Boat Dealer told me Jet Drives are nothing but trouble in Salt Water

[ClearwaterMike]

Getting ready to get my 2nd Jet Boat, I had one in Pensacola 15 years ago, now looking at the Scarab 195. A friend of a friend who is a boat dealer was talking in general and learned I was about to get a Scarab, but warned me that the impellers and the housing is nothing but problems here along the gulf coast of Florida. I find that odd, since there are thousands of Jet Skis in the area. I find the Scarab and the Rotax with its ride plate eliminates any salt water from being circulated inside the engine (unlike many stern drive boats) and the only thing to flush is the exhaust and hose out. I read a couple threads that suggest salt water use common sense, flush, clean and spray with CRC 6-56 or ACF-50. why the scare tactics from the OutBoard groups?

 

[Betik]

maybe because he does not sale jetboats or profit margin is lower on jetboats !!!!!!

if you leave it in the water I can see how it more maintenance, but if it is lifted and you dont boat in seaweed invested waters you should be fine.

Note: a bit biased but I would consider buying a yamaha

 

[Dean P]

Welcome to the forum !!!

Fear of the unknown I would say. I have no issues as I'm in salt water all the time (like you).

I've had Yamaha and now a Chaparral. I would never go back. Enjoyed my Yami for 3 years. I have had my 223 now for a year. Big difference. Both have pluses and minuses. Search or ask to find out. Good luck!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Depending on the ability and level of competence of the boat owner a jet used properly is far less trouble and requires far less maintenance than a prop. With 67 years on this planet and 53 of those years having boating experience most were props, never owned a jet until I was 49, had my first boat when I was 14 , a 14 foot M F G with a 40 hp. Evenrude stored in a wet slip because I had to ride my bicycle to go use it since I was not old enough to drive a car.
Built, customized and modified many a boat over the years . In any case I had mostly outboards would never consider a I O . would take out my 19 foot with a 140 sea drive on it 16 miles into the Gulf of Mexico 3 times a week when possible with only a compass, a Loran and a marine radio. In any case I have had numerous makes of jets and only buy Yamaha due to very disappointing reliability issues with other brands, currently with 2 1800 N A Yamaha engines in salt water only and currently over760 hours on them with minor reliability issues, I would say the person who told you that may be hearing from a variety of different people with a variety of makes and models. or he has no clue and just attacks jet boats like a lot of the prop boat companies have done for a long time. But it really depends on a lot more than just being a jet boat it depends on who owns it and how they treat it. There are two sides to every coin. I hated my first jet boat and refused to drive it, then I invented & patented steering that changed the game instantly. The lack of steering was the big issue most people had with jet boats of days goner by.

 

[Matt Phillips]

whoever told ya that is either a) not carrying jets; 2) uninformed; or 3) both. Jets have been used in salt water for years, and like anything if you know the maintenance involved with them, they will last. My recommendation is to go elsewhere and talk to a Scarab dealer.

 

[Cambo]

20 years on jetboats salt water use . The trailer was the main item for maintenance. Not as many hours as @Cobra Jet Steering LLC but many years trailering and reading about issues that are not that prolific . If you have marginal wrenching ability with this site it makes most issues manageable

 

[Liveto99]

Since Clearwater is in your name. Cycle Springs right in Clearwater sells more jet boats in any dealer in the country I think most people use them right there so there has to be a reason they sell so many. You will be fine I went with a Yamaha to because of reliability. I walked through there yesterday the scarabs absolutely better laid out I believe and also larger that 25 with the drop-down back if it had Yamaha motors in it I would buy it in a second. But looking down the road 10 years from now the Yamaha’s have a great resale value and 90% of the people never have trouble with them. That’s why I have a Toyota 4Runner it is is just the most reliable SUV out there for years. Honda power equipment it always starts.

 

[J-RAD]

I seem to recall one of the manufacturers updated the materials that were used for the wear rings and coatings on the nozzel components Fits improved salt water reliability. I think that was the 2018+ Yamahas I'd I'm not mistaken...?

I also recall reading somewhere that the Scarab/Chapparal boats were better suited for longer duration wet slipping in salt water. Again I couldn't pinpoint, to the source...?

 

[Liveto99]

?
Yamaha has put new ceramic coating on the 2018 to prevent corrosion from salt water.

 

[Dean P]

This from a member on FB:

Starting in 2019 all Rotax engines and Drives received an all new Anti Corrosion treatment and the first corrosion warranty on any Jet boat! Not only the reverse bucket but the nozzle, jet pump and all components are now covered under the new corrosion warranty. You are now allowed to keep your boat in the water for up to 7 weeks before having to pull it out! The entire summer season for northern boaters! No more pictures of chalked up drives that electrolysis has had their way with!

