Somebody Get A Rope!

[toddbelk]

While my friend sat waiting on the tube, i began to accelerate in my 2003 SeaDoo Sportster LE when the engine died. Not sure why i tried to turn it over again, then realizing my worst fear, the rope had been sucked into the impeller grate. I jumped in the water to try to remove and it was too tight. We were towed to shore. I took boat out of water and took it home. I removed the grate and cut the rope from all areas of the prop shaft. Once rope was removed it did not appear to have done any damage to the impeller itself, however there is a plastic tube called "shaft protector" that seems to be somewhat torn up (what a plastic tube would look like after a rope was spinned around it). What would your suggestion be next as far as what i need to look at to make sure everything is ok?

 

[D 5UPE]

The only test you can do is put it back in the water.

If it vibrates through the hull. You probably bent the shaft or damaged your impellor and or wear ring.

If the boat doesn't perform, its called cavitating
The tube on the shaft could be causing it or any of the above.


But go out in your boat with another on standby, just in case.

 

[kustomkarl]

That plastic tube you are refering to is the wear ring, It is better to have damaged that than to have damaged the shaft, Impeller or the pump. The only way to check is take it for a ride as D5UPE says. If you see evidence of rope marks in the wear ring, it might be damaged and need replacing. It keeps the clearance to the impeller and pump tunnel close to eliminate cavitation problems. It cost about $45.00 on average, for the item plus labor. You could do it yourself with a manual from the preminum member section and save your self a bunch of labor money. Give it a shot and take it out again and hope for best...Hopely it didn't do any more damage, or any at all. Keep us posted on an update.

 

[toddbelk]

Bad News

Took boat into Authorized Seadoo Service Center and verdict is that new propeller is necessary, new everything. Seems rope did more damage than i had initally thought. Will have to wait couple weeks before i get enough $ to eat again after $600 repair.

 

[seadoosnipe]

My pet peeve!.....

Here we go again, my pet peeve!.........The Sea-Doo watercraft DO NOT have a propellor. They are jet drives and have an impellor. It's a compressor type pump that builds forward momentum through a nozzle.
As for your repairs..........$600 dollars..........what did he do, put a gold plated impellor on?

 

[kustomkarl]

$600.00 I hope he did more than just install an impeller! He better give you a warranty too.

 

[ejj234]

Damaged Impellor Protector Sleeve

Not sure of the correct name for the piece that we broke last night when we wrapped the heavy-duty 3-person tube rope around the impellor, but it's the plastic sleeve that seems to be in place to protect the impellor. As I unwrapped the rope, small pieces of the sleeve were falling off. Now we can see that what is left is broken with a couple pieces just hanging on the impellor because they've separated from what's left of the rest of the sleeve.

We will take the boat in and have it replaced, but my question is whether we can drive the boat through the long weekend before doing that? I don't want to do more damage, but sure would like to pull the kids this weekend as opposed to having the boat on the trailer. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[imnothot02]

yea you can, but its not going to be any fun... slowness..

 

[timmyboy76]

you'll be alright, its just a sleve/deflection...most ski's dont have it...might here an annoying sound from there since its broke, but remove what you can, so it dont scar the blade or wear ring...other people might have difrent opinions, though..:cheers:

 

[ejj234]

Thanks for the advice; we started it up and it's run fine ever since. Will wait until the end of the season to get the part replaced as our summer is very short up here.