Wooldridge Alaskan Tunnel Hull Jet Boat (Guest Review)
by Tim Herring

I recently purchased a Wooldridge 17'6" Alaskan Aluminum Hull Jet Boat powered by a Yamaha 115 Four Stroke Jetdrive Outboard Motor. Wooldridge Boats, based in Seattle, WA has been manufacturing boats since 1915. Wooldridge recently licensed PSI Sales, Inc. of Mobile, AL to manufacture their boats here in the sunny south. PSI's Owner, Van Woodham took an experienced crew of welders and metal fabricators to Seattle for several weeks of intense training on the ins and outs of aluminum boat building. Van says close contact between the two companies is maintained to insure only top quality boats are produced. They truly put a lot of emphasis into customer satisfaction.

Only my friends can fully appreciate the magnitude of departure this boat is from my other boats. I am by nature a go-fast boat kind of guy. I love and still have a typical Mod V hull bassboat powered by a hopped up Merc outboard. While fulfilling the need for speed, modern bassboats have limitations when it comes to accessing remote fishing waters. Like most smallmouth fishermen, I clamor the solitude found in fishing remote headwaters of creeks and rivers. Problem is, these areas are generally shallow and are literally filled with lower unit/prop eating rocks, logs, and stumps. Thus my motivation for adding another boat to the fleet. The Alaskan, designed to run in just inches of water, bounces off rocks and logs like a tank. I call it the "HumVee" of boats.

I was first introduced to aluminum jet boats while living in Oregon during the early nineties. You have two choices when chasing Salmon and Steelhead in rivers like the Rogue and Deschutes, you either drift down or jet boat. Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with drifting, I just personally love the power thing. Plus, you get to spend a lot more time fishing instead of setting up pickup vehicles at take out sites. I've wanted a jet boat ever since moving back to Alabama but the $3000 plus freight bill to get one here has been a huge deterrent. As soon as I learned PSI was building jet boats in Mobile, I gave Van a call. He was great to work with and displayed the patience of Job, as I must have asked a thousand questions during the order process.

Wooldridge custom builds their boats and I ordered mine set up for dual purposes: Striper fishing in the current below the numerous power company dams in Alabama and chasing smallies in the headwaters of rocky creeks and rivers like those found in North Alabama and Tennessee. Wooldridge builds a number of different models and sizes to suit your needs. I chose the Alaskan because; it's small enough for one person to manage when beaching and launching off sand/gravel bars, it has spacious front casting deck and because it handles like a water borne Porsche. The 115 Yamaha Four Stroke is easy on fuel, reliable, and unbelievably quiet. This is my first four stroke so I'm not prepared to compare it to the other makes but I'm hard pressed to see how they could be any better. Wooldridge changes the factory aluminum impeller out with a patented custom designed stainless steel version for durability and performance.

Driving this boat takes a little getting used to, especially if you're experienced with a standard prop driven vessel. The jet provides both the propulsion power and the steering force. No propulsion, no steering. Opposite a prop driven boat, you power up when making tight turns. Slow speed idling, docking and loading on the trailer is trickier still. You quickly learn to use the wind and current to your advantage.

The Alaskan jumps on step quickly with little or no bow rise, critical for shallow water starts. The Yamaha jet pushes it to about 35 mph. Not exactly flying for a speed addict but ever bit as thrilling when cruising over gravel bars and boulders just three inches below the surface. The practically flat hull (9º Deadrise) can bounce you around a bit when boating in heavy chop. I opted for suspension seats which smoothes the ride out immensely. A full line of seat and storage options are offered as well as various options for live wells, fish boxes, and bait wells. I consider this size and model boat practical for two adults max so I have two suspension seats behind the walk through windshield. I left the mid section open for gear and standing room. A removable casting deck is in the stern which covers a 30 gallon baitwell complete with aerators and pump outs. The cockpit area is protected by a convertible canvas top. I added zip-in side window panels and back zipper door for complete enclosure providing a warm/dry ride even in miserable weather conditions.

In summary, the Wooldridge Alaskan has met my expectations. I apologize for sounding like a commercial but I am clearly excited about having this style of boat made available to those of us East of the Rocky Mountains. A long time coming in my opinion. If you desire a boat that can get you into remote waters and more importantly….back again, then you owe it to yourself to check these boats out.

For more information contact PSI - Wooldridge Boats in Mobile, AL at 1-866-PSI-BOATS.

Wooldridge Boats Web Site