Design
Jetabout 18
Designed by Jacques Mertens
An 18 ft classic-looking twin-cockpit runabout by Jacques Mertens for Bateau / Boat Builder Central, powered by a jet drive transplanted from a donor jet ski. The JA18 has a moderate vee with about 8 degrees of deadrise aft, a calculated hull weight of 580 lb and a recommended 90 hp; the prototype ran past 50 mph. An outboard version of the same hull exists.
Plywood-cored epoxy and glass composite, assembled stitch and glue over MDF molds on a jig, with a deck laid in plywood strips. The designer says plainly it is not a first boat, because splicing in the jet ski unit needs experience. His figure is about 120 hours for the bare hull; budget 400 to 700 overall. Logged build hours for this design are shown below.
What building a Jetabout 18 actually takes
Medians from the build logs kept on this site, not the designer’s estimate. Nobody has logged this boat here yet, so they are empty until the first builder does.
Those medians firm up as more people log this boat.
Builds of this boat
Nobody has logged a Jetabout 18 here yet.
If you are building one, yours becomes the reference: the page the next person building this boat finds when they search for it. One photo and one line is a valid first entry.
Start the first log of this boatBoats like this one
Same type, closest in length.
| Design | Plans from | LOA | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|
| AF4 | Jim Michalak | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Bay Pilot 18 | Arch Davis Design | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Desperado | Glen-L Marine | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Flats Stalker 18 | Bateau | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Houseboat 18 | Bateau | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Kingfisher | Glen-L Marine | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |