Jerry Boice and his
brother Alden Boice founded the company in 1958. They were determined
to compete with the established Mail Boat company which annually operated
a fleet of propeller driven vessels hauling freight and passengers.
The first two seasons
Jerry and his brother Alden experimented with modified hull designs
and propulsion systems to make shallow water passenger travel more efficient.
The two brothers heard about a well driller who was experimenting with
a water pump that would propel a boat in shallow water. This was coupled
with information that was coming from New Zealand about a water pump
propelled boat that was operating in inches of water. Soon the brothers
had a Water Jet prototype and Jerry's Original Rogue Jet Boat Tours
were formed in 1959.
Jerry and Alden soon
added entertaining narration to the trip with a public address system.
Jerry and his brother Alden were able to spin tall tails and relate
local folklore which made the already beautiful trip more informative.
They later added their older brother Court as a pilot and a whole new
chapter of river folklore was provided.
Jerry's is the first
Commercial Jet Boat tour established in the United States. With the
addition of Water Jet propulsion and colorful narration, Jerry's Rogue
Jets became an instant success. The three brothers entertained the public
for the next 15 years.
See Company
Profile
