Sold my boat.....What do I do NOW? NOT a "simple answer"! HELP!

[RichardS]

I joined another forum for jet boaters that is "brand-specific", and was referred by a member to this forum, where I am told I'll get lots of great advice. I look forward to that! Not to say I didn't get some very worthwhile thoughts from the members there, but I would deeply appreciate getting as many heads into this as possible before I spend my hard-earned cash. I have made boat purchase mistakes before, and I really, REALLY want to avoid doing THAT again. So I am counting on you guys, for your wealth of real-world experience, to steer me in the right direction. I tried asking some boaters I know, but 99% of them have ZERO jet boat experience, and they advise against jet boats, some rather vehemently! How can a person object (and strongly at that!), when they have no experience of their own to draw from??

Thus, I turn to you guys.....all of you have jet boat experience and therefore are qualified to give sound advice on the subject.....so I really look forward to what you have to say!

I'm not, I don't think, the average demographic for a jet boater. I'm approaching my 63'rd BD and don't know how I got there so quickly, although I suspect the reason I don't remember how the time went by so fast was the "early years" of college, pot, and what was we used to call "free love" that evolved into work, marriage, raising children, and the same stress and anxiety issues all my fellow baby boomers have suffered as we watched as our world degenerated into a place where someone like Trump could actually become the president of the United States!

All that said, somewhere along the way, I found time to add boating to my short list of pastimes. (The other main one being riding my Harley, and by the way, founded a Harley forum I'm quite proud of that and it is enjoyed by a wonderful group of members today.)

But in my decades of boating, I have only ridden on ONE jetboat, and that was back in the 70's, with what would be considered dinosaur tech by today's standards. It did have a huge big block Mopar engine behind its two seats with the exhaust pipes roaring right behind our heads! Loud and fast but filled me with the constant sensation it was going to go "ass over teakettle" as my mom said the first time she saw me trying to roller skate back in the late 50's. (And she was right, I did, and gave up roller-skating fairly quickly, although when she said gave the same dire warning about motorcycling a decade later, I didn't listen and never hung up my leathers.)

While I didn't ever OWN a jet boat, I DID own many other boats along the way. Many brands, from a 14 foot Boston Whaler with an outboard to many cuddys and bow riders with both outboards and I/O's to a 42 foot Carver with diesels. I always either trailered my boats or rented slips at a marina. (The big aft cabin Carver wasn't exactly a trailerable boat!)

We finally enjoyed the ability to buy a nice little rancher on a lagoon in south jersey, and so my last boat, which I just sold, was a 28.6 foot Sea Ray bow rider with a big block 496 that was very nice, but too big for our needs. But we could keep it in the water behind the house, nicely tied to our floating dock.

Ok. Life story up to date, as it applies here, I suppose! I shared all this "stuff" so you'd understand how and why I am here today, and my boating experience to date, such as it is.

(Oh, forgot to mention, I have owned a handful of jet skis, which I love, and currently own a 2012 Sea Doo GTR 215. But I don't go out as much as I'd like, because my wife isn't really into jet skis, even though she greatly enjoys boating. Even tried getting her a Jetski of her own, but sold it for lack of interest on her part.)

Back to point.

I want to get some advice on what my next boat should be.

Our area has some shallow waters, especially at low tide. In fact, with my last two I/O's, there was no way I could go out even close to low tide. My lagoon is about 6 feet deep in the middle at low tide, 2 feet at the bulk head, and the causeway I have to go down to get to the bay is even more shallow as a result of Sandy, with maybe 3 feet in the CENTER of the lagoon at low tide and MUD at the bulkhead for those poor homeowners in the last stretch before the bay. In fact, our bay, (Little Egg Harbor), is about waist deep at BEST outside the channel markers at low tide. So we are really dependent on the tide here.

