Thread: Mini Jetboats

Hey guys

I got an itch i think need scratching

So i got a bug of wanting a mini jet boat like 3m type size that runs off a jetski set up

Got a jetski and its amazing but still have a problem of wanting to explore some areas it wont get too

Anyone had any experiences with them?

Cheers
Shane

Originally Posted by 199p

Hey guys

I got an itch i think need scratching

So i got a bug of wanting a mini jet boat like 3m type size that runs off a jetski set up

Got a jetski and its amazing but still have a problem of wanting to explore some areas it wont get too

Anyone had any experiences with them?

Cheers
Shane

Yeah bro done heaps in them ill message ya

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Here's the other side of the coin to consider:

His YT channel covers his mini jet boating for over ten years, and all the things he's done to make them more robust and reliable. In the end he sold his and went this way, for the reasons he covers in the Review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7dDbYBRgW0

You'll be very lucky to get an inflatable jet boat now, they're all Russian made. Attack Marine 3.2m with Kawasaki LX1500 engine and pump with 10 mm UHMWPE in the bottom is a very good boat, but inflatables with outboard jet-units and ali boats with jetski engines and pumps are very different propositions.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Write it up here BRADS, Im interested too.
Was looking at one yesterday. A Kiwi or Kwikcraft (didn't pay enough attention to the name) pontoon with a letski set into it. Heaps more room than a conventional river boat but probably not as manoeuvrable.
What sort of hours do you get out of jetski motors verses a conventional car motor?

Not sure how it compares long term prob not as good but can get the supercharged 300hp units that weigh way less then a car motor and are tiny in comparison.

Then again you don't find car engines cranking out 3 hundy horsepower weighing in at a gnats cock over 100kgs!!!

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Talking with the guy who owned the one I was looking at, he reckoned you should get three hundred hours out of a jet ski before you needed to look at it.
I'd be a it grumpy if I only got three hundred hours out of a car motor before it needed attention.

The mercury sport jet should get you around 1000hrs which is a fair bit of boat time on a river.
The small boats that shane is talking about are pretty handy, cheap to run, go places no other jet boat will in low flow.
No good in big white water, and you will get very wet.

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My 2cents for what it's worth.unless you're got deep deep pockets stear well clear of a supercharged ski set up.Dont take my word for it.Goggle the fuel consumption burn @ WOT.Aswell they are a maintenance demanding hand grenade requiring regular expensive service interval.They are revving to the moon ,noisey as all hell which can't be suitably muffled,and I simply don't believe the twaddle that you'll get 300 hours trouble free running out of it b4 it blows

@199p go and have yarn to my mate Shaun at Tuicraft jet boats, message him thru his facebook page.

My thoughts are you need to be mechanically minded to have a mini Jetboat with a JetSki motor, they are noisy, wet, occasionally sink but are fun and can get you into some good places.

Originally Posted by bluebaiter222

My 2cents for what it's worth.unless you're got deep deep pockets stear well clear of a supercharged ski set up.Dont take my word for it.Goggle the fuel consumption burn @ WOT.Aswell they are a maintenance demanding hand grenade requiring regular expensive service interval.They are revving to the moon ,noisey as all hell which can't be suitably muffled,and I simply don't believe the twaddle that you'll get 300 hours trouble free running out of it b4 it blows

Cheers man, Got a plan to buy a old bp gas station for cheap is russia to off set it haha nah got a couple of mates who have the supercharged jetski's so i know what im in for just looking at suggestions and different options

My mate based in Rotorua is into them big time and has just completed a tour of the South Island with his plastic 2.5m boat. He has a 2.0m alloy boat as well but while its fun he prefers the 2.5m for a bunch of reasons... things like comfort and performance. He also has 2.5m and 3.0m alloy jetboats... the places he's been and the stuff he's done is worthy of a book.

When he showed up here with the plastic boat a couple of weeks ago I asked about the pro's and con's - evidently the alloy and plastic boats weigh about the same (~ 200kg) however the big plus for the plastic boats is they're much easier to drag over the ground... something that has significant advantages not only when it turns to shit but also when launching and retrieving in places there's no easy river access. He literally kicks it over a bank to launch it sometimes and uses the ute to drag it up and out... he has 100m of rope to help with that. The plastic boat is constructed from 10mm thick sheet with a 20mm thick bottom and I noticed even the reverse cups are made from plastic. Totally cool little package.

The 2.0m boat fits nicely in the tray of the Hilux, whereas the "big boats" need a trailer. They look totally ridiculous when being towed by a campervan!

Photos from the other day as he passed through:

That boat looks very well put together

Yeah, it was really impressive. I had a good poke around it. I think these hulls are put together up in the BOP.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Write it up here BRADS, Im interested too.
Was looking at one yesterday. A Kiwi or Kwikcraft (didn't pay enough attention to the name) pontoon with a letski set into it. Heaps more room than a conventional river boat but probably not as manoeuvrable.
What sort of hours do you get out of jetski motors verses a conventional car motor?

the fella in CHCH who runs out of akaroa uses one...Ive seen it parked in driveway,looks hard case the jetski is inside the poontoon boat like a old zodiack.... jey junkies pretty sure he calls himself.

Originally Posted by XR500

Here's the other side of the coin to consider:

His YT channel covers his mini jet boating for over ten years, and all the things he's done to make them more robust and reliable. In the end he sold his and went this way, for the reasons he covers in the Review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7dDbYBRgW0

I’ve watched his journey for some time. He’s almost got me convinced that this is the way to get a couple hunters and gear into the backcountry and off to explore.
A caravan and one of these for a 4 month tour of the south is a bucket list ideal.