How shallow is too shallow? Is a Speedster 150 right for me?

[eepers]

Hi all, maybe some of you can help me out.

My wife and I kiteboard frequently in the outer banks of North Carolina, on the sound side near Salvo, Waves, etc... The Pamlico sound area.

Various waverunners are common in the sound around there, and all the kiteboarding instructors use them constantly.

Much of the sound there can be waist deep water, maybe 3-4 feet deep out very far from shore. I've been under the possibly mistaken impression that if it's deep enough for most jet skis, it's deep enough for a Speedster 150.

Would I be getting myself into a world of issues by buying a Speedster 150 for use in that area regularly?


I saw some tech blog elsewhere telling people to just lay off the full throttle craziness unless you know you're clearing 5 feet of water; would it be OK if I just used moderate throttle regularly in shallower water?

Having this boat would be a great option so I could take our daughter or friends out with us once in a while, but I'd hate to throw down the better part of $20K just to get out there and perpetually have issues with it because of the conditions.

Any advice? Thanks in advance!


-Lee

 

[Dr Honda]

It really depends on how loose the bottom is.

I go into some very shallow places, but it is a clean gravel bottom. (in streams) But one of the lakes I go to has a silty bottom, and I just stay out of the throttle until I get out into the deeper water.

That boat can operate in a foot and a half of water, if it has a hard bottom.

It does need a little more water than a jetski, just because it's heavier... but it doesn't need too much more.

 

[scooper77515]

That is good to hear. We are trying to get up into the San Jacinto river that feeds in from the lake we usually ride on. If we can get through a chunk of 3-5' water, it gets deep again in the river proper and there are restaurants, marinas, good wind-protected skiing areas, etc.

But every time I have tried it, I hit 3' and just turn around and go back.

Last time, I tried to follow a fishing boat with an outboard, so I could find the channel he was using, but he was too far ahead of us and I couldn't catch up with him.

So I KNOW it can be done with an outboard, and I see jet skis do it all the time.

I just bought the nautical map and may be a little braver to get to the cool waterside clubs and restaurants.

Also, we may be renting a home near the river so we may have to launch into the river and find our way into the lake. So it would be really nice to know the way.

How long and heavy is that sportster 150? I have seen a couple out on the lake.

 

[Dr Honda]

How long and heavy is that sportster 150? I have seen a couple out on the lake.

15.5' and depending on the engine... about 1450# dry.

 

[eepers]

Thanks so much for the quick replies!

Hmmm, I think it's reasonably silty there, definitely not gravel. I know when I get my kite lines in the water, sometimes they come up with a couple of short seaweed strands on them.

Is the depth gauge on the boat pretty accurate, in terms of would I at least know when I'm in a potential trouble area?

 

[eepers]

Actually, the best visuals of the area I'm in is probably the video on the sea doo page below, on the shallow draft vid about 25 seconds in. That area covered in sea vegitation is about right on:

http://www.sea-doo.com/en-US/sportboat/musclecraft/speedster150/index.htm?version=B

 

[eepers]

Thanks so much for the insight there!

The bottom through that area is exactly like the start of this video, covered in similar weeds:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roX2SXZbMpc


(For some reason the two other replies I posted didn't come through to the thread, I guess because I'm a new member they're delayed maybe?)

I went ahead and bought one used off eBay though, got a great deal on a 2005 that claims excellent maintenance. If it's an issue I'll work around the shallow areas, but I'd love the flexibility to not worry about it.