I have a buddy that has a 17' sport2000. I have fished out of it a few times. My observations are as follows;
It has a 90hp Honda with the jet, and an 8hp Honda kicker. This boat is underpowered with more than 3 people in it. It is underpowered if the 3 people are of the horizontally challenged variety.
Overall the boat performs very well, and has more fishing room in it than any other 17' I have seen, or been in. My friend only has the two seats up front, and uses a couple of nice folding chairs in the back to fish out of.
I have seen the situation suckerfish speaks of with a guy on the nose of the boat holding an anchor and one guy at the helm, but not with two people just sitting in the seats. It doesn't happen then, ever. The fact is, that much weight forward in a boat only 17' long will lift the transom some, thus the shoe on the bottom of the pump raises. The only reason you notice it on a Wooldridge is because the motor sits higher on the transom due to the 'tunnel'. That tunnel is very beneficial when on plane, running skinnier type waters. That's what it's designed for, not putzing around at 2 mph. Jet boats don't manuver well at low speeds, regardless of make or type.
Overall, I think the are a nice boat that perform and feel larger than the 17' they are. But, if I were going to buy one, it would have to have the new Honda 150hp 4 stroke on the back. I don't like being underpowered.
There is your first hand account. Good luck, and let me know if you have any more questions. I own a 20' Wooldridge Alaskan II, so if you are looking down that road, let me know.