# What is the shallowest running jet boat?



## Scuba559

I need some help and opinions about the shallowest running jet boats.

I have been running a 1448 Tracker with a 25 hp jet tiller for 2 years now. I am need of a jet boat that can haul 2-3 people, has a center forward console/standing to see obstacles, mainly set up for bass fishing and runs in 3-6" of water all day. Here is a video of my river: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSXN0IoLhwU&feature=share&list=UUhsb-7HwAgW3sM7v50q-Rxw&index=3 

My buddy has an Alweld 1652 with a tunnel, center console, and honda 50/35. This thing seems to be the ticket but I live in CA and can't find a dealer anywhere remotely close. He met someone half way across the US to pick it up. I like this because the hull is 390 lbs i can't imagine his setup without engine weights more than 500lbs. 

It seems like the G3 ccj 1656 or 1860 would fit the bill but the dry weight on the hull is 830lbs, seems real heavy when compared to the Alweld. I am afraid that if i spend 22K on a G3 and i am hitting bottom everywhere i might flip out. The seaark seems like an option however again no dealer and they are really expensive. 

Lastly i like the idea of a jet tunnel, my current boat does not have one and the only time i hit something it is on the foot, I think the tunnel would help out a lot! 

Does anyone have an experience with the g3? or have any other manufactures/ setups? Max i can spend is 20K and i need the shallowest running boat period. 

Thanks!


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## Ranchero50

Have you considered doing a stick steer conversion on your tiller setup? I think the cost would be a lot cheaper and you already know how your hull handles your water. Maybe add some pods down the road if you still need to get the rear up a bit.


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## Scuba559

Thanks for the suggestion. I have not thought of that. I just want something larger, hauls 3 and want to go faster!  also preform better.


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## reedjj

You have the smallest welded jon available now. And from your videos the 25/18 merc jet seems to push it nicely. It probably is one of the shallowest running combos out there. If you are looking for bigger its gonna come with more weight. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will draft more. More suface area (lenght and width) will mean a shallower draft. The G3 boats are heavier cause they come with floors, side panels, consoles, fuel tanks etc which all add weight. But you may have to add weight to any hull when rigging it out.

You could go with a riveted 1648 ncs from alumacraft but in my opinion its not enough of a size increase from your 1448 to be worth it. Then you have the Lowe riveted 1652 & 1852. But they have the benches that wont allow you to have the fwd center console. And they are riveted and not welded.
If you are liking the G3 1656 ccj Then you could probably get a bare bones SeaArk 1660 with a fwd console at a cheaper price. It wont have all the built in luxuries but it would def fit the bill and they do make it with a jet tunnel. Cause its a 1660 it SHOULD run a little more shallow than the G3 1656.

Not sure what your looking to spend but once you get into factory Lowe and G3 1860 jets you are around $23 k For a
bout $2k more you can get a Rockproof Riverjett. Of you are not dead set on a tunnel an 1860 or 1754 tracker or a 1860-1756 G3 would work




verjett

Ypu may wanna think about a Tracker 1860 with a jet or even a 1754 tracker or a G3 1756


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## Wood_Duck

I love the G3s, but I will say they are heavy boats and you can tell when you try to hop up on pad. But it's my favorite factory design out there. SeaArks are very nice, although they seem to be abit heavy too. But they are a tank of a boat and if I remember right have lifetime hull puncture warranty. Biggest thing you'll want is width to displace more water. Also for standing/visibility, maybe a standup bar?


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## Scuba559

The g3 would be a first pick because I really like the design as well. The dry hull weight on the 1860 is 830lbs where as the seaark is 515-600lbs. That is like carrying around and extra person. If the g3 ran as shallow as the seaark (I don't know) I would go with the g3. I have heard from a few owners on the forum and one says he can run in 3" by himself but would not want to run in less than 6" with 2-3 people. The less weight in the seaark might make the difference in hauling a 3 buddy through 4-5" Anyone else have a g3 that can chime in?


