budget shallow water boat project

[rockfish]

hey yall, just wanted to share my homemade jet project that i made with a screwdriver and a sawzall last winter, i put my kawasaski 650 in a 14ft alum boat. its soley purpose is to fish and access deeper holes in rivers when its shallow 1ft or less. the only problem i have is that the bow plows the water when i try to go faster, so i just cruise it at 1/4 throttle. i have moved all the weight to the back of the boat. i think its when i mated the jetski hull to the boat hull the intake was sucked up bout an inch, but it does 25 mph at 1/4 throttle and gets real good gas milege too. the only thin i got to watch out for is rocks, leaves and other floating debris is ok, it chopps it right out after some throttling. i just carry a long screwdriver for rocks. so far it lasted a season w no water leaks very reliable


http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb227/yeehaariver/011-1.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb227/yeehaariver/002-4.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb227/yeehaariver/testrun004.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb227/yeehaariver/testrun003.jpg

[narwhal]

Good on you, a low budget experiment that has mostly turned out OK, and provides a successful solution to the skinny water problem. What is your investment, in both time and cash?

[rockfish]

well, i worked on it over the winter on and off till spring and i spent about 150 bucks in materials. the boat i bought for 300 bucks w trailer , and the ski i already had, but prolly worth 800 its a 88 kawi 650. i rebuilt the motor 10 years ago and rode it few times and its been parked ever since. the motor has around 50 hp w stainless steel impeller. the hardest part is to find the right boat, a boat with no center ribline. all in all this boat costs less than a cheapest outboard jet motor only. it performs better as well.
btw. im in mid tn. too, the third pic down is a popular trout river.

[narwhal]

Is that the Caney Fork below Center Hill Dam?

[rockfish]

yep, it is.....about 20 rivermiles below the dam. i never go upper river because thers too many waders and cannoe traffic in summer,i dont want to be rude and blast through right in front of them. so i usually fish below bettys to cumberland where the bigger fishes are.

[narwhal]

I canoed from Dam to Betty's on 9-11 this year w/four friends -- it's a good river for old men like us.

[Loafer]

nice job rockfish-
have you considered a drop down hydrofoil on the bow for your high speed runs in open water