[JB Fishp]

I looked at the new Sea-Doo Fisher Pro, its based on their standard large platform. I dug into it a bit, not interested in buying one but was wondering how they rated. I would like to know how the Coast Guard allows these things. The thing is 14 ft long 49 " wide weighs 800 lbs, rated for 3 people and has an claimed 255 hp engine, I read that in testing it is actually 235 hp. If it was an outboard it could only carry 20 hp possibly only 15, how do they allow that? They have certainly not proven to be safe. In further reading I discovered that the PWC industry has an agreement with the CG to limit them to 65mph from the factory, its not a law so if you want to modify it you can, its not illegal. How can this be allowed ? I would guess with modification you could get better than 100mph out of one. If you take an outboard boat rated for 15 hp and you tune the engine to a 20 hp you are breaking the law and you probably cant get 35mph out of it but its illegal.

These PWCs are rated for three people, if you look at the CG boat builders guidelines and calculations I cant see how they could rate for 3 people. The Coast Guard does not put HP rating limits on inboard boats from what I have read. They go to great lengths to set up guidelines for outboards and I have heard of substantial fines being issued for exceeding Hp ratings on a hull.

I saw a site that gave comparisons of the classes of PWC and all the manufacturers had atop of the line craft with excess of 220 hp. I know PWC have a bad safety record, outboards I'm sure don't even come close. But if you want to get 45mph out of your little 35mph micro skiff with a bigger motor that's dangerous and endangering the public.

 

[DuckNut]

Many stock snowmobiles hit 100 30 years ago and hp keeps going up. Take of limiter and change clutch dog and 130 can be had for $90. Don't see why doing the same thing with a jet ski would be different.

Take one of these rockets, cut the bottom off and mount it in a tin Jon boat and go flying.

 

[taffrail]

I looked at the new Sea-Doo Fisher Pro, its based on their standard large platform. I dug into it a bit, not interested in buying one but was wondering how they rated. I would like to know how the Coast Guard allows these things. The thing is 14 ft long 49 " wide weighs 800 lbs, rated for 3 people and has an claimed 255 hp engine, I read that in testing it is actually 235 hp. If it was an outboard it could only carry 20 hp possibly only 15, how do they allow that? They have certainly not proven to be safe. In further reading I discovered that the PWC industry has an agreement with the CG to limit them to 65mph from the factory, its not a law so if you want to modify it you can, its not illegal. How can this be allowed ? I would guess with modification you could get better than 100mph out of one. If you take an outboard boat rated for 15 hp and you tune the engine to a 20 hp you are breaking the law and you probably cant get 35mph out of it but its illegal.

These PWCs are rated for three people, if you look at the CG boat builders guidelines and calculations I cant see how they could rate for 3 people. The Coast Guard does not put HP rating limits on inboard boats from what I have read. They go to great lengths to set up guidelines for outboards and I have heard of substantial fines being issued for exceeding Hp ratings on a hull.

I saw a site that gave comparisons of the classes of PWC and all the manufacturers had atop of the line craft with excess of 220 hp. I know PWC have a bad safety record, outboards I'm sure don't even come close. But if you want to get 45mph out of your little 35mph micro skiff with a bigger motor that's dangerous and endangering the public.

Had to go back and check my notes. The Fish Pro comes with a Rotax 1503NA rated at 144 hp. The engine is naturally aspirated. The ski is rated for 600 pounds. The main reason I am not getting one is the jet. When you take off you need to be in "waist deep water". That is the answer I got everywhere. Thinking about it not much of Little Bay is "waist deep" to me. Where I wish to fish none is "waist deep".

The ski is just that. A ski. It is a vessel but not a boat. If it would have handled shallow water, it would have been like a Nano skiff running 60 miles an hour BUT......built to run 60 mph. One version of basically the same ski without the extension does develop more hp. Much more. That is Sea Doo's hot rod. All makes have them. Again the Fish Pro is a PWC or Jet Ski as you prefer. You cannot actually compare it to a boat.

Until I found out about the serious lack of shallow water ability I was very interested in it. Getting to the fishing spot at 60 mph makes more spots doable. In South Louisiana my boat would hit 50 mph with two of us and all the gear. 22 feet of real boat. That was my main requirement. Why? Because we typically ran 17 miles before we wet a hook. When a storm came up in the marsh you did not want to be putzing along at 15 knots. Compared to some bass boats and a few bay boats I was just ambling along. They were fast.

 

[Smackdaddy53]

No one is stopping you from bolting a Merc 350 on your skiff but don’t cry about warranty on the transom and you better launch it bow first off the trailer and never come off plane unless you’re in 6” of water...

 

[lemaymiami]

... and for anyone wanting a really big motor on the back of a small skiff - your insurance company will have heart failure if you ask them to cover you...

 

[fjmaverick]

15 whaler with a 90 does 50

I'd like a small boat that I could cover some ground in

 

[slewis]

 

[SomaliPirate]

Jet skis...not even once.

 

[LowHydrogen]

Reporting this thread on general principle.

 

[el9surf]

This is microskiff, not microjetski...

 

[Megalops]

I never thought I’d see the day...

 

[taffrail]

I'm out.

 

[dranrab]

I looked at the new Sea-Doo Fisher Pro, its based on their standard large platform. I dug into it a bit, not interested in buying one but was wondering how they rated. I would like to know how the Coast Guard allows these things. The thing is 14 ft long 49 " wide weighs 800 lbs, rated for 3 people and has an claimed 255 hp engine, I read that in testing it is actually 235 hp. If it was an outboard it could only carry 20 hp possibly only 15, how do they allow that? They have certainly not proven to be safe. In further reading I discovered that the PWC industry has an agreement with the CG to limit them to 65mph from the factory, its not a law so if you want to modify it you can, its not illegal. How can this be allowed ? I would guess with modification you could get better than 100mph out of one. If you take an outboard boat rated for 15 hp and you tune the engine to a 20 hp you are breaking the law and you probably cant get 35mph out of it but its illegal.

These PWCs are rated for three people, if you look at the CG boat builders guidelines and calculations I cant see how they could rate for 3 people. The Coast Guard does not put HP rating limits on inboard boats from what I have read. They go to great lengths to set up guidelines for outboards and I have heard of substantial fines being issued for exceeding Hp ratings on a hull.

I saw a site that gave comparisons of the classes of PWC and all the manufacturers had atop of the line craft with excess of 220 hp. I know PWC have a bad safety record, outboards I'm sure don't even come close. But if you want to get 45mph out of your little 35mph micro skiff with a bigger motor that's dangerous and endangering the public.

What agency is issuing the fines?

 

[Smackdaddy53]

What agency is issuing the fines?

 

[fjmaverick]

I put a 70 on a hull rated for a 60
I told Geico and it didnt seem like a big deal for them to insure it

Ive heard of insurance companies giving some pretty high quotes for tiple and quad motor boats as well as inboard go fast boats.

 

[SomaliPirate]

Chadbro, where you at? I got you a hat, man.

 

[makin moves]

Chadbro, where you at? I got you a hat, man.

To much curve in the bill!

 

[LowHydrogen]

View attachment 59962

Says TX on the side. Guaranteed it's still got a tunnel....

 

[Smackdaddy53]

Says TX on the side. Guaranteed it's still got a tunnel....

Despite the tunnel it was rigged in Florida so there’s no jackplate, no taller transom and the whole center prop is below the hull...

 

[jtf]

Looks like a priest standing next to the patrolman behind the boat. Pays to be prepared.