I have a Klamath 15 foot open welded boat with a 50 HP jet. It works great for lakes and OK for rivers. The pluses: It's light-weight for one person to easily get on/off the trailer and for smaller lakes with marginal boat ramps it works well. It's open all around - a nice fishing boat with high gunnels and bow.
The minuses: because its a compromise boat, it does lots of things good but some only so so. Its light which means don't run it wild on a river. It will get dented (mine has a few from hitting shallows - ouch). Its a bit under-powered. Fine for me and one another adult, a pig with three adults.
I haven't used it much on the salt since I have a salt boat. However, it would be OK I'm sure. The bow is high and helps keep spray off to the sides. I don't know how the jet would handle salt water, I do take it out a few times down to Tillamook and its been OK.
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Mike, Editor
www.washingtonlakes.com "Featuring readers lake and saltwater reports."