boat jerks

[FrankWH]

I just got a bass tracker 120 inboard jet and when running through a little rough water it sounds like the motor cuts out or is sucking air. Is this normal?

[Lt. Holden]

Your post is a little confusing, how rough is the water, is the hull leaving the water? Normally if a jet is sucking air the motor will rev higher because there is no load on it; can you clarify a bit?

[FrankWH]

It doesn't have to be very rough water and I am only runnig about 25mph according to the speedometer.

[BHOFM]

It sounds like you may have a loose wire or something
that is killing the ignition??

Like said before, if the unit sucks air it will rev up!

[redtech]

? is this a 120 merc sport jet (that's what i'm assuming)
so are you saying engine is cutting out or stumbling
bhofm sound to be on the right track
my question is it the whole engine or just like a miss on one cylinder
if the whole engine is cuttin out it's most likely a loose wire or a wire that has been rubbed through and that wire is most likely black/white
if just one cylinder cutting out test the ingintion components (charge coil, ingnition coil, timer base,and wires)

[WBC]

I'm not solving any problems but I would like to know how shallow your boat runs before your picking up sand, or bottom. I have thought abut putting one in a flats boat but i don't want to suck up weeds in say 18"-12" of water.

[redtech]

most of the jets i work on in the northern half of california are good for 3-4 inches of water with the boat on plain over rock and sand but with weeds i would say better 6-8 inches to keep the clean
now the great debate is what style pump to use a hamilton or kodaik is a good pump that can lift a heavier boat better with out having to have a ton of horsepower and you don't have to throttle as much at low speed to manuver but a berkley or american turbine makes for a faster boat and takes white a little better but you loose your low speed control so when off plain you have to throttle a lot when docking
having said this i'm going to back off and hope no "ford vrs dodge" arguement comes up there both good pumps but they have there places

[WBC]

thanks so much for your input

[Akgramps]

If its only reving up when in rough water, you are most likely sucking in air and cavatating, not uncommon if its a fairly flat bottom.
Is there a problem on smooth water?