# Jet boat owners... Questions.



## J Hartman (Jun 27, 2011)

Hello all,

I like to fish my local shallow water river here in columbia tn. The duck river. Its a small narrow river with shallow shoals. lots of curves. I was directed toward an alweld JC boat. BUT, I'm curious about UHMW. everyone I have heard from downs it. However I feel it would be neccesary for where I'm running. what kind of boats would be good to look into for my location and water type?


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## J Hartman (Jun 27, 2011)

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=18233

This is the thread that got me thinking if an alweld is REALLY what i need :?: I would like to see some pictures of these "georgia" boats. because that is similar sounding to the conditions I will be running in. I have a mercury 150 XR2 i planned on jetting for my power source.


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## fender66 (Jun 27, 2011)

First off....welcome to TinBoats. Happy to have you here and it's great to have more "jet" guys.

As for UHMW....I don't know much about it, however I do run a 1756 Alweld JC. I love it and can't say enough good about it. The only times I wish for something slightly different is when I'm on big lakes and there's lots of chop. Running a flat bottom isn't always the best in chop. I wish sometimes that I had a little more "V" to cut through some of that....but I don't wish it enough to get anything different. I'm powering with a Merc 225 jet and outside of it sucking gas.....I love that too. I am set up to fish with the glass bass boats in tournaments all the time too. I carry a lot of weight/gear and if I wanted to run with the jets in the real shallows, I would have to take some gear out first, but that's easy to do. I can still run clean in 3 inches of water, but don't like to stop in it cause my jet will suck up a lot of "bottom" in 3 inches when starting from a dead float. I try to avoid that for obvious reasons, but don't get into that situation often. I can run with all my gear and weight right around 50mph.

Let us know what you decide, and if you have any other questions.....don't hesitate to ask.


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## reedjj (Jun 27, 2011)

Member Scottinva Has a Snyder jet boat with UHMW on it. He runs a river with very nasty rock ledges and other things that tear bottoms and lower units off boats. Maybe he will chime in or you can PM him.


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## fender66 (Jun 27, 2011)

reedjj said:


> Member Scottinva Has a Snyder jet boat with UHMW on it. He runs a river with very nasty rock ledges and other things that tear bottoms and lower units off boats. Maybe he will chime in or you can PM him.



Great advice. I thought I'd seen that somewhere, but couldn't remember where or who had it.


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## optaylor823 (Jun 28, 2011)

I am not sure what part of the Duck you plan on fishing, but I have been fishing the Duck for somewhere around 10 years and have seen most of it from Henry Horton to Centerville. I started with a Xpress 1546CP with a 25/20 jet. Then went to a 176 Sport Triton with a 90/65 jet and know have a 1666 Snyder with a 175 converted to a jet. As I sit right now I would say on the Duck you would want something with a tunnel hull and light enough maybe you could push over a few shoals during summer pool. A jet boat tends to slide and I know a few curves in the river that a jet boat has a hard time curving around and a person is almost better off floating or getting out and walking the boat over the shoal. I am not the best jet boat driver, so there may be a better solution. As far as the UHMW I love it, but to get it you have to go to a heavier boat so you have enough aluminum to run the screws in. If I had to choose a boat to buy now knowing what I know I would be looking at the G3 1656 CCJ or the 1860 CCJ. I have not seen this boat in person, but have heard some good things about them and even believe there maybe a few on the Susquehanna river. If you want to look or ride in a boat that has UHMW let me know and we can meet somewhere. I live in Spring Hill, but consider the Duck my home waters. Also feel free to ask any more questions on this topic here or send me a PM. Hope I was a little help.


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## J Hartman (Jun 28, 2011)

optaylor823 said:


> I am not sure what part of the Duck you plan on fishing, but I have been fishing the Duck for somewhere around 10 years and have seen most of it from Henry Horton to Centerville. I started with a Xpress 1546CP with a 25/20 jet. Then went to a 176 Sport Triton with a 90/65 jet and know have a 1666 Snyder with a 175 converted to a jet. As I sit right now I would say on the Duck you would want something with a tunnel hull and light enough maybe you could push over a few shoals during summer pool. A jet boat tends to slide and I know a few curves in the river that a jet boat has a hard time curving around and a person is almost better off floating or getting out and walking the boat over the shoal. I am not the best jet boat driver, so there may be a better solution. As far as the UHMW I love it, but to get it you have to go to a heavier boat so you have enough aluminum to run the screws in. If I had to choose a boat to buy now knowing what I know I would be looking at the G3 1656 CCJ or the 1860 CCJ. I have not seen this boat in person, but have heard some good things about them and even believe there maybe a few on the Susquehanna river. If you want to look or ride in a boat that has UHMW let me know and we can meet somewhere. I live in Spring Hill, but consider the Duck my home waters. Also feel free to ask any more questions on this topic here or send me a PM. Hope I was a little help.