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## openseat

G3 is unconventional in regard to jet tunnel hulls. They only offer the jet tunnel in a completely flat bottom. Everybody else uses a hull with some deadrise, consistent with the information on the pump manufacturer's website.

One of the better dealers in my area sells G3, but they only rarely rig jets (land of 10,000 lakes). So the dealer gave me the number to call his factory rep to clear up the above issue. The factory rep told me that I would be better off running a jet on a non-tunnel G3, because in his opinion none of the tunnel hulls really perform regardless of deadrise.


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## openseat

...and nice vid btw.


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## liplifter

my blazer 17/52 with a 65/45 tiller merc,I'm convinced it will go over dirt.light boat, I have a removable floor for late summer to reduce weight.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

I own a G3 1656 CCJ. I'm not sure what openseat is talking about when it comes to performance of the tunnel hull. The tunnell hull is meant to protect the foot...that's it and it comes with a very, very slight decrease in performance because it effects the hydrodynamics of the hull. But me, I'm not looking for speed, I'm looking for as shallow as I can get...and the tunnel hull will operate shallower than a non-tunnel hull for outboard jets. May only be an inch or two....but that might be the difference in making it or tearing your foot off. 

The boat will run shallow...and I mean shallow...this is where the tunnel shines. The hull is heavy..I tried pushing mine off the trailer by myself and couldn't do it. If you're looking to consistently hall 3 or more guys, I would recommend the 1860...both for more HP and room. For two guys, 1656 is great. With two guys the boat gets on plane pretty quickly. 

Open water, no current with just me, full tank and 3 batteries.....it will top out at 27...but consistently runs about 26.5. I've gone 40 miles on a tank and still had fuel left.


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## Scuba559

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339177#p339177 said:


> RiverBottomOutdoors » Today, 11:29[/url]"]I own a G3 1656 CCJ. I'm not sure what openseat is talking about when it comes to performance of the tunnel hull. The tunnell hull is meant to protect the foot...that's it and it comes with a very, very slight decrease in performance because it effects the hydrodynamics of the hull. But me, I'm not looking for speed, I'm looking for as shallow as I can get...and the tunnel hull will operate shallower than a non-tunnel hull for outboard jets. May only be an inch or two....but that might be the difference in making it or tearing your foot off.
> 
> The boat will run shallow...and I mean shallow...this is where the tunnel shines. The hull is heavy..I tried pushing mine off the trailer by myself and couldn't do it. If you're looking to consistently hall 3 or more guys, I would recommend the 1860...both for more HP and room. For two guys, 1656 is great. With two guys the boat gets on plane pretty quickly.
> 
> Open water, no current with just me, full tank and 3 batteries.....it will top out at 27...but consistently runs about 26.5. I've gone 40 miles on a tank and still had fuel left.



Yea, i wasn't paying to much attention to that comment, G3 has a whole line dedicated to the tunnel hull, so does most other manufacturers. I want the tunnel because that single inch that it raises the foot is huge when you are running in 4" water. Did you watch the first part of my video? would you say with two people and some gear you would have no problem running through just over ankle deep water?


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

I think my boat will run that. One thing you might want to consider because it looked like in some of those shots you were in some tight places is losing some maneuverability going from a tiller to console/steering wheel.


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## Scuba559

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339210#p339210 said:


> RiverBottomOutdoors » Yesterday, 18:50[/url]"]I think my boat will run that. One thing you might want to consider because it looked like in some of those shots you were in some tight places is losing some maneuverability going from a tiller to console/steering wheel.



