FAQs

Utilizing Link Tech’s new bonded UHMW-PE technology, Thunder Jet now has available a patented adhesion technique offered nowhere else in the marine industry. This technique requires no drilling of holes of any type into the hull, nor does the installation require screws, nuts or bolts, therefore eliminating any need for periodic tune-up or maintenance.

This process will revolutionize the use of UHMW in the marine industry and is available only through Thunder Jet. For more information visit Link Tech’s website here.

What is UHMW?

Drift boaters and jet boaters have known for years the performance advantages of UHMW. The U.S. Navy also uses UHMW to enhance the performance of their smaller vessels. Known as Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. UHMW is a thermoplastic which is extremely strong and virtualy eliminates friction when sliding over other solid surfaces. Highly resistant to abrasion –in fact it is 10 times more resistant than carbon steel — UHMW is 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40 percent stronger than comprabable materials. UHMW will also perform well in extreme hot and cold conditions and will help to protect boat hulls against electrolytic attack. Until now, attaching UHMW to a boat hull required drilling of holes into the boat below the waterline. Now this patented, hole-free adhesion technique is available and exclusive to Thunder Jet Boats.

UHMW offers an incredibly low coefficient of friction coupled with outstanding impact strength, making it ideal for hull protection in shallow water and whitewater conditions. This material is incredibly tough and dense, with a molecular weight numbering in the millions, and the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic presently made. It is actually ten times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel. It is also odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, and will work effectively in temperatures ranging from -150° Celsius (-238°F) to 100° Celsius (212°F). UHMW also provides excellent corrosion resistance and protection from electrolytic attack.

The size of the boat, the loads you carry on an average trip, the type of water you primarily run in and the level of performance desired should factor into your choice of pumps.

As a shape passes through water at an increasing speed, the pressure that holds the water to the sides and back of the shape is lowered. Depending upon water temperature, when the pressure reaches a sufficiently low level, boiling (the formation of water vapor) will begin, The collapsing action, or implosion, of the bubbles releases energy that chips away at the blades, causing “cavitation burn” or erosion of the metal.

The initial cause of the low pressure may be nicks in the leading edge of the impeller resulting from debris passing through. Massive cavitation by itself is rare, and it is usually caused by an impeller that is severely bent or has had its blade tips broken off resulting in an impeller far to small in diameter for the engine.

Ventilation, often mistaken for cavitation, occurs when air from the water’s surface or gases from the exhaust outlet are drawn into the impeller blades through the jet intake. The normal water load is reduced and the impeller over-revs, losing much of its thrust. This action most often occurs when turning, particularly in conventional aluminum jet boat hulls (not using a reverse chine). Ventilation can also be caused by aerated water from extruded chine hulls and simulated reverse chines by welding 1″x3″ angles along extrusions. ThunderJet’s Exclusive Reverse Chine Hull allows for less impeller ventilation than these conventional hulls.

Weight distribution is extremely important to boat safety as well as performance. Weight can affect a boat’s running angle, attitude, performance and ride. For the best top speed with a moderate to fast planing boat, passenger loading in most cases should be evenly distributed. Each boater should seek out what weight locations best suit his or her needs. Always remember that weight distribution is not strictly confined to fore and aft locations, but also applies to lateral weight distribution.

Altitude has a very noticeable affect on the wide open throttle (WOT) power of an engine. Since air gets thinner as altitude increases, the engine begins to starve for air (oxygen) and horsepower is lost. If the boat has been set up at a lower altitude and than moved to a much higher altitude, there will be a noticeable reduction in power. All ThunderJet’s are available with port fuel injected motors. This, combined with our efficient reverse chine hull, will usually solve any altitude problems.

Summer conditions of high temperature, low barometric pressure, and high humidity all combine to reduce engine power as much as 15%. This, in turn, is reflected in decreased boat speeds of (in some cases) 3 -5 miles per hour. Nothing will regain this speed for the boater except the coming of cool, dry weather.

Essential to good Jet Drive maintenance is periodic inspection and lubrication to the jet’s thrust bearing. If you boat in shallow and silty waters, you may want to inspect your pump more frequently for excessive wear. Always remember to refer to your maintenance manual for proper lube and maintenance of your jet drive.

Stainless steel is just as its name implies – it “stains” less than normal carbon steel. Only the highest quality stainless steel available is used on ThunderJet boats. Rust can occur under numerous circumstances, including polluted water and galvanic corrosion. The rust can be removed with rubbing compounds. A scotch-brite pad is OK, but do not use steel wool.

Nearly all recreational boat manufacturers place their operator’s position on the right-hand side and use right-hand rotation propellers to compensate for the boat roll resulting from propeller torque. Jet pumps do not produce boat roll, therefore ThunderJet is simply following the “right” tradition.

The trim angle of the jet drive has a distinct affect on the planing angle of the boat, which significantly alters top speed and handling. The engine/jet drive should be trimmed in at the factory for best start-up acceleration and shortest time to plane. If trimmed “in” (under) too far, the bow drops and the boat runs too wet. In this condition, top speed drops, fuel economy decreases, and the boat may over-steer in one direction or the other (otherwise known as “bow-steering”).

If trimmed “out” too far, the jet may lose its hold on the water. In conventional extruded chine hull designs, the boat may start to “walk” from right to left to right, etc. (“chine walking”), and getting on plane may be difficult or labored. Porpoising may also occur.

