New Fly BoatWorks Inboard Jet

16335 Views 351 Replies 78 Participants Last post by Smackdaddy53, 3 h ago

jonny

Discussion Starter · 18 d ago (Edited)

Anyone seen this in action yet? Something that’s has been discussed and applied to river running jon boats for years. But nobody has made such a serious attempt in a flats skiff till now. Definitely not a backcountry setup. But Morejohn made some good points about it being a serious tarpon skiff. I bet it handles like on rails. And from what little i have seen and heard it does. And hauls ass to boot with a Rotax 300hp rotary and a 6” draft. Holeshot 0-30 in two seconds and top speed of 60 mph per Fly.

The only real drawback would not being able to run skinny. And sucking sand/shells. Maybe pump longevity issues as well. But all speculation at this point.

What do you guys think? Anyone ready for a jet ski😂
All pics snagged from Morejohn’s IG post. But apparently they have built three complete skiffs already.

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John Patrick

· #7 · 18 d ago

Paul Mills said:
Not sure why the comments around "not running skinning"?

Sir Charles William Feilden Hamilton (a New Zealander btw) invented the Hamilton jet unit in the 50's with the sole objective of running shallow as rivers and streams were the main roads in New Zealand post WWII.

This is very much the norm in NZ. I've seen jets regularly run in inches of water. The need a pool to start in. I wouldn't think they would be very efficient. You can definitely hear them coming for miles. Basically a huge water pump. And yes, the suck up gravel, sand and seagrass and spit it everywhere.

Welcome to the club.

Yea, running skinny is the only reason to run a jet.

Reactions: 1

John Patrick

· #11 · 18 d ago

jonny said:
Running skinny in rocky hard bottom rivers are fine. That’s not a problem at all. But not over soft sand, pluff mud or grass. That is a huge powerful suction pump on the bottom.

Yea, that’s what mud boats and long tail or surface drive engines are for.

John Patrick

· #12 · 18 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
Maybe because it’s stated by the designer that it would be an issue?

That is NOT what was written.

Reactions: 1

John Patrick

· #13 · 18 d ago

jonny said:
The inboard engine placement is a huge advantage for draft. I think what we all need is a inboard/outdrive with a jackplate 😂

With me on the pole, any weight forward is a plus!

Reactions: 4

John Patrick

· #15 · 18 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
“Not an issue if you don’t fish the grass.”

We all fish the grass, issue.

No turtle grass up here.

John Patrick

· #22 · 18 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
All grass.

Glad you agree there’s an issue.

I don’t think anyone runs in the reed grass. Other than reed grass, no grass up here. No issue.

John Patrick

· #31 · 18 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
Especially the reed grass.

The reed grass grows in water way to shallow for that boat. Moreover, as tough as it is, and as hard as it is anchored, no jet would suck it up.

John Patrick

· #52 · 18 d ago (Edited)

bob_esper said:
Probably only weighs about what an F70 weighs. Jetski motors are LIGHT.

The engine weighs 205lbs. Jet weighs ?

My Suzuki 90 weighs 330.

I checked the F70 weight and it’s 253lbs

John Patrick

· #58 · 17 d ago (Edited)

vantagefish said:
Is your 90 a 2 stroke? I’m pretty sure the zuke 90 is around 330lbs

You are correct.

It’s the F70 that weighs 253lbs.

John Patrick

· #68 · 17 d ago

paint it black said:
It's funny you say that. Fly Boatworks is owned by the same family that owns Backwater Inc mud motors. The Gilk family, they also were the ones responsible for building and selling the original Beavertail skiffs for Mark Fisher. I had a long conversation with Arlon about it a few years ago, then got to spend a weekend with his sons and daughter down in the lower keys running around on a few Fly boatworks with mud motors. They've always been into building shallow water running boats, but they didn't want to destroy grass flats around the keys, so I am not surprised to see this. I'll likely give Jake a call and get the scoop on this project, I haven't spoken to him in about a year. Great dudes with a lot of years building boats and shallow water rigs. They make an awesome mud motor and some truly badass trailers, too. The Fly Boatworks skiffs are really nice, awesome craftsmanship into the build of the hulls (and everything they do), I'm sure they put a lot of effort into building this, and cool to see they're back working on something with Mark Fisher.

I saw the mud engines on their website, and a tan skiff with a mud engine.

I used to use a Go-Devil long tail for duck hunting. Amazing what they can do.

Reactions: 1

John Patrick

· #73 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
Done it, there’s no 18 foot skiff that’s going to run that WOT unless the conditions are absolutely perfect.

Doesn’t need to run 300hp worth of WOT, only faster than you.

John Patrick

· #76 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
View attachment 240354

I’m imagining a strong, well built, deep v flats skiff, as Chris Morejohn reports this one to be, equipped with a 300hp motor that weighs about the same as an F70, and one hundred pounds less than a Suzuki 90, pulling away in just about any conditions.

How much faster will that deep v boat run in given conditions is the only open question.

John Patrick

· #78 · 17 d ago

Anyone have a link to a running video?

John Patrick

· #92 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
I didn’t know they were still in business, haven’t made a social media post in seven years.

I forgot that social media posting proves you can build boats.

Reactions: 4

John Patrick

· #104 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
it’s part of running a business. you know, marketing your product?

even their website hasn’t been updated since 2017.

Holy crap… building boats is higher on their list of s—t to do than posting on social media! Who’d have guessed?

Reactions: 5

John Patrick

· #106 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
you’re obviously out of touch, Tribenwater was the platform for the beginnings of Chittum Skiffs. That was 2008, look how successful they are now.

Successful enough not to put social media posts above boat building, maybe?

John Patrick

· #109 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
I was in the market, never heard of them.

That’s not a good thing.

Yea, except they sell boats!

John Patrick

· #110 · 17 d ago

BM_Barrelcooker said:
1. It would be fun
2. I bet that mofo gets hot with the rotax
3. I’m not thrilled about it running across places that we trim up and climb up to pole and fish.
the mudmotor surface drives were real cool for duck hunting until there were no places left that folks couldn’t get to relatively easy. This has the same potential.
I love the concept.

You can be on the leading edge or the trailing edge.

Reactions: 1

John Patrick

· #117 · 17 d ago

Tailingpermit said:
Do they?

Only one washed up guide on here fishing them.

Geez you’re a douche. Don’t know @CaptRon personally, but your attack is utterly unwarranted.

Reactions: 4

John Patrick

· #151 · 17 d ago

I Heart Big Ugglies said:
Must be on the dark web... Because I cannot find any current listings for Chittum's for sale. Except for a challenger. There was a mangrove on here a few weeks ago that sold within the week. Post the links.

I found four for sale in about two minutes. Two minutes because I type slowly on my phone. Stopped looking after so quickly finding four.

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