Just Found This Great Site - Now Need Help On Buying Jet Boat !!!

[JohnnyT]

I just found this website by searching Google and have been looking for something like this.
Is there anyone and/or shops down this way where I can get to know about this great sport?
I am currently getting ready to buy a Jet Boat. I was looking at the Sea-Doos Speedster, Challenger, and Sugar Sand Tangos with the Mercury 240HP engine.
These are a bit different from the jet boats here. I think I love the boats on this forum much more becuase of the engine, speed, and aceleration that you guys have. I was wondering if you guys have any jet boats that is similiar to the ones above? I kind of like the looks of them but not the speed. I don't want a large boat. Just up to 20ft. or so. I will be using it mostly in the ocean 70% and lakes 30%.
So what am I supposed to do? Can I retrofit the pump on those SeaDoo and Sugar Sand with the ones you guys use or ???
Please Help Me!!!!
[ September 14, 2003, 04:12 PM: Message edited by: JohnnyT ]

[Phat_Kat]

JohnnyT:
I just found this website by searching Google and have been looking for something like this.
Is there anyone and/or shops down this way where I can get to know about this great sport?
I am currently getting ready to buy a Jet Boat. I was looking at the Sea-Doos Speedster, Challenger, and Sugar Sand Tangos with the Mercury 240HP engine.
These are a bit different from the jet boats here. I think I love the boats on this forum much more becuase of the engine, speed, and aceleration that you guys have. I was wondering if you guys have any jet boats that is similiar to the ones above? I kind of like the looks of them but not the speed. I don't want a large boat. Just up to 20ft. or so.
So what am I supposed to do? Can I retrofit the pump on those SeaDoo and Sugar Sand with the ones you guys use or ???
Please Help Me!!!! Pretty much all the boats you've listed drive like over grown jet ski's. They're actually surpisingly quick but top out in a real hurry. Don't know about messing with the pump but I will tell you that you shouldn't even bother taking a boat with mercury jet drive on the water with out a place diverter ride plate. They all ride horribly and will literally toss you out of the boat if you're in the bow seat and not holding on. The tango's will flatten right out once they get some speed going but the seadoo challengers just become more violent with more throttle. I have figured out how to make the challenger sit down but it can sometimes take up to 2 minutes which is really a long time to be dicking around with your boat. Just a word of warning.

[Phat_Kat]

Just another note on mercury jets! They are one of mercury's biggest **** ups yet in my opinion. The plate that puts the pump into neutral and reverse doesn't even come down all the way so the boat continues to move forward. It has so much forward power that it can acutally fight the currents of the river I often boat on. If you're on a lake you could probably hit about 5MPH in neutral. That my friend is a for shit design. I really suggest you go look at a used advatage or eliminator with a real V8 and a real jet pump.

[GlastronGuy]

Here are two better sites:
Banderlog (http://www.banderlog.com/cgi-bin/banderlog/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=DCForumID1&conf=DCConfID1)
Real Jet Boats (http://www.realjetboats.com/cgi/yabb/YaBB.pl/YaBB.pl#general_cat)

[Phat_Kat]

ok one more time and then I'm done I promise. On the challenger 1800 there's a gap at the back between the bottom of the swim step and the water. If you leave the boat in the river for more than 3 days you will fin yourself scrubbing that back section of crud for 30+ minutes. The inside of the boat alone takes about 45 minutes to an hour to clean with two people. They are just like giant bath tubs with a lot of hard to clean spaces. I'm sorry to disappoint you but they are really not that great of boats. I'd really like to see you buy a real jet boat. Ok now I'm done complaining.
Call John West at Ultra Custom Boats. He'll tell you what you need and if you can't afford a new boat he'll find you a good used one. He's a real nice guy and I think you should talk to him.
[ September 14, 2003, 04:43 PM: Message edited by: Phat_Kat ]

[Jake W]

Hear is what I think.I think thoes Seadoo boats and that alike are for fags.Now with that said I would not buy a low pro jet and take it to the Ocean you might not come back with it.If you are going to be using it mostely in the ocean I would go with one of thoes giant wave runner boats.Thoes (seadoo) boats wont swamp like a low pro jet will.These hotrod boats all so = lots of gas money and alot of up keep they are not like a Seedo boat you can pull out stick it in the back yard and be ready to go next time.Though my boat has been turn key for some time I know it is just a matter of time befor its not.Good luck Jake :D

[HOSS]

I`ve got a `69 Thunderbird. Perfect for the ocean. Has a toilet w/ pump! All you gotta do is come pick it up. Yours and trailer for free.
You got the right idea on propulsion. A jet pump from a Seadoo and a Briggs & Stratton 5hp and thats it. Pumps are so effecient. Especially the ones from Seadoo. This boat weighs in at probably 3g. Happy fishing.

