Jet Drive Outboard Motor Debris

[sailorb12]

Hello folks. All new to jet drive outboard motors and thinking of getting one. I’ve read pros/cons between sterndrive and jet drive motors, but they don’t really go to much into this particular topic. I was wondering, if you own a jet drive outboard motor, could you please share your experience on how debris through your intake affects your motor?

• what motor are you running
• types of debris,
• conditions,
• how often,
• where (lakes, rivers, etc.),
• what to expect (symptoms before and when it hits hard, your day is done),
• the fix (on site or back in your garage
• lessons learned /preventive measures: tips, tricks, tools/kits
• going back to using a sterndrive outboard motor???

Thank you in advance for your time -much appreciated!

 

[Chris1956]

Jet drives (no matter what kind) are lower in efficiency than prop drive motors. i.e. a 105 Jet Power OB will have the block from a 150HP Prop drive. You might take that into account when choosing the power of the motor.

 

[sailorb12]

Jet drives (no matter what kind) are lower in efficiency than prop drive motors. i.e. a 105 Jet Power OB will have the block from a 150HP Prop drive. You might take that into account when choosing the power of the motor.

Thanks Chris. I appreciate it. That’s definitely part of the pros/cons cons that’s been considered. With this post, I hoping to hear from folks that have jet drive outboard motor that could share their experience on how debris through the intake affects their motor.

• what motor are you running
• types of debris,
• conditions,
• how often,
• where (lakes, rivers, etc.),
• what to expect (clogging and other symptoms: before and when it hits hard, your day is done),
• the fix (on site or back in your garage
• lessons learned /preventive measures: tips, tricks, tools/kits
• going back to using a sterndrive outboard motor???

Thanks again!

 

[stripersandducks]

-Mercury 4 stroke 80hp jet outboard
-I mostly fish skinny rivers during the spring, then deeper marshy water the rest of the seasons.
-things I love about my jet: skinny water (think rivers with sand and rocky bottoms) I can access areas others with a prop can't.
-things I hate about my jet: outside of fishing skinny rivers 2-3 months out of the year, I'm mostly fishing/hunting in the California Delta. With a jet, you cant access areas that has a lot of algae, weeds, debris. Debris will get stuck and you'll have to remove it before you can run your motor again with full power. If you don't stop to remove, your motor will eventually overheat and lose power. I've been using my trolling motor on my Pathfinder to slowly get me to these shallow places filled with debris. Not very fun.
-in lakes: no issues as most lakes are deep. Would be better off with a prop TBH in lakes.
-tips: I use a 2 foot long take to clean up all the debris that gets stuck when I'm out on the water. Makes it way easier than to reach over and try to grab stuff. If you have a long torso, your hands are probably better.

 

[sailorb12]

-Mercury 4 stroke 80hp jet outboard
-I mostly fish skinny rivers during the spring, then deeper marshy water the rest of the seasons.
-things I love about my jet: skinny water (think rivers with sand and rocky bottoms) I can access areas others with a prop can't.
-things I hate about my jet: outside of fishing skinny rivers 2-3 months out of the year, I'm mostly fishing/hunting in the California Delta. With a jet, you cant access areas that has a lot of algae, weeds, debris. Debris will get stuck and you'll have to remove it before you can run your motor again with full power. If you don't stop to remove, your motor will eventually overheat and lose power. I've been using my trolling motor on my Pathfinder to slowly get me to these shallow places filled with debris. Not very fun.
-in lakes: no issues as most lakes are deep. Would be better off with a prop TBH in lakes.
-tips: I use a 2 foot long take to clean up all the debris that gets stuck when I'm out on the water. Makes it way easier than to reach over and try to grab stuff. If you have a long torso, your hands are probably better.

Right on! Thanks Strip… There’s some good take-aways here. I know with my prop motor I have to be cautious just the same among the algae, weeds, and debris from getting all wound and mangled up. And I would like to take the boat closer to shallower water, not too close. It’d be nice to pull up onto some of the river islands to take a break, some areas can get pretty rocky. Thanks again.

 

[cyclops222]

I would only buy a outboard jet drive IF IF. I was going to deliberately drive into small pebbles and seaweed areas. On each trip out.

 

[sailorb12]

I would only buy an outboard jet drive IF IF. I was going to deliberately drive into small pebbles and seaweed areas. On each trip out.

Cool thanks. Deliberately or unintentional, that would definitely be added option maneuvering through the rivers..

 

[JohnSz]

- Yamaha 90/65 on 17' G3 tunnel hull
- Only have run the Susquehanna River
- Debris: Leaves at the end of October, high water sticks, other debris, etc
- Causes cavitation and power loss, must clear. First attempt is running in reverse as fast as you can and shutting off the motor. Next, by hanging off the back, or worse case go to shore. Use small hand rake. I have a "Rock Ejector" which helps reduce how often need to rake. Leaves are by far the worse. High water debris is ususally just a couple times during an all day outing. I have not had anthing get past the grate and jam the impeller, yet.
- Most outboard jets will cavitate in waves. They do not make a good lake boat.

 

[sailorb12]

- Yamaha 90/65 on 17' G3 tunnel hull
- Only have run the Susquehanna River
- Debris: Leaves at the end of October, high water sticks, other debris, etc
- Causes cavitation and power loss, must clear. First attempt is running in reverse as fast as you can and shutting off the motor. Next, by hanging off the back, or worse case go to shore. Use small hand rake. I have a "Rock Ejector" which helps reduce how often need to rake. Leaves are by far the worse. High water debris is ususally just a couple times during an all day outing. I have not had anthing get past the grate and jam the impeller, yet.
- Most outboard jets will cavitate in waves. They do not make a good lake boat.

