What Do I Need To Know About Jets/Pumps?

[Swamp Puppy]

Ok, after a loong time of tossing around the idea of getting a boat, i think i am ready to take a serious run at it. My biggest quandry is Pump or Prop?

Now, I am very familiar with Prop motors..their advantages and drawbacks. But i know squat about owning a pump motor and as such, i am very skeptical about going that route.

Here is my intended uses for the boat. first off..it will most likely be a 18-19ft boat and will be your common style of boat such as an Alumaweld Stryker. I will use it for fishing..mostly big river, no running the whitewater for me. Crabbing is certainly in it's future and it will see extensive use on the lower columbia for duck hunting. (running in with the big boat..paddling in with sneak boats.) it is this last application that has me leaning toward a pump. the LC is heck on props.

so..will i have trouble running through shallow mud/sand? does sucking that stuff up do bad things? what is maintenance like with pumps? please tell me all the reasons why i should get a pump..or not get a pump...because i surely don't know.

help!!

[Reelentless]

My first boat was a 21' North River with a Hamilton Pump. Great boat, but since I never brought it in shallow water, I never needed the capability of running in 4-6" of water.

Pumps are much less fuel efficient than props.

For your intended use, I would say a prop would be best.

[MikeT]

Ed,
I use my 17-ft. boat with an outboard pump for the things you listed in your post.
I like it a lot, but of course everything's a compromise when looking for a boat to do a variety of things. For example, low speed maneuvering while crabbing is trickier with a pump boat, but easily doable once you get used to the way it steers and handles.

For fishing the big river it's fine, but not as nice as a prop boat IMO.

For duck hunting at L&C it's the cat's meow. I can run it out there with just a few inches of water on top of the mud with no worries (other than getting stuck). The downside is if you get it stuck the boat's too heavy to manhandle back into the water. I've had to wait out the tide a few times because I took a chance that didn't pan out.

Maintenance is pretty easy. I grease the impeller after each use, and sharpen the impeller and/or adjust the clearance as needed, which isn't often unless I've sucked up a lot of sand/gravel/debris. If you're not planning to run it in whitewater then your problems with this are much reduced. Depending on how hard you use it, you may have to replace the impeller every few years, but mine typically last 5+ years before wearing out. Other than this maintenance is about the same for a prop boat.

The intake gets blocked by weeds, sticks, clams, etc. occasionally, especially if I'm maneuvering in shallow water in the bay or L&C. No big deal. You'll notice it right away when you attempt to put the boat on plane. Just tilt the motor and pull the offending articles off the grate.

One of the things I really like is not having to worry as much about hitting submerged objects and breaking a prop. My boat planes in about 4-6 inches of water and I take it places no prop boat can go.

Good luck with the boat search.....Mike

[Small Fry]

I asked the same question before I bought my last boat. One thing to think about is power. If you go with a outboard pump you loose 30% horsepower. I have a 200 hr merc on the back of my boat and it's fast 50+ with the prop .It's a gas hog. I don't want to know how much more fuel I would use if I had a pump on it.
The other thing to consider is how much V or degrees you want on the bottom. I would get something with at least 14 or even better 16 or 18. My boat is 10 and any chop on the water and it beats me up over 10 MPH.
My next boat will have at least 16 degree bottom with a outboard with a prop. So I say prop.

[Coastalfisherman]

I think that the question you need to ask yourself, is can you pay the fuel bill? A pump will make a huge difference in fuel costs vs a prop. Save the fuel money and get a jack plate on your prop motor. It will make a huge difference in the shallows. When in the big water the prop will have an advantage over the jet.

[Swamp Puppy]

great info guys!! keep it coming.

Mike. thanks for the input. hearing from guys that run the same areas i will is a great help.

[rola76]

For you applications, I'd undoubtedly go with a prop boat. Pumps really are for skinny, shallow water, and if you're only running the big water then having a pump serves no logical purpose.

I currently have an inboard jet, but I run lots of 4" water so there's a need for it. I've also owned a prop boat, which is what I grew up on, and it terms of all-around versatility, economy, holeshot and power they hands-down outrank a pump. I absolutely love my pump and probably will never again get a prop-only boat, but if I decided I'd go with an outboard that I could convert back and forth from prop to pump. However, keep in mind that you lose 30% of your power when you go from a prop to a pump.

If I didn't need a pump and I were you, I'd definitely go with something like a 19-foot outboard...maxed out in horsepower (you'll never regret it) and get as wide as you can. The extra space you gain from an outboard vs. inboard is incredible.

Good luck and this will be a fun process for you!!:)

[Swamp Puppy]

thanks, but i will actually spend a fair ammount of time in shallow water during the duck season. which is really the only reason i am even considering a pump. if it wasn't for that, i completely agree that a prop would be the way to go. i'm just curious if the pump is enough of an advantage to offset the negatives that come with it.

