Not the way I planned to end the 2021 season...

[roju6]

Beautiful day out on the water yesterday in SW Ontario, apparently everyone else thought so too, judging by the traffic.

6 years of owning this boat and had read about people sucking ropes into the impellers, but hadn't done it myself. Turned a normal 40 min ride back to the launch into 2 hours, limping on one engine at 9 mph... fortunate to have twin engines in this case! Was in an area with no cell service and couldn't remember the speed threshold without clamping the exhaust line to prevent water intake (turns out it's 15 mph). Not a really fun ride with the lack of control, and big waves from all the yachts on the water.

Fortunately, was idling when I caught the rope, so it wasn't twisted too bad. Pulled the pump off and unraveled the rope, reassembled. Everything seems fine, fingers crossed.

 

[Macker29]

Glad you were able to get back to shore safely with minimal damage. Sucking up a rope is always a concern with jet boats. I did it my first year with our Challenger. Now I am hyper conscious about it, almost to the point of driving my wife crazy...but I'd rather her be annoyed than to be stranded. lol

It always seems to be the rope you forget about, or one you can't see. I really don't think there is a way to 100% stop it from happening, but always be on guard. I actually know of a guy who's ski sank this past summer when it sucked up a rope with a metal hook on it...it swung the hook so hard/fast that it cracked the bottom of the ski. It took on water and sank. Thank God it was right beside the dock in shallow water.

 

[roju6]

Thanks, and yeah I'm thankful there was no real damage, just a slow ride back. Will definitely be more paranoid about going forward (more than I generally was).

A dumb oversight on my part, was completely avoidable, was just dealing with getting hit by a bunch of big waves and frustrated by that.

Still love the boat, planning on keeping it for years to come!

 

[Macker29]

Thanks, and yeah I'm thankful there was no real damage, just a slow ride back. Will definitely be more paranoid about going forward (more than I generally was).

A dumb oversight on my part, was completely avoidable, was just dealing with getting hit by a bunch of big waves and frustrated by that.

Still love the boat, planning on keeping it for years to come!

One other thing to check is your wear ring. My mechanic told me those can get a small kink in them when something gets wedged in there. Mine did not, but he did say that he sees that a lot when ropes get sucked up.

 

[roju6]

One other thing to check is your wear ring. My mechanic told me those can get a small kink in them when something gets wedged in there. Mine did not, but he did say that he sees that a lot when ropes get sucked up.

Pulled the pump right off to get at the rope, it was actually just wrapped around the shaft, caught on one impeller edge (which it fell off of pretty easily). I just put new wear rings in this spring, and fit still good, don't think the rope actually touched the wear ring, fortunately.

 

[Joe Starbuck]

Sorry to hear about your "learning experience". I have a few questions, if you don't mind:
1) How did the boat perform on one engine? I have been in a similar situation and I could not get on plane with one engine (230 Challenger, 430HP). I had the other clamped so I was not worried about water ingress.
2) One of your photos looks like the plastic seal at the pump end of the driveshaft was fused to the rope, did you get a new one, or am I mis-reading this photo?
3) Is your driveshaft protection sleeve still in place? Some boats are missing theirs.

 

[roju6]

Sorry to hear about your "learning experience". I have a few questions, if you don't mind:
1) How did the boat perform on one engine? I have been in a similar situation and I could not get on plane with one engine (230 Challenger, 430HP). I had the other clamped so I was not worried about water ingress.
2) One of your photos looks like the plastic seal at the pump end of the driveshaft was fused to the rope, did you get a new one, or am I mis-reading this photo?
3) Is your driveshaft protection sleeve still in place? Some boats are missing theirs.

No worries at all.

1. I couldn't remember what the max speed was recommended to be without clamping the exhaust, so I never tried getting on plane and didn't go over 9 mph (~4500 rpm on the one engine). I was also out of cell service so couldn't search it. Once I got into service and looked it up, apparently 15 mph is the limit, but I just continued trolling back at the same speed just out of paranoia. Really didn't want to hydrolock the other engine. FYI, the boat handles like a total dog with one engine at that speed.
2. The seals on the back of the pumps are rubber on mine, the rope was wound into that, but what you're likely seeing is grease on the rope, from the end of the driveshaft. The rubber seal looked ok, but I might pull both off and replace this winter, just in case.
3. I assume driveshaft protection sleeve refers to the metal sleeve from where the driveshaft goes through the hull back to the pumps? If so, yes both are on the boat. Maybe fortunate that the boat was idling when the rope got sucked in, and the second it stalled the motor I knew exactly what had happened *facepalm*.

Once I had it all assembled again I started it up on the trailer and everything ran and sounded fine, will see if I can go drop it in the water once more just to make sure everything is good before putting it away for the winter.

 

[MacSeaDoo]

Been there twice. Once last season, was able to do multiple drives under the boat and pull it out. After that I added a knife to my PFD.

A few weeks ago, did it again. No luck cutting or pulling it out on the water. Had a friend tow me back.

Spent 30 minutes on the ground under the trailer to get it out. Did not need to pull the pump. Luckily no damage.

It is amazing thought how tight it was and double wrapped. The key to no damage is to cut the engine quickly.

Glad you were able to get it out with no damage.

 

[roju6]

Also said that day that a knife now needs to become a part of my on board tool kit, something I hadn't ever thought of in 6 years.

I was also surprised at just how fast and tight a rope gets caught in there, especially because mine was barely hooked onto the impeller. Caught just enough to start winding it around the shaft, but was basically finger loose to pluck off the impeller, just had to unwind from the shaft.

As previously mentioned, I was idling and the second the motor stalled I knew what had happened and started swearing at myself. Fortunate to have the twin engine to get home on one, and lesson learned (hopefully).

 

[Macker29]

Its my greatest fear every time we are around a dock or near another boat. I check and ask people to look around 10 times before I start the engine. Lol, drives my wife crazy, but like I said, I know the consequences as I only have one engine.

I have even heard of people sucking things up out on the open water, or idleing through a channel. So its always a threat, but there is only so much you can do to prevent it.

 

[Macker29]

Also said that day that a knife now needs to become a part of my on board tool kit, something I hadn't ever thought of in 6 years.

I was also surprised at just how fast and tight a rope gets caught in there, especially because mine was barely hooked onto the impeller. Caught just enough to start winding it around the shaft, but was basically finger loose to pluck off the impeller, just had to unwind from the shaft.

As previously mentioned, I was idling and the second the motor stalled I knew what had happened and started swearing at myself. Fortunate to have the twin engine to get home on one, and lesson learned (hopefully).

You make a good point about tools on board. That is something I need to get better at when I'm on the water.

 

[roju6]

First time I realized that was when a hose clamp came loose and my supercharger intake hose popped off. I thought I'd blown up an engine flying across the lake, evidently those motors make very little power without the supercharger working! Managed to get the clamp tightened down using a coin, but lesson learned to have at least a small toolkit on board.

 

[Joe Starbuck]

First time I realized that was when a hose clamp came loose and my supercharger intake hose popped off. I thought I'd blown up an engine flying across the lake, evidently those motors make very little power without the supercharger working! Managed to get the clamp tightened down using a coin, but lesson learned to have at least a small toolkit on board.

Or a slightly bigger toolkit. Spray all your tools with XPS or B9 if you are in salt water. It won’t prevent rust, but it will slow it down.

 

[roju6]

As long as the toolkit you have is enough to get you back to the shore!