While pulling a tube around, tube rider got tossed, I looped past the swimmer so they could grab the rope and get back on the raft.
While they we climbing onto the raft, I left the engines idle...MISTAKE!!!!! The extra woven nylon pull rope got sucked up into a jet inlet and wrapped itself many times around the impeller driveshaft! The rope didn't get into the impeller but hot melting nylon rope creates a strong binding wedge and killed my port drive.
We limped back to dock and once up on the trailer, I dropped the gate and could see the rope up in the tunnel.
Best way to get it off is to have a razor knife handy!! 30 minutes of sawing thru the rope I got almost all out except what was jammed into the upper portion of the tunnel above the drive shaft. I couldn't budge that clump, so I started the engine revved it once and smelled burnt plastic then the melted clump fell out the grate opening.
Lesson; Always kill the engine if tow rope is floating nearby
Carry a razor knife in your tool kit as well as the correct Allen wrench to fit the grate socket head cap screw ( you can take the screw out by grabbing its head with channel locks or vice grips if your in a pinch)
While they we climbing onto the raft, I left the engines idle...MISTAKE!!!!! The extra woven nylon pull rope got sucked up into a jet inlet and wrapped itself many times around the impeller driveshaft! The rope didn't get into the impeller but hot melting nylon rope creates a strong binding wedge and killed my port drive.
We limped back to dock and once up on the trailer, I dropped the gate and could see the rope up in the tunnel.
Best way to get it off is to have a razor knife handy!! 30 minutes of sawing thru the rope I got almost all out except what was jammed into the upper portion of the tunnel above the drive shaft. I couldn't budge that clump, so I started the engine revved it once and smelled burnt plastic then the melted clump fell out the grate opening.
Lesson; Always kill the engine if tow rope is floating nearby
Carry a razor knife in your tool kit as well as the correct Allen wrench to fit the grate socket head cap screw ( you can take the screw out by grabbing its head with channel locks or vice grips if your in a pinch)
