Table of Contents
How much HP is lost with a jet drive?
With an outboard jet drive, the water enters the bottom of the jet intake and is turned 180 degrees. It is expelled through the exhaust housing. The result is a 30% loss in horsepower. With an inboard jet, the water enters the intake.
How does jet drive work?
A waterjet works by generating a propulsive thrust, created when water is forced or ‘sucked in’ to the Jet unit and forced out, propelling the boat forward. This reverses the direction of the force generated by the Jet stream forward and down, keeping the boat stationary or propelling it in the opposite direction.
How does a jetboat work?
Jet-powered boats use the same propulsion system used in personal watercrafts (PWCs) that mates an inboard engine to a jet pump. The pump draws water from an intake in the bottom of the boat and shoots a high-velocity stream of water from a nozzle at the back of the boat to propel it forward.
Are jet boats hard to maintain?
Costs of Maintaining a Jet Boat Jet boats are usually expensive to buy and can also be somewhat expensive to maintain. Jetboat engines aren’t like”regular” combustion engines, which means that they need specialists to take care of them.
Can you convert an outboard to a jet drive?
Most people don’t know this, but many outboards can be converted to jet propulsion for between $1,700 and $2,700, depending on their size. Boaters who ply skinny or debris-strewn bodies of water on a regular basis are probably better served buying a jet outboard from Yamaha, Honda, Mercury or Evinrude.
Are jet boats good in the ocean?
Jet boats may not suit well for ocean purposes because they are very light, and the ocean’s harsh weather can make the ride uncomfortable. However, it also depends on the weather; if the weather is right out there, jet boats are probably FINE; otherwise, jet boats result in more bumpy rides.
Is a jet boat good?
At first glance, jet boats look like a good thing. They’re quick and fun, and seem like a good value. Jet boats fall short of sterndrives when it comes to pulling skiers, tubers, and wakeboarders. And rough water can turn a trip on a jet boat into a nightmare.
How shallow of water can a jet boat go?
A conventional river-going jetboat will have a shallow-angled (but not flat-bottomed) hull to improve its high-speed cornering control and stability, while also allowing it to traverse very shallow water. At speed, jetboats can be safely operated in less than 7.5 cm (3 inches) of water.
How long do jet boat engines last?
Most I/O’s can typically go 3000 hours before a “major” rebuild is needed. That said, many subsystems will fail long before that, and it’s typical for I/O’s to start having problems between 500-1000 hours.