Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Any reason not to run a Solar 470.?

Pretty crazy schitt right there.
I'll know where the bear schitts in the buckwheat when I watch him go DOWNSTREAM.
That's your pucker factor and I notice that they don't show any of that.

For those that haven't run whitewater, you have "brakes" going upstream and it's easier to pick your way through rapids.
Going downstream you have no brakes and the river is harder to read from that direction.

Jeremiah Crawford who owns Reformed Automotive in Anchorage is a dealer for Stryker boats now. It's another option and he claims they are built tougher than the new Solars.

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I've been real happy with my little Alweld 1752. It has a tunnel and pods on it. It's not the fastest boat, but it runs real shallow and I've used it hunting and fishing all over the road system.

Ptarmigan, checked out a vid on the stryker youtube channel. Looks like a Russian inflatable clone. Geezus christ, talk about "unoriginal". Where are these made? A 25hp jet, wtf is anyone gonna haul with that, 3 beers and a caribou?

On that russian garbage: I'm unimpressed of that vid fu kin off in a boulder garden with no weight in the boat, pointless.

Stryker dude said "one piece aluminum transom" like 2 dozen times, as if that's some sort of ground-breaking accomplishment.


July 2016, I was running 1 piece aluminum transoms. Gawd I've seen some newcomer-fads "come and go":

Those 2016 boats were getting s hit done and are still on the water. Before any of these instagram floaty-queens were around.

One boat ran over 900 river miles to Arctic Village(wont do that with a jet):

https://chasingpiggens.com/adventures/tanana-yukon-chandalar-2017/

The other 2 2016 boats were stacking 60+ inch mother fkn monsters. One guy hauled his buddy's 55 incher with the 60+ incher, IN ONE LOAD(those silly mini- jets wont do this either):

“..Instagram floaty Queens..”🤣🤣🤣

LOL, I like your style! I do like those freighters you build. Growing up in Downeast we had Grand lakers, which I’m sure inspired your desire. I loved trolling for salmon and togue out of one of those!

Fk no man! Those canvas over wood boats that those faux-country twatts run down there wouldn't last for 5 minutes up here.

A full-throttle tobogganing over gravel riffle, loaded down with moose. That requires at least a narrow flat bottom and far more radical construction.

The yukon, kandik, nation, tatonduk(sheep) and Charley rivers are what shaped my boats.

Then there's those silly, frail race sleds tugged by fkn purse dogs. The "freight" builds extended into winter...........

Lotsa guys I work with have Solars and more than a few,have a few. They all LOVE them,though they are a tool for niches. None would have one in my AO and I get that. Hint.

These guys race/finish The Iditarod and a very good pard won this year's Irondog. Hint.

Solars have accounted for many Book Mooseses,Caribouski and Sheep. Hint............

\when I watch him go DOWNSTREAM.
That's your pucker factor and I notice that they don't show any of that.

For those that haven't run whitewater, you have "brakes" going upstream and it's easier to pick your way through rapids.
Going downstream you have no brakes and the river is harder to read from that direction.[/quote]

Owner of Mclaren River lodge on the Denali Highway has a couple of the Solars and runs Aluminum Jet Boats to ferry rafts back upstream for his clients. He told me that he is always on edge and nervous when he runs his Aluminum boats. When he runs the Solar he takes videos. They get on step at around 12 MPH float high over obstacles and slide when they hit something. Kind of a bumper car. The ability to go slow is huge. The older Solars have a very tough poly bottom that is very slick. All boats have there
pluses and minuses they work for my use.

The Solar seems like a fun boat for exploring, fishing, and playing around. I just don’t see it as a serious contender for moose hunting. Not enough space to carry all your gear, plus gas. Then if you kill a moose you have even more to carry as well as needing enough gas to get back home..

Lots of Moose hunters with the Solar would disagree with that. The 470 will run well with about 2K total weight on step around 12 to 14 MPH, at about 3 GPH at 20 mph you don't need a lot of fuel for that.
The Jetech pictures shows a lot of pictures of that.

https://www.instagram.com/jetechinflatables/

Snowwolfe,

I'm going to put that theory of being unable to run rivers with enough fuel and cargo capacity to the test this September. I'll try to document the data so that anyone else can do it as well. You may be right that it is particularly difficult to do but it'll be fun as heck to see what happens!

KK,

If you know of anyone who is running a Yamaha jet there is a company called nizpromarine.com that does remapping of the ECU and makes them more powerful and efficient. Might be worth looking into for a long trip where efficiency matters most.

Cheers,

Bob

Iceking,
Are you going solo or is there another boat in the group? How far do you plan on traveling on the river?

Bob what boat are you getting? When you get it and water opens up give me a call and we will run the Knik! Kurt

FYI, Alaska Series is coming out with a raft to compete with the Solar. Just had Jim King patch a raft and he told me that it will handle a 35 HP on a 50 horse power head, has a tunnel and an aluminum floor. He said it will be much more durable and have more bottom surface space between transom and the end of the tubes, like on his jet ranger rafts. Plans looked good to me. He said it would be out this spring and is not attending the sportsman's show.

Well I put my hands on a Wooldridge Alaskan XL 18’ today…I think I might be in love.

My concern, and question, is whether or not a 50 hp has enough nut to get her up on step…especially moving against current.

Thoughts.?

With a prop lightly loaded will do OK with a Jet with a New impeller and sleeve, lightly loaded it will always be underpowered. Loaded heavy a real dog. Buddy had one with a 85 Jet Yamaha and it needed more heavy loaded.
Great video that shows differences between the 470 Solar Strella and 470 Super Jet

The XL is a great boat for running rivers with a heavy load. At 50 hp you will be pretty disappointed unless you are the only one in the boat with minimum gear.
With the right motor on the XL it will carry a huge load. I had Glen build me a 23 foot XL for running up to the Koyukuk for moose hunting. Added a 200 hp Optimax prop on the back. It would carry 2 guys, a ton of gear, and 375 gallons of gas on deck and get on step easily.
Running back to the haul road bridge most of the gas would be gone but we had two moose and our gear and the boat would hit 38-40 mph.

Ditch the 50 and buy the biggest motor the boat is rated for.

It will get on step far more easily against the current. It may not go much faster than the current but that is the beauty of running upstream versus down.

The Wooldridge XL:

1/4” hull thickness.
29” side height
Max tiller prop 90 hp.

Total weight 1050 lbs.

———————————-

The Wooldridge LT

1/8” hill thickness
21” side height
Max tiller prop 70 hp.

Total weight 740 lbs.
———————————

There’s a 310 lb weight difference right there.
The LT is a third of the weight of the XL.


It’s almost like a guy needs either two motors - or - two (or three) boats.

Or… he’s got to determine just exactly what he would need, or be satisfied with on the Kenai.

Chances are, he could do well on the Kenai with a tin cup like a Lowe Aura at 475 lbs and a .072” hull….


I just want to get out and away from the combat crowd (100’ away, and more, would be satisfying), pull over to the weeds, get out, and flip away.

I really don’t dip net much, preferring to flip, but I’ve got family and they could benefit from the bounty of a day netting.


I’m on a carpenter’s budget. Facts. But I’d pay for what would work satisfactorily.

Wouldn’t just a beater tin cup with a 50 get the job done.?
What would I be missing by running a lightweight beater over a Wooldridge as per the Kenai.?