to keep this boat and convert the motor to jet drive. It looks like I could do that for around $3k, and a new boat like I want with a jet outboard is gonna run at least $20k.
Another advantage of keeping this one is that I would still be able to convert it back to the prop. Where I live, the rivers are fishable only from about May through November. To fish the rest of the year I've gotta go to a reservoir and a prop would be much better there.
How reasonable of a plan would it be to put the prop on in December and switch to the jet in May and just plan to do that every year? Jet outboards are rare in this area. Not only have I never fished in one, but I've never even seen one on one of our rivers. I am no great mechanic by any means, but I can usually figure something out if I have decent directions. Is this a job an average guy could do, or is it something for a skilled mechanic?
The G3 hull has a lot of wood in it and weighs 800 lbs. I think that my 2 stroke Yamaha has a lot of power for its size, and I think it will have sufficient power. I would have no need to go fast with the jet setup on the river. Right now I can fish only about 2 miles of river with the prop. I could stretch that to 10 with a jet, but if it would go 20 mph that would be plenty. It will do 32 with a prop, but it's basically idle speed on the river now. It's loaded with rocks just under the water.
So is it worth considering a jet conversion, or should I just sell this boat and buy another one? Thanks for any ideas
I don't regret buying it; with it fully rigged I've got about $7k in it so I think I could get most of my money back if I decide to sell and get a new one. But as I research things I am thinking that the best thing to do might be to keep this boat and convert the motor to jet drive. It looks like I could do that for around $3k, and a new boat like I want with a jet outboard is gonna run at least $20k.
Another advantage of keeping this one is that I would still be able to convert it back to the prop. Where I live, the rivers are fishable only from about May through November. To fish the rest of the year I've gotta go to a reservoir and a prop would be much better there.
How reasonable of a plan would it be to put the prop on in December and switch to the jet in May and just plan to do that every year? Jet outboards are rare in this area. Not only have I never fished in one, but I've never even seen one on one of our rivers. I am no great mechanic by any means, but I can usually figure something out if I have decent directions. Is this a job an average guy could do, or is it something for a skilled mechanic?
The G3 hull has a lot of wood in it and weighs 800 lbs. I think that my 2 stroke Yamaha has a lot of power for its size, and I think it will have sufficient power. I would have no need to go fast with the jet setup on the river. Right now I can fish only about 2 miles of river with the prop. I could stretch that to 10 with a jet, but if it would go 20 mph that would be plenty. It will do 32 with a prop, but it's basically idle speed on the river now. It's loaded with rocks just under the water.
So is it worth considering a jet conversion, or should I just sell this boat and buy another one? Thanks for any ideas