Boating USA — March 2018

70 | BOATINGMAG.COM | MARCH 2018

MH

MOTORHEAD

By Kevin Falvey

SCAN ME

Jet outboards, like these new models from

Honda, have long been favored by boaters

who run in shallow, rocky rivers. From

the Snake River in Idaho to the Susque-

hanna River in Pennsylvania to the Mis-

souri River in Iowa, jet outboards really

shine in clear, weed-free shallows where

the chance of striking an obstruction is

high, because unlike outboards that turn

propellers, the water jet protrudes just

an inch or two below the bottom of some

boats — and remains above the bottom of

so-called tunnel boats. But river-running

is not the only use for outboards that em-

ploy a jet of water to propel a boat.

“Use by fi rst responders is a great ap-

plication for jet outboards,” says Alan

Simmons, Honda Marine’s manager of

fi eld services and specialty markets. Sim-

mons explained how retrieving a victim

from the water may be safer when there

is no propeller. That statement prompted

me to think of the possibilities for ten-

ders and chase boats used in sail training

programs, the paddlecraft rental industry

and other waterborne activities.

If you’ve never run a jet, you

need to know that they provide

great maneuverability — once

you learn their quirks. Handling

skills learned aboard prop-pro-

pelled boats do not all translate

directly. You need to anticipate

direction changes even more in

advance because there are no

prop and skeg acting like a rud-

der in the water. And the design

of the boat hull comes into play.

“You can use a jet to operate a

fl at-bottomed boat or one with

a bit of V shape, but they won’t

work aboard a true deep-V,”

Simmons emphasizes.

Simmons also notes diff erences between

props and jets that are maintenance-ori-

ented. The jet pump has a bearing, support-

ing the vertical drive shaft and impeller,

that needs to be lubed after every use, since

there’s no gear case containing lube.

Finally, since a jet pump is less effi cient

than a propeller, you should be aware

that jet outboards are labeled with the

perform ance one can expect rather than

the actual horsepower. The 40 Honda jet

is powered by the BF60 60 hp prop out-

board and paired with a jet pump. Similar-

ly, the 65 jet is powered by the BF90 90 hp,

and the 105 jet is powered by the BF150.

The new Honda jet outboards feature

multiport programmed fuel injection

for reliable starts and effi ciency, and are

NMEA 2000 compatible, so engine data

can be displayed on a plotter, fi sh fi nder

or other networked display aboard. The

40 and 65 models ($11,360 and $13,357,

respectively) are available as remote-con-

trol models with optional tiller control.

The 105 ($19,264) is a remote-

controlled engine. All three

come in a 25-inch shaft length

and feature a freshwater fl ush

port and high-output alter-

nators. Each is covered by the

Honda True fi ve-year non-

declining warranty for both

powerheads and jet pumps.

These new jet outboards

boast innovations and techno-

logical advances such as two-

stage induction and three-way

cooling, as well as proprietary

Honda systems such as Blast

and VTEC. Visit marine.honda

.com for more information.

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY HONDA MARINE, COURTESY TECHRON

HONDA

JET OUT-

BOARDS

New 40, 65 and 105 hp

shallow-water propulsion

TECHRON TOUCH

Due out this spring, Techron Protection Plus Marine Fuel System Treatment will help

boaters keep their fuel systems protected and engines running strong. Engineered

for gasoline-powered boats running ethanol-free or ethanol-blended fuel, Techron’s

alcohol- and emulsifier-free formulation provides the trusted cleaning power of Techron

as well as maximum corrosion protection in both salt and fresh water, and stabilizes fuel

up to 24 months. One 10-ounce bottle treats 100 gallons of fuel and will retail for about

$12.99; techronclean.com.

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specs.