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FYI - Don't expect the jetboat shallow draft claims to save you in shallow waters. To save your prop, you need charts to navigate safely. Jetboats still need at least 2-3ft of draft for the vacuum-like intake grates on the bottom of the hull, so you still need charts to stay safe. They advertise a shallow draft, but that's without the engines running like a prop boat with the drive raised up. My draft is listed at 20", but I would never start the engines in 20" of water as the intake grates would be sitting on the seabed and suck up rocks, sand, pop cans, everything within a foot of the intakes. I would never operate my boat in less than 3ft of water either as a wave will come along and the trough could cut the depth by a foot and suck up debris or even bottom out.
Couldn’t agree more. I think if you use common sense when operating any boat things will work out in the end. I’ve been on my lake for 40 years and know every nook and cranny. Accidents are gonna happen, but if they keep happening and you don’t learn, well then your a moron. LolFYI - Don't expect the jetboat shallow draft claims to save you in shallow waters. To save your prop, you need charts to navigate safely. Jetboats still need at least 2-3ft of draft for the vacuum-like intake grates on the bottom of the hull, so you still need charts to stay safe. They advertise a shallow draft, but that's without the engines running like a prop boat with the drive raised up. My draft is listed at 20", but I would never start the engines in 20" of water as the intake grates would be sitting on the seabed and suck up rocks, sand, pop cans, everything within a foot of the intakes. I would never operate my boat in less than 3ft of water either as a wave will come along and the trough could cut the depth by a foot and suck up debris or even bottom out.
We came from an older I/O prop and shallow waters/rocks was NOT the reason we changed to jet. We switched for the ease of maintenance, no outdrive in the way when playing on the back, swim platform is huge due to small engines, and much more room inside. The extras like newer tech, tower, deeper deadrise for smoother ride, where perks that we knew all newer boats had no matter what we bought. We chose Yamaha over other jetboats because of the reliable engines, regular fuel, dual seats (a must for us), quality materials, and competitive price. We didn't know the twin jets would be a monster in the water, which just made it even better.
