Aluminum flatbottom river ski/boat

[TJLSuperJet]

So I just started working with this company, we do aluminum fabrication, and the owner has a lot of land on some rivers. He brought up the idea of putting a jet ski motor/driveline/pump into a wide hull custom built aluminum jon boat. I know we all have dreams of doing something like this but he has the money to make it happen. He wants it to seat at least 4 people with all the river fishing, trot line gear, ice chest big gas tank for long trips, lighting etc... He has serious plans for me to build this thing and I wanted to run it by the X audience. He wants to have handle bars finger throttle ect. We would make a stainless mesh grate to keep the sticks out of the pump. Ive seen a few guys do this with fiberglass boats, but he is insistant on a all aluminum setup..... Id love some input, and if anyone has done something like this, pics would be awesome.... I think its going to be a fun project, and of course would keep everyone updated with pics through the build

 

[Shifty]

I think I would want a modern fourstroke motor if I was really going all out and making a full on fishing boat. I have to say handle bars in a boat have never made sense to me.

If you have the skills to form and weld aluminium I think a pump that bolts to the transom would be the way to go. Then fab up an intake duct into the hull. Or scab the intake/pump secion out of a large sitdown into there.

 

[suva]

Some of the older yamaha sitdowns had a 144mm pump with an aluminum intake tract that bolted in..... I have one in my garage for whenever I become more $$$motivated to swap it into my aluminum boat. Most serious river boats around here have stick steering- one pole sitting vertically which you move fore and aft to steer.

 

[The Penguin]

look on YouTube - I've seen videos of those type boats running up rivers

 

[stanton]

how about you guys work on an alumium superjet? id rock that!

 

[GReenANt]

if cost isnt a problem then an outboard with the jet pump on the bottom would be pretty a pretty simple set up.

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/products/subcathome/3/home.aspx

http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=602765
some useful info on here

 

[TJLSuperJet]

stanton.... !thats what I was thinking!... chit I still want to make some beach carts, but now im running with this idea, and have to see it through. Im not sure i want the stick steering, there has to be a way to use a steering wheel (made out of aluminum), the idea is to keep everthing aluminum ( minus part we use from a ski) what ski should I be looking for to rob parts from? 720cc-1100cc needs to have reverse.. In the end, i want this to be one of a kind.

Budget is around 20K..... but thats flexible.

 

[TJLSuperJet]

Nice links Greenant, thanks. The big outboards are nice, but I want to have a very clean look. I dont want to have anything visible except for the sterring wheel. so a big motor bolted to the back is just too obtrusive. the powerplant of the boat will be a mystery, plus have deckroom to walk and fish from.

Keep the idea's coming. Im starting from scratch here

 

[Shifty]

$20,000 Any reason not to go fourstroke that I am not seeing? You can use regular rack and pinion steering ($250) with a bit longer nozzle lever at the pump and a push rod through the hull. Seems like you could buy a nice boat for that kind of money.

 

[TJLSuperJet]

Its the novelty factor we are going for. He already has several boats he paid much much more than 20k for. definatly will go with a four stroke after some research and shiftys recommendation. Money is like water to this guy. I dont want to get into details, but he is LOADED. what couch has a strong reverse? he has a yamaha 3 seater 2007 model, he would be willing to hack up...

Personally I wouldnt waste my money, but the boss is persisting. Im excited bc ill be getting paid regular wages to build something I think would be pretty fing cool. the other thought.... (his idea) is just taking a seadoo jet boat and putting all its components into a aluminum hull that could travel in 4-6 inches of water.... NUTS lol

 

[suva]

What about these? They're pretty compact and unobtrusive.

http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines/jetdrives/optimax-jet-drives.php

 

[Shifty]

What about these? They're pretty compact and unobtrusive.

http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines/jetdrives/optimax-jet-drives.php

Those are awesome. What do you think they cost $13,000+?

 

[TJLSuperJet]

Those are nice, i hadnt thought about something like that. Didnt even know they existed... very cool, cant find a price but I bet they arent cheap... Im going to call them up in the morning. It appears to already have the reverse set up.... if thats the case, this just got a lot easier! Ill let you know how much they are

 

[The Penguin]

for what you want to do, I don't think you'll fine any ski that has enough motor and pump capacity to act as a donor.

the Mercury jet drive appears to be what you'd need.

 

[chriselmore_1]

i was at the lake not too long ago and some guy cut the bottom deck off a 650 sx and bolted/glassed it w/ the motor pump and everything to the back of his 12 foot aluminum boat. goofiest thing i ever saw but that thing ripped!

 

[TJLSuperJet]

Im going to do my best to avoid the ghetto look, I want it to look like a pro built it.... LOL but ive seen a few different setups now, and will say that this will be one of a kind... Hopefully showroom quality.

 

[kevbo]

Its not hard to do, buy a large Tracker or Alumacraft and put a Mercury or OMC inboard jet drive. They made them from 90-175hp all through the 90s and have 200-250hp models today. Using an 1100+cc pwc setup will do the job but takes up a lot of room. Plus the rich guy wont like all the vibration and rattling. I am making a pod that will replace an outboard to be used on 14-16' johnboats. You may run into cavitation problems caused by the shallow draft and intake screen.

 

[aussiemat]

might be worth researching these novelty aluminium jet boats for a bit of inspiration:smile: you could rig up a finger throttle for a big block couldn't you:smile:

Matty

 

[Shifty]

might be worth researching these novelty aluminium jet boats for a bit of inspiration:smile: you could rig up a finger throttle for a big block couldn't you:smile:


Matty

These boats rule. I went on something similar in New Zealand's Shotover River when I was younger. They are made to carry a bunch of people but they are so maneuverable its crazy. The engines look pretty compact also; supercharged V6 Buick motors (you have to hover over them to get the pics.

I still think those little Mercuries are ideal.

 

[smoofers]

I personally think a Yamaha 4-stroke would be the way to go....

As for the pump cavity, hardest part would be making one out of aluminum that wouldn't cavitate horribly. Worst case scenario, you hack the pump cavity out of the couch and make it so that it bolts in flush.

We'll talk about it this weekend...