Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when driving a jet boat that I learned:
I found that idle RPM and full forward on the control arm, do not produce a speed SLOW enough for docking encounters. For slow speed maneuvering near the dock, use the forward / reverse control lever between neutral and 3/4 forward, to control forward speed enabling the boat to just inch forward, occasionally into reverse, so the boat goes slower then idle full forward.
Steering in close proximity to other boats and the dock require some understanding of jet dynamics, in that the jet pushes the rear of the boat around to steer. Much like a forklift with the steering wheels in the back. Very unlike a car which steers with the front wheels. The difference is dramatic when you consider that when turning a car the rear wheels follow a track circle TIGHTER then the front wheels, while the Jet boat, has the track circle LARGER in the rear when turning.
When snuggling up to the dock in parallel you should practice how your boat reacts when you want the rear or the front to snuggle in.
When in full reverse and with the wheel turned all the way to the left, you suck the back in left, but the nose goes way right, but if you then push the direction control lever full forward, the nose goes left, but the rear goes way right. Can be very weird the first time doing it, and I found that practice without a river current helps; like on Lake Mohave at the floating potty. It makes a good practice site to figure this dynamic before pulling up to the fuel pump at AVI, or the loading dock at the end of the day. Then add current like at the dock just outside of the launch area at AVI, and the thrills really begin!. I was amazed at how hard I grip the forward / reverse control arm, just to get the boat to do what I want, because of all the tension you feel in trying NOT to damage the boat when approaching.
When pulling anybody with a rope in the water, be super mindful of what the rope is doing especially during slow speeds. Generally, it's a bad idea to leave the helm with the engine idling even for a few seconds to help someone at the back of the boat, because it is so easy to suck the rope. Keep a serrated knife on board, because a razor blade takes forever, and may NOT cut the rope wound around the shaft, but the knife will. The area in the pump you have to maneuver around in, to cut the rope is tight at best near impossible at worse, an I found that the broken handle steak knife works pretty good. I got one from the 99c store in Laughlin, so nothing fancy. I broke the handle to make it shorter and give more "sawing" room. (Been there)
If you suck the rope, know that although there is an inspection hole, if you take that cover off while floating, in an effort to cut the rope, you won't be floating for very long.
Water pours through there REALLY fast, so even beached, you would want the pump side inland.
Hard throttle in shallow water to get the boat going from a stand still, is a No, No, because the boat is forced down in the back, putting the intake close to the bottom, allowing foreign objects to damage the pump as they are sucked up from the bottom. Rocks and sand do damage, Reeds act like ROPE, and floating plant stuff clogs the intake grate. If the boat seems fine, but you give it full throttle and it seems to do nothing for your forward motion, try stopping the engine and dropping your self into the water at the back. Take a deep breath and drop below the water pulling yourself toward the intake grate of the pump. You will probably find a huge pile of plant debris that you can clear away from the grate. This has happened to me several times, and this does the trick.
Although the Jet is a simple mechanical pump, it sure seems like it is easily damage by ingesting anything but water. Forget rocks, even sandy water can be a huge problem, and although I thought I was being careful, I have had to rebuild the pump 3 times in 5 years because of fun on the river. Now, I am on Mojave for fun.
Anyway, boating is a lot of fun and a great family adventure that creates good memories.
As long as you are mindful of these things, good times are bound to happen in a Jet Boat.