"Think"  

The SeaArk has an extreme steering option that shortens the amount of turns you have to make on the wheel, do you find yourself cranking that a lot to turn on the g3? Three of my friends have steering wheels that run the same river and i can see them spinning the crap out of it to make the turns.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339260#p339260 said:


> Scuba559 » Today, 1:29 pm[/url]"]
> 
> 
> [url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339210#p339210 said:
> 
> 
> 
> RiverBottomOutdoors » Yesterday, 18:50[/url]"]I think my boat will run that. One thing you might want to consider because it looked like in some of those shots you were in some tight places is losing some maneuverability going from a tiller to console/steering wheel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Think"
> 
> The SeaArk has an extreme steering option that shortens the amount of turns you have to make on the wheel, do you find yourself cranking that a lot to turn on the g3? Three of my friends have steering wheels that run the same river and i can see them spinning the crap out of it to make the turns.
Click to expand...


If your boat will run it...my boat will run it. I run a couple of tight rivers just fine with the steering wheel and haven't had any issues. But, tiller steer responds quicker than a wheel....even if you have the hydraulic steering option.


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## Ranchero50

Or go stick steer and ditch the whole console idea. Stick steer is as quick as a tiller. Just be sure to install a seat belt for those sudden stops.


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## openseat

To clarify my post above, I think jet tunnels are a good idea. If there was a seaark dealer near me, I would probably have bought a jet tunnel hull by now, and I wouldn’t be missing a big chunk of aluminum from my intake. My anecdotal experience with the G3 rep dismissing all tunnels was just a function of him trying to avoid a discussion on the pros and cons of their tunnel hull compared to other brand tunnel hulls.

A flat bottom tends to cavitate a little more in hard turns or chop than the mod-v tracker in your video. A flat bottom with a tunnel will tend to cavitate even somewhat more yet still. That’s why the pump builder recommends only using the tunnel with a mod-v. Perhaps that also is why every jet tunnel I’ve happened to see, other than a G3, has been on a mod-v (seaark, alumacraft, xtreme, james river, rockproof, snyder, wooldridge). However, I certainly haven't seen every jet tunnel hull. There could well be some on flat bottoms other than G3.

Since the cavitation issue is just a tendency, the G3 could still be a good choice for your application. The river in your video looked reasonably sheltered from chop. There certainly are guys on here that are happy with their G3 tunnel for their particular application; and a flat-bottom tunnel should drift a little shallower than a mod-V tunnel of the same size and weight. 

Best of luck with your decision.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

A boat with no dead rise will cavitate the pump a little more ....doesn't have anything to do with being a tunnel. The reason a boat with more deadrise or more V doesn't cavitate as much in chop or turns is because it drafts more water...meaning it sits in the water lower...which is contrary to wanting to go as shallow as possible.


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## Ranchero50

Meh, no deadrise and the strakes are catching more air which the pump then ingests. That's one of the reasons I had to install the spoon on my I/B jet. I have a 3` deadrise on my Alumacraft but at speed it wasn't enough.

I think O/B jets benefit from being off the back of the hull a bit as it gives the water a chance to jump up into the intake. I'd still love to build the back of a spoon on an O/B jet to see how it would feed the pump and see how high I could mount the pump before it would cavitate.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

Haha....yea Jamie...but your boat runs 60mph!!! 

Would you say there is little difference between a 0° and a 3° deadrise? 

All things being equal the one with the most deadrise will draft deeper.


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## SPACECOWBOY

My Riverpro will go anywhere, it will go where my friends 12' with a 20 hp jet wont go.


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## Scuba559

I have been reading people quoting that line quite a bit. Can you elaborate? My 1448 with a 25 hp jet will go anywhere That a river pro can go. If there is water flowing over it. Frankly the river pro is limited To where it can go because of size. Here is an example: your river
Pro is not going through this: https://youtu.be/3srtHcra-do 

I have also heard people qoute that they go where outboard jets can't? Where is that? Dry land? Don't get me wrong they are kick ass boats I just think it's funny when I read those quotes. I would like to upgrade to a larger boat to carry more people. Are you saying that the river pro is the shallowest running larger boat?


