Winerocks
Jet Boat Addict
- Messages
- 191
- Reaction score
- 137
- Points
- 112
- Location
- Bloomington, Indiana
- Boat Make
- Scarab
- Year
- 2015
- Boat Model
- HO Impulse
- Boat Length
- 21
I had a bit of free time today, and took the opportunity to design and build a debris removing tool; focusing on sticks and chunks of wood. This is the biggest issue where I boat. I’ve built and tried a few designs that I’ve found on the interweb, but none work well on sticks. The designs I’ve found tend to chip little bits of wood off, and I don’t have the patience for that. Sticks and wood bits tend to get really stuck and the impellers can slice into them, holding them like no other. I came up with a double hook design, that goes on both sides of the impeller. This way I can pry the wood out more effectively. I put a universal joint on the shaft so that I could twist it well from outside the intake grate. This will work in most positions around the impeller. I can get very good leverage, and this thing is pretty solid.
Don’t judge my welding...I prefer working with stainless. This is made with carbon steel, which tends to be a bit lumpier with TIG welding.
I haven’t tested it with jammed wood yet, but I believe it will work well. I will zip-tie a waterproof wifi endoscope/inspection camera with LED light so that I can see what I’m doing.
I can reach the intake grates from the side of the boat on the water. I don’t want to have to put-put back to the marina again because of a stupid stick.
I’ll post a pic tomorrow of how it looks through the intake grate.
Don’t judge my welding...I prefer working with stainless. This is made with carbon steel, which tends to be a bit lumpier with TIG welding.
I haven’t tested it with jammed wood yet, but I believe it will work well. I will zip-tie a waterproof wifi endoscope/inspection camera with LED light so that I can see what I’m doing.
I can reach the intake grates from the side of the boat on the water. I don’t want to have to put-put back to the marina again because of a stupid stick.
I’ll post a pic tomorrow of how it looks through the intake grate.