Cost to go fast with a bigblock jet boat, vs outboard

[Capt.Insane-o]

I'll say this unless you are bringing a heavy hitter squirter the outboard clan on the east side is going to make a bitch of you.

[Krazymaan]

A high performance outboard can cost more in fuel and oil too than a big V8. I know this from experience.

[Bodhi]

They're usually for sale that cheap because of some issue with the the moter. When a big block pukes on ya, the repairs alone will be thousands more than and outboard. Years ago it took me 10000 bucks to bore/stroke/and hot rod a 383mopar. My promax can get a teardown and rebuild for around 5. If ya got the cash, v drives are cool but too much of a pain in the ass for me.

[stivov1]

thanks Bodhi for the information!

[rude tim]

To make a jet faster than a modified outboard it will cost way way more $. It can be done but at a huge investment in parts.

[SANTAFE]

I am not really a jet boat guy, but about 10% of them are really fast. Look at the video's of the Byuboyz Winter Nationals this year. Just depends on what you like I guess.

[Road Trip]

I LOVE jets. Simply for that great "hot rod" feel you get when you crank it up and listen to that big cam rough idle. It speaks to my soul, and bystanders (other than fast outboard guys) love to look and talk about the boat.

I love the hole shot, and listening to the motor run at (or near) redline through over-the-transom pipes.

BUT, I also know that every bass boat I see with a modern 225 or 250 can catch me on the top end. Doesn't matter that much in the chain of lakes I spend most of my time on, though, and a nice drag outboard costs more than I have in my whole boat.

[Road Trip]

what killed those jet boat around here is the noise regulation. period. heck you qet in trouble if you open your corsa quiet exhaust on a regular 350 engine..

those jet or V-drive boats sure have the cool factor on their side.

That would suck if it happened here. Nobody pays much attention in our lakes as long as I don't idle through the canals too often.

[tunnelmike]

A bonified fast jet boat will be running race fuel. $13 a gallon at the races this weekend. My $2500 Mirage with a 2.5 200 would run 99.7 with me the wife an ice chest and 25 gallons of regular unleaded. Like Santafe and others said not many are nearly as fast as they claim to be. Mike

[poncho]

Jets and V-drives are still popular in the Pacific Northwest. My family hung out at a local lake most summers. Back when I was a kid 8 years old or so. Jets and V-drives dominated on the local lake. So they are still my favorite in performance boats, nostalgia first love kind of thing.

100mph is a hard target too hit without some big money into the boat. 68 to 70 mph is more the average in most non race boats. To get those speeds you'll still spend some coin. I have bought the cheap $2,500 to $4k boats, jets and V-drives. The junkyard engine comment is pretty much true. In this range on my GPS my last jet in 09 was a Marlin with 454 and full fuel, two heavy adults. Berk jet it ran 58mph.

Similar too what I had: https://www.smartmarineguide.com/L49005529

I have yet to buy or look at a Jet or V-drive that runs over 60mph in the under $6k price point. As a cool looking get on the water cheap, they are great. But usually they have problems when cheap. Rotten, floors, transoms and stringers, etc. To motors that are about to grenade.

I bought mine for like $2,500. Family friends have a cottage on a local lake. I'm still good friends with their son and daughter. I bought it because its nicer then a Bayliner Capri, etc... It cleaned up real nice after a weekend of wet sanding and buffing. I left it on a mooring buoy. Cheap enough that I didn't worry about sinking or being stolen. It was more a hop in after work in the evening and head over to the party cove hang out for beer.

It was a disposable boat for cheap way on the water. At the end of the season I got most of my money back, including fuel spent using it........................... Sold for $4500 US. The buyer knew there was a soft spot in the floor. And likely needed more work. I.e.: transom could have been rotted out. I babied it for these reason. I didn't care if it died on me after one or two uses. You can't rent jet skis for the week for the same money!

Anyway, I find the cheaper the jet or V-drive is, the more its like a beater mechanics special car. Even restored with a fresh solid 454 my boat hit 64mph after the buyer refreshed it.............

[stoker2001]

I am not really a jet boat guy, but about 10% of them are really fast. Look at the video's of the Byuboyz Winter Nationals this year. Just depends on what you like I guess.

any links to that vid?

[Capt.Insane-o]

[SANTAFE]

I think I saw them on Texas Hot Boats, or maybe Byuboys has them. I was there and I am telling you there were two jet boats that were bad azz. Also there was an outboard that gave them fits.

[90 5.0]

They were posted on here somewhere, I can run over 90% of the jets around with my bass boat.

The other ten percent have crazy high dollar motors, multiple power adders and move.

[HydroHaulic]

I LOVE jets. Simply for that great "hot rod" feel you get when you crank it up and listen to that big cam rough idle. It speaks to my soul, and bystanders (other than fast outboard guys) love to look and talk about the boat.

I love the hole shot, and listening to the motor run at (or near) redline through over-the-transom pipes.

BUT, I also know that every bass boat I see with a modern 225 or 250 can catch me on the top end. Doesn't matter that much in the chain of lakes I spend most of my time on, though, and a nice drag outboard costs more than I have in my whole boat.

got it right! its the fun factor, the sound, the heads turning, the tail! jets you can hammer right out of the hole without the same fluid dynamics of a prop...revs right up! wont be the fastest but will be the coolest!