Reply With QuoteGet an Ultra 23 with the 6.2 MX . Ask John to install the Bravo1 X drive with 1.65 ratio , so you could spin a B1 26 P prop .
A friend of mine here on the boards has a 21' Ultra with a 502 Indmar with Lightning Headers, that is also a Jet.
I had a 23xs Lightning I/O with the Merc 6.2 MPI.
No matter the load, no matter the conditions our boat would always slowly pull on him. Our boat ran 61.8 on GPS. I was guessing he ran around the high 50s.
His boat pulls slightly harder at start but within about a 100 yards I was leaving him.
Get an Ultra 23 with the 6.2 MX . Ask John to install the Bravo1 X drive with 1.65 ratio , so you could spin a B1 26 P prop .
I went from a 454 jet to a 6.2(377) I/O.
Jet would do 50-55 with major concentration on water conditions and boat attitude.
I/O will do me 55-62 depending on loads with a single hand on steering if I want.
Jet was 20'
I/O is 23'
Got pounded in the kidneys and back in the jet.
I/O ride quality is thousand times better.
I'm not disputing your conclusions, but that wasn't his exact question.
Make sure you define "small block" in your comparison. Your basic 5.7 engine is 260-300 hp. The scorpion is a lot more $.
The jet with the BB should pull a fat skier out faster.
The base small block should be about 5 mph faster top end, but there is prop selection as a factor.
The jet, with an A2 impeller, and stock BB, could get comparable gas mileage at skiing speeds. Mine does. Overall, the small block should get better mileage.
The outdrive boats seem to ride a little better. Can't say exactly why, the drive is like a fixed point that steadies the boat, while the jet follows the contours of the water.
If buying the boat for towing kids on water toys, get the jet. Someday your kid will want to take his friends on the boat without you.
I'd rather have an outboard than an I/O.
the jet is safer? seriously?? just curious here...when not running how much friendlier is it to kick a jet pump than the gear case of a drive? they both hurt...
It's not about KICKING the pump or gear case. It's safety for the kids and other peeps in the water. Perhaps some idiot forgets to put the prop drive in neutral and comes to close to a skier. Yep in the hospital for sure. A jet drive you can leave the engine running all day long with people all around the boat. Most that's going to happen is the thrust is going to blow off your swim trunks. And if its' gas your worried about, WHO CARES about a few mpg. You can't put a price on your kids safety.
Anoter example. A friend of mine was boating in Parker and hit a sandbar with his Out Drive. He has the whole thing ripped off the transom and to fix it was $7,000. Another buddy of mine ( a Jet Owner ). Did the same thing on the lower river. All it cost him was time to pull the motor flip the boat and reglass the damaged areas. I'm guessing here but the damages were probably no more than $500, and thats on the high side..
So if gas milage is all these guys can come up with then I wouldn't think to much more of the I/O. In fact Im running 72mph with a BBC, 19' hull loaded with 4 people, a dog, and a huge ice chest full. If you want to come out my way some time, I will take you for a ride and show you all the percs of a Jet Boat.
I went from a 454 jet to a 6.2(377) I/O.
Jet would do 50-55 with major concentration on water conditions and boat attitude.
I/O will do me 55-62 depending on loads with a single hand on steering if I want.
Jet was 20'
I/O is 23'
Got pounded in the kidneys and back in the jet.
I/O ride quality is thousand times better.
.
As a comparison: I ran from Cottonwood cove to Hoover dam with a friend who's boat is a 21' Jet(496 I believe)...we didn't race around much and water conditions perfect midweek. On the way back down we stopped at a beach for a while and I took the kids tubing for a good 1/2 hr.
By the time we got back to Cottonwood he was on fumes, I had almost 1 1/3 tanks left(roughly an 84 mile roundtrip). Tanks in the boats are comparible in size. Hull designs comparible as well sans the 2 foot length difference..
.
I miss the fun factor in the jet for spinning or sliding the boat and certain low water level operation....oh and the rooster, but the fuel savings, and ride quality overshadow these small losses 10 fold.
That was a great focking day...
Get an Ultra 23 with the 6.2 MX . Ask John to install the Bravo1 X drive with 1.65 ratio , so you could spin a B1 26 P prop .
Yes, those 377's are great! But then one can argue a 502/500...
in the 5mph zones a jet sucks... my buddies 27' 502 B1 gets around the bend to the sandbar at a tick over 1k, mines running 1800rpm... that sucks. Then again I just point and shoot at speed because I could don't give a crap that it's a "bit shallow" on the way there!
My last boat was a 22' Essex with a 5.7LX (260hp) with a Alpha One drive. It pulled skiers and wake boarders great. Topped out at about 57 mph. I could fill it up (50 gal.) and run the hell out of it all weekend on that tank. It gave me zero mechanical problems the eight seasons I boated with it. If I boated on the lower river I could see buying a jet. But If you boat on lakes, I can't understand why anybody would want a jet in a 21' or bigger boat.
OMG this argument will go on FOREVER.
It's simple, if you plan on doing boating in shallow waters, then go with a jet! Otherwise it's not a question of IF you're going to replace pump, hydraulics, or a skeg..... its WHEN, cause you will
But if you're going to be doing some deep river, or lake boating than the I/O is probably the way to go, they don't get suck to the waves like a jet does, and doesn't risk as much.
Because gas can be argued over and over but if worrying about $20-$30 extra a day from one to another then you should be saving your money instead of boating
OMG this argument will go on FOREVER.
It's simple, if you plan on doing boating in shallow waters, then go with a jet! Otherwise it's not a question of IF you're going to replace pump, hydraulics, or a skeg..... its WHEN, cause you will
But if you're going to be doing some deep river, or lake boating than the I/O is probably the way to go, they don't get suck to the waves like a jet does, and doesn't risk as much.
Because gas can be argued over and over but if worrying about $20-$30 extra a day from one to another then you should be saving your money instead of boating
And the overhand right for the Knock Out!!!
I've also had both types of propulsion. For purposes of comparision, take a 21' 18 degree bottom that just about every builder uses with a 496HO 425hp engine.
* A jet drive will do between 55-58mph with a very light load.
* An outdrive will do at least 73-75mph.
* A jet drive will be screaming at 4K rpm to go 37-40mph.
* An outdrive will be loafing at 2,800-3,200 rpm to go 40mph. 55mph+ at 4K rpm is easily doable.
* A jet drive will burn through tons of fuel. 1-2mpg is about the best you can expect if you keep rpm's below 3,500.
* An outdrive in a boat that size should break the 3.5-4mpg barrier at similar rpms.
* Load a jet driven boat with 5-8 people and watch performance in all areas nose dive (i.e. top speed, handing in chop, etc)
* An outdrive will not be anywhere near as impacted by a similar load.
* A jet drive in 2' chop will bruise your kidney's. Jet's just don't have the dynamics to carry the bow.
* An outdrive will ride OK in 2' chop. Outdrives carry the bow very well.
Hey dave you are one who can give a good caomparison with the bbc jet and the small block i/o since you rode in mine.They arent the same brand boats but similar bottoms.
Posting Permissions