Jet boats

[JasonB]

When I started playing with my old Glastrons, looking theough the old catalogs, it looks like jjets used to be very popular. I'm not talking the 120hp sport jets, I'm talking big block V8's and Berkleys/jacuzzi's. Looks like they started dying out in the late 70's. Was it the gas crunch that did them in or what?

 

[Trent]

Re: Jet boats

You have it right JasonB. They were real popular when I was a pup..Then the gas gods...sucked the power out of them. Caused they loved gas! Man I miss them. THey blew water almost a 1/4 mile behind them when they took off.......What a site.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Jet boats

I see a few on the local lake. Cool boats. Makes some muscle cars sound weak. One has a tendancy to flip the diverter when he goes under the bridge to shoot water over the apan. Looks like 18' or so with a 455. <br /><br />Glastron seemed to offer everything with ajet it seems. Had someone offer me a 16'-17' tri-hull Glastron with a Jet powered by a Ford 302 a while back. Said it was so much fun he was scared of it.

 

[Ray Lorenz]

Re: Jet boats

Jets died out for a couple of reasons. At low speeds (docking etc..) they were very hard to steer. Secondly at high speeds they were always passed by the straight inboards. Straight inboards (prop under the boat) have much less slipage the a jet boat,

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Jet boats

Jet boats with v8 engines and pumps made by Hamilton, Kodiak, Berkely, American Turbine and some others are still very common in the pacific northwest and Alaska. They have not died out at all. The fuel efficiency of the top end pumps is actually not bad at all. The most common block I've seen is the 5.0 and 5.7 liter (305 and 350) engine and the Ford equivalents. But, the large block V8s are also used. These boats are primarily used for running rivers where props aren't appropriate. Some boats of this type are increasingly going to the larger Merc sportjets - 175, 200, 250 hp.

 

[truck]

Re: Jet boats

I am IN ORegon, and everyone I fish with has a jet boat. I, have a glastron, but my dad has a 23' Northriver jet boat.<br />Has a marine power 496 and hamilton 212 and it loves gas!<br />

 

[stevens]

Re: Jet boats

This might bring new life to jet engines: diesel!<br /><br />Hope it's OK to post a link to this article:<br /><br /> http://boatdiesel.com/News/NPageDetail.cfm?UF=1&P=20050525_CumminsMercruiser.cfm&Y=2005 <br /><br />I have this engine in my 21' daycruiser, coupled to an Alpha-drive.<br /><br />How do you think the boat's characteristics would change had it been with the jet drive instead? Noisy, quick accelleration, and slightly slower top end speed, would that be the verdict?