PNW Aluminum Jet Boats

Hey guys, anyone out here in the PNW with an aluminum jet boat?

I run my 2019 Wooldridge Alaskan XL in the rivers and lakes in WA State. Bass, walleye, trout, steelhead, salmon etc.

 

I’ll be watching this one
The only jet boat experience I have was being driven up the salmon river (rapids ) in an in-board setup by a somewhat unhinged Idaho Dept F&G CO to conduct snorkel surveys on a tributary lol

 

Did the jet boats up the Columbia/Willamette one year at OMSI. That was rad.

 

I just started shopping around to replace my old Smokercraft Resorter. I don’t need a jet boat but man I’m really trying to make enough excuses to convince myself otherwise.

 

Jet can go anywhere a prop can, and MORE. Way more versatile

 

My wife has a somewhat irrational fear someone is going to get chopped up by the prop. So I pretty much got the green light for a jet.

Im assuming you prefer the outboard unit but how do you feel about the various inboard options?

 

Yes there is definitely the safety factor.

well.. they got rid of the mercury sportjet, which has been around for awhile. The options now are kodiak v8s, ecoboost and BRP just came out with a 2stroke option as well. I’m an outboard guy. It’s separate from the hull of the boat, and not having to have a gigantic hole in the bottom of my boat, its a potential leak point. There are some really good outboard motors out there right now, ranging from 40hp to 250hp. With Evinrude being your only 2 stroke option.

 

I've been up the Salcha River in Alaska in a 26' SeaArk Predator with 200hp Merc Optimax jet. Actually bottoming out and driving through gravel sometimes. I don't have one of my own but it's amazing what they can do.

 

So I ended up with a welded multi species boat with a 50 hp prop. Having kids ages 6 and 8 I just wasn’t finding a NW style jet that was going to work for us. Maybe in a few years I can upgrade. For now I’ll just keep my eye out for a pump lower unit or a little bigger outboard with a pump.

 

Nice boat! You probably already know that the jet pump de-rates your power by about 30 percent.

 

Thanks.

Yea. It probably would be a turd with the current engine. On test run I t only hit 28 mph with the high canvas top on, 2 adults and 2 kids. Hole shot was a little slow too.

Max hp for the hull is 75. So with a pump that should put me at about where I’m at now for power. Although if I go with a dedicate jet outboard I can go all the way up to 75 at the pump and still be legal.

 

100 hp outboard with a jet pump would probably come in around 70. Perfect!