What jet tender...?

[Screwie]

Hey all,

Settled in with my new (to me) Sunseeker Manhattan 60 and very happy with it. But one of the next main questions is the tender. I don't think there's alot of choice when it comes to jet tenders but still curious to read your opinions.

So I have small kids and therefore I think for me the only way to go is a jet tender to be safe. Now the question is, which one? My main choices are right now a Williams 345 or 395 Sport, an ABJet 330 or 380, which would all be new. I would also think about second hand but I heard lots of bad things about the webber engines in the old Williams and the ABJet hasnt been around for long so not many 2nd hand ones. So it seems like it would be best just to buy new...

Let me know what you think or whether you would go with something entirely different.

 

[Whitelighter]

Williams.

When it goes wrong, which it will, you want to know there is a man round the corner with the knowledge and the bits.
Willian’s have an unrivalled dealer and spares network.

 

[MedMilo]

100% agree, Williams is the best option. Their service network has got steadily better over the years, so they're pretty well supported all round the Med. I've had four 325's over the last twelve or so years and tend to put around 50 engine hours a year; the Webber engines have been pretty good though, as Whitelighter says, you do need to have specialist Williams support on hand for when a sender or some other electronic gizmo packs up! Apparently the Rotax engines in the new Sportjets are a a bit less complex, so more reliable. That said, I've not had too much go wrong with the Webbers, particularly on the newer models...

 

[jrudge]

Same - Williams.

I don't think they are unreliable per se ( I did have issues for the first time last season) but they are highly stressed to put it mildly. The BHP per litre is the same a a Ferrari!

No one will touch them other than Williams, they have the kit, the spares and are used to dealing with " I am on holiday, it is broken I need it fixed for tomorrow". The parts are reasonable ( mostly - other than Webber Manifolds but that is a different issue!).

What does wrong....

- ski rope / other stuff up the jet drive. Lear how to do it yourself - it is a feature of ownership

- sensors - temp sensors, map sensors etc most typically cause rough running etc

If you don't flush them the exhaust manifold rots after ( in my case) 8 years.

I did have 2 engines under warranty ( and I still like them!) which they put down to dodgy Mallorca fuel. I am not so sure.

That aside the package is reasonably robust and from my own experience of friends with outboards last season ( Whitelighter being one....) outboards have their issues as well - but probably have more people who will fix them.

Dont buy an unknown brand, there is no upside - intact I suspect it will be a pig to sell. Willaims ribs in Mallorca in May are like money in the bank as everyone wants one for the season.

 

[Will_M]

As a curve-ball suggestion to the default: Williams

Very impressed from point of view of having visited their factory late 2018, 14ft upwards https://www.castoldijet.it/jet-tenders/

 

[MedMilo]

As a curve-ball suggestion to the default: Williams

Very impressed from point of view of having visited their factory late 2018, 14ft upwards https://www.castoldijet.it/jet-tenders/

I agree they're great tenders but I'm pretty sure that even their smallest offering will, at 4.25m / nearly a tonne, be too big / heavy for a Manhattan 60...

 

[Screwie]

Those indeed look nice but too big unfortunately... I also saw the Scanner tender in Düsseldorf, which looked great. Don't know the brand well enough though so a bit hesitant.

https://www.scanner-marine.com/en/range/scanner-ino-310-380-jet/

They use Textron engines, which I guess is Webber now... so unfortunately not rotax...

 

[MrB]

This is a very good guide to Williams tenders written by jrudge (as above) and well worth a read. Very informative.:encouragement:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?505872-A-Williams-Jet-Rib-Guide&highlight=williams

 

[Screwie]

This is a very good guide to Williams tenders written by jrudge (as above) and well worth a read. Very informative.:encouragement:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?505872-A-Williams-Jet-Rib-Guide&highlight=williams

Yes, already read it when I did my search on the forum, very good read. I guess I'm unsure how big the problems are with the older models with webber engines on the one hand and I like the sport jet as it has space for 6 people on the other hand. I'd prefer a good quality second hand that fits all my wishes, but not sure if it exists ?

 

[DPH]

I've had four 325's over the last twelve or so years.

Lols, I've only had 3 tenders over the same time, but all with the same yamaha outboard. Funnily enough just dropped it of yesterday to get its third service as it was beginning to cough occasionally.

 

[MedMilo]

Lols, I've only had 3 tenders over the same time, but all with the same yamaha outboard. Funnily enough just dropped it of yesterday to get its third service as it was beginning to cough occasionally.

Mostly because I've changed the tender when I changed the boat it was parked on! So got a new one when I went from Cranchi 48 to Squadron 58 and now my Squadron 65. Certainly I know that three of the four 325's are still going strong! The very first change was courtesy of Williams as I got the first ever Williams and the chaps who started the company weren't happy with the very initial hull design so changed it foc, back in around 2004/5 I think...

 

[TonyR123]

I only have the smallest Williams - the minijet which just fits in the prestige 500 garage - but have had no issues. I get it winterised by Williams dealer in Majorca and then similar service for the summer. Next boat will buy Williams again. I also flush it through with non salt water after every use

 

[wawando]

I only have the smallest Williams - the minijet which just fits in the prestige 500 garage - but have had no issues. I get it winterised by Williams dealer in Majorca and then similar service for the summer. Next boat will buy Williams again. I also flush it through with non salt water after every use

Hello @TonyR123 , Do you still have the same opinion? Do you tow wakeboard with it?
Thank you!

 

[Bouba]

Electric Jet Tender - Electric Jet Yacht Tender 3.2m - Yacht tender Boat
Electricity is the future......maybe

 

[ontheplane]

Electric Jet Tender - Electric Jet Yacht Tender 3.2m - Yacht tender Boat
Electricity is the future......maybe

Be nice if there was more info on the site! Says “2 hrs at cruising speed, but not what speeds it will do, what it’s recharge time is and so on.

 

[wawando]

Electric Jet Tender - Electric Jet Yacht Tender 3.2m - Yacht tender Boat
Electricity is the future......maybe

With current weight/charging times nah...
Maybe if tender batteries can be used to power the mother boat, integrated in the whole boat power management system.

 

[Bouba]

Be nice if there was more info on the site! Says “2 hrs at cruising speed, but not what speeds it will do, what it’s recharge time is and so on.

There wasn’t much information on the Hyundai Iconiq 5 either. Maybe that’s just the way with ev. It’s the future

 

[ontheplane]

Plenty of info on it? Hyundai IONIQ 5 | The Electric Car Revolution Is Here

 

[TonyR123]

Hello @TonyR123 , Do you still have the same opinion? Do you tow wakeboard with it?
Thank you!

As I had the original minijet I had it upgraded with more power and to get up on the plane easier. Much better with it and due to get the next power upgrade this year - another 5hp. Not sure about wakeboarding as never done that but I tend to pull a doughnut behind so I guess wakeboarding would be fine. The next williams up would do this better though as it weighs more. Minjet 200kg while the Turbojet I believe is 300kg so will wander around less while towing.

Am hoping by the time I get another boat that Williams will have an electric version of the 325/345

 

[Chris H]

As I had the original minijet I had it upgraded with more power and to get up on the plane easier. Much better with it and due to get the next power upgrade this year - another 5hp. Not sure about wakeboarding as never done that but I tend to pull a doughnut behind so I guess wakeboarding would be fine. The next williams up would do this better though as it weighs more. Minjet 200kg while the Turbojet I believe is 300kg so will wander around less while towing.

Am hoping by the time I get another boat that Williams will have an electric version of the 325/345

Does the size alter much on the mini jet if you let all the air out, not sure if it would fit in my garage.