everyone I've talked to says to steer clear from the tunnel hulls? From what I understand the jet cavitates too much. HOWEVER, I know that I don't want to smash my jet foot on my boat. They are not cheap! I'd love to meet up and see your rig. and just chit chat about general knowledge of the duck river and jet boats. I do not know anyone personally who owns one, or who has any experience with one. I'll look into those boats you suggested to see what I think of them. I live about ten minutes from neapolis, or fifteen from that target shopping plaza. And about fifteen from Iron Bridge in columbia. I'm about 5 minutes or less from chickasaw trace park, which is where my navigation of the shallows will begin. I guess I'm just confused about the boat I will purchase, because at 24 i can't afford to make a mistake of the right boat for my application. Only enough funds to do it once, and do it right the first time!


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## optaylor823 (Jun 28, 2011)

Yes the tunnel hulls do seem to cavitate more, but I run a jack plate which helps with that issue. I have had this boat for about 4 years and only once did the motor cavitate on the Duck. If you are going to still fish big water with a jet I would say the jack plate is a must. I use to live about 5 minutes from the Chickasaw Trace ramp and it is a great area to learn to run a jet. It has enough to make you learn, but not enough to make it to dangerous. If you do get brave and run all the way up to the spill way on river side there is a rough shoal up there, but it can be run. I will gladly meet up with you and let you see my boat and tell you what knowledge I know. We could actually meet at the Chickasaw Trace ramp and run it so you could see what kind of run you are in for.


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## J Hartman (Jun 28, 2011)

tha'd be awesome! I regularly float the river from riverside dam to chickasaw via canoe. But i'm looking for something that can take UP and down the river. I don't plan on using the boat on "big" water. It'd only make it to the lake less than 5% of the time I'd say.


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## J Hartman (Jul 1, 2011)

Where is a good place to get UHMW? I'd also like to see some boats with this installed. Is screwing / Bolting the stuff to the boat the only solution?


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## optaylor823 (Jul 2, 2011)

On another website I was on there was a big debate over whether you could glue the stuff or if it had to be screwed on. I believe there are a few boat companies trying to glue the stuff on, but it has not been proven how long it will last. With that debate I gathered that screwing UHMW on is the best solution. Also I do believe when you use screws there is some type of sealant that you use when you put the screws in. 

I have not found a place to buy UHMW around here yet, so if you find one could you please let me know where. I needed a small piece for my boat last year, but just took the piece I had and flipped it over.


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## J Hartman (Jul 2, 2011)

www.regalplastic.com

1055 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville 
(615) 242-4800

UHMW
Bar, Rectangular, Plate Bushing 
Stock, Rod & Round, Tubing, 
Sheet & Profile

^ What it says on their products page.


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## Ranchero50 (Jul 2, 2011)

I'll UHMW eventually. I'm only building one boat and three seconds of 'bad luck' can slice a thin hull and dent up a thicker hull. The UHMW gives you a chance to slide over the rock vs. grab and tear at the bottom. Tunnel hulls will save you when setting down off plane where with the angle of the hull has the jet foot 6-8" below the hull where ths boat speed and force will shatter the foot. Look at the Ka Boom thread.

I'll end up welding 1.25" x.125" aluminum angle to the hull by the factory strakes to screw the UHMW to. Drill, countersink, thread and screw with blue locktight. I'll probably just use 1/4" material, it gets very expensive very quickly.

Jamie


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## red450r (Jul 2, 2011)

https://www.linktech-inc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3&Itemid=4


This grabbed my attention when i was researching UHMW.
Im sure the price is unreal though.


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## Scottinva (Jul 2, 2011)

The only glued on UHMW that I have heard of was 1/8" which will help for sliding off rocks, but not for impact. Rockproof and Snyder install it and both screw it. Snyder just uses screws and Rockproof may use a sealant also. My boat leaked at a few of the screws the first two times out, and after that, never leaked again. Mine is only 3/8 thick and I wish I would have went with 1/2". From what I have heard, you need at least a 1/8" bottom or you will not have enough threads - 3/16 bottom is best.

Scott


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## J Hartman (Jul 4, 2011)

optaylor, thanks for showing me your rig. I enjoyed every minute of it!



Scottinva said:


> The only glued on UHMW that I have heard of was 1/8" which will help for sliding off rocks, but not for impact. Rockproof and Snyder install it and both screw it. Snyder just uses screws and Rockproof may use a sealant also. My boat leaked at a few of the screws the first two times out, and after that, never leaked again. Mine is only 3/8 thick and I wish I would have went with 1/2". From what I have heard, you need at least a 1/8" bottom or you will not have enough threads - 3/16 bottom is best.
> 
> Scott



Yes i'd want to use it more for reduction of friction than impact resistance.


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