[Rib]

Many of you here on this forum have jets...I thought this might be a good opportunity to set the facts straight on performance, costs, capabilities and such...despite my track record on posting, I won't go in depth, as my knowledge on the subject is limited, but I'll start it off with a question. What can they do? Are the rumors I heard of some guy taking his jet up the vedder last year or the year before true...?
Just an open topic so that some of you can share your passion for jet boats with some of us land lubbers...I'm sure I'll have some questions, but will wait as people add their two cents for appropriate questions to arise...

 

[redwood]

Hey rib,yes a boater did take his boat up the vedder two years ago.The boat in question was a brand new thunder jet,and he ran it up onto the riprap by the lower camp ground comeing down stream, the boat was a total right off. To bad it was a very nice boat i had a chance to walk through it just days before he grounded it, once again brand new boat , with a driver with little or no exp running skinny water and his first boat.

 

[Rib]

He must've felt pretty stupid I guess eh? I had heard he had made it as far up as the On the Way Store, which I found hard to believe knowing where the river routed itself those years, but appearently it was during extremely high water...poor guy...LoL :

So what kind of jet do you have Red? I'd bet you have some pics of her don't ya...In fact, I just had an idea, seeing as how we now have this great new boating section, why don't we introduce our toys here???

Feel free guys...maybe post a pic or two tops, and even tell us about the hairiest ride you've ever taken your jet on...this should be good! ;D

 

[jetboater]

Actually redwood that boat was a year and a half old already when it wiped out on the vedder, I know I rescued the boat and drove it back down, that fellow bought the boat down south before we opened, you are right about the fellow bving green though, he wanted to run the upper pitt the day later,and went on the vedder for a practice run,

the vedder can be run pretty easily especially if you walk it on a regular basis, its not recommend by anyone to run it though, maybe in high water,when there are no anglers around, a great river to learn on is the lower stave because there is some smaller channels when the tide goes out, but when the tide comes up there is no fun stuff. there is a lot of really great rivers to run around here, book a guide to run you first or hop in with someone with experience, it will make all the difference. following other boats can be great but also dangerous in the skinny water.
Ribwart if you are ever thinking of buying a boat go for a test drive, with a few different brands, just make sure you compare them apples to apples.

 

[redwood]

Rib, i have a 18.5 foot ali craft ,with a 150 outboard jet.I drove all the way to prince rupert for it 4 years ago. I wanted an in board but the alicraft was such a sweet deal i could not pass it up.Lets just say half price!!!, it came with only 10 hours on a new power head.Two years ago i was running it through ankle deep water on a moose trip up north,,never hit bottom the tunnel hull gives me a little more extra water.The only problem i have found with the outbord is you have to watch when you do a sharp turn they will suck a little air if you go into it to fast. the alicraft is made in PG ,by gordon ford,who came to canada from new zeland he makes a nice strong boat for a very good price,plus you dont look like everybody else out there ;D

 

[Steelie Trav]

redwood, I would love to see a pic of your boat. Sounds interesting! How do you find the gas usage on that motor?

 

[redwood]

Steeli,like any big two stroke,with 6 carbs it all depends on how heavy you ar on the gas, run wide open i can go through as much as a big block inboard :-[ very rare do i run it wide open, but it is nice to have those extra ponys when you want them.For my normal day to day fishing trips its not bad.I would love a 4 stroke ,but for now :'( i will have to wait,still thinking about a small inboard jet with a 350 in it but i have not seen one i like yet i dont want anything over 19 feet i go to some rivers that are to small for all the big boats out there :

 

[Mike D.]

that sounds like a pretty rugged boat REDWOOD! I've only ever seen 1 ali craft in my life but it looked sweet, and it hauled a$$ lol, have you ever ran the Tashoti in it? -spelling

Mike <")))))><

 

[redwood]

Mike D not yet maybe some day ??? buddys i know go up there. one river you should know well :-\both that river and the muskwa have claimed lots of boats over the years,and not a easy place to get help :'( if you f***k up you could be in a world of hurt :-[but the country is something

 

[Bonanza]

I saw that jet going up the vedder a couple of years ago in nov when we had that major blow out! I was at peach rd and could hardly believe my eyes. I told my buddie that either those guys have balls the size of basket balls or they have been drinking. Im not faint of heart and have been known to drive my Jeep into the Fraser up to the roof racks, and drop anchor at calamity point in a 12 footer, but I would never try that!

 

[woody]

My boats a 20ft. Robinson rivercraft, 350efi, 325 horse power. hairiest ride by far would be my trip to the hotsprings in the upper Pit, small hole in the hull and another in the gas tank but made it home basically in one piece though my bottom needs about $4000.00 worth of work to straighten it out (doesn't get up on plane quite like it used to) not a trip I would recomend to the faint of heart.

 

[eimaj]

Ribwart, if you want to see what a jet can do. Find a way to get out on the river with Bergler when he's in a playing mood. I know I've come close to filling my shorts on more than one accasion while he laughed away at me ;D My old man had a look of utter amazment when we loaded into the boat and ran up a section of river that only 5minutes before he had been walking across, it was only ankle deep
I do love the room in the big boats, but theres something that makes me really want a little 16ft sprint boat even if it's just for salmon season on the Fraser

 

[Rib]

If I'm not mistaken, I think berg has something of that nature in mind for the near future...I can't wait! Should be awesome! I'm pretty comfortable around boats, but have never made a run in a jet before....

 

[Teppit1]

here's some responsible boating tips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E9dRbfludg

 

[Rick Baerg]

here's some responsible boating tips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E9dRbfludg

That was cool!