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## SPACECOWBOY

I


> have been reading people quoting that line quite a bit. Can you elaborate? My 1448 with a 25 hp jet will go anywhere That a river pro can go. If there is water flowing over it. Frankly the river pro is limited To where it can go because of size. Here is an example: your river
> Pro is not going through this: https://youtu.be/3srtHcra-do
> 
> I have also heard people qoute that they go where outboard jets can't? Where is that? Dry land? Don't get me wrong they are kick ass boats I just think it's funny when I read those quotes. I would like to upgrade to a larger boat to carry more people. Are you saying that the river pro is the shallowest running larger boat?




Riverpro's are limited by width yes,I thought we were talking Depth here.I used to own a 17' 48" with a 50HP on it, 2 yrs ago I went up river till i couldn't go any more.A Riverpro went over the gravel bar about 20' turned a hairpin right in about 
2" over water and on up the river ,I bought one that next spring.You just have to see it to believe it I used to think the same thing.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

Those RiverPros are bad ass. But, damn at the price tag. I looked at one, but I needed a boat that could fit into tight places and met all my needs....from casting to bowfishing and everything in between. I didn't think any of their hull layouts would work for me. And for a min of 32K....it's got to be a perfect fit.

I you need to jump gravel bars....I think something like a RiverPro is what you need.


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## SPACECOWBOY

> Those RiverPros are bad ass. But, damn at the price tag. I looked at one, but I needed a boat that could fit into tight places and met all my needs....from casting to bowfishing and everything in between. I didn't think any of their hull layouts would work for me. And for a min of 32K....it's got to be a perfect fit.
> 
> I you need to jump gravel bars....I think something like a RiverPro is what you need.



Yeah They are for fishing with just 2 , but that is all i do with it .There is not much room in them unless you put stuff under the engine lid.


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## Scuba559

Thanks for elaborating!! That's sick! You could run with 3-4 people couldn't you, if you just wanted to go cruising? Still run in 4-6"? My buddy has the 1652 alweld tunnel with a 35hp honda he goes up and down with 3-4 guys. 

The 1860ccj with a 115/80 and a 24v trolling motor rigger out the door is 26k. Shit it's getting closer to the river pro.

What did you pay for the 1656 ccj out the door? I am getting 18760 without the trolling motor.


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## SPACECOWBOY

> Thanks for elaborating!! That's sick! You could run with 3-4 people couldn't you, if you just wanted to go cruising? Still run in 4-6"? My buddy has the 1652 alweld tunnel with a 35hp honda he goes up and down with 3-4 guys.




Yeah you can run with up to 5 people fine just not if you were gonna fish, with just two people and gear it will dead float in 4" and it will run with the trolling motor in 6".It took the whole year to get used to what it will do.It has a serious hole shot ,it is not fast but it will go 21 MPH in 18' on GPS it will get on step in the length of the boat .


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339481#p339481 said:


> Scuba559 » 15 minutes ago[/url]"]Thanks for elaborating!! That's sick! You could run with 3-4 people couldn't you, if you just wanted to go cruising? Still run in 4-6"? My buddy has the 1652 alweld tunnel with a 35hp honda he goes up and down with 3-4 guys.
> 
> The 1860ccj with a 115/80 and a 24v trolling motor rigger out the door is 26k. s**t it's getting closer to the river pro.
> 
> What did you pay for the 1656 ccj out the door? I am getting 18760 without the trolling motor.



$16,200...that's before taxes and registration...with no trolling motor, no batteries, no fish finder, no fishing seats or pedestal and a tank full of fuel, galvanized trailer, and the driver seat. 

Here is a link to my thread on this boat:
https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=29361


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## Scuba559

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339482#p339482 said:


> SPACECOWBOY » Today, 12:11[/url]"]
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for elaborating!! That's sick! You could run with 3-4 people couldn't you, if you just wanted to go cruising? Still run in 4-6"? My buddy has the 1652 alweld tunnel with a 35hp honda he goes up and down with 3-4 guys.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah you can run with up to 5 people fine just not if you were gonna fish, with just two people and gear it will dead float in 4" and it will run with the trolling motor in 6".It took the whole year to get used to what it will do.It has a serious hole shot ,it is not fast but it will go 21 MPH in 18' on GPS it will get on step in the length of the boat .
Click to expand...