As such, I now turn to the "Jet Boat Option", because of the advantage of less draft, in the hope that, despite all the negatives I hear on some other boating sites, (who I won't name, but I'll bet you know who they are), make disparaging remarks about jet boats and even people who own jet boats. (My OWN forum, a HARLEY forum, would remove any member who disrespected another rider for the brand of bike he owns, whether a Harley or not. We'd never tolerate such disrespectful , insulting behavior towards a fellow rider because he chose to ride a different brand or type of bike.)

Anyway.......please ladies and gentlemen.....

"Sell" me on why I'll be happy with a jet boat in my current situation.

Give me the pros and cons laid out in a way that demonstrates how owning a jet boat should be greatly favored over any alternative.

Remember, I AM in salt water.

I DO leave my boat in the water. If I have to trailer it when not in use, THAT is a deal killer for SURE.

I DO want to save money on maintenance and repairs. But if buying a jet ski boat dock will negate the savings of maintenance and repair costs, please tell me that. If it won't, how long do I have to own the jet boat so that it won't?

How difficult is it to maneuver in close quarters as opposed to a prop boat? I have neighbors with boats on both sides of me and I have to be mindful of being able to get in and around their boats without having to worry about an errand wind or slight throttle nudge creating a "situation" that will be both embarrassing and costly. I'm a pretty decent boater, but not a miracle worker. So "low speed control" is critical to me in my situation here.

Finally, while I have spent lots of money boats in the past, I now have decided I don't get out enough to warrant a huge outlay of money on a boat purchase. I want to buy a used boat, whatever type of propulsion it has, and I want my budget to remain at or under the $20K mark including a trailer to store it on in the off season. If I have to buy a jet boat dock, I should include that in the budget figure, by all reasoning, as it is "part of the boat", but for purposes of this thread, I won't. I'll agree to buy the jet boat dock, if it's really critical, over and above the cost of the boat, or maybe I'll get a lift that can be attached to the bulkhead, since that way if I choose to go back to a traditional drive, I won't be stuck with a jet boat dock I no longer need.

I sincerely look forward to hearing your advice and thoughts on this! Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Bruce]

Welcome Aboard!

First, you do not want to leave a jet boat in the water for long periods. Especially in salt water. The things that will grow on the hull will quickly reduce the efficiency and top speed. I have had mine in salt water for around two weeks at a time with no issues but she needed a good clean afterward. I have seen plenty of pictures from owners who left their boat in the water for boating season and had quite a cleanup job at the end.

So you will want a jet dock or a lift. Lifts are pretty common on freshwater lakes and I know many members use them in salt water.

Based on where you are boating I believe you are going to want the biggest jet boat that you can fit in your budget. You will be able to get a 23' first generation 2003 to 2006 230 for less than your budget or a really nice upgraded example for around the top of your budget. Hard pressed sellers or well used second generation 2007 to 2009 230s may also fit into your budget. All of the second generation 230s have high output (HO) MR-1 engines which were an option on the first. I would try to find HO engines for a combination of higher speed and higher efficiency.

Driving a jet boat will be different than what you are used to. The twin engines make them very maneuverable. Adding a set of current generation fins to the nozzles for ~$350 and changing the steering and shift cables at a similar parts cost will make a world of difference in handling and stability. I have never damaged another boat, dock or my boat docking anywhere. That includes a lot of busy marinas and high wind days. It is a pain and you will need assistance to try to get into a slip with 30 mph side winds but the same is true for any boat.

 

[Julian]

I DO leave my boat in the water. If I have to trailer it when not in use, THAT is a deal killer for SURE.

I think this is a deal killer for you then...unless you have a lift or plan to get a lift. You don't want to leave a jet boat sitting in salt water for anything much more than 1-2 weeks.

You mention you are looking at jets for the shallow draft...is the area weedy? If so, this is another area where jets don't do so well....heavy weeds. So a little more info on the area your slip will be in would help us understand if this is an issue.

 

[Scottintexas]

Glad you found us, that's quite a first post!

have suffered as we watched as our world degenerated into a place where someone like Trump could actually become the president of the United States!

