RiverPro Problems?

[howellcanufish]

I'm kicking around the idea of a riverpro and I've heard nothing but great things about them. The question I have is, has anyone had ANY problems?

Is there anywhere in particular a guy should look for a used one?

Does anyone have one for sale?

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Sounds like WWG had a slight problem with his RP but I don't remember the details.

[kittycatcher16]

Since you are kicking around the idea of a riverpro that means what I thought was your boat for sale on HSO-Classifieds, IS your boat for sale on HSO-Classifieds..right? You just got that not too long ago didnt you??

[kittycatcher16]

I didnt mean to say HSO-classifieds I meant to say Cr....list if you know what i mean but they edited it to say HSO-classifieds.

[howellcanufish]

Everything's for sale...just kicking around the idea.

[kittycatcher16]

What is the motor on your boat now??

[howellcanufish]

A super sweet 9.9 Johnson. She purrs like a kitten. I'm a huge believer in if a little is good, a lot is better...thus the dreaming of a 200hp jet and capability of jamming over everything in site!

[Papa Grump]

Honestly, give Kevin Turner a call and pick his brain on what issues there have been with them. How you treat them is how much it's going to cost to maintain them, which is no worse than any other river boat. I've replaced the impeller in mine which is about the only major thing done to it, and the 175 Mercs do have some reliabilty issues, no matter if its in a RP or not. If you have anymore questions, shoot me a e-mail.

[kittycatcher16]

Howellcanufish..whats your e-mail i have some questions about your boat for sale?

[Scott M]

oh man...where's Kyle when you need him?

[howellcanufish]

Howellcanufish..whats your e-mail i have some questions about your boat for sale?

[email protected]

[Papa Grump]

Actually I'm expecting Ed to chime in before Kyle does

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Kyle's boat is awesome on the river. I definitely believe there are other options to the RP but then again I have never ridden in one unfortunately.

[DTro]

I’m sure John will chime in sooner or later, but the simple fact is that there is no perfect boat. When It comes to jet engines, you will have issues with both outboards and inboards. If you check out the River-Pro HSOforum, Kevin explains pretty well, the advantages of having an inboard jet.

The biggest issue I’ve seen with the RiverPros is that the 175 SportJet (pre 2002)have a poorly designed exhaust cooling system that if not constantly maintained will gobble up steering cables.

The advantages over a prop engine however in these low water conditions, far FAR outweigh the issues.

Also remember, they are not called LakePro’s for a reason

[wastewaterguru]

The 175's have the steering cable and reverse bucket cable running through the jet unit next to the exhaust manifolds. There is a 1/4" rubber hose providing cooling water to this area. It goes into the jet unit via a brass 90.

When you suck sand into the cooling system (which you will), it will occasionally settle at the base of that 90 fitting and clog it. When making a long run (more than 10 minutes), the cables overheat and melt. The only symptom is the steering getting stiff. Then when you stop, the melted sheathing on the cable sets up and "freezes" the steering. Forcing it will push the inner cable out of the sheathing. Then you can only turn in the pull direction of the cable and that's no fun. There is no thermostat alarm for overheating in this part of the motor and the cables are around $170 for the steering and $110 for the reverse plus a couple hours to replace them.

Also the 175 is carbureted with 3 two-barrel carbs. The motor is a little cold blooded and takes a minute or two to start. Motors with one carbureter can be a pain sometimes and there are basically 6 on the 175......getting everything "synched" properly can be a pain.

Also, the voltage regulator on the motor is known for failures. I believe this is what caused the engine fire in my boat before I bought it from Hooper. It also failed on Firemans boat recently but luckily didn't cause a major fire (just a minor one).

The new boats from RiverPro do not come with the 175 anymore. They all come with the 200 EFI standard with the 240 as the upgrade option. These fuel injected motors exhaust through the back of the transom and not through the jet unit which eliminates the cable issue. They also eliminate the cold starting issues since they are fuel injected. I don't know if they upgraded the voltage regulator wiring.......but I haven't seen this issue on any of the forums related to the 200 or the 240.

I love my boat. Part of that is that I am not afraid to get dirty and fix the issues myself. I replaced the 1/4" rubber cooling line to the exhaust manifold with a 3/8" and replaced all the 90 degree fittings with straight hose barbs. It hasn't clogged since and I don't believe it will clog again.

If my motor ever fails though........I'm upgrading to the fuel injected 200 horse. Better fuel economy and less headaches...you can't go wrong with that.

[howellcanufish]

Thanks guys, this is what I was looking for. Too often you hear nothing but the good stuff. Really when it comes down to a big purchase like that you need to know and understand both the good and the bad. I still feel that the RP is a supreme machine on the river and hope to own one someday. By the sounds of it I'll focus on the 200hp EFI model and probably the Hipro.