[Jbb]

I Bought a Sea Doo Speedster New in 1995...For 12k It was a terrific boat....It had its good and bad points ...
Good Points
It ran hard all day long at 6850 rpm..
Very dependable ...never had a problem
It could be towed behind a Pinto
Cutting hard turns and spinning out were a blast
Very Easy to launch and recover
If you have never owned a boat before It would be a great inexpensive boat to learn with ...Its very forgiving and has a little power too!
Bad points
It is small....very small,Yes they cram a lot of usebility into it ....but for more than 2 people forget it
The stench of the smoke is unbearable
At WOT it drinks 27 gal per hour ...bring your gas card as that IS the most popular speed
It will beat you to death over anything over light chop!
You wont be able to tinker with it to gain any measureable speed
No rooster tail... eek!
Bottom line ....If you have any ambition to tinker with your boat or make modifications get something else ...BUT I had tons of fun in mine
Nothing, However can beat the sweet sound of a blower whining.......for me anyway...... :D
Good luck with whatever you choose ...Be careful however ....It becomes addictive!

[Jbb]

Double ...sorry
Hey moderator boys ...What say we get into the modern age ...and make it so members can delete their own posts?
[ September 14, 2003, 06:52 PM: Message edited by: JETBOAT BRIAN ]

[Phat_Kat]

JETBOAT BRIAN:
I Bought a Sea Doo Speedster New in 1995...For 12k It was a terrific boat....It had its good and bad points ...
Good Points
It ran hard all day long at 6850 rpm..
Very dependable ...never had a problem
It could be towed behind a Pinto
Cutting hard turns and spinning out were a blast
Very Easy to launch and recover
If you have never owned a boat before It would be a great inexpensive boat to learn with ...Its very forgiving and has a little power too!
Bad points
It is small....very small,Yes they cram a lot of usebility into it ....but for more than 2 people forget it
The stench of the smoke is unbearable
At WOT it drinks 27 gal per hour ...bring your gas card as that IS the most popular speed
It will beat you to death over anything over light chop!
You wont be able to tinker with it to gain any measureable speed
No rooster tail... eek!
Bottom line ....If you have any ambition to tinker with your boat or make modifications get something else ...BUT I had tons of fun in mine
Nothing, However can beat the sweet sound of a blower whining.......for me anyway...... :D
Good luck with whatever you choose ...Be careful however ....It becomes addictive! I'm sure that's all true for the speedster but for the challengers it's not all true. This espcially applies to trailering it. The 1800 weighs in at a little over 3000lbs and the 2000 is 3500lbs. Also the challengers are near impossible to get on the trailer straight. My father had to buy those bumper things that are supposed to keep the boat in line in the trailer and it still never sits right. The new speedsters ride about how you'd expect a boat that size to ride in chop. The challengers and utopias ride beautifully in chop and literally make 2-2 1/2FT chop feel more like 6 inch chop. These are the only true pros to these boats and I still give them a thumbs down.

[Jbb]

I was in fact refering to a 1995 speedster with twin engines ....The throttles helped with the steering ...I dont even know if they still have any powered by the Rotax setup....I would not trade what I have now for on but for a beginner i thought it was a good learners boat.....Had I to do it again I would have found a reliable used stock BBC pump setup
But I did enjoy the Sea Doo

[sidewound]

No matter what ya need one of these!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/114DCP_2034_0001-med.jpg
Peace Man :cool:
CESAR

[Jbb]

sidewound:
No matter what ya need one of these!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/114DCP_2034_0001-med.jpg
Peace Man :cool:
CESAR AGREED!!!! :D