7 replies to this topic

[redial]

Hello Everyone,
First post & Love the site. I bought a 2007 Speedster 150 215HP at the end of March and am really lovin it. Recently I saw a picture of the sub move and thougth wow they can really take on water and pull through. The next weekend my cares were put to the test.

We (my wife, 2 sons [16] and I) were on Anclove Island with my sister and her husband. They have a huge Sea-Doo jetski from the late 90's or maybe 2000. Anyhow they couldn't get it started so we gave them a tow. We had 5 in the boat and one being towed with the jetski. Unfotunetly we had to go into the waves to return to land. At first I thought it was funny with my sister getting some nice waves to the back of the head (as she was sitting up front). We were only doing about 6mph. However the waves weren't draining out and soon the boat was full of water. I told everyone to start bailing, They all thought I meant bail and jumped ship. The nose was still under water with everyone but me off and without any speed, the drain under the drivers seat wasn't doing anything. I tried scooping water for a moment and realized that was futile. I couldn't figure out why the bilge pump was doing anything. Then I opened the door in the floor and all the water went down there, bilge pump kicked in, and things shortly retuned to normal. I exhaled, mumbled something I can't post, and got them to land.

This past Saturday I had waves coming over the front, while leaving the no wake shoreline, with the 4 of us on, and simply gassed it enought to get the drain under the seat to work and on plane.

My questions from this experience are:
1) Confirmation that the boat won't "go down" when the boat is full of water and standing still.

2) Is it the right thing to do (opening the floor door) to get the water out. Or if I'm still taking on water and release the air under the floor, will the boat then sink?


Thanks,
Redial
aka Norm

A few things wrong with this boat (none of which make me love it less).
Radio sometimes works, Fuel meter sometimes works, Hours driven is way off, All seats have came off at least once.

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[jeepstudchris]

Take it for what you will...my salesman told me it floats even if it were cut in half(it may float beneah the water, but not sink to the bottom. . .)

You may want to add a larger bilge pump, to make it pump out faster. I know other ocean dooers added a larger second bilge pump to handle the extra water faster. Some of the constant sub move dooers have added a second pump as well.

Sounds like you did the right thing.

Is your boats floor scooper drain working? Then again if it was underwater on both sides it won't drain...my floor scopper has always drained me quickly.

[redial]

Take it for what you will...my salesman told me it floats even if it were cut in half(it may float beneah the water, but not sink to the bottom. . .)

You may want to add a larger bilge pump, to make it pump out faster. I know other ocean dooers added a larger second bilge pump to handle the extra water faster. Some of the constant sub move dooers have added a second pump as well.

Sounds like you did the right thing.

Is your boats floor scooper drain working? Then again if it was underwater on both sides it won't drain...my floor scopper has always drained me quickly.

Thanks.
The drain under the drivers seat only appears to drain if I'm moving. Perhaps gravity fed or something.

[gofast]

First good work getting all in safe . I hope all had on at least ski vest's when things got iffy. I'm an ex coastguard helio rescueman and seen a lot of not so happy endings. Remember your boat is actually a hull within a hull. The space between the two is mostly filled with floatation foam thus you will swamp but not go to the bottom.The inner hull or cockpit is drained by scuppers when the boat is on plane with a slight nose up attitude. The outer hull has the bilge pump at the lowest point to handle hull breaches & cooling system leaks . By not being able to achive plane to drain cocpit you did the next best thing by draining to outer hull and allowing bilge to pump it out . However you should allow a controlled amount at a time so as not to allow water to to get to high on eng. If that happens you will be calling my buddies on vhf . You do have a vhf ..right?Happy dooin

[fialoe]

Maybe next time, drop the tow for a minute, give her a quick blast and the water will make its own way out, either through the scupper of bildge.
Doo be careful though

[redial]

Thanks All.

Yep on the pfd's 6 people - 6 vests. We don't have a radio yet. On the Very Soon list.

In the future - I will drop the tow and get the nose up for a while. That thought failed to cross my mind at the moment.

Thanks again.

redial

[jeepstudchris]

Drop the tow? Sorry if I am ignorant, I don't follow.

[gofast]

Your not Ignorant . Its just a nautical term .He is going to untie the tow rope and temporarily quit towing the boat (drop the line) long enough to get his own boat out or danger .Then resume the tow .