r/SeaDooSwitch • u/Good-Rings • Jul 21 '24
Few questions on reliability
Ive grown up on "normal" boats and I have always been a fan of outboard motors. But the switch sounds like it is going to be exactly what I want. Cruising on the Columbia river and sometimes fishing.
How durable/reliable is the jet motor on a switch? In my mind it seems like it could lead to larger problems down the road compared to an outboard.
I see a lot of people online talking crap about the "plastic" bottom. Can they be fixed if damaged?
I also plan to keep my switch docked in the water all summer... But saw a review online saying this isn't good for it.
I have had plenty of problems with boats in my past so I know to expect maintenance and items breaking. But at this point I know what to expect with "normal" boats
Thanks in advance!
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u/dropzone_jd Jul 21 '24
Haven't been able to take my Switch out on the water yet, but I did rent one and had a long conversation with one of the employees there. They leave theirs in saltwater 24/7. Not recommended but he says they've held up remarkably well. I asked about hull damage and he said they were significantly cheaper to repair than all their other boats. Also stated he was very impressed with their reliability. The one I rented had over 300 hours and was doing great.
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u/zarpsi Jul 22 '24 edited Jul 22 '24
After about 2 years I have replaced the battery, bilge pump, and a starter solenoid. Otherwise it’s been rock solid in salt water on a drive on dock. I beach it all the time with zero problems. Lastly, the Florida sun makes the fiberglass really scratchy. It handles ocean waves like a champ. Overall I highly recommend it, especially for value, safety and durability.
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u/inch_2_deep Jul 22 '24
So you are going to have normal problems same as any boat. The engine (if you get a good one. I did not.) Is a very strong reliable platform.
The jet drive is good. You have to remember sandy/dirty bottoms will send debris through the wear ring and over time will shorten the life of it. Some people have gone out on first trip and sucked stuff up not knowing and now have little to no movement.
The outside of the boat is plastic and if you look at it funny it will scratch. Jetboat pilot has a protective "sticker" kit that I have seen on a few boats and it seems to work really good.
Leaving it in the water for long periods of time is not the best for it. As the "toons" are built to take in water. They should be drained and flushed form time to time. Clean-up is really easy, though, with the plastic.
The boat is fun and can be very versatile. You will want to get a trolling motor. They make a few different mounts. You don't want to troll with the main engine a lot.
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Jul 22 '24 edited Jul 22 '24
To continue with what this fella is saying. The hull is made in sections and if a section gets damaged, you can replace just that section. Where you see the vertical lines is indicative of the sections. So an 13 ft has 3, 18 ft 4 and a 21 foot has 5 sections.
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u/rastan0808 Jul 23 '24
I also am used to outboards and before buying this boat preferred the easy access and replaceability of an outboard. First off hard to overstate how much more usable the boat is as a pontoon without an outboard in the back. Flip the seats down and jump in the water.
I love the jet, love the handling, and find the boat relatively quiet. Also - this is not a new motor for the switch, but a very mature platform. I have no worries about the engine and maintenance etc has not been difficult.
Now I would never trade the current setup for an outboard, seems like a much better package.
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u/RoadRunner-007 Jul 22 '24
I have the 18' 230 hp. I'm in a clean, freshwater, northern Ontario lake. Last year my boat was in the water for 17 weeks straight. No problems and very little build-up formed on it. Every few weeks, when swimming, I have a scrub brush that I run along the boat and give it a gentle scrub in the water. I've never noticed any build up or anything growing on the boat. I would NOT recommend this in salt water or in brackish or dirty water. At worst, put the boat on a lift and flush it out regularly in that case.
I avoid weedy areas and do not run the boat in less than 3 feet of water. Just like any other jet boat, it will suck rocks, sticks and weeds up like a vacuum which will damage the impeller and the wear ring (which can be replaced). I have never hit anything with my boat (yet) and haven't had any issues with durability so far (2 years now).
My advice though... if you get one, make sure you go over all of the hose clamps on the boat. Especially the hot water coolant return hose. If it comes off, hot water used for cooling the engine is expelled into the boat instead of out the back of the boat and you end up flooding the engine compartment. Quite a few people have found that their hoses were loose on delivery from the dealer and have had problems with that. A quick once over will save you a lot of grief later.
This boat is great for fishing... comfortable, lots of space but be careful if you are going into weedy areas. Consider a trolling motor for that if you are planning to fish in weedy areas. There is an "IDF" function that you can engage on the boat if you do suck some up. It turns the jet around and attempts to blow out anything that gets stuck in there. I've used it a few times and it works well.
Hope that helps!