5 replies to this topic

[J.D.]

I just picked up a 2011 C180 SE with 8 hours on it. Already I am noticing some interesting differences when compared to my stern drive boat. I'm pretty sure these are just common to jet boats but I wanted to share my experience of it with others as a comparison of jet drive vs. stern drive. (For the record there is no real comparison between the two. Jet drive is amazing.)

I have been reading a bit about the cavitation issues a lot of these C180s seem to have. I have experienced a little bit of it but don't know if it is due to the environment in which I ride or an actual issue. I run in a section of the Columbia River where the Snake River meets that flows at a rate of anywhere from 3-6 knots. I get some of the cavitation when taking off to go upstream. I only experience a little bit then it bites and goes when only 2 people are on board. Yesterday I had 4 on board and it took it longer to bite. I was also going into a pretty decent head/side wind with the bimini up so I understand that I am certainly going to be slower out of the hole with those conditions. I will be taking the boat to a lake in a few weeks so I am curious to see the differences between our river and a lake. Even with some cavitation it still is out of the hole and on plane a lot faster than my stern drive boat could ever hope to be.

On the issue of wind. When going into any kind of head or head/side wind these boats react completely different than my stern drive boat does even with the bimini top down (I normally don't run with it up). I have to have the wheel pretty hard over just to maintain a straight line in my C180. With a stern drive boat it didn't have to compensate near as much since the lower unit and deeper draft help to anchor the vessel against the wind. It is not a big deal...just merely something I had not thought about before purchasing.

Feel free to post your experiences in these kind of situations or other situations you have noticed differences between your past stern drives and the direct drive jets.

[FJHIII]

I have also noticed that sometimes I have the wheel turned 90 degrees just to stay straight, it is odd. I think it is the strong ocean swell that is pushing my boat.

[Weisfive]

Also went from outboard to jet & noticed the wheel had to be 90deg sometimes to stay straight. Actually had the dealer test it & that's just the way it is! I have been able to hold it straight sometimes depending on water conditions. I only run on a lake.
Not sure why yours cavitates on take off. I have seen a little If I am cruising over choppy water; but never on takeoff.

[Kevin_Hedstrom]

You may have a slightly damaged wear ring causing some cavitation. It might be worth a look. It might be just fine.

Sometimes it takes some turning of the wheel to go straight when your load isnt balanced right. Try having passengers move to one side or the other to make it track straight.

KH

[vwDavid]

It is normal that you have to use the steering wheel more than a stern drive or outboard boat to maintain a straight line. Seadoo boats usually have about a 12 inch draft and no keel fin like stern, center, and outboard drives have. Thus there will be a lot more side slippage with a seadoo.

google cobra jet steering modifications.

[MT180SP]

I agree with the OP and my boat produces similar results.

That said, I LOVE the boat and the jet drive. I have had sterns for 20 years---this is my first jet. We go on lakes and like to explore a large 50 mile long canyon. Sometimes the depth can get shallow quick, and with a stern, I was always stressed, and even struck an underwater tree once because I didnt trim up enough. Not having something sticking down another 2 plus feet below the boat it so nice. Plus, if you get good at feathering the gate lever, you can hold zero position and turn the thing on a dime if in tight quarters, back it out, spin around on axis, and speed away 5 times faster than even a 300 hp stern I used to have. Try that with a sterndrive!

Plus, I literally winterized my boat in 5 minutes the last time out. Got home and put on trickle charger. DONE. In spring I will take it out of the garage, change the engine oil and filter, and I am ready for the season. Unbelievably easy compared to the 8 hours I spend on the sterndrive: pulling jacket drains and plugs, changing water separator filter, changed lower unit gear oil, fogging cylinders, greasing gimble bearing, etc etc blah blah blah. This boat is way faster, hauls the same amount of people, and at 1000 pounds less, tows like butter. LOVE IT!