many thanks guys for the help you've given me. at the beginning of yesterday, i was pretty much throwing the whole jet idea down the tubes. not anymore...

you've really helped me get some confidence that i'm not going to put 3000 bones down on a motor i can't use...

here's answers to a few question i saw.

the boat's a mod-v, but it's very flat for 2/3 of it's lenght. i was hoping the V will help me get up on step, is all. from there, i can run upriver like a mad crazy jedi.

also, i'm only about 160 pounds and will likely fish with a friend who's about 180. couple that with a few rods and gear and that's not very much weight in the boat, in my opinion, so i'm thinking i can get by with a 25/20 jet.

the rivers i'll be fishing are very shallow in many spots, yet there's really no serious water to move through. we don't have the gradient like you do out west. in fact, i'll not encounter much current except when in the shallows.
l
ast, do i need to remove, like 24 inches of the keel in front of the intake? an article i read said it's essential to reduce cavitation.

again, thanks. you guys really helped, even if you are a bunch of wacked out, nut job steelheaders.

-jason