Low HP Jet

GraphiteZen · 04-19-2008, 02:46 PM

Some time ago I posted about putting an overpowered motor on a fishcat, but now that my house is about to sell and I will have the money I am somewhat serious.

My dilemma:

The main thing I enjoy and use the most with my Fishcat is its high float. The idea of a prop sticking down below the pontoons bothers me. In addition, the way my boat is set up I wouldn't have any room to tilt it even if I put one on. So my question is whether or not it is possible to put a jet on a short shaft 4 hp Honda. I don't know about sizes, compatibility etc. Advice?

raptorschild · 04-19-2008, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraphiteZen

Some time ago I posted about putting an overpowered motor on a fishcat, but now that my house is about to sell and I will have the money I am somewhat serious.

My dilemma:

The main thing I enjoy and use the most with my Fishcat is its high float. The idea of a prop sticking down below the pontoons bothers me. In addition, the way my boat is set up I wouldn't have any room to tilt it even if I put one on. So my question is whether or not it is possible to put a jet on a short shaft 4 hp Honda. I don't know about sizes, compatibility etc. Advice?

No. They dont' even make jets for motors that small. I think the smallest is 20 horse motors.

the most you should be putting on a Pontoon would be a trolling motor. Anything else is ridiculous.

You have to remember a pontoon won't support a ton of weight in the back, and also doesnt have a hull which means with a motor, you will be all over the place. at low speeds you'll be fine, but i wouldnt dare get a pontoon going very fast. bad things could happen.

In my opinion you are trying to do too much with your pontoon boat. If I were you, I'd save up and get a 13-15 foot boat with a little 20-25hp motor on it, and then you have the best of both worlds for cheap.

I just got my 1995 15 ft sylvan, and 1996 merc 25 horse for $3500, and I probably couldve got a better deal, but i didnt press it. I've seen em out there cheaper.

My two cents......Ditch the idea of getting a gas motor for your pontoon, and get a 100lb thrust trolling motor if you really insist on trying to get that function out of your pontoon.

fishkisser · 04-20-2008, 11:26 AM

A 100 lb thrust trolling motor is 24 volts ... I think a 55 lb thrust model is the biggest 12 volt they make ...

Hawk JJ · 04-20-2008, 02:49 PM

The Trojan T-105 deep cycle battery weighs about 62 lbs. The marine trolling motor battery probably weighs about that...............

GraphiteZen · 04-20-2008, 03:13 PM

Yeah it was discussed that the trolling motor/battery combo would be much heavier than a small gas motor. The way that I know pontoons the travel in the water I would be fine with a little higher speed, I would just need a tether similar to what they have on jet skis.

What I may do is get a jetski rig and put a little kids dirtbike motor on it. We'll have to see. I need to talk to some fabricators. Any volunteers??

Hawk JJ · 04-20-2008, 08:00 PM

well.....................i think mebbe a 8' flatbottom duck boat mite be nice...............

......................in narrow, shallow waterways..............

jmike · 04-20-2008, 08:04 PM

You should lokk at the prop gaurds...I know there is one out there that completley encloses the prop....thus reducing the risk of tearing your float....mike

GraphiteZen · 04-20-2008, 09:56 PM

heheh Hawk I try to be a trend setter.

negoc8 · 04-21-2008, 09:05 AM

I like this idea

http://www.mokai.com/the-mokai.html

raptorschild · 04-23-2008, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GraphiteZen

heheh Hawk I try to be a trend setter.

yeah, I forgot about needing the bigger battery for the 100 lb thrust.

All i know is that I've never seen a gas motor on a pontoon and there's probably more than 1 reason why. Save your money and get a small boat, and use the pontoon for small rivers, lakes, and such. again...best of both worlds.

CRD4Liberty · 04-25-2008, 10:31 AM

Get one of the light weight air cooled Cruise N Carry outboards, I've had one for over 20 years on my Mad River 16 ft Royalex Explorer canoe and it's never failed me. I even towed a 19 ft Reinell back to the dock one time at Prineville Lake when it broke down.
The motor weighs 20 lbs or so and runs most of the day on a quart of fuel, I carry an extra qt in a Penzoil plastic oil bottle just in case, but rarely use it.
I think it's 1.7 hp and really gets the bottom of the canoe rolling and flopping at full speed, which is way more than you could possibly paddle it even with kayak paddles.