I have a bass tracker pro 170 with a 60-40 jet and tracker can't give me the answer I'm looking for so I hoping to find it here so I fish the river alot and was looking for a safe number on how shallow of water this boat will go trough without hitting when it's up on plane or just floating without running the motor anyone have a good idea ???? Any info would be greatly appreciated 

The specs. Say it drafts 11.8” that’s for the boat

I had a tracker 160 with a 60/40 jet before the G3. Figure at rest fishing you’re looking the boat drafts around a foot.

 

So at slow idle speed you’re looking about needing a foot off the bottom of your boat to run. If not you’ll end up sucking debris off the bottom. Then need to sharpen impellers and wear out your ring faster.

 

To get on plane you are going to need 1.5-2ft of water under the boat on the safe side. 

On plane is where they shine. 6-8” all day safely. I drag my grate around 3” on plane. 
 

beware jets are VERY finicky. You suck up leafs, stick rocks in your grate you’re done. You’ll have to clean it out. If you do not have enough weight forward it will not plane out right. Both my TM batteries were moved up front behind the casting deck. 
 

The steering on them sucks. You’re going to have to be in the last 1,000RPM to run. 
 

if you have any other questions feel free to ask. 

Who actually gets out and measures the depth of the water with a ruler tho? Gonna have to run it and get a feel for it. Watch some ott Defoe videos on YouTube and he runs in what he calls “wet gravel” 

@TnRiver46 yeah I can do that too. Doesn’t mean you’re impeller and liner is going to last. The 3” rule comes from the jet grate hangs down 2.5-3 inches below the boat. Which is what the poster would have. 
 

Ott has a custom made tunnel hull. So he won’t catch his grate. The hull will just slide. Again I have a tunnel and even if I slide across “wet gravel”  I am going to suck up that gravel. Also his hull is at least .100 thick because it’s a grizzle. tracker hulls are .09 I think. 

If you ain’t suckin up gravel you ain’t jet boating 😂 

 

it’s hard to hold your measuring tape still at 25 to 35 mph

@TnRiver46 your  impeller and liner isn’t going to last. You are going  to ruin your water pump but, go for it. When you ruin your impeller smash your grate you can’t get on plane or back to the ramp. I’m glad all your YouTube experience on this matter is showing. Not saying you can’t do this stuff it’s just not advisable. 
 

people including myself have went through an area that was shallow than beached it walked back and measured. 

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Watch some ott Defoe videos on YouTube and he runs in what he calls “wet gravel” 

 

As oppposed to "dry gravel" ?  All gravel in the water is going to be wet since its, well, you know, in the actual water.

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

As oppposed to "dry gravel" ?  All gravel in the water is going to be wet since its, well, you know, in the actual water.

You can skip across dry gravel with the inboard jets. Or just do it with a regular outboard like Keith Poche 

9 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

@TnRiver46 your  impeller and liner isn’t going to last. You are going  to ruin your water pump but, go for it. When you ruin your impeller smash your grate you can’t get on plane or back to the ramp. I’m glad all your YouTube experience on this matter is showing. Not saying you can’t do this stuff it’s just not advisable. 
 

people including myself have went through an area that was shallow than beached it walked back and measured. 

We been jet boating around since the 90s before YouTube thank you and broken plenty of things haha

 

i wouldn’t get a jet if you’re worried about hitting something 

I see.  Slight confusion, yes I've seen that video of Poche crossing dry land.  He's a rebel.

@TnRiver46 I am not scared to hit stuff and I absolutely have and I will again. Telling people to treat their boat like a demo derby car isn’t advisable. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. 

Ok…… I didn’t tell anyone to do anything , merely said the best way to tell how shallow you can go is to get out and learn your boat by driving shallow. Also maybe watch Ott because he’s a master at going shallow. Back to your regularly scheduled program 

 

the answer is 4” on plane and a foot when not but that depends on weight distribution…… so practice helps 

@TnRiver46 I would think you’d take pride in having the skill to be  able to navigate water without busting stuff up. That’s just me though.

 

Ott does look very solid and good on a jet. I haven’t seen anything in his videos that would make him a master though. 

On 7/8/2024 at 2:41 PM, gimruis said:

I see.  Slight confusion, yes I've seen that video of Poche crossing dry land.  He's a rebel.

 

Thank you everyone this is my first jet is why I'm asking I've always ran prop motors 

Have fun and be safe with it. Hopefully you can/have got out on one with someone to see where to run in certain areas. 

I'm not surprised at all that Tracker wouldn't give you an answer. There are too many variables. I would be surprised if any manufacturer would give much of an answer. Your weight, passenger (if any) weight, how much tackle, live well full of water, or not all have to be thought of. It's like an old friend of mine that used be a forum member, the late Larry McDavid told me when I was learning about outboard jets, "depending on weight, a jet boat can easily run in 4" of water. It can even stop in 4" of water. It cannot take off in 4" of water." I love jet rigs, but they are all different. You'll just have to go out and play with it, bounce off of a few rocks, etc. Good luck with your boat, you'll love it!

 

Ott is very much a master of the shallow east TN rivers. That said, he earned it via many, many ripped, torn and dented hulls, plus dinged and destroyed grates. Been a family friend for years.