What do you mean it is not fast? i though that it will go like 45 mph+, that whole shot seams pretty fast to me.


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## susqyg3

You're going to really like the G3 1860. My cousin had one until someone rearended him towing it to the river. Even after getting rear-ended, not a single weld cracked on the boat. I'd definitely suggest the 115/80. I have a 90/65 on my 17' g3 CC. I will agree about the cavitation, but I've also destroyed my foot, and already scarred my new one due to the lack of a tunnel. I run the Chesapeake in my jet, though, so I like having the standard hull, I just have to be careful running the river during summer flows. The local g3 dealer for us in central PA is top notch (lakeside marine). I know countless people that have bought boats from them, and I've never heard anything bad about them. That may have something to do with the popularity of them out this way, but you sure seem to see a lot of them on the water. 

I'll be honest I didn't see the videos, but if you're jumping gravel bars have you considered a UMHW bottom? I know it adds to the cost and weight, but one thing you'll learn quick in a bigger / heavier boat is that to run shallower you need to be moving faster, and you hit harder. The poly bottom would definitely give me a piece of mind.


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## SPACECOWBOY

> What do you mean it is not fast? i though that it will go like 45 mph+, that whole shot seams pretty fast to me.



Top speed is about 50 mph but compared to my friends 80 mph 600 hp boat it's slow ,but it will hole shot them bad. I didn't get it to go fast,it likes to hang around 25-30.


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## Ranchero50

The Riverpro brings up a couple good points. I'm not too concerned about the shallowest running hull, more about a hull that will hole shot and come off plane without digging holes in the water. 

The I/B's seem to handle better with the engine more mid mounted vs. an O/B with the engine hanging off the rear. I noticed a huge difference in how my hull handled once I installed the pods beside the pump. I had a chance to talk to Kevin Turner about my Seadoo conversion before executing it and he had some good advice. He was doing them in the '90's and the conversions are what became Riverpro.

I still think a 1448 with stick steer would work best on that water. My 1448 that's stretched to a 17'6" x 48" is a great 2 place bass fisher but will fish three for cats comfortably.


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## PSG-1

This:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0k9XxVzwDg



and this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0510oeVQoLM

(skip to 1:20 to see the REALLY shallow runs)


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

She's a runner, PSG!


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## PSG-1

For sure. In the second video, you can see the prop kick sand up a couple of times as I run back over that shoal, heading back toward the hair-pin turn. 

Initially going over that shoal, you can hear me feather the throttle several times, as I wasn't sure if the boat was going to clear it, and you definitely don't want to 'stick' at WOT, if you do, the boat comes to a much more violent stop (don't ask me how I know this, LOL)


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## smackdaddy53

Psg, that is a sweet sled bro!


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## SPACECOWBOY

This is the shallow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybxy8N1Ohag&list=FLjbtJL36AWOprqrCIBNf3XQ&index=9


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

:shock:


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## AllOutdoors

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339640#p339640 said:


> RiverBottomOutdoors » Today, 19:51[/url]"]:shock:



This is pretty shallow too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OKCE2zPOwg


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## PSG-1

Wow, that one is really shallow. Probably not good on the impeller, though. Sand is bad enough, but rocks and gravel has got to be much worse.


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## smackdaddy53

But do they catch fish ???


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## SPACECOWBOY

> But do they catch fish ???



LMAO I'm saying probably not just running up and down the river,or working on busted boats.


