Actually, yes.. The page you saw was just thrown up because some friends
wanted to see the boat when I first bought it... Haven't done much with it
since throwing it up.

Needless to say, my own site isn't what I worry about.... I spend too much
time on everyone else's.

"Joe" wrote in message
...
Good God!
Does anyone actually pay you for your web design services?

"Matt Lang" wrote in message
om...
Guys,

I am thinking about getting a harbercraft jetboat ... these things are
made from aluminum and have the 175 HP Mercury sportjet..

So far so good ... Now what raises the fuel warning flag are the
terms:

- jet
- 2 stroke
- carburator (two of them

The boat will burn about 5 gallons per hour at 30 mph... now I was
wondering how this compares to a similar sized fiberglass hboat with
115-150 HP 4 Stroke outboard..

What is the fuel you burn at cruise speed and WOT, whats your boat
size/weight and what motor are you running ..

I am interested in how the relatively light alu jetboat compares to a
more conventional boat with 4 stroke motor..

Any info is appreciated


Matt

Matt: I'm fairly familiar with the Harborcraft hulls, the old Jetcraft
hulls and the sportjet.

First, as someone pointed out, Harbaorcraft bought out Jetcraft - and pretty
much changed all the lines to the Harborcraft hulls, whether they be labeled
Jetcraft or Harborcraft. The new Jetcrafts are really nothing like the old
ones, and they are exactly like the Harborcrafts. Not to say
Harborcraft/jetcraft aren't decent enough hulls - they are very fine hulls.
But, they're not of the Grade A+++, bulletproof build quality of the old
Jetcraft. And you're not paying that kind of money either, probably.

Just mho, of course. AND, this isn't your question anyway!

the Merc 175 carbeurated sportjet. I've spent a lot of time with my
friend's and have gone on a very long trip with him as well as many short
ones. Where are you getting the 5 GPH at 30 mph stat? Product literature
(propaganda) or actual experience? Our experience, with a hull that's a bit
lighter than any Harborcraft hull I've seen is more like 10 GPH at cruising
speed which indeed is around 30mph (with over 40 at wot). About 3 miles
per gallon, rule of thumb. Which, by the way, is excellent mileage for a 2
stroke jet. With a comparable large outboard jet on a boat of any size, one
is lucky to get 2 - 2.5 miles per gallon at that speed/rpms, so we've always
figured the sportjet is a good 30-50% better - and this is measured, not
manufacturer's info.

Your mileage estimation at 5 gph would be 6 mpg, which would be
unbelievable for any jet boat with a large V6 two stroke - and about double
what an inboard Chevy-based jet would get (which are generally considered to
be quite a bit more fuel efficient than any two stroke jet) - which
indicates to me how far fetched it is. My 90s era carbeurated Chevy 5.7 L
inboard jet (on an old Jetcraft, by the way) burned 8-10 gph at cruising
(around 30 mph) speed; anything under 10 gph was considered pretty good for
that speed.

By the way, the info my friend received in the sales brochure for his boat
also said 5 mpg at that speed and it's just not proven to be true.

That said, I really think the Merc sport jet line is a great option for a
jet boat. In my opinion, the Merc. sport jet is BY FAR the most efficient 2
stroke carbeureated jet - far more efficient than a comparably powered
outboard jet. I would assume the 200 hp Optimax is even more efficient. I
like them a lot and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. I definitely like
them better than any outboard jet option because of the efficiency and a lot
more than any chevy-based jet because they're so much lighter and take up
less interior space.

And don't get me wrong - there's absolutely nothing wrong with the
Harborcraft. It's a fine fairly light weight and good value in a hull.

In other words, even though I disagree with your mileage estimate, this
sounds like a great, good valued rig to me, based on what I've seen of the
hulls and what I know of the motors.

Hope this helps.

Cam

On 18 May 2004 08:22:34 -0700, (Matt Lang) wrote:
I am thinking about getting a harbercraft jetboat ... these things are
made from aluminum and have the 175 HP Mercury sportjet..

A good rule of thumb for estimating fuel burn is 1 gallon per hour for
every 10 horsepower. Actual horsepower at cruising speed should be
about 50 to 60% of maximum. Using those numbers you get a fuel
consumption of 9 to 10 gph which sounds about right to me.


So far so good ... Now what raises the fuel warning flag are the
terms:

- jet
- 2 stroke
- carburator (two of them

The boat will burn about 5 gallons per hour at 30 mph...

I don't think so, see above.

By way of example I have a 24 ft I/O with a 350 cid Chevy rated at 260
hp. At cruising speed it burns about 13 gallons per hour.

My former Bertram 33 had a pair of 454 cid Chevys rated at 350 hp
each. At cruising speed it burned 35 to 40 gph.

My 15 hp Merc 2 stroke burns about 1 gph.

On Tue, 18 May 2004 13:29:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

Dang, we measure fuel in gallons per hour (1.75 on our last trip). Of
course, we burn diesel and only go about 8 knots.

==========================

Doug, what kind of boat/engines?

My 15 hp Merc 2 stroke burns about 1 gph.