Oh wow! Really good to know. I appreciate it! Thanks JohnSz. A couple of times a day due to the causes it creates doesn’t sound fun at all. Have you considered about switching it up with a prop? ( or replacing the jet thrust mechanism below the motor with a prop) Why stay with your jet drive?

 

[JohnSz]

Oh wow! Really good to know. I appreciate it! Thanks JohnSz. A couple of times a day due to the causes it creates doesn’t sound fun at all. Have you considered about switching it up with a prop? ( or replacing the jet thrust mechanism below the motor with a prop) Why stay with your jet drive?

A couple of times a day, only on high muddy water days when there is allot of debris in the river. Very few days that is a problem. There are a few days in the end of October where the river is full of leaves. That can be a PITA.

No, would never switch back to a prop boat for our river running. Access makes all the difference.

 

[sailorb12]

A couple of times a day, only on high muddy water days when there is allot of debris in the river. Very few days that is a problem. There are a few days in the end of October where the river is full of leaves. That can be a PITA.

No, would never switch back to a prop boat for our river running. Access makes all the difference.

Nice rig. Thanks for the photo to illustrate the leaves getting right in the intake. Have you ever had a day that was shot, had to take it home to take the impeller chamber apart to clear it up? If so, how’s that, pretty easy?

I do like the accessibility aspect on the river.

 

[JohnSz]

Nice rig. Thanks for the photo to illustrate the leaves getting right in the intake. I
It sounds pretty much manageable, if I’m hearing you correctly. (not so much a pain in a the ars) Also, have you ever had a day that was shot, had to take it home to take the impeller chamber apart to clear it up? If so, how’s that, pretty easy?

No, never have wasted a day because of it. As I said haven't had anything jam the impeller yet. There is a procedure in the manual on how to clear it. I hope I never have to learn it.

 

[sailorb12]

No, never have wasted a day because of it. As I said haven't had anything jam the impeller yet. There is a procedure in the manual on how to clear it. I hope I never have to learn it.

LOL! Right on! Thanks again.

 

[cyclops222]

Sailor Have you compared the warranty conditions and duration of a prop motor and a Jet ?

 

[JohnSz]

To me, an outboard jet is a specialty, specific to shallow river running. Not for general boating. Forgot to mention that low speed maneuvering is difficult and you wouldn’t want to use it for trolling, etc.

The boat needs to be a shallow mod V or flat bottom. A tunnel helps it go slightly shallower. Weight distribution is key. In general, you want weight more forward than in a prop boat. You can notice on our G3 that the console is further forward than a prop boat. You can find allot of info on OutboardJets.com, who makes all the pumps for the outboard mfgs.

 

[sailorb12]

To me, an outboard jet is a specialty, specific to shallow river running. Not for general boating. Forgot to mention that low speed maneuvering is difficult and you wouldn’t want to use it for trolling, etc.

The boat needs to be a shallow mod V or flat bottom. A tunnel helps it go slightly shallower. Weight distribution is key. In general, you want weight more forward than in a prop boat. You can notice on our G3 that the console is further forward than a prop boat. You can find allot of info on OutboardJets.com, who makes all the pumps for the outboard mfgs.

Yup. Definitely would give you more options more so for fishing rather that hauling someone on a tube.

Re: “shallow mod V or flat bottom” (I may have to open up a separate discussion feed on this topic.)
For me, this would work for now, yes? (see attached). Looks like folks are making it work nicely. Here’s one like mine:

I’ll take a look at their site.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[sailorb12]

Sailor Have you compared the warranty conditions and duration of a prop motor and a Jet ?

I may have to create a separate discussion thread on this topic. But no, I have not -other than seeing on Yamaha spec page on both jet and stern drives: 3yr. Why? Is there something you’re waiting to highlight? I’ll have a look. A certified dealer is having a deal: a 3 + 3 deal with a purchase of any motor. So a total of 6yr warranty. Deal ends Dec. 6th. No pressure right.

Thanks!

 

[JohnSz]

Probably not the most ideal for a jet. The boat in the video is a mod v at the stearn. With the V on the front, I'd want to see how it does with a 2nd person. The few 40/30s I've seen on the river really seem to struggle to plane with 2 or more people. These are on 1448 and 1648 jon boats which have more planning surface than boats in pic/video. A new 4-stroke 40/30 will add some weight to the transom. If that is your boat in the picture, it will need transom raised and beefed up.

 

[sailorb12]

Probably not the most ideal for a jet. The boat in the video is a mod v at the stearn. With the V on the front, I'd want to see how it does with a 2nd person. The few 40/30s I've seen on the river really seem to struggle to plane with 2 or more people. These are on 1448 and 1648 jon boats which have more planning surface than boats in pic/video. A new 4-stroke 40/30 will add some weight to the transom. If that is your boat in the picture, it will need transom raised and beefed up.

I was thinking the same thing as I’m researching all of this… (And I really appreciate the feedback from everyone as well.) It seems as though the likelihood of going this route with a jet drive at this time is farther off than I’m expecting. I’d definitely require the right hull and transom work. -Pretty much a new boat. I was hoping of getting the jet drive now since I’m in the budget for one and look to get a different hull later. I thought about getting the hull first but would hate to keep using the 15hp 2 stroke. What to do -what to do…

Thanks!

 

[sailorb12]

Probably not the most ideal for a jet. The boat in the video is a mod v at the stearn. With the V on the front, I'd want to see how it does with a 2nd person. The few 40/30s I've seen on the river really seem to struggle to plane with 2 or more people. These are on 1448 and 1648 jon boats which have more planning surface than boats in pic/video. A new 4-stroke 40/30 will add some weight to the transom. If that is your boat in the picture, it will need transom raised and beefed up.

Here what the bottom looks like. I would imagine the keel at the bottom would cause some cavitation not suitable for a jet drive, yes?