# riveted alumacraft with a jet?



## JoshKeller (Sep 4, 2014)

who here has put a jet on the .073" alumacraft hulls? I current have one with a prop and a old 1986 fisher with a jet thats .100 and am wondering how the alumacraft would hold up in the river. I'd likely put a few coats of steelflex on, but am i overthinking in the fact that .073 seems really thin and wont hold up to bumping rocks at idle or floating speed?


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## fool4fish1226 (Sep 4, 2014)

Moved the post figured the Jet guys would chime in better on your question


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## Scottinva (Sep 4, 2014)

I run a 14 x 48 with a 25/20 jet and it has held up for about 17 years. It has been used on the Susky, New and James. Obviously it is not fast - 20 mph. I have only had to have it welded one time and it has hit many many times.

Scott


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## JoshKeller (Sep 4, 2014)

have you had any direct hits? my biggest concern would be idling or floating down stream and not being able to steer and bouncing off rocks like i do with my current old fisher boat. not so much the bottom, but mostly the sides.


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## Ranchero50 (Sep 5, 2014)

Mine is thin and I've rode over some rocks in the dark at idle coming down river. It really doesn't seem to dent or tear any different than the .100" stuff does.


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## hotshotinn (Sep 5, 2014)

I got a 1648 Alumicraft jon non welded with a 40/30 Yamaha jet onit and love it .Light weight and runs real good but I dont hit rocks with it.You have to learn to read the river so you miss them,


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## lowe1648 (Sep 5, 2014)

It should haddle it to appoint but even thicker hulls can be damaged floating. My rivited Lowe I had was welded on the transome from the previous owner drifting backwards and catching the drain plug hole and pealing it open. I floated intoy fair share and never put a hole in it.


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## JoshKeller (Sep 5, 2014)

[url=https://tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365535#p365535 said:


> hotshotinn » 59 minutes ago[/url]"]I got a 1648 Alumicraft jon non welded with a 40/30 Yamaha jet onit and love it .Light weight and runs real good but I dont hit rocks with it.You have to learn to read the river so you miss them,



i can read the river well, but in the middle of the summer, there is no avoiding some rocks if you want to fish. most of the places I fish are idle speed only during summer pool, with a mile or so of WOT then a mile of snaking through chutes in rock ledges. what is your setup with the 40/30? what kind of speed are you getting? id be putting a 50/35 on mine.


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## Scottinva (Sep 5, 2014)

I have had many direct hits and it has bounced off a lot of rocks floating as well. It has a ton of dents and has some small leaks, but is still a great boat.

Scott


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## JoshKeller (Sep 5, 2014)

[url=https://tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365554#p365554 said:


> Scottinva » 9 minutes ago[/url]"]I have had many direct hits and it has bounced off a lot of rocks floating as well. It has a ton of dents and has some small leaks, but is still a great boat.
> 
> Scott




sounds like my current boat. just wish i could get a few small leaks sealed up, and a little more speed so i could go a bit further on a tank of gas.


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## hotshotinn (Sep 5, 2014)

JoshKeller,I have hit 28mph but on average its around 26 down stream and 25 up.
Its a four stroke Yamaha tiller mounted on a square nose jon with no center seat,aluminum floor.If something ever happens to the boat i would buy another one.
When the water gets that low like what your talking about its hard not to hit some rocks.Good luck


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## JoshKeller (Sep 5, 2014)

[url=https://tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=365556#p365556 said:


> hotshotinn » Today, 21:00[/url]"]JoshKeller,I have hit 28mph but on average its around 26 down stream and 25 up.
> Its a four stroke Yamaha tiller mounted on a square nose jon with no center seat,aluminum floor.If something ever happens to the boat i would buy another one.
> When the water gets that low like what your talking about its hard not to hit some rocks.Good luck




my 500 lb bare 1648 fisher with 50/35 will do 25 max down river, down wind. normally upriver its 22- 23, downriver its 23.5 -24. 

my 310 lb bare alumacraft 1648 will do 32 loaded anytime, 34-35 light, but thats with a 35 prop and tilt and trim. it does around 28 keeping the trim tucked completely. I assume 28 is about what it'd run with the 35 jet?


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## Ranchero50 (Sep 6, 2014)

This winter I'd unrig the Fisher, flip it over and epoxy coat the bottom to minimize the leaks as well as add some abrasion resistance to that hull, then just keep using it for shallow water days.

I haven't been out lately as my water depth gauge rock is about 5' away from the river and hidden by a fallen tree now. A couple years ago I walked the river when it was this low just pulling the boat up stream.


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## JoshKeller (Sep 6, 2014)

what kind of epoxy? steelflex? 

we put in at snyders this morning and ping ponged up the river to taylors and fished back. shepherdstown and snyders areas both have plenty of water to run, but its kayak city right now. 

with two people, full livewell and fishing gear, we hit 24.4 mph down river. that was with the motor in the highest position and fully tucked under. with the motor lowered enough so it doesnt cavitate on the middle trim hole, i hit 25.8 on the same stretch with just me and empty livewell, so I think its pretty close either way. the boat definitely planes a lot faster fully tucked, so i think ill leave it alone and just fish. picked up a second gas tank for next to nothing, so at least I dont need to try and tweak it for better mileage so i can run from hancock to 15 mile creek on a tank of gas without getting back on fumes.


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## hotshotinn (Sep 10, 2014)

Do you have picture of your boat?


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## JoshKeller (Sep 10, 2014)

which one?


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## hotshotinn (Sep 10, 2014)

I was thinking of your 1648 alumacraft boat


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## JoshKeller (Sep 10, 2014)




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## BigTerp (Sep 15, 2014)

I think it has more to do with fatigue and stress on the bottom of the hull that causes holes more than it does thickness, for the most part. I'm not sure what mine is, Jaime may have a better idea since he worked on it, but I'd guess .080? You saw the hole I opened up this summer in mine. But I've hit much harder going much faster numerous times and nothing more then a dent. Where I put a hole in mine there was already a nice dent in the rib and I'm guessing the rock hit the perfect spot to finish it off. Just be careful while underway, I don't think you have to worry about doing major damage while floating/idling.


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## hotshotinn (Sep 16, 2014)

Nice boat.You have a very big front deck on her.Great for fishing


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## JoshKeller (Sep 16, 2014)

yeah, i believe i'll sell the alumacraft and put the money in the bank until i kill the fisher, then buy a new one. just hard to use a perfectly good shaped bottomed boat when i know ill dent and tear it up. I want to get something more open than the alumacraft and set up as a stick steer, and really dont want to cut or tear out the middle bench and redo the decks.


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## hotshotinn (Sep 17, 2014)

my 1648 is open with a small from deck and just the bench in back.I did in fact take out the middle bench with no regrets


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## amk (Oct 1, 2014)

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=34522

my build thread is "my idea for a jet jon build" on the second page of jet threads. I used a 2012 1648 mv alumacraft riveted and it works great. I've ran it up on dry sandbars, banks, logs, and rocks sometimes at almost wide open throttle the river I run gets low you either have to get after it or stay home and watch tv. It works good and it being light weight helps when I do get stuck.


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