A tachometer (“tach”) measures engine RPM’s. An engine is designed to run at certain RPM limits. Without a tachometer, the operator has little opportunity to know if the engine is at a dangerously high or low RPM level. Any deviation from the established RPM levels other than those associated with climatic conditions, elevation, or gross load changes, is an indication of a possible performance problem.

Fouling is a kind of unwanted build-up (usually animal/vegetable derived) occurring on the boat’s bottom and jet drive. Fouling creates additional drag, which reduces boat performance. In fresh water, fouling results from dirt, vegetable matter, algae or slime, chemicals, minerals and other pollutants. In salt water, barnacles, moss and other marine growth often produce a dramatic build-up of material rather quickly. So it’s important to keep the hull as clean as possible in all water conditions to maximize boat performance. Severe cases of bottom fouling can prevent planing by adding to much drag.

The leading cause of corrosion damage is galvanic corrosion (the electrochemical interaction between different metals). It is most hazardous where jet drives are immersed in salt water, brackish water and many inland waters with high conductivity caused by pollution.

The corrosion reaction occurs when electrons flow between dissimilar metals connected or grounded through water. In the process, one of the two metals is eaten away. The damaging corrosion can be eliminated by providing sacrificial metal-zinc which will preferentially corrode to protect the jet unit.

Sacrificial anodes are installed at the factory by the engine and jet drive manufacturer that ThunderJet uses. Additional transom mount zinc anodes are available for optimum protection, if deemed necessary. The anode’s main purpose is for corrosion protection. By their very nature, they deteriorate very rapidly and must be constantly inspected and regularly replaced if you are an avid salt water boater.

The use of marine grade aluminum, zinc anodes, and freshwater cooling in combination with respected name brand components such as Faria, Morse Controls, Detmar, PPG, Heatercraft, Lawrance, Redline Marine, Marine Power Corp, Hamilton Jet, Guest, Teleflex, Mecury Marine – to the premium grade materials such as “rot not” treated marine wood products gives ThunderJet boats as much salt water protection the industry can offer.

Unlike typical extruded chine construction that most aluminum boat manufacturers utilize today (a displacement hull that simply pushes water out of the way), ThunderJet’s exclusive Reverse Chine Hull utilizes the energy available in the bow spray to create lift beneath the hull. This will cause the boat to achieve quicker planing speeds and have superior performance characteristics. What happens is that the hydrodynamic forces overcome the static buoyant forces sooner and the hull reacts by moving forward and up out of the water, reducing draft and creating less drag. The smooth flow of water generated by this design allows more water into the jets intake during both straight line speed and hard cornering maneuvers. This increases fuel economy. The reverse chine also will not allow the rear end slide (typical characteristic of extruded chine hull boats).

All ThunderJet boats are constructed with 5086 H116 and 5052 H32 corrosive resistant marine grade alloy.

Although mile per hour numbers are usually how boats are judged, ThunderJet has taken the time and energy to convert the savings by using our Exclusive Reverse Chine Hull vs. the typical extruded chine aluminum hull into actual dollar savings at the gas pump. Depending on the models/brands used for comparison purposes, ThunderJet claims to save boaters with standard 5.7 Liter Jet Drive power as much as $600 -$900 per year (based on 100 hours of operation). These savings increase the more hours you boat.

At planing speeds, strakes serve several purposes. Primarily, they provide additional lift, acting somewhat like an extra chine and helping to get more hull out of the water. This reduces drag and increases overall performance. Strakes also tend to brake up the flow of water beneath the hull to eliminate some of the surface tension that develops between the water and the bottom.

Mixed flow (pressure) pumps such as the American Turbine, Legend or Berkeley, draw water in through the intake in the bottom of the boat, compress it and discharge the water through a small diameter nozzle at very high pressure. Generally single stage (1 impeller) and produce the fastest top speeds.

Axial flow (volume) pumps such as the Kodiak 2 and 3 stage draw water in through the intake in the bottom of the boat and accelerate it through chambers that remain a constant size in diameter. The water discharged through a nozzle at higher volume and lower pressure than a mixed pump. Generally have better load carrying capabilities than mixed flow pumps.

If you want to maximize versatility, a folding top is the best bet. It provides good weather protection but is a little noisy on a windy day. In just a few seconds it can be folded up or taken off to enjoy the sunshine or provide more fishing room.

If you want maximum weather protection, a hard top with sliding windows is the way to go. Boats with hard tops (cabin style) are very popular in the Northwest where the weather can change from fair to mild to wet and windy in a few short moments.

A good compromise between the two is a fixed frame canvas top. It provides good weather protection yet does not ad the weight or expense to your boat.

You should always consider a boat slightly larger than what you think you need. 21′ is a very popular size because it is large enough to carry a sizeable group (up to 8 people quite comfortably), yet is highly maneuverable for small rivers. Buying too small of a boat often results in an upgrade the following season.

There are three types of engine compartments to choose from: Dog House, 1/2 Deck and Fish Deck.

The Dog House provides floor level access to the back of the boat. If you feel more secure down low in the boat then this is the compartment for you. The engine cover has a pad on it so it forms a seat several people can sit on.

A 1/2 Deck is similar to a Dog House in that it has a padded motor cover to sit on, but it also has storage compartments on either side of the engine cover and taller side rails for protection. You stand approximately 10″ off the floor on either side of the engine.

A Fish Deck maximizes storage area and usable space in the boat. This compartment configuration forms a very stable platform to fish from and is an ideal spot to lay out sleeping bags for nights on the boat. There is plenty of room for two! Storage compartments are large and deep for everything plus the kitchen sink. Tall rails add a measure of safety to keep your guest from taking an unwanted dip!