I need an experienced owner to ring in here

[captcharles]

I'm still trying to figure out my 06 Utopia 205.

I bought this to take passengers to a spit with a lighthouse. The beach is fairly rocky and shallow. The lasted mechanic told me that if I started the engines in 3 feet of water it would suck rocks into the impeller. REALLY!?

What say you?

Thanks

 

[Lumps]

There is a rock grate with smaller gaps you can get. 3 feet sounds safe to me but but I have never been in water that shallow. Maybe he means just to be safe?

 

[captcharles]

There is a rock grate with smaller gaps you can get. 3 feet sounds safe to me but but I have never been in water that shallow. Maybe he means just to be safe?

Have you ever landed on a beach?

Can you tell me where to find the smaller grates?

Thanks

 

[Lumps]

Oops sorry. I didn't realize I was in the 4tech section. The mercury engines have a rock grate option. Not sure for the seadoo style

 

[Coastiejoe]

Jet skis and boats can absolutely suck up a rock at 2 feet. 3 feet seems to be the minimum where the likelihood of sucking a rock doesn't happen.

 

[go_panthers]

I have beached my boat in sandy conditions. There are variables in play. In 3 ft of water, if you idle away I think you will be fine. full throttle from idle in 3 ft of water would be risky, as you would be creating a big vacuum.

I regularly have to idle through 2-3 ft of water to get out of the ICW canal at low tide when we are at the NC Coast.

 

[Coastiejoe]

I have beached my boat in sandy conditions. There are variables in play. In 3 ft of water, if you idle away I think you will be fine. full throttle from idle in 3 ft of water would be risky, as you would be creating a big vacuum.

I regularly have to idle through 2-3 ft of water to get out of the ICW canal at low tide when we are at the NC Coast.

Agreed. I have idled in 1.5 to 2 ft of water with no issues.

 

[JJinSC]

Agree,Idle in 3 feet of water should be alright. Giving it too much throttle though can definitely suck things off the bottom at 3 feet. I'll give you this example. On my jet slide dock my intake grate is a couple inches off of the water. If I crank it up on the jet slide and rev the engine it will start sucking water and shooting it out the back with thrust.