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Fastest jet boats

19K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  Seefood Man 
#1 ·
My question is this: how fast can a jet boat go? I have heard of inboard jets going over 70mph, I am talking fishing craft not racing craft also, but when I talked to a north river salesperson he told me a inboard can't go fastert han 60mph no matter how big the motor is because the pump limits it. Is this true? When I get my boat I want to hop it up and make it real fast will I be able to do this? :meme:
 
#2 ·
Google this...all about HP, Pump Design, hull design/material/weight, overall weight, and of course any modifications to all of above.

Heck yes a pump in a fishing boat can push it over 60mph easy in the right situation.
 
#4 ·
True for sure...or he will be spending a LOT of money and the fuel use will be insane!

If pumps were the way to get speed they would be used on all race boats...not just specialty race boats.

We jokingly call them "Converters" around here. Converting gas into noise!! LOL But they do have their purpose and when you need one that is the only thing that will work.
 
#5 ·
You are going to be hard pressed to get anywhere near 60 MPH with a jet boat of any size. You are going to need an AT style pump in a really light boat (18 ft or so) built really light. With an AT pump you are going to give up a lot of load carrying capacity, slow speed manuevering, and hole shot.

I have a 24 ft HCM with an LSA (550 hp) and a 212, it will run almost 50 MPH at sea level, burning right around 40 gallons per hour. I had a 22' IBC with a 383 and a 212 previously and it would run right at 41 MPH, burning about 30 gallons per hour.

Why do you want to go so fast? It seems that if you want a fishing boat, load carrying capicity, fuel economy and hole shot would be much more important than top speed. It is going to take a big fuel tank to keep any jet boat going 60 MPH for a distance.
 
#6 ·
My 20 ft jet boat with a 350 chevy and a 650 double pumper attached to a marine power X-Stream pump (souped up american turbine) will consistently do 63 mph (By GPS) at 2484 ft in elevation ... Its really a little too fast for the hull IMHO but it will scoot right along ...:flag2:
 
#9 ·
Yes you can make your boat faster...as fast as you really want but the trade will be money and down time having much custom work done and additions of very expensive performance parts.

Not that you asked but I just have to give my opinion, if you want an inboard jet boat pick out a nice boat and go over available options and upgrades with the salesman. More gas to make more power to get more speed. I would rather fish and enjoy the boat. Any boat that can go over 15mph is fine for me, just enough to get a breeze on a hot day to cool off. My boat tops out at 33mph by GPS and that is plenty for me.
 
#10 ·
I wasn't saying the pump was making the speed, the salesman told me I could put any motor in it and no matter what the pump would limit it to 60mph. I just don't beleive it, I would think the more horsepower you put in the boat the faster it will have to go. I wouldn't think the pump would be like a rev-limiter. :)
 
#11 ·
Just like a propeller boat that can have a different pitch on the prop the impeller in a jet pump can be re-pitched to be more aggressive. The more horsepower you have the more pitch can have on the impeller which will increase the top speed. The impeller takes a bigger bite but in most cases you loose lower end (hole shot) power and it makes your boat very inefficient at low speeds. You can make a jet boat fast with the right power and impeller pitch but it's hard to get the best of both worlds. TF
 
#17 ·
it can be done just money is all it takes lol
when i was gown in new zealand last year i was in a new zealand style river boat and we it a wot speed of 78 mph [ gps ]
it had a 6.0L chevy and a scott 852 jet pump
can't find a pic of us on the river but the boat was very much like this 1
 

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#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
first of all the hull is designed for a certain speed and adding hosrepower does not gain much speed above that limit and handling and safety go to h. If you wish a 100 mile an hour boat you need to buy a hull whose design speed is in that range or you will be wasting money on hp and gas for almost no gain.
I sold a north river 19 jet with a 400hp marine engine that was a rocket. Got it from a friend whose brother passed away but only had it for six months. When you hit the gas the speedo went one direction while the gas gage went the other. Lots of fun but a worthless boat cause it had no room inside being mostly engine.
I sold the nr and ordered a Wooldridge Alaskan outboard jet
Will drive up there and pick it up next week. They have a four month waiting list for their boats
 
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