195s Maiden Voyage Disappointing

[kgower]

Launched the boat did 5 minutes at up to 2K RPM then went to do 90 minutes upto 5K, nothinght but cavitation. Limped back to doc at 2-3 mph.
Clean out port seemingly locked shut, couldn't and still can't remove it..
Thoughts on cavitation pick up in speed and and clean out?

 

[mwalker4]

Clean out: Push down firmly twist left. I had cavitation symptoms similar to you and it was a twig lodged between impeller and sleeve. It was the result of going slow in spring after hard rain washed stuff into lake.

 

[WV Hillbilly]

Launched the boat did 5 minutes at up to 2K RPM then went to do 90 minutes upto 5K, nothinght but cavitation. Limped back to doc at 2-3 mph.
Clean out port seemingly locked shut, couldn't and still can't remove it..
Thoughts on cavitation pick up in speed and and clean out?

Had 4 hours on my 195s last week. Dropped it in the Ohio river and it was a mess. Same symptoms twice on the ride up to the Kanawha river at Point Pleasant. Thank you Yamaha for the clean out plugs so you don’t have to get in the water! Mine came out easily but I had trouble reseating them correctly... I had not practiced removal and install from my knees... I was practicing on land from a three step stepladder.

 

[WREKS]

I always remove plugs after an outing, and never reset them until the next outing.

 

[tdonoughue]

I would suspect the cleanout port is the problem. If not seated correctly, that will cause massive cavitation (and you are lucky if it doesn't leak--almost sank my engines the 2nd time out when I didn't have the plugs set). I would pull and reset the plugs and try again. And, fully agree with @WREKS , I pull them every time and set them on the wet storage platform and leave the hatch open. Can't start the boat with the hatch open, so it makes sure you put the plugs in before you leave again. Ask me why I do that now...

Let us know how the 2nd voyage goes!

 

[HangOutdoors]

Have a funny feeling your plug may be seated in correctly, hence the cavitation and also it being difficult to get out. I checked it, first thing and it worked correctly. Push down twist clockwise and you will hear a clunk, reverse motion after coming out. Also checked pump and impeller for you and they all looked perfect and new.

 

[Yamahaul]

don't forget the yamalube to spray on the port. i use it every time i go out. just give it a good spray. keep them out while driving on highway put in at ramp obviously. That's disappointing on maiden voyage.

 

[kgower]

Clean out: Push down firmly twist left. I had cavitation symptoms similar to you and it was a twig lodged between impeller and sleeve. It was the result of going slow in spring after hard rain washed stuff into lake.

Tried to push down and twist for about 15 minutes while bobbing up and down in the water and decided to go back to the dock. Tried again, gave up and put it on the trailer.
We had a large piece of wood stuck in impeller of or jet ski impeller years ago. Had to turn it upside in the middle of the river to dislodge it which took a bit of time as the ski was slowly filling with water. All worked out in the end.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

One other possibility is that people love to back their boats off the trailer with thrust and doing so pushes up all the junk on the bottom and directly into the intake for your pump , even a small twig or a piece of fishing line will do what you experienced so be inspect the impeller from under the boat to be sure there isn't any trash in the pump and be mindful of this when launching the boat.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@kgower You will get used to it and the hang of the clean out plug.

 

[kgower]

Thanks everyone. will try try to open it later today. Want to get in the water again Friday.

 

[fatboyroy]

Thanks everyone. will try try to open it later today. Want to get in the water again Friday.

Just a tip I usually plug the boat in before I leave my house, sometimes its a pain in the butt to do specially when someone is waiting for you at the boat ramp.

 

[anmut]

One other possibility is that people love to back their boats off the trailer with thrust and doing so pushes up all the junk on the bottom and directly into the intake for your pump , even a small twig or a piece of fishing line will do what you experienced so be inspect the impeller from under the boat to be sure there isn't any trash in the pump and be mindful of this when launching the boat.

