what killed the constant manufactuing and demand of jet boats?

« **on:** December 27, 2010, 11:29:55 AM »

It seems to me that back in the hay day of jet boating every one was trying to get their hands in on the movement. Off hand I can not recall how many different makes molds and models were produced. A shit load it seems. Did jet boating sales and production die with disco? I would love to hear peoples opinions on how and why. We are a dying bread, but I am proud to say I can not jet enough of jet boating! Thank You. JACUZZI : }

« **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2010, 11:38:26 AM »

There are still quite a few companies manufacturing... however, for the majority of us it is less expensive and more fun to build an old hot rod one versus the new $30k - $60k boat. Just my $.02

« **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2010, 01:12:56 PM »

Quote from: Jacuzzi on December 27, 2010, 11:29:55 AM

It seems to me that back in the hay day of jet boating every one was trying to get their hands in on the movement. Off hand I can not recall how many different makes molds and models were produced. A shit load it seems. Did jet boating sales and production die with disco? I would love to hear peoples opinions on how and why. We are a dying bread, but I am proud to say I can not jet enough of jet boating! Thank You. JACUZZI : }

I love my jet...owned a v-drive once too. I think the I/O'S are just so much more effiecent.....it put the hurt on jet sales. I owned one I/O ....I hade horrific luck with it but it was an ald omc pos. I think the new ones are more stout...and pricey as a mofo. I like the simplicity...and the durability of my squirt toy

« **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2010, 07:03:28 PM »

Quote from: Jacuzzi on December 27, 2010, 11:29:55 AM

It seems to me that back in the hay day of jet boating every one was trying to get their hands in on the movement. Off hand I can not recall how many different makes molds and models were produced. A shit load it seems. Did jet boating sales and production die with disco? I would love to hear peoples opinions on how and why. We are a dying bread, but I am proud to say I can not jet enough of jet boating! Thank You. JACUZZI : }

Not in order but ,Gas prices , Green thinking, Insurance costs, liability, Lawyers,Inflation noise laws , speed laws , people building homes (not weekend Cabins) near former Hot Boat lakes to name a few , however the good news These boats enjoyed a significant interest resurgance in the past several years due in part to the net and web sites like this ! Amazingly enough the Jet boat market currently represents about 7% of the total marine market re Sales when the economy went in the sh*tter a couple years back many Boat builders went too , of late a few new Jet boat manufacturers have sprung up and done quite well Tom

« **Reply #4 on:** December 28, 2010, 08:33:55 AM »

I get the same rush krusn my 73 jet as I do my 56 f100....

« **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2010, 01:23:17 PM »

Tom has it about right. A few other reasons also apply one big one was the boom in PWCs. They not only took people who would have bought a jet boat out of the market they wrecked the rivers and lakes by getting too many in too small an area and many acted like bloomin idiods on the water and made it impossible to navigate the waterways. Made the fun of having a jet go away. In racing it was mainly about sponsors. We had the sport built up to the point where many figured we were going to get bigger named sponsors and TV coverage but a few fatalities edded the dreams and the sport was destined to the d-list of motor sports. I even did a full color illustration for a sponsor pitch to 7-11 with Norm Grimes' boat but it never came to be. With Lucas Oil stepping up with the drag boat series things have a bit brighter glow than the recient past.

« **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2010, 02:15:33 PM »

what killed the constant manufactuing and demand of jet boats?

Another thing they had right back in the 70's was dirt bikes. No power valves, no water cooling, no $8000+ price tag. You learned how to work in machinery because it was easily understandable. You learned good technique because you only had 6 inches of suspension travel to work with. By the end of the 70's all that was gone. HP nearly doubled in ten years, disc brakes, power valves, and monoshock suspension along with many other innovations came in like a tidal wave. And the end result was that instead of 10-15 different manufacturers on the starting line, you now pretty much have 5 or 6. Bikes are so powerful that most pro's can't use all the power, and most kids can't/don't/won't work on them.

And don't even get me started on modern MX tracks where it is "kill or be killed"!

« **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2010, 03:30:24 PM »

U dating yourself GC

Who is the guy with all the gray hair in the picture

« **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2010, 04:57:31 PM »

I used to date myself all the time. Finally got tired and had to change hands.

I have owned that bike since 1975. I paid $600 of hard earned paper route money for it. My parents were supportive of everything I did sportswise until I got into MX. They still think I am going to kill myself.

And that ain't gray hair, it was just real dusty that day. LOL Hell I don't turn 50 until March.

« **Reply #9 on:** December 28, 2010, 05:01:18 PM »

jet boats and v drives still rule just the people changed with bigger eyes go to willow valley they are still hot

« **Reply #10 on:** December 28, 2010, 08:25:45 PM »

I think that the other thing was that in the 50s and 60s, a v-drive was the only to handle big horsepower--outboards were limited to about 100-135HP, and I/Os could handle a 165HP straight six, and most of these boats would top out at 40-50 mph. When the jets came along, it was a new way to power a low profile boat with 300-400+ HP, and they could hit 60+ mph. Even in 1977, I remember a friend trying to run a I/O with a 400HP SBC, and he kept blowing the stern drives. I think that this was about the time when they started beefing up the stern drives to handle the higher HP, and since they were more fuel efficient than the jets, the I/O became the "package of choice" for new boats manufacturers.

« **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2010, 08:20:16 AM »

jets and v-drives were the hot ticket when muscle cars were popular, and the biggest boat on the river was a 18 footer. now a lot of spots are damn near unusable to guys with smaller boats because people started bringing miami vice offshore boats to the desert.

I remember when i was a kid we could go to havasu or the strip in a 16'er no problem

Jacuzzi

what killed the constant manufactuing and demand of jet boats?

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