[ec30_06]

Clogging the intake is probably one of the biggest problems I see with inboards. If it gets plugged you are getting in the river. Eventually all jets will get plugged, whether it be leaves, tree bark or gravel. Gravel is probably the worst since you probably have your boat stuck too if the intake is sucking up gravel. Not really a problem until the river gets super low. I think a small flat bottom jon will run shallower, but the hull will be thinner WHEN you hit something. The outboard jet will also be your cheapest option. Some nice ones have been selling cheap on the bay and c.. list

[Kyle B]

I have nothing bad to say! All boats have problems! Good Boat...Fast...Plenty of room...Ed's banned from the purchase due to the first time he would take it out it would be on top of the Henderson Bridge due to trying something only Ed would try...Then again why someone would put one in Jon's reach I will never know!

I myself with the low water we have now would want to go with a 1660 jon boat with a 1200cc Jet ski motor in it! Very Fast...plenty of room...and Light! Best Part very inexpensive.

Good Luck with your purchase!

Kyle

[Shack]

Quote:

I myself with the low water we have now would want to go with a 1660 jon boat with a 1200cc Jet ski motor in it! Very Fast...plenty of room...and Light! Best Part very inexpensive.

Yep, that is what I am after. I had a chance to purchase a similar set up early last spring for almost nothing. Worked out of the gate, but had a cracked intake. It would have been a complete tear down and rebuild if I had purchased it (wood and shag carpet engine housing ) . It was a little bit of a cruise (day round trip) and when I could coordinate the trip, it was gone Thing had been around for 2 months and I think I sparked up some him and hawers

If you find something you want to buy at a great deal, either go and get it quick, or show no interest to the owner when figuring out how to get

I have been still looking/poking around for a winter project. Just waiting for the end of duck season to get into gear for the JB

Like PG said, if truly interested in a RP Hi-Pro, contact Kevin at River Pro. If there is a used Hi-Pro out their that is not 5 states away, he would know. Just watching the classifieds and putting hints out on FM is not enough. Then again, the only Hi-Pro I have seen for-sale (used) was in the HSO/FM for sale forum

[Carp-fisher]

Not to steer the thread in a completely different direction, but I saw a guy with a long shaft mud drive motor on the MN River tearing like a mad man through some really shallow water and snags. It looked like an interesting alternative to a jet drive anyway.....

[pureinsanity]

Ive been in a couple of those. Seems the steering isn't as responsive as an outboard, but close. They are made to go through mud that's for sure. Also if you hit a log with your boat you can push down on on the tiller handle and it will lift the motor. They are known as gator tails or beaver tails. A lot of duck hunters use them to get through bogs. Also, they do not need to suck in any water to run. Start it and let it run before you even launch. No worries about busting a lower unit or mud being sucked in the motor....

[Gordie]

as stated there will always be some sort of down side to any boat and as Dtro said with these really low water anything beats a prop and thats what I got,Ive also had a jet OB on my boat and it was great on the river but suck up weeds and your done for a while I personally am thinking of trying to build my own style of river motor probally not a jet but more on the lines of the mud motor style but I want reverse and the beavertails dont have that the pro-drives do but thats a bit differnt and I want some Horse power to spin that prop> I know that this is probally the best for the river but I also duck hunt alot and want to be able to run the wild rice with my boat as well as fish the river. I know I dont want to keep buying props for my Outboard thou went thru 2 of the and one was rebuilt twice but as I look back yae it was worth it

[Wiskers]

Well all I can tell ya is I ran the pee out of River Pro's for several years, I put them through hell and high water and low water.. I helped sell and promote them for several years and I would never even hesitate to purchase one if I was in the market for a river boat. They can fish big water as well as little water, you just have to drive them a bit diffrent on big water if it gets windy is all. I went from Lake of the Woods to the Redlake River. River Pro stands behind their boats very well and as for motors, they are all the same.. for the most part they are very good, but now and again you get problems as you will with every motor. I had very little trouble with any of mine.

I love the idea that you can drive them up to winter and pull them out of the water and park them.. of course you have to fog them but that is it.

Give me a call if you have any other questions.

[Big Dave2]

They can fish big water as well as little water, you just have to drive them a bit diffrent on big water if it gets windy is all.

Could you please elaborate on this? Do you just mean that you have to get off the throttle?

[Gordie]

if its anything like my old ob jet when you hit waves and the boat goes thru them like reg boats you will suc air and in turn lose power cause your out of water in the jet drive part. hope you can under stand what I'm tring to say bigdave