Lot of truth to this! Use reverse with extreme caution in 3' of water or less, especially on the new boats with the built-in reverse diverters. Reverse in shallow water basically puts your pumps into "blender mode" for anything that can be sucked off the bottom.

 

[HangOutdoors]

When staging before backing up to ramp I have a routine. (Simplified of course, other things like gear, kids and admiral all have their own routines.)
1) Take off cover, if on.
2) Undo back straps.
3) Put in and check keel plug
4) Seat all Clean out plugs
5) Turn on Battery Switch
6) Turn on Blower
7) Turn on Chart Plotter or Set Phone in Cradle with Navionics up and running.
8) Test engine cranking
9) Get Mooring lines ready

I never power unload or Load. It is not good for your jets and it screws up the launches. Launches here it is against the rules to power load and load, although I see it all the time since people are lazy.

I open my keel plugs and cleanout plugs after exiting the water to let all the water and organism drain out. And leave them that way till next launch.

The people who go right to the ramp and line up and stop right before the water to prep their boat and get it ready are the worst. Not cool at all.

 

[Crob83]

Just a tip I usually plug the boat in before I leave my house, sometimes its a pain in the butt to do specially when someone is waiting for you at the boat ramp.

I'm pretty sure Yamaha says to insert then while trailering anyhow. That's what I do also

 

[fatboyroy]

When staging before backing up to ramp I have a routine. (Simplified of course, other things like gear, kids and admiral all have their own routines.)
1) Take off cover, if on.
2) Undo back straps.
3) Put in and check keel plug
4) Seat all Clean out plugs
5) Turn on Battery Switch
6) Turn on Blower
7) Turn on Chart Plotter or Set Phone in Cradle with Navionics up and running.
8) Test engine cranking
9) Get Mooring lines ready

I never power unload or Load. It is not good for your jets and it screws up the launches. Launches here it is against the rules to power load and load, although I see it all the time since people are lazy.

I open my keel plugs and cleanout plugs after exiting the water to let all the water and organism drain out. And leave them that way till next launch.

The people who go right to the ramp and line up and stop right before the water to prep their boat and get it ready are the worst. Not cool at all.

I do all check/prep at home except for Blower and back straps but I only live 1 mile from the ramp though. I also walk the boat on and off the trailer whenever I could and when the dock is too far from the ramp, I will be at the bow of the boat and push the boat off the trailer to gain more depth before I start my reverse.

 

[anmut]

The people who go right to the ramp and line up and stop right before the water to prep their boat and get it ready are the worst. Not cool at all.

Those people...

Our main ramp has had an influx of newbi jet ski owners that like to use the beachy area near the ramp as their picnic/staging area for the skis. So not only are you fighting the launching idiots, but there's a constant crew of adults and kids within feet of where people are blindly backing up their boats. I've warned the city about it as a "tragedy waiting to happen" but you can't regulate against stupid, apparently.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

DAMN JET SKIS

 

[1WetBoat]

Those people...

Our main ramp has had an influx of newbi jet ski owners that like to use the beachy area near the ramp as their picnic/staging area for the skis. So not only are you fighting the launching idiots, but there's a constant crew of adults and kids within feet of where people are blindly backing up their boats. I've warned the city about it as a "tragedy waiting to happen" but you can't regulate against stupid, apparently.

One of our ramps here local to me has a small beachy area also just to the side. When I launch my wave runner from there I like to pull up on the small beachy area to the side while I park my vehicle so that I don't take up a ramp unnecessarily. I always get my stuff ready for the boat in the "staging" lane to avoid holding up other boaters, but I still see people do it all the time.

 

[anmut]

One of our ramps here local to me has a small beachy area also just to the side. When I launch my wave runner from there I like to pull up on the small beachy area to the side while I park my vehicle so that I don't take up a ramp unnecessarily. I always get my stuff ready for the boat in the "staging" lane to avoid holding up other boaters, but I still see people do it all the time.

That makes sense! But you're not unpacking coolers and lawn chairs for a "day at the ramp" either.