Gamerse
New Member
Lets look at safe jetboating practices. I'll avoid proper terms and use common lingo so that there is less explaining and more understanding.
#1 YOUR BOAT DOES NOT STEER WITHOUT APPLYING THROTTLE!
Once you have accelerated past an idle speed, returning to a throttle idle speed
and attempting to steer will result in a staight line! The jet nozzle steers with
thrust, there is no rudder.
#2 Reverse doesn't work that well, applying less throttle is generally more. It does
however make a nice brake.
#3 your boat sits about a foot under the water, when the boat is floating. When you weight the boat down, it sits deeper in the water.
#4 your pump needs about one foot of clearance from the bottom of the lake to run at idle speed without sucking something up. If that something is is a sprawled out tree branch, and you are in one foot of water, chances are your screwed.
#5 A good idea is to walk the boat out from the bank untill you are at least over knee deep in water. Waist deep if you are under 5'5"..... (just guessing, who knows, you may have legs like a giraffe)
#6 Always shut the boat down a good distance from unknown banks and walk the boat in.
#7 If you know the bank, you can come in shallow as long as you know there are no obstructions. The best way to decide this is to swim an area first to clear it. Once you have an area, stick with it. If you like to visit new areas often, bring an anchor.
#8 If your friends make fun of your practices because they have prop boats, just remember that their boat is half as much fun as yours, and one day they will be paying for props and expensive drivetrain repairs.
#9 Ski ropes don't turn as fast as you can, sucking one up will leave you stranded.
#10 Bring a clamp suitable for pinching the water pressure line from your jetpump. If you ever have to be towed in, you need to clamp this off to prevent water from flooding your engine. (even if it hasn't happened yet, its in the factory service manual, so its better to do it than to wait and see what happens)
Don't mistake this thing for a jetski, it weighs at least 400lbs more, its harder to stop, and chances are, you are not wearing a lifejacket. Learn to respect it as a small boat first. It can be fun to drive later, when you know how.
:cheers:
Ernest.
#1 YOUR BOAT DOES NOT STEER WITHOUT APPLYING THROTTLE!
Once you have accelerated past an idle speed, returning to a throttle idle speed
and attempting to steer will result in a staight line! The jet nozzle steers with
thrust, there is no rudder.
#2 Reverse doesn't work that well, applying less throttle is generally more. It does
however make a nice brake.
#3 your boat sits about a foot under the water, when the boat is floating. When you weight the boat down, it sits deeper in the water.
#4 your pump needs about one foot of clearance from the bottom of the lake to run at idle speed without sucking something up. If that something is is a sprawled out tree branch, and you are in one foot of water, chances are your screwed.
#5 A good idea is to walk the boat out from the bank untill you are at least over knee deep in water. Waist deep if you are under 5'5"..... (just guessing, who knows, you may have legs like a giraffe)
#6 Always shut the boat down a good distance from unknown banks and walk the boat in.
#7 If you know the bank, you can come in shallow as long as you know there are no obstructions. The best way to decide this is to swim an area first to clear it. Once you have an area, stick with it. If you like to visit new areas often, bring an anchor.
#8 If your friends make fun of your practices because they have prop boats, just remember that their boat is half as much fun as yours, and one day they will be paying for props and expensive drivetrain repairs.
#9 Ski ropes don't turn as fast as you can, sucking one up will leave you stranded.
#10 Bring a clamp suitable for pinching the water pressure line from your jetpump. If you ever have to be towed in, you need to clamp this off to prevent water from flooding your engine. (even if it hasn't happened yet, its in the factory service manual, so its better to do it than to wait and see what happens)
Don't mistake this thing for a jetski, it weighs at least 400lbs more, its harder to stop, and chances are, you are not wearing a lifejacket. Learn to respect it as a small boat first. It can be fun to drive later, when you know how.
:cheers:
Ernest.
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