3 Stage Hamilton Jet

[jeffrey_h]

Does anybody have this unit in their boat or know of their performance, on a 5.6 mt f/glass hull. With a 350 Chevy V8 motor.

What overall benefits are there over an outboard?


Jeffrey

[FNQCairns]

Does anybody have this unit in their boat or know of their performance, on a 5.6 mt f/glass hull. With a 350 Chevy V8 motor.

What overall benefits are there over an outboard?


Jeffrey

Do you own the boat ATM Jeffery? We had a hamilton in the family for a little while but with a hemi 6 pushing it.

Performance overall with a jet is disappointing given the HP running it, but fun and different for a while anyway. I have heard they got better over time but still it's not possible for them to perform like a standard propeller engine.

It will be entirely up to the application whether it comes into it's own, like shallow reef areas with white water they are beaut!, apart from that no good advantage over an outboard.

cheers fnq

[BM]

Does anybody have this unit in their boat or know of their performance, on a 5.6 mt f/glass hull. With a 350 Chevy V8 motor.

What overall benefits are there over an outboard?


Jeffrey

None...

Jets are a very inefficient form of propulsion. Slow speed manouverability is not easy. More fuel usage compared to an outboard (again efficiency related).

And the biggest thing...... Resale value.. I can tell you having been a used boat retailer that a jet boat will not sell and if it does sell it goes for peanuts because almost nobody wants one.

By all means if you can get it for next to nothing go for it. But if its going to cost any real money forget it.

cheers

[ozbee]

a jet boat is like sitting in the shower throwing $100 dollar notes down the drain.

[Crocodile]

Have any of you blokes ever owned or driven a jet?
My brother built a skiboat, deep V, 308 Holden, Jacuzzi jet.
Very efficient, at least as good as an inboard prop.
Top speed 50mph, plenty of thrust for towing skiers, excellent turning at speed and low was nearly as good as an outboard.
Fuel usage same as other inboards.
Absolute safety, really no operational deficiencies at all.
The Australian boating public are just too conservative and the boating industry has too tight a grip on what we can buy.
Read the US magazines and see what the modern jets can do.
I would love a jetboat but because of outside influences too costly to own.

[FNQCairns]

G'Day croc, it does sound like a great boat but still if it has a jet it really can only be what it is, jets have been around for a long time and are nothing special, I have assumed the boat is a fishing boat Jeffrey is talking about, a jet will suit a rec-ski boat far better than a rec-fishing boat where efficiency is very important.

I understand they have got more efficient with time although would be surprised if they in practice have got any better (in comparison to a prop driven boat) than throwing 1 dollar in every 10 overboard, once it was nearer to $2.50 in every 10.

cheers fnq

[chop duster]

My first hand experience from numerous trips on a mates boat(24ft, GRP, deep-v, 240hp yanmar, hamilton jet)
Negatives:
-Constantly working the wheel to keep it going in a straight line.
-noisy
-I think it's in-efficient compared to a prop, although has always been set up this way, therefore can't really compare.
-major adaption had to be made to the running surface of the hull (flat surface to the keel to allow the mounting of the intake).
-Piss-week reverse
-think re-sale will be a problem
Possitives:
-great shallow water ability
-no prop to worry about (although rope etc.. can and has been sucked into the inpellor and can cause real drama's... trust me I know)
-manouvarabilty around the dock is outstanding
-High speed efficiency (so i am told.... over 30knots due to no drag for legs, props etc..) but mates boat don't go that fast?? hahah
-something out of the ordinary, gets some looks (if thats your thing)

[jeffrey_h]

Thanks for the responses guys,


This boat was for sale but I found out that it sold a few hours after I started this thread, so all is wasted, but still liked the input. Not sure if I would have brought it, I have some exp. with jets, a long time ago and not totally against them, as some are.


I think/know all boats are money pits, maybe jets and a 350 Chevy would be deeper.


Yes FNQ, it was, I'm told, a surf rescue boat hull built in Melbourne, they decided to make some into half cabin fishing boats. I do believe that it would have been a very stable boat. I was not able to source any information about these hulls or the company who built them.


It was advertised as a 6mt boat but was 5.6mt, 'had a S.Steel 200 lt fuel tank' but was fiberglass and could run all day on a ¼ tank juice, I don't think so.


Anyhow someone was happy to buy it, I'll keep looking.






Jeffrey