Diesel & jetdrive?

[backwater]

I am rebuilding a 34ft 9ft wide fiberglass houseboat. Wt 10,500lbs draft 2ft. The orginal engines were twin 350ci I/O's. Both engines are gone and both outdrives are craped out. I will be using the boat on the Mississippi river. My objective is displacement speeds 8 knots or so. I don't care for I/O and inboard drive would limit my ability to visit most of the places I like to go. I would like to use a diesel (cummins 4B3.3 65hp at 2600rpm) or (Hardy diesel 50hp at 2200rpm) A jetdrive ( Berkley 12JG) would seem like a alternative. Has anyone tried such a set up?

[FAST FRED]

Jet drives are substantaly weaker at low speeds than a common prop. Most figure about 25 lbs of thrust from a standard marine prop.

At low speeds you may not get half that , so noise will be high as will fuel consumption.

For slow speeds why not a diesel outboard ,or 4 strokes?

Noise and fuel use should be low , as would be cost , compared to those pri$y water pumps.

FAST FRED