[Wildswede]

I used prop motors exclusively for 40 years and never had any complaints except in skinny water. I now have an outboard jet pump and love it even in big water. My only comment in the negative about outboard jet pumps, other than fuel efficiency and power loss compared to props, is that if you are considering a forward helm boat you may have a harder time controlling the boat at low speeds, such as when you are docking. A friend of mine sold his Alumaweld Intruder forward helm boat specifically because of this low speed handling issue. His new boat has an outboard jet pump but this time with a Tiller handle and he says it handles 100% better than his Intruder at low speeds. Hopefully this helps.

[jawbreaker]

I believe that pump technology has come a long way in the last few years. Fuel milage is not as good, but they are getting closer. I run a pump and love the reliability and manuverability.
The prop motors that I have had in the past did not have a reverse that was reliable. Anybody who has ever fished near a crowd of boats, or went to the dock when it was crowded and the wind was blowing boats around knows how vital a good reverse is in close quarter situations. For peace of mind, I'll take the pump.

[98ramtough]

Swamp Puppy. I have a 19ft duckworth with outboard pump, I just bought a lower unit so I can switch it over to prop when I want it.

Here is my advise. Get a prop boat, and buy the pump kit. The pump is much cheaper than the prop lower unit, then you will have both and can do it all!

[Radiator]

One thing to definitely keep in mind is how much time you plan on spending in shallow water (less than 2.5 ft). If the only real time you spend there is for the ducks, then I would say buy a boat with an appropraite V where you can go with both lower units and swap them out. My dad and I used to do this for that same reason. We spent 90% of the time in deeper water during the summer (prop time), but once the ducks came it was stickly shallow water (pump time). An aluminum hull will take a lot more abuse to accidental groundings than a prop will in shallow water. One other advantage is that you won't be stuck with the fuel bill the entire year going this route. If you do get a boat with a pump, you will lose power so get the bigger motor. Having extra is way better than just barely enough or not enough when dealing with the Big C. Many places can swap the lower units out for you for less than $160. Hope this helps.

[KingFisher85]

Id listen to what a few others have to say and get an outboard motor (not an inboard) and get both lower units (prop and jet)
I've pulled Mercury, yamaha, and my little Tohatsu lower units, and have changed them both lower units over. Its very easy and takes less then an hour. I bet if I did it more I could have it done in 15-20 min or so..

[AlseaAssassin]

Contrary to what most people say aobut pumps handling bad at low speed they just haven't had enough practice utilizing the throttle. No prop boat, unless you have twins, will spin on it's axis at low or high speeds. When manuvering in traffic and at the boat dock this is a great advantage. You just have to work up the nerve to goose the throttle in tight corners to spin the boat. Same goes in heavy wind, my 772 will out turn any prop boat at slow speeds as long as I throttle up and down quickly before building significant momentum. The guys around you might get a little nervous when you hit the gas to 2500 rpms but as long as you maintain control your fine. Just my opinion.

[WaterDog]

Alsea - I think these guys are talking about outboards. Hard to compare these to our inboard. :)

[fishgetter]

1. You never can have too much power on a pump
2. They go suck down the fuel
3. You will need to get a bigger fuel tank.
4. They suck down the fuel.
5. They will take you places you dont want to go.

All in all they are fantastic, but like every good ride they have a price!!!

[HOOKUP]

with rising gas prices I would go with a big four stroke prop. You could always get a jack plate and pump shoe as an extra. Also you gain a lot of interier room with an out board.

I own a sportjet and this is my first and last inboard jet.

[duckboy]

Ed,

My 2nd duckboat (the stealthbomber) was a 16 ft alumaweld sled and a 2 stroke 40 hp pump with a tiller.

It worked but really hosed through the gas.
http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/2764/stealthbomberorig3is.jpg

Before that, I had the original boat (a 40 hp 2 stroke on a 15 foot aluminum death trap. http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8761/deathtrap5kr.jpg

Pretty much burned up all of my lick on the big water in that boat. maybe 3 inches of freeboard in the stern when loaded with 3 guys and dogs and gear... scary.

Now that I have had a chance to go with props and pumps, I am back to a prop, but with the addition of a jackplate that I can adjust on the fly from the console.


http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/5270/boooatif1.jpg


http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/5892/dsc03992qz3.jpg

Gives me 5 inches of vertical travel from the down position, and then if i need more travel, I can pitch the motor and "crawl" to about 8 mph or so in about 6 inches or so of water.

Down on the Lower river, I do wonder about bumping a log or piling while under power, but I still prefer my current set up than the old jet.

Mostly because i like to get the traction that comes with a prop for when the water is rough and the chop is at its worst.

Plus, holding a line for trolling is one heck of a lot easier with a prop and lower unit in the water.

You might get good use out of the prop with a jet shoe conversion (like the other folks have mentioned) but that can cost even more $$.