Young guy hopes to learn what's out there

[BattleRifleG3]

I'm far from affording a boat, but was hoping to learn the wide range of what's out there.  My previous experience is with an old 1950s (I think) Starcraft with an Evinrude Outboard engine, a small Seaswirl I/O, and a jet ski of which make I forget.

I'd probably prefer I/O because all the controls are available to the driver (as opposed to having to lift the motor manually).

It would probably only be used on inland waterways and if taken to the ocean, would be launched by trailer, not kept there.

[savageT]

G3,
Well, Let's see.....What are you trying to accomplish, what is te purpose for this boat and motor......fishing, water sports, transportation?
Now the issue with Outboards vs. I/O's.
Both I/O and Outboard have controls next to the tiller including  Power Tilt for motors bigger than 25hp.

Outboard 4-strokes are becoming popular because they are quiet, produce less polution.  Disadvantages are: Heavier/bulkier, cost more.
In general, outboards are simpler to maintain, cheaper to buy and much lighter than an I/O's.
Outboard 2-strokes require gas and oil mixture.  The newer ones have an injection pump to mix oil and gas in correct proportions...as long as they function everything is good.  When they stop working....well you can guess. 2-strokes have excellent power to weight ratios.
Lower units can be expensive to repair as are propellers.  When you wipe out a prop, usually it will damage internal gears and water pumps.  Got to keep that cooling water running or you lose the power head!

I/O's are 4-stroke internal engines...some with closed-loop cooling systems (ie. charged w/anti-freeze with water jackets).  They are clean, quiet...unless super high performance straight through exaust) and dependable.  The outdrive can/will develop problems:  they are expensive to work on, require replacement rubber boots to seal against leakage.  Propellers are costly to replace and generally if you wipe out a prop, you will also have to replace internal gears eventually. Then there's the engine...4, 6 or 8 cylinders.....tune-ups and winter storage get pricey.

Sounds like I'm advocating for you to go for a canoe and paddles??  Look for the Spring Boat Show near you and look around, ask questions.  That's where the deals are made and you get to see the latest boats.  Check out the local dealers and try to find one that's been in business a good long time, has the necessary parts and knowledge to keep you on the water with quick turn around.  Nothing worse than sitting on the shore with a laid-up boat watching the summer go by!

Jim

[BattleRifleG3]

A canoe and paddles is what I have and will be using for quite a while.  I upgraded from a canoe without paddles a while back.  I just felt it wasn't going anywhere.  

I'm not really into fishing, more sightseeing and exploration.  My thoughts are currently leaning towards a jet boat due to low draft, safety to swimmers, high speed, small size, affordability, and presumably fuel efficiency.  My experience is with larger things though, and I'd be perfectly comfortable with one.  My girlfriend wants a cabin cruiser some day... that is, after she said she wanted a yacht  :shock:  and then saw that what she wanted was a cabin cruiser.

[savageT]

BRg3,
Greetings.......My experiences with boats are rather limited these days.  We have a camp on a lake here in Central NY that was noted for Walleye Pike in better days.  It is a shallow lake and I must say it has a strong dislike for anything that uses a propeller!

Last summer, my '99 Crest II DL 18' pontoon boat w/ 50hp Johnson 2-stroke developed a problem on the first day I launched it.  When I got to the dock, I discovered a mouse had made a nest out of the foam insulation in the hood/cover over the winter and it got sucked into the carberators.  Shame on me for not looking closer while prepping it for the season!  At any rate, we got that problem solved with carb cleaner, then it developed a noticable knocking sound that eventually got diagnosed as ......dread and doom....the lower unit failed leaving us stranded out on the lake at dark.  Luckily, we were able to limp back in reverse.  The results were $1500 and an end to the summer boating season.  Now my case isn't all that unusual, just another example of an old, damaged propeller cracking a tooth or teeth on the lower unit gears.

I think your idea for a jet drive boat is a sound one.  Just be aware that the impellers on those can suck in sand and chew-em up fast.  Yes, you can dodge rocks effectively and run in the shallows so go for it!  If I were of the mind I believe I would be looking in that direction as well.  My pontoon boat will hold a small crowd, is great for a fishing platform and handles reasonably rough water quite well, but it sure isn't a speed boat!  The newer fiberglass (Deck Boats) versions seem to be much faster, as are the high performance triple hull pontooners with big I/O's.  If you want something fast, manuverable, and you can water ski, wake board, it's one of those jet-drive boats.  Not big, but fun.

