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A boat includes a hull, an inboard rotary engine, and a jet propulsion unit connected to the engine via a direct drive connection. The hull may be a stepped hull with one or more aft steps. A large, low, substantially flat aft fishing/swim deck is disposed above the engine and an exhaust system of t

A boat includes a hull, an inboard rotary engine, and a jet propulsion unit connected to the engine via a direct drive connection. The hull may be a stepped hull with one or more aft steps. A large, low, substantially flat aft fishing/swim deck is disposed above the engine and an exhaust system of the engine. The exhaust system may vent into the step of the stepped hull and include a check valve that discourages water from backflowing into the engine.

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1. A boat comprising: a stepped hull that includes: a transom,a planing bottom surface,a stepped bottom surface that is upwardly offset from the planing bottom surface, the stepped bottom surface being disposed between the planing bottom surface and the transom, wherein a rearward portion of the pla

1. A boat comprising: a stepped hull that includes: a transom,a planing bottom surface,a stepped bottom surface that is upwardly offset from the planing bottom surface, the stepped bottom surface being disposed between the planing bottom surface and the transom, wherein a rearward portion of the planing bottom surface is disposed between lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface such that the lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface step upwardly from the rearward portion of the planning bottom surface as the hull progresses laterally outwardly from the rearward portion, anda connecting surface extending between the planing bottom surface and the stepped bottom surface;an inboard engine supported by the hull, the engine having a drive shaft;a jet propulsion unit supported by the hull, the jet propulsion unit having an inlet that is at least partially disposed (1) on the rearward portion of the planning bottom surface, and (2) forwardly of the transom; anda drive connection between the drive shaft and the jet propulsion unit. 2. The boat of claim 1, further comprising: an exhaust port extending through one of the lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface;an exhaust passageway fluidly connecting an exhaust outlet of the engine to the exhaust port; anda floating valve seal in a portion of the exhaust passageway that extends at least partially vertically, the floating valve seal being moveable between an upward sealing position and a lower unsealed position, the floating valve seal being configured to move into the upward sealing position in response to a water level in the portion of the exhaust passageway rising, the floating valve seal discouraging water from entering the engine via the exhaust port when the floating valve seal is in the upward sealing position, the floating valve seal sealing the exhaust outlet of the engine from the external environment when in the upward sealing position. 3. The boat of claim 1, wherein the hull is at least 14 feet long. 4. The boat of claim 3, wherein: the exhaust passageway has a water ingress height defined as a height of water within the exhaust passageway at which water would backflow into the engine; andthe water ingress height is less than 30 inches above a bottom of the hull. 5. The boat of claim 4, wherein the water ingress height is less than 25 inches above the bottom of the hull. 6. The boat of claim 3, wherein: the boat has a waterline defined when the boat is fully fueled and ready for operation, but is unmanned;the exhaust passageway has a water ingress height defined as a height of water within the exhaust passageway at which water would backflow into the engine; andthe water ingress height is less than 11 inches above the waterline. 7. The boat of claim 1, wherein the boat comprises a cockpit having a steering wheel and separate throttle controller. 8. The boat of claim 1, wherein the boat comprises side-by-side seats. 9. The boat of claim 1, wherein: the inboard engine comprises an inboard rotary engine; andthe drive connection between the drive shaft and the jet propulsion unit comprises a direct drive connection. 10. The boat of claim 9, wherein the engine does not connect to the jet propulsion unit via a transmission. 11. The boat of claim 1, wherein the stepped bottom surface is configured such that at least a portion of the stepped bottom surface does not contact water when the boat is planning on the planning bottom surface. 12. The boat of claim 1, further comprising: an exhaust port extending through one of the lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface; andan exhaust passageway fluidly connecting an exhaust outlet of the engine to the exhaust port. 13. A boat comprising: a hull;an inboard engine supported by the hull, the engine having a drive shaft;a jet propulsion unit supported by the hull; anda drive connection between the drive shaft and the jet propulsion unit;an exhaust port extending through the hull to an outer surface of the hull that is below a waterline of the boat defined when the boat is fully fueled and ready for operation, but is unmanned;an exhaust passageway fluidly connecting an exhaust outlet of the engine to the exhaust port; anda floating valve seal in a portion of the exhaust passageway that extends at least partially vertically, the floating valve seal being moveable between an upward sealing position and a lower unsealed position, the floating valve seal being configured to move into the upward sealing position in response to a water level in the portion of the exhaust passageway rising, the floating valve seal discouraging water from entering the engine via the exhaust port when the floating valve seal is in the upward sealing position, the floating valve seal sealing the exhaust outlet of the engine from the external environment when in the upward sealing position. 14. The boat of claim 13, wherein: the inboard engine comprises an inboard rotary engine; andthe drive connection between the drive shaft and the jet propulsion unit comprises a direct drive connection. 15. The boat of claim 13, further comprising side-by-side seats. 16. The boat of claim 13, wherein the hull is at least 14 feet long. 17. A boat comprising: a stepped hull having a transom,a planing bottom surface,a stepped bottom surface that is upwardly offset from the planing bottom surface, the stepped bottom surface being disposed between the planing bottom surface and the transom, anda connecting surface extending between the planing bottom surface and the stepped bottom surface;an inboard rotary engine supported by the hull;a jet propulsion unit supported by the hull and operatively connected to the engine to propel the boat when driven by the engine, wherein the jet propulsion unit comprises an intake portion that projects downwardly from the stepped bottom surface such that a bottom of the intake portion is vertically aligned with the planing bottom surface and lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface are disposed on each lateral side of the intake portion such that the lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface step upwardly from the intake portion as the hull progresses laterally outwardly from the intake portion to the lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface; andan exhaust port extending through one of the lateral portions of the stepped bottom surface; andan exhaust passageway fluidly connecting an exhaust outlet of the engine to the exhaust port. 18. The boat of claim 17, wherein: the hull comprises a jet propulsion unit mount that projects downwardly from the stepped bottom surface such that a bottom of the jet propulsion unit mount is vertically aligned with the planing bottom surface; andthe jet propulsion unit is mounted to the jet propulsion unit mount. 19. The boat of claim 18, wherein a portion of the jet propulsion unit mount projects rearwardly from the transom. 20. The boat of claim 17, wherein the hull is longer than 12 feet and shorter than 30 feet. 21. The boat of claim 17, wherein the boat comprises a cockpit having a steering wheel and a throttle controller separate from the steering wheel. 22. The boat of claim 17, wherein the boat comprises a cockpit having a steering wheel and a seat adapted for use by a person driving the boat, the seat having a bottom portion and an upwardly extending back support. 23. The boat of claim 17, wherein the boat comprises side-by-side seats. 24. The boat of claim 17, wherein the hull extends rearwardly farther than any part of the jet propulsion unit. 25. The boat of claim 17, further comprising a check valve in the exhaust passageway, the check valve being oriented so as to discourage water from entering the engine via the exhaust port.