Please know that part of this great forum is we try to keep our political/religious/controversial opinions to ourselves (we don't even like political meme's) if you feel the need to discuss these topics yamahajetboaters.net has a "have at it, anything goes" policy and the members there would be glad to engage you in these topics.

I love my jet boat and in six years other than oil and spark plug changes only once had to silicone my jet pumps to stop some air intrusion, no winterization issues that I can't just put it in the water if we get a nice winter weekend.

I would also recommend a lift and to know more about your area especially as Julian mentioned the weeds, maybe start a post with title "Would like a ride in NJ" and see if any members might take you out for an hour or two.

Post your Harley forum address, we've have many members with bikes, we like other forums and don't discourage people from posting links, even for other jetboating sites,

 

[RichardS]

OK! Below, you'll see an image that shows my approximate location (near the area marked "Hunter Drive" towards the top). I run my boat down that relatively short no-wake zone until I hit that final unpopulated run that terminates at the bay after going under a small bridge with plenty of clearance for the types of boats in my area.. (No huge Sport Fisherman boats, but just about anything else you'd probably expect to see.)
So, if you zoom in, you'll see that weeds are not an issue. Maybe a few once in awhile, but certainly not enough to worry about. I have never seen the kind that would give me pause when heading to the bayon mky jetski, and the few times there was some floating on top we just weaved around them and went on our way.

I would LOVE to get a lift! I contacted a couple companies who either never called me back, or weren't particularly excited about selling me a lift. I actually haven't been able to get someone who will come out and give me an estimate! Yes, I know....sounds impossible, or at least improbable, but it's the truth! So if any of you guys have personal experience with a lift company in my area, PLEASE, share the info!

PS: One last note: Sorry if I offended anyone with my "Trump comment" . I was just trying to throw some levity at the situation. But I won't mention politics again, at least not in the wrong area of the board.

PPS: The forum I founded, and one I am very proud to call "home", is HarleyTalking.com. If you google the generic phrase "harley forum" and hit "images", our ad is usually in the top 10 results out of millions of possible results. Anyway, I have recently turned over the reins of the forum to our lead Admin, and in fact signed ownership over to him because he has more than earned it through his hard work and loyalty over the years he and his Mod team have run the site for me. I highly recommend you give it a try! Lots of great riders, and we encourage anyone who rides to join regardless of the badge on their tank. Yes, we are predominantly a "Harley" on-line community, but we are not elitists who shun a fellow biker because he rides something different from us. Thanks to the Admin of this forum for allowing this shameless plug of a site of which I am very proud!

 

[OCMD]

Welcome! Glad you "found" us....hahahahaha...

 

[Julian]

We don't have issues with links to other sites...so feel free to put your link in the post!

Stunned you can't get someone to quote you on a lift! One option would be a floating Sunstream V-Lift....if I could afford it, I would have bought it! I ended up with an Airdock (see my sig)

 

[RichardS]

OK, here's my docking situation:

As you can see, I have the two jet ski docks, and then the floating boat dock. The boat you see, which I just sold, was 28.6 feet LOA. I want to get something back down in the 18-23 foot range. I am not opposed to installing a boat lift if I can find someone to sell and install one at a fair price for me. I would also, as a second choice, be willing to buy a drive-on jet boat dock, but I would greatly prefer a lift. That way if I do buy a jet, and decide I want an outboard after all, I am not stuck with a jet boat dock I no longer need, like the second jet ski dock I have now that I have sold one of the jet skis and have no intention of replacing it.

 

[Scottintexas]

that looks like a nice set up,
some floating docks will accommodate outboards,
http://versadockus.com/floating-dock-products/drive-on-docks/

Did your other boats get a lot of growth on the hull over the summer?

 

[Topper232]

My brother in law keeps his boat in Tuckerton and has to time his departures and arrivals back at the marina with the tides now since Sandy came to visit.

Agree with what everyone else says. You'll need a lift or a floating dock, which may prove to be a less expensive alternative. I'm sure that you go, or have been to the AC boat shows I Feb. There are plenty of local companies there that sell both lifts and floating docks.

