Running a jet in bays and flats, can I do it?

[gotmuddy]

I may be able to take my riverboat on a trip to the coast next month and I was wondering if anyone runs a jet in that type of water. The only downside I can see is the possibility of sucking mud up.

 

[reedjj]

I live in northeast FL and NO ONE here runs a jet outboard. When I mention them I get crazy looks from locals. Even the boat shops look at me like Im crazy! I am told that the sand will ruin the jet's impeller and wear rings but there are a million jet ski's running around here? It seems to me that it would be the perfect set up for coastal rivers and shallow salt flats. Skimming over oyster bars would be a breeze with a jet. I have ruined 3 props in 2 years here! If I had gone with a jet like I intended I would never have made contact with the bottom.

Funny thing is that on the Gulf side near Steinhachee, Homasassa, and Appalachacola alot of guys are running jets. I see a lot of seaark baymaster jet tunnels, G3 jets and prop tunnels over there! I talked to one guy and he said the locals told him the same thing I was told but he was glad he got his jet and when others go out with him they cant believe the places he can get into.

sometimes you may get into a creek at high tide no problem but if you start catching fish and lose track of time you may only have 1"or 2" of water over a sand bar to get out. with a prop you are stuck for 6 hours till the tide comes in. with a jet you just blast right on over!

I am convinced that they (meaning the local north FL people) are just not familiar with them. As soon as I can I am repowering my boat with a Jet!

 

[gotmuddy]

after posting this I was reading on TFF and saw a pic of a jet powered bay boat in someone's sig.

my only other option would be to run my 9.9 which is pretty slow.

 

[PSG-1]

Running in marshes, flats, sounds, and shallow creeks with a jetboat? Who says it can't be done???!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOoOPv1SQM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tLhEzMgYrQ


(On my boat, I use a water PSI guage at the console, as well as an inline water strainer. if I run across something that fouls the cooling system, the guage shows an instant drop in pressure, so I can shut off the engine and clean the strainer.)

 

[Jetboater-TB]

I've spent a few weeks with my jet in the back bays at Chincoteague VA. Never saw another jet boat, and got lots of funny looks. Like any water, if you don't know the area real well you can get in trouble. I ran out of water a few times and shut it down for fear of something bad happening. I have pics of the boat sitting high and dry on a sand bar waiting for high tide. Nice thing is that there's nothing hard and sharp to hit except oyster bars. I did spin it out once when I tried to miss an oyster bar. Turned right too sharp and the left corner hit the sand and spun us 180 degrees. Good thing the boat only goes 25 MPH. The jet pumps are not made for the salt, and you will need to be sure to double your maintenance and lubrications. The salt will also eat your plain steel trailer if you're not careful.

 

[susqyg3]

I do it quite often fishing for stripers and crabbing.. You can pick up sand in rivers and lakes too

 

[gotmuddy]

oysters definetly wont do the damage rocks will. I need a new impeller/liner anyways

 

[PSG-1]

I've spent a few weeks with my jet in the back bays at Chincoteague VA. Never saw another jet boat, and got lots of funny looks. Like any water, if you don't know the area real well you can get in trouble. I ran out of water a few times and shut it down for fear of something bad happening.

Sounds kinda like the Currituck Sound near the NC/VA border. Really shallow, especially where it goes into Back Bay NWR/False Cape SP.

It's always important to know how to 'read the water', but even more so with a jetboat, because, without a lower unit to act as a depth limiter, it's very easy to keep running until you run out of water. And trust me, coming to a sudden stop in a jetboat is not a smooth stop by any means. Unlike hitting bottom with an OBM, which has some give, if you ground the hull, it's a larger surface coming into contact with the bottom....get ready to slam into the console or even be ejected from the boat!


Polarized glasses and a sharp lookout at all times! Also, using google earth to do a little recon of the area sometimes helps, if you know how to read terrain from satellite images. Anytime I go to a new area, this is one of the first things I do.

Sand, mud, and even some occasional oyster shells won't give you too much trouble if you're just running across it for a few seconds. Sitting in shallow water while idling is another story, this will quickly foul a cooling system.

However, I think the WORST conditions you can encounter in the marsh with a jetboat.... is when there are full moon tides, and there are mats of dead floating spartina grass the size of small parking lots.

This stuff is impassible, even with a regular outboard, and when it comes to regular OBM's, running through grass will chew up a water pump impeller quicker, and to a much worse extent, than using it to dredge sand and mud. (I know this from personal experience) But at least with an OBM, you can shift gears in the opposite direction and throw the grass off the wheel. You don't have this luxury with a jetboat, as the prop only spins one direction at all times. Even with a stomp grate, enough grass can make it through the grating to foul your impeller, and bring you to a halt.

 

[gotmuddy]

the trip is starting to come together, but I am thinking of running a regular lower unit because I will be likely be travelling 5+ miles in one direction while looking for fish. That and I am crazy and plan to take the boat offshore(but not far)

 

[PSG-1]

the trip is starting to come together, but I am thinking of running a regular lower unit because I will be likely be travelling 5+ miles in one direction while looking for fish. That and I am crazy and plan to take the boat offshore(but not far)

If you plan to run in the ocean, the prop drive is a better choice than a jet. Jets are bad about cavitating in ocean waves.

 

[gotmuddy]

the trip is starting to come together, but I am thinking of running a regular lower unit because I will be likely be travelling 5+ miles in one direction while looking for fish. That and I am crazy and plan to take the boat offshore(but not far)

If you plan to run in the ocean, the prop drive is a better choice than a jet. Jets are bad about cavitating in ocean waves.

that was my plan. I wont be going far offshore, it really depends on the wind.

 

[pm tech]

I recently moved to Port Charlotte area from Va. I brought my G3 155PF with a Yamaha 40/30 jet with me. Checking with the locals, they tell me that this area is not good at all for jets. This part of the coast has very sandy bottoms, and will sand paper the liner real quick. They say up in the pan handle area the bottom is much harder and is easier on the jets. I hate to think I may have to get rid of my boat.