 

[J-RAD]

This from a member on FB:

Starting in 2019 all Rotax engines and Drives received an all new Anti Corrosion treatment and the first corrosion warranty on any Jet boat! Not only the reverse bucket but the nozzle, jet pump and all components are now covered under the new corrosion warranty. You are now allowed to keep your boat in the water for up to 7 weeks before having to pull it out! The entire summer season for northern boaters! No more pictures of chalked up drives that electrolysis has had their way with!

Yes, that's the exact comment I was thinking. Thanks for looking that up. Now that my memory has been triggered further, I believe that was a comment from Leonard Maraist(?) of New Orleans Powersports, who's a dealer for both brands.

 

[Dean P]

Yes, that's the exact comment I was thinking. Thanks for looking that up. Now that my memory has been triggered further, I believe that was a comment from Leonard Maraist(?) of New Orleans Powersports, who's a dealer for both brands.

That's the guy...

 

[AmesJainchill]

I seem to recall one of the manufacturers updated the materials that were used for the wear rings and coatings on the nozzel components Fits improved salt water reliability. I think that was the 2018+ Yamahas I'd I'm not mistaken...?

I also recall reading somewhere that the Scarab/Chapparal boats were better suited for longer duration wet slipping in salt water. Again I couldn't pinpoint, to the source...?

I remember reading this thread regarding 2019's. Yamaha made some updates to the pump housing for 2019+. I'm assuming this helps prevent the swell that some folks got in the wear ring if salt water intruded behind it?

 

[J-RAD]

I remember reading this thread regarding 2019's. Yamaha made some updates to the pump housing for 2019+. I'm assuming this helps prevent the swell that some folks got in the wear ring if salt water intruded behind it?

Yes!... see I knew you guys would come thru and back me up. (It was midnight and I was lazy, lol!)

 

[Julian]

Tons of people use these boats in salt water. There really is no difference....OBs IOs and Jetboats need to be flushed after use in saltwater.

The primary challenge I've had offshore in Florida is the Sargassum weeds. These are tough weeds that do indeed get stuck on the intakes of jet boats. Every year there seems to be more. It isn't hard to clear them - either using the reverse clearing method, or with a Yamaha - using the clean out ports. But it does get annoying when you are in an area with a lot of weeds!

 

[Jgorm]

I would never consider wet slipping a jet boat, even for a couple weeks. A lift or trailer is 100% necessary.

 

[Julian]

I would never consider wet slipping a jet boat, even for a couple weeks. A lift or trailer is 100% necessary.

Until 6 years ago we would wet slip our jet boat(s) all summer in fresh water lakes. Up north it was much less of an issue as very little would grow on the boat. Down south the boat would grow an algae fur on it that caused a ton of drag and lowered the top speed and massively increased the GPH required for a particular speed. So we bought an air dock. But never had any issues from wet slipping (other than the added cleaning and gas costs).

Salt water wet slipping.....something else entirely. 2-3 weeks max in salt water at a time.

 

[Dean P]

Tons of people use these boats in salt water. There really is no difference....OBs IOs and Jetboats need to be flushed after use in saltwater.

The primary challenge I've had offshore in Florida is the Sargassum weeds. These are tough weeds that do indeed get stuck on the intakes of jet boats. Every year there seems to be more. It isn't hard to clear them - either using the reverse clearing method, or with a Yamaha - using the clean out ports. But it does get annoying when you are in an area with a lot of weeds!

Especially during the winter months. Water is just too damn cold.

 

[nawlinstornado]

I was told the same thing by a boat dealer here in Louisiana. Also, that jet boats couldn't reverse. And numerous other false rumors. I've learned to not listen to a dealer that doesn't sell them because they seem to be uneducated.

 

[ptwb]

The primary challenge I've had offshore in Florida is the Sargassum weeds. These are tough weeds that do indeed get stuck on the intakes of jet boats. Every year there seems to be more. It isn't hard to clear them - either using the reverse clearing method, or with a Yamaha - using the clean out ports. But it does get annoying when you are in an area with a lot of weeds!

For me at least, it is now more than annoying. The weed problem does seem to be getting worse and worse every year.

Sargassum seaweed now piling up on Florida beaches becoming a regular 'belt' across Atlantic to Africa


It's no fun navigating when the stuff is everywhere. I really do wish Yamaha or Rotax would come up with a solution. For example, I wonder what would happen if they tried to go back to the finger intake grate design on the earlier mercury powered seadoo jets. Maybe even where the finger tips at the rear are that they could extend them just a bit more aft of the pump intake and just make it a fixed grate, not one that swings up under load. This way as the grate collected grass it would slide to the back and then slide off and be out of the way. The main issue with these grates on the early mercury powered jets was the fingers breaking off and then worse having the bad luck of ingesting and siezing on that finger. If they could just design it stronger?