We boat mainly in he Barnegat bay area as we put in in Ship Bottom.

Other than the issue with needing a dock, you'll love a jetboat.....Good luck

 

[robert843]

Welcome aboard! From your situation it does sound like a jet boat will meet a lot of your needs. I own a 24ft sx240 jet boat and a 20ft hurricane deck boat with 5.0 v8 I/o and honestly we have not taken the hurricane out in over a year as we love the jet boat. Biggest cons on the jet boat as you mentioned In your post is they are a little loud compared to a I/O or a newer outboard. I do agree with most posts above that if you plan to leave your boat in salt water a jet would not be the way I would go I would look for a outboard boat as many of them of vary shallow drafts now as well. Anti fouling paint will help keep the hull of a jet boat clean like many other boats with minimal performance loss my boat has it and I have still have had it over 50mph. With that said though jet boats pose other issues sitting in salt water. With the location of steering cables and throttle cables below the water line on the pumps you will likely be changing them every year or two if the boat was left in salt water for months on end.

 

[itsdgm]

Welcome to the site @RichardS glad you found us and decided to join. Sounds like the others have already given you great advice. Good luck with your boat search.

 

[Zeus2013]

Welcome to the site. I boat in the Great South Bay at Long Island. The bay has areas where the depth is about a foot. I have been in channels that get very shallow at low tide. Others get stuck and I go right through.

We also can have tons of weeds and have only had one or two instances of a glogged jet. It is a pain but easy to clear.

The only thing I would change on my boat would be the handling of waves. The jet boats are lighter and tend to get knocked around a bit more. I recently just added some weight to the ski locker to help a little.

 

[seadude]

I've operated Yamaha jet boats in the area for 8 summers with good results BUT I've kept the boats dry docked and am willing to deal with that hassle because I also like to keep the boat immaculate. The low maintenance solution in your situation is definitely an outboard!

 

[txav8r]

Welcome aboard @RichardS ! Don't feel alone in your demographic...I am 60! And I am on my second Yamaha jet boat. They are a great boat for those that want to save the headaches of taking into a service center for routine care, many of us do all our own routine maintenance! One thing you mentioned that concerns me, is the 2 foot deep water you transition at low tide. These jet drives act a great deal like a vacuum cleaner and suck whatever is on the bottom right into the intake and through the pumps. Yamaha has spec'ed for years, the need for at least 2 feet of water under the keel, which puts the need for at least 3 feet of depth if not a few inches more. That is not to say you can't manage less, but most of these boats at idle power, will be drafting 16" of water. So that only gives you 8" below the intakes if your in water that is only 2 feet deep. But on plane at power, these boats draft only about 8" of water! You don't want mud or sand running through the pumps as it will cause deteration in the impeller and housing. Again, it may be something manageable, but if you have to transition shallows of 2' or less, I wouldn't want to do that with my engines running on a routine basis. Most of us won't even beach our boats and then back off the shore under power, as the risk of erosion in the pumps is too great. And to add to what the other guys have said, you don't want to leave these boats with their intake/pump setups, in the water 24/7, so a lift or a jet dock is the way to go on that. You will get plenty of participation in your threads here, and lots of ideas and help, so don't be a stranger. And once again, welcome aboard!

 

[njmr2fan]

@RichardS ! I have friends in NJ who regularly use jetboats in Barnegat bay (some at the end of shallow lagoons) but they keep them out of the water when not in use. Just reading through the previous replies I think you have some pretty info. Your lagoon looks great and the floating dock might be all you need. You may even want to check out our classified section, because i think someone was selling a floating dock. Again, welcome to the forum!

 

[LBFloats]

Hey @RichardS welcome aboard!
We just bought a new 242 almost a month ago and boat primarily in salt water on the Gulf Coast of South Florida.

Although our situation and needs are a little different than yours (we trailer), I thought I'd toss in our 2 cents as this is our first jet boat but we are not new to boating. We looked at a lot of boats and went with our Yamaha because for us the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

You already got a lot of good info above already and I can't top the knowledge level already provided, just my experience so far.