I have been tracking my fuel for about 200 hours. I am doing a tad over 1 GPH
on a 20' pontoon with a 60 merc 4 stroke but I don't go fast very often. I
cruise at around 3000rpm

"Calif Bill" wrote in message nk.net...
"DSK" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
I run a Jetcraft 21' Bluewater and get about 1.75-2 mpg depending on
throttle opening.

Dang, we measure fuel in gallons per hour (1.75 on our last trip). Of
course, we burn diesel and only go about 8 knots.

Speed costs!

Fair Skies
Doug King


Speed is addictive. Why I drove a Corvette when I raced sports cars.

So you could be slow? There are, and were, many, many sports cars, in
racing trim faster than a 'vette.

Wayne.B wrote:
Doug, what kind of boat/engines?

36' hard chine tugboat with a Ford Lehman 135SP.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...76569411zLxjAQ

We have a four blade prop which I suspect has a bit too much pitch,
clean & light the engine will not get up to rated RPMs.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...73346078zEdpFX

1600 rpm (which is a little below recommended cruise) gives us about
7.25 knots average and is relatively quiet & efficient. Other cruises
we've been in more of a hurry and burned 2 ~ 2.2 gph.

Fair Skies
Doug King

"basskisser" wrote in message
om...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
nk.net...
"DSK" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
I run a Jetcraft 21' Bluewater and get about 1.75-2 mpg depending on
throttle opening.

Dang, we measure fuel in gallons per hour (1.75 on our last trip). Of
course, we burn diesel and only go about 8 knots.

Speed costs!

Fair Skies
Doug King


Speed is addictive. Why I drove a Corvette when I raced sports cars.

So you could be slow? There are, and were, many, many sports cars, in
racing trim faster than a 'vette.

1966. But in racing trim those other cars / sports racers were much more
costly. When the 911B came out, the cost jumped to $30k for a race ready
car. This from the $7k range. I almost bought a Ferrari GTO. They were
available after the Datona race for $5500. Did not buy it, as I figured I
could not afford to replace a ZF trannie. Bad decision. Most collectable
Ferrari. Highest price paid during the 90's boom was $16.5 million. Would
have been are really fantastic ROI.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message ink.net...
"basskisser" wrote in message
om...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
nk.net...
"DSK" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
I run a Jetcraft 21' Bluewater and get about 1.75-2 mpg depending on
throttle opening.

Dang, we measure fuel in gallons per hour (1.75 on our last trip). Of
course, we burn diesel and only go about 8 knots.

Speed costs!

Fair Skies
Doug King


Speed is addictive. Why I drove a Corvette when I raced sports cars.

So you could be slow? There are, and were, many, many sports cars, in
racing trim faster than a 'vette.

1966. But in racing trim those other cars / sports racers were much more
costly. When the 911B came out, the cost jumped to $30k for a race ready
car. This from the $7k range. I almost bought a Ferrari GTO. They were
available after the Datona race for $5500. Did not buy it, as I figured I
could not afford to replace a ZF trannie. Bad decision. Most collectable
Ferrari. Highest price paid during the 90's boom was $16.5 million. Would
have been are really fantastic ROI.

As I said, there were many, many faster sports cars in 66 than a
vette. You didn't even mention McLaren

"basskisser" wrote in message
om...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
ink.net...
"basskisser" wrote in message
om...
"Calif Bill" wrote in message
nk.net...
"DSK" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
I run a Jetcraft 21' Bluewater and get about 1.75-2 mpg
depending on
throttle opening.

Dang, we measure fuel in gallons per hour (1.75 on our last trip).
Of
course, we burn diesel and only go about 8 knots.

Speed costs!

Fair Skies
Doug King


Speed is addictive. Why I drove a Corvette when I raced sports
cars.

So you could be slow? There are, and were, many, many sports cars, in
racing trim faster than a 'vette.

1966. But in racing trim those other cars / sports racers were much
more
costly. When the 911B came out, the cost jumped to $30k for a race
ready
car. This from the $7k range. I almost bought a Ferrari GTO. They
were
available after the Datona race for $5500. Did not buy it, as I figured
I
could not afford to replace a ZF trannie. Bad decision. Most
collectable
Ferrari. Highest price paid during the 90's boom was $16.5 million.
Would
have been are really fantastic ROI.

As I said, there were many, many faster sports cars in 66 than a
vette. You didn't even mention McLaren


Take a reading comprehension course. As I quote"But in racing trim those
other cars / sports racers were much more costly. " A McLaren was a sports
racer. A cobra was $8800 in full race trim from Shelby. A McLaren was
probably in the $40k range. I was working full time and going to college
1/2 time. Could not afford a $40k car. $12-16k a year income was good for
the times, but still did not qualify to run a custom racer. Then you had
Holman -Moody showing up at Laguna Seca with the Ford J cars and 2
semitrucks. One as a hospitality lounge and the other with a full machine
shop. Including turret lathe. Back door covered with different rate sway
bars. Yeh, I could afford to own and run a McLaren or a GT-40. . .