Jim

[Cap'n Jon]

BR3...
What amount do you want to spend?
I have a '92 pontoon w/ hard top and a full sunbrella canvas zip=up enclosure with 8 windows and screens. I can, and have spent many weekends over night on it. There is a porta-potty head, 2 live wells and an ice cooler fridge w/ a working sink. I bought a 90 hp merc to pull a water skiier and get out of the way from them bigger boats with the "Mr. Howe" looking kinda guy on board piloting.

Jet boats can be expensive, and a nice 21 foot I/O bow rider or cuddy cabin will work too. You can find a lot of the older '21 to '26 foot Sea-Rays out there for minimal $$ and can sleep over night, and trailer pretty easily.

The boats over '17 feet used to be $1,000 a foot, but most have trippled in price.

[BattleRifleG3]

Anyone know much about the Sea Doo full size boats, like the Utopia and Islandia?  I'm anticipating a high price, but am still interested some day.

[Cap'n Jon]

I think they are priced from $10 to $17k...

[Cap'n Jon]

I just got the local boat sale flyer BRG3...

The Utopia is going for $$19,995 w/ the 240EFI or the 250 OPTIMAX is going for $21,995

The Speedster 200 is going for $28,299!  Wow! :eek:  :eek:  :eek:

The Sportster 4-Tec (15'4") is only $14,649 w/ the 155 hp 4 stroke.

I see the wave runners have jumped up to $10,000 now! Thats crazy! :x  :x

[pastorp]

Battlerifle G-3, A point to remember on jet pumps is you lose about 1/3 of your horsepower compared to a propped motor. If your craft requires 60hp with a prop to cruse like you want then the jet pump will need 90hp. Making your craft more expensive to operate. Hope this helps,Byron

[BattleRifleG3]

Hmm, that's news to me, I thought that jets were actually more efficient.  A big deal to me would be durability of the turbine, since most of what I would do is inland and likely to involve mulching a stick or two.  Shallow water and watersports would make a jet boat much safer for the water I'd drive in.  So it may be worth the extra operating price if it saves the boat from damage, not to mention being safer for swimmers.  Anyone know if relative efficiency is the same at any speed, or if higher or lower speeds make the jet more or less efficient?

I'm surprised by the high price of the wave runners and the low price of the big boats.  Maybe I overestimated and would in fact be happy with a much less expensive prop boat.  My region was severely flooded recently and jet skis were used for rescue.  A much larger jet boat would have been invaluable in a few specific rescue operations.  Just something I've been thinking about lately relating to boat choice.

Looking at the Sea Doo website again, Islandia really looks like it would be the choice for me, just based on shape and features.  Not like I'll be able to afford it for a while.  Maybe if I never have a family, but then that sort of defeats the purpose.

[BattleRifleG3]

Utopia 185:


Islandia:

Wonder if the family comes with the boat.  Not sure I'dwant to look like the guy... Also can't tell which girl's the wife.

Challenger 1800:


Any prices on Islandia and Challenger?  I life the full windshield of the Utopia, and the rear seat, the Islandia is just nice and big (draft is the same for all of them) and has a flat bow for boarding, I like the top view of the Challenger 1800, but not the bubble windshields.

[DaveP]

You lose a lot of power with the jet.We had an old 16' PolarKraft with a 35 OMC. Got a free jet drive for it.Put it on(also had to raise the transom by8-10") Boat was a whole lot slower with the jet drive on it.Plus,if you operate it in any mud,she'll clog up FAST.And lost alot of manuerability in tight spots. Boat was mostly used in tidal creeks,so we lost out on all fronts.Went back to original lower unit. I/Os,are in my opinion,the worst of both worlds.I'd rather have an inboard.Or an outboard.But not another sterndrive.Granted my experiences are limited-had one in 70's and one in 80s-ate money.Always working on outdrives,plus manifold,jackets,etc.I'm sticking with outboards.No one boat will do it all for you,in most cases.I like to run in big water,but I also spend alot of time progging around up in tidal creeks,etc.Plus the canoes,duck boats,etc. Find yourself a solid,used boat,and get a new outboard.Or,once you decide what you'll be using it for most of the time,look at packages.Best prices I've found in the Mid-Atlantic region on both complete packages and just outboards,is Ed's Marine in Ashland,VA.Dave