What are the negatives of a jet boat?

Is a jet boat a good idea?

As mentioned above, they're great in shallow waters, but inboard jets can also be backed up on to beaches given the absence of any protruding parts including rudders. At very high speeds jet drives have been documented as being more efficient than props, and they're certainly quicker to accelerate.

Are jet boats high maintenance?

Jet boats are generally expensive to buy and are also somewhat expensive to maintain. Jetboat engines aren't like “regular” combustion engines, which means they need specialists to care for them.

Are jet boats low maintenance?

For starters, jet boats have excellent maneuverability, are highly efficient, and extremely low-maintenance.

Are jet boats better than prop?

Common Features & Advantages of Jet Boats

Because the entire jet drive system is located within the hull, a jet boat has minimal draft and can operate in very shallow water—there's no propeller or outdrive that could be damaged by hitting bottom.

How long do jet boat motors last?

The average marine gasoline engine runs for 1,500 hours before needing a major overhaul. The average marine diesel engine will run for more than three times that long and log an average 5,000 hours under the same conditions.

Can you leave a jet boat in the water?

You can leave in the water but should have shore power connected if leaving in the water for any substantial period of time like over a week. Taking the plugs out is a good idea. You should rinse them off after every use to make sure crud and buildup does not lock them in place over time.

How much does it cost to maintain a jet boat?

Depending on gas prices you should expect to spend $300-600+ annually. Ongoing maintenance is another cost that will need to be accounted for. Seasonal maintenance includes an oil change and fluid check, if your model is a bit older you might have some additional repair costs.

Can you leave a jet boat in saltwater?

Saltwater can be particularly damaging on the metal surfaces of a boat. On a jet boat, you should be most worried about the engines corrupting. Thus, you should not leave your jet boat in saltwater for more than one to two weeks maximum.

Do you have to winterize a jet boat?

Do You Always Need to Winterize a Jet Boat? If the temperature in your region never gets close to freezing, and you are using the boat constantly, you do not need to winterize. But if you live in an area where the winter gets cold, or your jet boat will be sitting idle for several months, you need to winterize.

How shallow can a jet boat go?

Because of this concern, manufacturers recommend that you not operate a jet ski in water shallower than 3 feet. As jet skis don't have props like boats, they can run in shallower water of course. But keeping safety in mind, you should never operate the engine in water that is less than 3 feet deep.

Are jet boats good on fuel?

Jet boat motors operate at higher RPMs. This makes them less fuel-efficient. However, don't get it wrong, every engine and each boat is somewhat different, so that they aren't all horrible with fuel consumption, but they have a tendency of being among the least fuel-efficient types of water vessels.

Are jet boats good in waves?

Keep in mind that the boat can take it, and with enough skill and correct expectation, you can handle seas much greater than what any of you have encountered so far. They use jet skis to tow in and out, surfers in many big wave areas of the world.

How far can a jet ski go on a full tank of gas?

In general, a jet ski can go somewhere from 75-150 miles on a tank of gas. Again, these numbers could vary widely depending on several factors like the jet ski's performance, curb weight, fuel capacity, or the weather conditions.

Do they still make jet boats?

So it's no wonder that when it comes to small runabouts, jet boats are extremely popular. Even so, there are only a couple of major builders who make jet boats today: Scarab Boats, Yamaha Boats, among others.

How often do jet skis break down?

In general, every 4-stroke jet ski over 300 hours is considered a lot of usage, while in the case of 2-stroke jet skis, this number is around 200. But proper maintenance is always more important than engine hours!

Can Yamaha jet boats go in the ocean?

And unlike an outboard boat, you can't adjust trim to angle the bow up or down. It just is what it is. But somehow, the 242 Limited S works great in the ocean even when you're flying the boat halfway out of the water at the crest of each wave.

Can you dry start a jet boat?

You can start any jet skis out of the water, but just for a short time! If you attach a garden hose to their flush port to cool the engine with running water, the best practice is if you run the engine for around 2 minutes. But without supplying water, it's safest if you run it for a maximum of 15 seconds!

Can Yamaha jet boats be used in saltwater?

No problem with the Yamaha in salt water. They take it very well. The materials used on the stern are all selected to be used in salt water.

Do jet boats have transmissions?

Since jet boats do not have a transmission, they also do not have any gears. Jet boat engines and impellers are always spinning when the motor is running, and they are always spinning in a forward direction. This means that some amount of water is always leaving the nozzles, even in the neutral position.

Can you ski behind a jet boat?

As others have said, right behind the boat is a bit more choppy just because of the jet wash. Hole shots are awesome and take some driver skill not to overpower the skier. The skier can pull the back of the boat around a bit, but that can also be overcome with some driver skill/experience.