Jet Drives

Powerboat · 31 October 2000, 23:48

Hi folks ,

I am looking for advice from anyone who has experience of small water jet powered RIBs around 6.5 m . with say 150 hp engines .

Anyone have any experience of the Mercury Jet drive Outboard ??
Best wishes ,

Stuart

------------------
www.powerboat.org

Tiffy · 07 November 2008, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerboat

Hi folks ,

I am looking for advice from anyone who has experience of small water jet powered RIBs around 6.5 m . with say 150 hp engines .

Anyone have any experience of the Mercury Jet drive Outboard ??
Best wishes ,

Stuart

------------------
www.powerboat.org

The Venturers have been with water jets since 1961 ; our first was a 4 meter Avon with rotax engine and UA Jet. We have had a 6M Humbers and Avon with Hamilton Jet. Jets take up a lot of room . At present
we have a 9.5 Ocean Dynamic. I note BHG Marine iin Lymington have
a jet rib for sale. If you want to talk jets give me a ring 02380891280
" Tiffy "

Cookee · 08 November 2008, 08:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerboat

Hi folks ,

I am looking for advice from anyone who has experience of small water jet powered RIBs around 6.5 m . with say 150 hp engines .

Anyone have any experience of the Mercury Jet drive Outboard ??
Best wishes ,

Stuart

------------------
www.powerboat.org

We have made a 6m 120hp diesel jet Rib - I'm away until the 17th, but email me after that and I will help you any way I can!

Rogue Wave · 09 November 2008, 15:23

do alot of work with Jet drive boats quite often 6 mtr, they have their advantages and lmitatins but safety wise they are hard to beat.

Sub 7 mtr jet drive boats are more prolific in the us but here usually coupled to a big v8 petrol. Manufacturers of Jets have started to make them protude more from the rear of the boat thus releasing some valuabl space on board.
Also there are companies in the states which make conversion kits for turning an outboard into a jet drive. I think they might be worth consideration.

Are you thinking of convertng an existing boat or going new build?

I am familiar with the Opti Jet unit but have not used one.

Cookee · 21 November 2008, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Also there are companies in the states which make conversion kits for turning an outboard into a jet drive. I think they might be worth consideration.

Are you thinking of convertng an existing boat or going new build?

I am familiar with the Opti Jet unit but have not used one.

I saw a Mercury outboard jet drive at the Auckland Boat show earlier this year, so they do them in NZ as well.

jyasaki · 21 November 2008, 17:12

I think Yamaha still sells outboard jets as well (or did til recently.)

jky

joakimhansson · 12 October 2010, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

We have made a 6m 120hp diesel jet Rib - I'm away until the 17th, but email me after that and I will help you any way I can!

I think you missed him by 8 year

Nos4r2 · 12 October 2010, 20:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by joakimhansson

I think you missed him by 8 year

martini · 12 October 2010, 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by joakimhansson

I think you missed him by 8 year

And you missed that by another 2 years

Nos4r2 · 13 October 2010, 02:09

I'd love an explanation of why that happens,cause I'm sure I've never answered something I've trawled that far back to find!

joakimhansson · 13 October 2010, 09:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

And you missed that by another 2 years

I know

But John's response was best.

Contact me next week and I will help you ....

Cookee · 16 October 2010, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by joakimhansson

I know

But John's response was best.

Contact me next week and I will help you ....

It was only a day after Tiffy's post - didn't look at the original posters date! Rogue got caught out as well! I blame Tiffy!

Turbodiesel · 16 October 2010, 14:17

I have tried quite a few, everything from 25hp up (outboards). They are ok but the boat does need to be matched to the jet, some boat work with jets others dont.
The MoD had quite a few 6.5m Delta's with twin Mariner 90hp Jets for a few years, i then went round the country taking them off and putting gearboxes back on.
You do loose quite alot of power with the jet, for example we fitted a 5.4m Searider with a jet outboard but ended up with a 115hp mariner on the back to get near the same performance of a 75hp.
The are also quite bad a getting blocked up, weed is a killer and its not easy to clear the jet/impeller as you have to get your tools out and take the grate off the jet intake.
Not a controlable, like a jet ski you do need a bit of power on to get them to turn!.
We also put a Pair of Optimax 225's on Jets on a Halmatic 28ft rib, they did 600hrs ish, but the mod decided again they were not suitable, due to the loss in performance.