4 replies to this topic

[poprbear]

I think that covers the emotions. I took the doo out for the first time last Thursday. Weather was nice sunny about 65 degrees very little chop on the bay. Dropped the doo in the water started right up and off we went. ( my friends has his house right on the bay he just moved in this past Christmas) we were cruising around for about an hour and a half the boat is scarry fast. We had a blast. We went to go back to his bulk head to see if his daughter wanted to come out with us, WELL the tide had gone out quite a bit we were about a half hour from dead low. The boat ended up in 12 inches or less of water ( can you see where this is going?) all of a sudden I hear rocks coming up and hitting the bottom of the boat. As you know it wasn't the bottom of the boat but going into the jet drives. We were only idling thru the water when the starboard side engine quits, hit the starter button CLUNK CLUNK nothing. Trying to turn around and head back out when (you guessed it ) the port side engine quits. Try to start the port side it cranks over but very slow kind of if the battery was low. Not knowing the boat I have no idea what just happened. We drift for awhile tring to get the engines to start. Finnally I just jump over board ( not to kill myself but to push the boat to my buddies bulk head. Waist deep water temp 50 degrees) We tie up to the bulk head open up the engine compartment and what is the first thing I see WATER I put on the bilge pump, why is there all this water in the engine compartment (YEP) someone forgot to put the PLUG in the boat before they went out. Now I have to lay down in the water to put the plug in the boat. Air temp now 60 water 50. I'm wet, cold, confused and mad. My buddy has a Zodiac we used to tow the Doo back to the ramp on the creek. Didn't get a chance to look at the boat until Mothers Day. Pulled the Jet Drives off the back and there stuck in the impeller was this HUGH rock one in each Drive. I don't know how the rocks fit past the grates they really were BIG. Had to file the nicks in the impellers but they look fine now. Looking forward to taking it back out.
Yes it is a learning curve.
First rule of boating PUT THE PLUG IN THE BOAT BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN THE WATER
Second: there is a reason Sea Doo tells you NOT TO GO INTO LESS THEN 18 INCHES OF WATER.
Up until the mishaps the DOO was exciting and fun. Can't wait to try her out again

HAPPY BOATING

John B.

[tiggerman]

Well, I'm happy and sad all at the same time! I have to agree that Step number one is put the plug in. That is always the first thing I do when I back up to the ramp.
The rocks in the impeller, that's the scary part. They can and do get past the weed grates. It could have been alot worse, it could have bent the impeller blades and then you would be forking out that expense instead of putting that money in your gas tank. It's a miracle that the wear rings didn't get sliced and diced. You lucked out this time, but I bet there won't be a next time for shallow water.
WE beach our boat alot on a sand bar where I boat. I used to pull up on it with the engines running, let it beach, and rev it up to push it up a little further. Not any more. I wasn't using my brain and thinking about rocks. It hit me one day, and I stopped dooing it. I will coast up to the sandbar, let it beach, and get out and pull it the rest of the way up. Yes Virginia, there is a reason for a minimum depth guideline from San...I mean Seadoo.

[cAn'T sWim]

That doesn't sound like a good end to a good beginning.

Well, it could have been worse.....

What I find interesting is that a Rock got past your grate and if yours is similar to mine (Hydrosurge) then I wouldn't expect the rock to be that big>..?? This leads me to my next point. Over at the Jetboating website, there are a few people saying that the stock Hydrosurge grate is no good and they are switching to a 6 and 12 tine grate. I would imagine this would help out some in a situation like this and I am already checking into it.

Anyone else know much about this??

[poprbear]

I will check out the other web site for the grate info. This was a really bad experience.

John

[tiggerman]

All I know about it is neither design is very adequate for protecting the pump, especially in the depth water he had under the boat. It was a twin engine dredge.
From what I read, the Merc boats have the tines break off.