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Information Needed

Are jet boats good for use on a river?

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 100.0%
  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .

James (Trent River NC)

Active Member
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Other
Year
2020
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Boat Length
17
First thanks for allowing me to join this form.

I am 40 years old and have never owned a boat. My wife and I just bought a home on the Trent River in New Bern NC. This has very quickly escalated our desire for a boat. My wife and I would be happy putting around on a pontoon however, we have a six year old son so buying a Pontoon does not seem like the appropriate choice.

I am not overly mechanically inclined so buying a older boat scares me and the price of a new boat scares me too. I had been told maintenance on Jet boats was simple so that’s how I ended up here. I have read about control at low speeds and about Jet Blast when doing water sports. Both these things concern me however, I figure I can correct both of those with a little throttle and a longer rope. What I can not find is how a jet boat may handel in the river. My fear is that it is not smooth like a lake; does anyone have a jet boat on a river, does anyone have one on the Neuse or Trent Rivers, and if so how do they Handel? Also someone on here said you don’t have to winterize a jet boat, is that true? In NC it is not uncommon to have a few warm days in the middel if winter and that would be a great plus.
 

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
Funny you post this today... tomorrow four of us are launching in newbern and taking the neuse to adams creek and then over to the beaufort water front. One of the people going, @Neutron lives in new bern and boats exclusively in the neuse. So yes ... they can be used in rivers.
 

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
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Year
2008
Boat Model
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Boat Length
23
My boat is a 2008 with the twin mr1 engines... they are amazing engines and have never let me down so far... there are members on here who have hundreds of hours on mr1s. The key is to find someone who is very particular about their boat. There are boaters, then there are boat lovers! Two very different things.
 

swatski

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 1*
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Location
North Caldwell, NJ
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
First thanks for allowing me to join this form.

I am 40 years old and have never owned a boat. My wife and I just bought a home on the Trent River in New Bern NC. This has very quickly escalated our desire for a boat. My wife and I would be happy putting around on a pontoon however, we have a six year old son so buying a Pontoon does not seem like the appropriate choice.

I am not overly mechanically inclined so buying a older boat scares me and the price of a new boat scares me too. I had been told maintenance on Jet boats was simple so that’s how I ended up here. I have read about control at low speeds and about Jet Blast when doing water sports. Both these things concern me however, I figure I can correct both of those with a little throttle and a longer rope. What I can not find is how a jet boat may handel in the river. My fear is that it is not smooth like a lake; does anyone have a jet boat on a river, does anyone have one on the Neuse or Trent Rivers, and if so how do they Handel? Also someone on here said you don’t have to winterize a jet boat, is that true? In NC it is not uncommon to have a few warm days in the middel if winter and that would be a great plus.
Welcome to the club!
Jet propulsion all the way if in a river.
I'm so envious of you guys - where you get to boat, daily. I think it would be a sin to live there and not have a boat, personally.

--
 

Neutron

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
New Bern, NC
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Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
ABSOLUTLY!
Yup i live in brices creek and launch from merchants. We tend to stay in the trent and relax or pull tubes or wakeboard on the trent
 

Neutron

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Location
New Bern, NC
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Yamaha
Year
2016
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AR
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24
There is at least 5 yamaha jet boats on the trent or brices creek
 

Neutron

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
New Bern, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
First thanks for allowing me to join this form.

I am 40 years old and have never owned a boat. My wife and I just bought a home on the Trent River in New Bern NC. This has very quickly escalated our desire for a boat. My wife and I would be happy putting around on a pontoon however, we have a six year old son so buying a Pontoon does not seem like the appropriate choice.

I am not overly mechanically inclined so buying a older boat scares me and the price of a new boat scares me too. I had been told maintenance on Jet boats was simple so that’s how I ended up here. I have read about control at low speeds and about Jet Blast when doing water sports. Both these things concern me however, I figure I can correct both of those with a little throttle and a longer rope. What I can not find is how a jet boat may handel in the river. My fear is that it is not smooth like a lake; does anyone have a jet boat on a river, does anyone have one on the Neuse or Trent Rivers, and if so how do they Handel? Also someone on here said you don’t have to winterize a jet boat, is that true? In NC it is not uncommon to have a few warm days in the middel if winter and that would be a great plus.
I dont winterize and i use it year round at least 1 or 2 trips out in the colder months.
@encboater leaves his ar240 on the lift year round on the creek
 

subysti

Jetboaters Captain
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Location
east Longmeadow Mass
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2015
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
We primarily use our boat in the Connecticut river in Massachusetts. There are a lot of other yamahas out there. I lost too many props on the river with sand bars that move, debris floating downstream or just low water levels. Three years now and no issues.
 

Neutron

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
New Bern, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
James, where about is your house on the trent. Is it on the water with a lift or dock?
 

James (Trent River NC)

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2020
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ABSOLUTLY!
Yup i live in brices creek and launch from merchants. We tend to stay in the trent and relax or pull tubes or wakeboard on the trent
Thank you so much for writing back. Enjoy your trip out this weekend I hope to be joining the club soon
 

James (Trent River NC)

Active Member
Messages
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ABSOLUTLY!
Yup i live in brices creek and launch from merchants. We tend to stay in the trent and relax or pull tubes or wakeboard on the trent
Funny you post this today... tomorrow four of us are launching in newbern and taking the neuse to adams creek and then over to the beaufort water front. One of the people going, @Neutron lives in new bern and boats exclusively in the neuse. So yes ... they can be used in rivers.
Thank you and I hope you all have great boating this weekend. We are planning to continue to shop tomorrow for a boat
 

Volffas

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
Alexandria, KY
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2007
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
23
We primarily use our boat on the Ohio River near Cincinnati, OH. Our AR230 is absolutely perfect. However there have been many days when we were out and the water turned rough and I was very thankful to have a 23'er. I am sure many will disagree, but personally, I would not feel comfortable on big water in a 19', and I while I think the 21' would do fine, it wouldn't be nearly as comfortable as the 23'.

Good luck!
 

Sly J

Well-Known Member
Messages
20
Reaction score
9
Points
52
Location
Knightdale, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2018
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
19
I'm going home to beaufort tomorrow and wish I knew about the Adam's Creek trip...Next time...
 

swatski

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 1*
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Location
North Caldwell, NJ
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
We primarily use our boat on the Ohio River near Cincinnati, OH. Our AR230 is absolutely perfect. However there have been many days when we were out and the water turned rough and I was very thankful to have a 23'er. I am sure many will disagree, but personally, I would not feel comfortable on big water in a 19', and I while I think the 21' would do fine, it wouldn't be nearly as comfortable as the 23'.

Good luck!
I would agree. As much as I LOVED my 190, and may be back in that size/range in the future, it is not for everyone. My wife does not tolerate chop well and with her it is definitely "the bigger the better" kind of a situation.
She is a lot more comfortable in the 230/240.
(Actually, come to think of it, the 230s have a bit "deeper" cockpit on the inside creating perhaps more "plush" and secure feel - even though the new 240 hulls have a lot more free-board.)

--
 
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