Jet boat for fishing?

[Blaster Bretty]

G-day bloke's, I was wondering why we dont see a heck of a lot of jet boats used for fishing! Would it be they are too thirsty, most are V8's, do they not like the chop very much, just after some thoughts if you dont mind! I have a mate who's dad is selling one, a big 6mtr center consol , v8 of course but I just dont see a lot of them around, mainly up in the lake's as ski + wake boat's but was curious about there fishing application's

Bretty

[onerabbit]

I fished with a bloke out of Byron Bay who had a jet boat, was a very nice ride and no probs gettin to the good spots.....maybe it is economy

Muzz

[Blaster Bretty]

I fished with a bloke out of Byron Bay who had a jet boat, was a very nice ride and no probs gettin to the good spots.....maybe it is economy

Muzz

Yeah muzz thats about all I can think of too, just guzzling too much juice,
I was also wondering if conditions got bumpy, you know the boat going up + down in the chop, how do the jet boats perform in that!

Bretty

[ozbee]

fuel fuel and fuel and a lot of maintenance
.

[megafish71]

Jet drives are not commonly used in offshore boats, main reason lack of steering when backing off the trottle, this can become dangerous in rough conditions.

Ron

[ozscott]

I dont know but I have heard the low speed steering is poor. I also understand that the jets can be pesky and expensive to maintain compared to an outboard. The V at the rear has to be very shallow to accomodate the pick up...so I wouldnt expect a great ride. Mate of mine had a fishing hull of one for a while - 17 foot. A lot that size ran chrysler or, less commonly because they dont like revving as much, Ford 6s...there was really no v on the back of that thing.

Cheers

[Crocodile]

Nothing at all wrong with jets.
In the seventies my brother had a runabout with a 308 Holden V8 and a Jacuzzi jet.
Top speed 50 mph, same as the inboards.
Efficient at all speeds.
Steering very direct at all speeds, no wandering at low speeds.
Boat was a very deep vee, very smooth riding and turned very tightly.
Jet rarely lost suction, mainly by lifting the whole boat from the water when going too fast in choppy seas.
Maintenance on the jet was an occasional pump of grease.
Inboard V8 that was DIY marinised was problematical, proper marinisation would solve that.
Overall cost of ownership similar to an outboard, never have to replace a dinged prop, parts for V8's very cheap compared to outboards..
Jets were never marketed correctly, only ever as ski or hooning boats, if they had been promoted in normal boats that most people wanted they would be commonplace by now.
Unfortunately these days any with the word jet is associated with jetskis and that puts an end to normal sensible boaters taking an interest.

[finding_time]

Stan Young ( Wooli deep sea fishing charters)runs a jet in his 30 foot Steber the main reason for this is so he can cross the Wooli bar at all stages of the tide! They do use more fuel than a propped boat as the jet isn't the most efficent means of delivering HP and there and absolute B@stard to drive, it takes a fair bit of experience to avoid drawing lazy "S" all over the ocean! His jet unit is connected up to a big diesel!

ian

[TOPAZ]

Hi All,

Parks Victoria have a large diesel/jet powered vessel that they use in Mallacoota and surrounding waterways to service the jetties/toilets/BBQ's etc. They also take it out to Gabo Island to service their facilities out there.
I have had a good look at it, and spoken about it to the crew, and they are rapt in the thing to say the least.
It was one of the most manoeuvarable boats I have seen, able to be spun in its own length in forward or reverse (It's jet unit is about a foot in diameter, with very large reversing buckets.)
It is a large hull, about 30ft in length, and can do about 30 knots or so with ease.
They pull it out of the water on a large triaxle trailer from memory to move it from one inlet to another.


Richard

[GBC]

Jets are the most manouverable of all at low speed, and you don't have to throw the wheel over for a three point turn, revs don't have to be touched - just use the cups and go literally wherever you want.

The work boat (ally 25ft) I used had a 250 hp perkins - carried 150 litres of diesel and had a range of about 60 k's = terribly inefficient unless maintained in perfect order.

But for jumping buoys, nudging into boats, wharfs, pylons etc - they do things you simply can't do with props.

eg - knock the revs up and put the cups half up/half down and the boat sucks itself into the water and is basically unaffected by wind etc for manouvering. By slowly moving the cups you can then manouvre into position with a large degree of certainty, then once resting against said bouy/pylon/wharf hold her there indefinitely without having to 'drive' against it like a propped vessel. Makes a heap of wash and noise and certainly not fishing friendly (unless towing poppers for trout;))

[nickstock]

There was a ripper of a boat working out of Noosa about 8 years ago (may still be there). It was a 23-25 foot platey called Shooting Star. One of the sexiest looking boats working out of Noosa IMO.

When the Noosa Bar was bad a few years ago, this beast would go through it at about 20 knots in about 4 1/2 feet of water.

I think from memory it was also a diesel like GBC mentioned his one was. It was being used for Spanner Crabs at one stage and it was a buzz to see this thing fly through the bar when others pros and charter operators boats were being very cautious.

I would have one if I could afford the fuel.

Nick

[onerabbit]

Yeah muzz thats about all I can think of too, just guzzling too much juice,
I was also wondering if conditions got bumpy, you know the boat going up + down in the chop, how do the jet boats perform in that!

Bretty
I think the biggest advantage of jet power is manouverability.......when it comes to crossing bars.
I have seen the local Surf Rescue boat just chug straight past me when eyeing up a dodgy bar, and cope with moves I cant do....................

Muzz

[onerabbit]

................

[Blaster Bretty]

Wow thanks to all who replied, I guess it really doe's come down to individual choice, horse's for courses sort of thing, a good selection of goods and bad's, just what I was after.
Thanks again.

Bretty

[nickstock]

More to the point Bretty,

How much is your old mans 6 meter centre console? Pics pics pics mate

[Tinlegs]

Hi Bretty,

I was thinking about a jet tinny some years ago as a flats boat - a few outboard conversion kits about if you look.

here's a review of a jet Ocean Cylinder from SeaMedia
http://www.seamedia.com.au/pdf/previews/BTSENG75_prev.pdf

Cheers,

Mark

[Tangles]

Uncle has a custom jet fishing rig, is happy with it but would of gone the bigger motor in hindsight,, uses it in the creeks/shallows in WA...