We went for a jet because like you we liked the shallow draft and no running gear or exposed props. All boats suck down $ when it comes to maintenance, especially when it comes to salt water use. Proper maintenance and minimizing salt exposure is key no matter what you buy. That being said I like the simplicity of the jet design over all the gearing and mechanicals of an outdrive or outboard. Both Yamaha and BRP have good reputations when it comes to their power plants and they have been proven across thousands of jet skis and boats used in Salt Water and Fresh. I would expect that they are at least as reliable as any other power plant when properly maintained. Do a proper inspection on anything you buy of course... be it boat, motorcycle, or whatever.

I have two engines and can use them opposingly to turn my boat in its own length and there is something nice about not hearing a tell tale clunk when shifting from forward to reverse frequently. There is no rudder (I do have the articulating keel found on >2015 models) but either way all boats are pretty hard to maneuver without power. Dialing up thrust in either direction on a jet is pretty easy and instantaneous. I went out on a friends '08 21 jet without steering fins and it didn't track well at all without power, under power it was pretty easy with a few minutes acclimation and by the end of the day it was fun turning it around in the tight inlets of the mangroves by his dock. Most jet boats (especially smaller ones) are designed with maneuverability in mind but can tend to wander off power, that being said you can also spin them like a top and turn in a ridiculously small space... especially with 2 engines. Steering fins are also an easy add and make a world of difference on these boats.

We have plenty of shallow sandbars and shoaling in our area and thus far draft hasn't been an issue... I've ground a few props in my past and it's nice to know that won't be a problem... although I'd rather kill $90 of prop than put a hole in my hull. As far as draft, so far as I've seen, if it's mid shin then I'm still floating and on plane it's even more ridiculous... that being said I go minimum planing speed or less below 3' and certainly wouldn't start or idle my engines when my hull is touching bottom... but nothing short of a John boat or Zodiac (ok maybe a hovercraft too) would be any better off. If the boat you sold fits then a jet likely wont have a problem either.

We just had my father in law out and he's a young 67 who grew up boating here in Florida and has owned boats all his life. Suffice it to say he was a happy camper and will tell you ours was way nicer than anything he's owned. He found it easy to maneuver and was impressed by the speed and agility... it'll run rings around most boats it's size. Backing up to a beach and stepping right off the swim platform into ankle deep water was a great option given he had a sore knee that day.

The hulls are pretty well built and as most of the Bimini trip posters will attest are quite capable... Out on the gulf its light weight means it rides rougher than most purpose built fishing boats (a 27' Boston Whaler and similar sized Sea Fox my only frames of reference). This should be obvious and if someone wants a blue water boat then they should look elsewhere. Most 24' boats now adays are built lighter than they used to be and this is hardly the least capable on open water, but it's low nose and lack of a true self bailing cockpit would make it a poor choice for regular open water use imo.

For coastal cruising and fair waters this is really the jack of all trades boats. It will ride better than a deckboat and is more athletic than most boats its size short of a straight out speed boat. Anyone on the internet can disparage anything but truthfully jet propulsion is not new and mystical... if Pershing can power a 115' super yacht with it then I'm not sure what else needs to be said.

I noticed there is no shortage of people who troll message boards and complain about their boats all day yet swear theirs is the only way to go and all others are voodoo. That isn't this forum thankfully. There are a lot of great boats out there that can meet your needs so long as you understand their caveats as well. Like anything there are trade offs but at the end of the day we LOVE our boat and feel our money was very well spent. As boat purchases go this one thus far has been extremely gratifying and it will do everything we want it to do and does it better and cheaper than anything else we found.

There is are plenty of happy jetters out there and I have yet to personally come across any owner who hates their boat... that along with this forum were probably 2 of my biggest selling points. From the look of your pic I'm surprised there aren't a couple around your bay... if you talk to their owners I'll bet they'd agree.