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## Scuba559

This just came up on craigslist. What do you guys think? Big bottom, 17/60? I guess the dead rise is my concern.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/boa/4293864175.html


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## PSG-1

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339665#p339665 said:


> smackdaddy53 » Today, 02:18[/url]"]But do they catch fish ???




Mine does:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjoNig6nMIo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgHeiG9yFCE


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## Ranchero50

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339725#p339725 said:


> Scuba559 » Today, 16:22[/url]"]This just came up on craigslist. What do you guys think? Big bottom, 17/60? I guess the dead rise is my concern.
> 
> https://sacramento.craigslist.org/boa/4293864175.html



I'm pretty sure this thing is going to draft pretty deep even though it's got a jet pump hanging off the back. Kind of an oddball build.


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## SPACECOWBOY

https://images.craigslist.org/00N0N_8oSxm6qdDlo_600x450.jpg


Yeah that boat is for rivers up in the north west.


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## Scuba559

Doesn't the river pro have have a deadrise? Same length width and weight as the 1860 ccj. With same hp. It
Just doesn't have a jet tunnel. That would suck if I stuck it in my river.
After paying 15k.


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## SPACECOWBOY

> Doesn't the river pro have have a deadrise? Same length width and weight as the 1860 ccj. With same hp. It
> Just doesn't have a jet tunnel. That would suck if I stuck it in my river.
> After paying 15k.



6 degree 18'6 x 72"


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## PSG-1

6 degrees? My Duracraft is a 10 degree. I've never actually looked at a Riverpro, but, with that shallow of an angle, I'm sure they use a delta pad or spoon to deal with cavitation.


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## Ranchero50

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339865#p339865 said:


> PSG-1 » 22 minutes ago[/url]"]6 degrees? My Duracraft is a 10 degree. I've never actually looked at a Riverpro, but, with that shallow of an angle, I'm sure they use a delta pad or spoon to deal with cavitation.



Kevin uses a little bit of everything to keep the water flowing into the pump.

https://www.riverpro-boats.com/

Looks like some other new stuff is in the works:

https://www.riversmallies.com/forum/showthread.php?4058-RiverPro-2014


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## Kevin Turner

Sorry Jamie, although I dropped the page from my web site menu, I forgot it was still active in Goodbarry. I had to pull the page b/c my insurance company frowned at my then lack of mandatory safety glasses in the shop. 

Curt: Really kewl vids!


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## SPACECOWBOY

> Curt: Really kewl vids!



Thanks Kevin I love that section of big river.


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## PSG-1

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339871#p339871 said:


> Ranchero50 » Yesterday, 22:13[/url]"]
> 
> 
> [url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=339865#p339865 said:
> 
> 
> 
> PSG-1 » 22 minutes ago[/url]"]6 degrees? My Duracraft is a 10 degree. I've never actually looked at a Riverpro, but, with that shallow of an angle, I'm sure they use a delta pad or spoon to deal with cavitation.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kevin uses a little bit of everything to keep the water flowing into the pump.
> 
> https://www.riverpro-boats.com/
> 
> Looks like some other new stuff is in the works:
> 
> https://www.riversmallies.com/forum/showthread.php?4058-RiverPro-2014
Click to expand...


Those are very nice-looking hulls! That delta pad on the bottom is exactly what I have envisioned (in hindsight) that should have been done to my hull, but will be done on the next one.

On another note, I spoke with 'gotasquirt' over the phone yesterday, man, he is a wealth of info on jetboats, says he's been building jet johns about 15 years. I'm still impressed as hell with that little 8' New Zealand style jetboat he built, that thing is awesome!!


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## Scuba559

I think I scored an incredible deal… Searched craigslist nationally for months and ran into this 2000 miles away from me. 2012 1860 ccj with the F90 and 100 hours on it. $10,500.. It is beat up but it would look the same after I used it for a year. I ensured there was no liens, set up a you ship auction and got it delivered for $2000. So $12,500 delivered.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

You're gonna love it.


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## bingo7731

can i get some help with my post jet boat help.


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