# Jet Outboard?



## Brendan H (Jan 12, 2017)

I'm thinking about getting a Towee Seminole for the Texas coast and running on the lower Colorado river. I'd like a jet because I feel like it would be a better choice for running rivers and backwater creeks but I've never really heard about people using jets in the salt. So would it be okay or should I stick to a prop?


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

I always thought they were cool but could never get over the 30% loss in power


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## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

I know the Etec service guys in jax wont service them at all at least at my old shop. Said they are a PIA.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Call Sonny at Sonny's Marine in Port O'Connor. He has been building boats for outboard jets for a long time and yes they are almost all used on the coast. I had one on my other boat.


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## Brendan H (Jan 12, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Call Sonny at Sonny's Marine in Port O'Connor. He has been building boats for outboard jets for a long time and yes they are almost all used on the coast. I had one on my other boat.


 Ok cool, I'll give them a call when I get out of school today.


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## jrasband (Jul 12, 2010)

It should work fine just make sure it's 30 hp at the powerhead. I ran one in the salt and it worked fine, just as long as you're not running in heavy weeds. Be prepared to lose a lot of speed though.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

There are ways to modify the intake grates to get around the issue with clogging with vegetation but then you start sucking bigger shell and eating up liners and impellers. Outboard jets are not made for speed, they are for running VERY shallow.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

There is a gentleman on 2cool who says to remove the grates completely and get a stainless impeller. He claims that w/o the grate the grass doesn't clog as bad and says the shells are easy to pick out with metal bar. Also been told that jets don't do well in deep water or choppy conditions.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

Pmgoffjr is the 2coolers name. here is one of his posts about his jet

"Not at all. Stainless impeller pretty well chews them up. What will happen if I run over a pile of loose shell, it'll clog up the exit tube and shut you down. I carry a piece of sharpened rebar to crunch them up and in two minutes gone again. We take all the grates out so grass doesn't clog you up, so that's the trade off."


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

When you go with a jet, are you pretty much just flushing your warranty coverage down the Jon? I would think the service shops would give you hell about any issue you have with the lower unit.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Whiskey Angler said:


> When you go with a jet, are you pretty much just flushing your warranty coverage down the Jon? I would think the service shops would give you hell about any issue you have with the lower unit.


Get an etec a get it serviced at the local seadoo dealer? Lol


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Whiskey Angler said:


> When you go with a jet, are you pretty much just flushing your warranty coverage down the Jon? I would think the service shops would give you hell about any issue you have with the lower unit.


Lower unit issues would be the problem of whomever built the Jet, considering the factory lower unit would be sitting on a shelf somewhere. I'd imagine a powerhead can't tell if there is a prop or pump underneath it.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Brendan H said:


> Ok cool, I'll give them a call when I get out of school today.


Make sure you get a stainless steel impeller


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. A lot of jet boats running the rivers up there because of shallows and rocks.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Whiskey Angler said:


> When you go with a jet, are you pretty much just flushing your warranty coverage down the Jon? I would think the service shops would give you hell about any issue you have with the lower unit.


You can buy outboards with jet lower units on them, I don't understand? The entire lower unit is the jet, no gearcase.


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

jmrodandgun said:


> Lower unit issues would be the problem of whomever built the Jet, considering the factory lower unit would be sitting on a shelf somewhere. I'd imagine a powerhead can't tell if there is a prop or pump underneath it.


Makes sense. I always thought the jet lower unit was an option offered by the motor manufacturer, as opposed to an aftermarket bolt on.


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## houndog (Jun 20, 2016)

Brendan H said:


> I'm thinking about getting a Towee Seminole for the Texas coast and running on the lower Colorado river. I'd like a jet because I feel like it would be a better choice for running rivers and backwater creeks but I've never really heard about people using jets in the salt. So would it be okay or should I stick to a prop?


I've owned several jet-foot equipped outboards...still own a 17.5 Jon w/Mariner 45 jet. Eelgrass is the only real problem. If you don't run in eelgrass, you're good. I run up the Flint River in GA, skipping over shoals with ease. I also run in the salt in the Suwannee River estuary without issue. The dark Suwannee water doesn't allow eelgrass to grow, so I'm good. You can actually jump oyster bars when necessary. Love mine.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

The jet skiff I built a few years ago. She has a 90ELPTO with a prop LU and custom transom mount low water pickup on her now and still runs in 3" with clean propwash. 

View attachment 7803
View attachment 7804


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## Brendan H (Jan 12, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> The jet skiff I built a few years ago. She has a 90ELPTO with a prop LU and custom transom mount low water pickup on her now and still runs in 3" with clean propwash.
> 
> View attachment 7803
> View attachment 7804


How does she handle in rough/choppy conditions?


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

I've owned two outboard jets and lots of tunnel hull props. Unless you really run a lot in rocky rivers, a jet doesn't give too many advantages and has a lot of disadvantages. Compared to props, jets are much less efficient, may cause warranty problems, are usually louder, more expensive to buy and maintain, clog with weed and gravel, don't work well in any kind of big chop, and can be a pain to maneuver at slow speeds around the dock, especially if there's wind and current. A good tunnel-hulled prop can run almost as shallow as a jet and do it a lot more economically. Don't get a jet foot unless your really want to go slower and burn about 30% more fuel.


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## Brendan H (Jan 12, 2017)

How do jets cause warranty problems when you can buy a jet outboard from the factory?


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## Yamadog (Oct 19, 2015)

If your buying a factory jet equipped motor you shouldn't have issues with warranty. If your wanting to run the river jet or surface drive are your only two options of propulsion. If you go with jet I wouldn't recommend removing the grating, although it will help you on the coast I don't see that going well over river rock when you get in a bind going through a rapid.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Yamadog said:


> If your buying a factory jet equipped motor you shouldn't have issues with warranty. If your wanting to run the river jet or surface drive are your only two options of propulsion. If you go with jet I wouldn't recommend removing the grating, although it will help you on the coast I don't see that going well over river rock when you get in a bind going through a rapid.


I ran mine with every other piece of flat bar removed so there was still some protection from sucking up larger shell etc. All it is is a stainless rod that you drive out that holds the individual grates in place. I researched outboard jets for two years before buying one and ended up selling the 60/45 because it would barely get my boat on plane but that was my fault for "over engineering" the framework in the aluminum boat I modified. The 90 prop works much better.


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