Clean out plug disaster

[14SX190]

It was bound to happen and wish it didn't

Drove to Marco island as it was a beautiful day.
Everything was great for the first 5minutes and then the WTF moment.

By the time I noticed engine compartment had water under EM and wash splashing water out from under seat.


Bilge did its job but not in time or incapable of pumping out gallons or water coming up clean out tube.

Got it home to change oil and plugs. Cycled a couple starts of hose and taking it back out tomorrow for test and see if theres and decrease in performance.

So a reminder to everyone to check clean out plug before launch to avoid to tow of shame.

 

[Sean R]

I forgot to put my clean out plugs in once, fortunately my wife noticed something was off when she picked me up at the dock. No harm done.

 

[Scottintexas]

did you have any type of lock or pin installed on them ??

how did the disaster occur, normally uninstalled plugs just cause loss of thrust ?

jetboaters;
Locks on your plugs - it's to easy and cheap insurance not to
2nd bilge - your stock bilge can't keep up
high water alarm - if you cooling line comes loose or other hose blows under power you'll be full before you know there's a problem
This can stop a bad day from becoming a diaster

 

[sunbyrned]

Sorry that happened! I hope you get it all out without any damage.

 

[BradGoins]

I was thinking about something this morning as a reminder for the cleanout plugs. Was looking at maybe getting a custom winch strap to attach to the cleanout area with wording "Clean Out Plugs" as a reminder before launching. Of course you would have to get in the habit of putting in back every time you pull it out of the water but if you do it when you pull the clean out plugs should work pretty well.

I see these straps for airplanes so I know there has to be something out there.

Not sure if someone on here has the ability to make some and sell them with the Jetboaters.net on one side and "Clean Out Plugs" on the other? @Julian

 

[Thats]

Make them part of your routine.

For me - I put my plugs in right after I put my plug in the bottom of the boat.

I also pull them out right after I get the boat out of the water.

Routines. Highly suggest them. Getting a checklist isn't a bad thing either, there is a reason that the aviation industry uses them everywhere.

 

[Beachbummer]

Hindsight is always 20/20

Bilge Alarm, More Pumping Power, the ones that will make a bad day better than a worse day. Anyone wondering how to make your boat better and safer, these are two good options.

NMMA (The association of boat builders) says the bilge pump is to catch a little left over water and does not save you from lots of water coming in.... Not with the default pumping power they suggest!!!

The alarm buys you more time to figure out the issue early, and more bilge pump power buys you even more time, and gives you a fighting chance to keep up with more water. Ultimately it's a boat with finite water capacity and an infinite water supply just below it. It's a fight for time to recover before the damage is too great.

Glad the impact looks minimal beyond the pain of the tow.

Great reminder on the clean outs!! Not sure on your clean out type, but EZ Locks are great to prevent blow outs, on the "push-in" plug type.

 

[Babin Farms]

how did the disaster occur, normally uninstalled plugs just cause loss of thrust ?

I'm with Scott here. How did water enter the hull?? Did it blow the cleanout tube completely off of the mounting surface?? Just a blown plug doesn't let water come in the boat.

 

[14SX190]

Checked compression and was all good with 180 across board.

did you have any type of lock or pin installed on them ??

how did the disaster occur, normally uninstalled plugs just cause loss of thrust ?

jetboaters;
Locks on your plugs - it's to easy and cheap insurance not to
2nd bilge - your stock bilge can't keep up
high water alarm - if you cooling line comes loose or other hose blows under power you'll be full before you know there's a problem
This can stop a bad day from becoming a diaster

No lock pin, just operator error. Thrust was fine until I added water weight.

On my to do list for sure.

I was thinking about something this morning as a reminder for the cleanout plugs. Was looking at maybe getting a custom winch strap to attach to the cleanout area with wording "Clean Out Plugs" as a reminder before launching. Of course you would have to get in the habit of putting in back every time you pull it out of the water but if you do it when you pull the clean out plugs should work pretty well.

I see these straps for airplanes so I know there has to be something out there.

Not sure if someone on here has the ability to make some and sell them with the Jetboaters.net on one side and "Clean Out Plugs" on the other? @Julian

Usually, I leave it out on swin platform but last outing I left in tube uninstalled after wash. Forgot about it and you know what happens if left out.....

Make them part of your routine.

For me - I put my plugs in right after I put my plug in the bottom of the boat.

I also pull them out right after I get the boat out of the water.

Routines. Highly suggest them. Getting a checklist isn't a bad thing either, there is a reason that the aviation industry uses them everywhere.

Can never deviate or it will bite you when you forget. See above. I usually leave it on swim platform. Not this time

Hindsight is always 20/20

Bilge Alarm, More Pumping Power, the ones that will make a bad day better than a worse day. Anyone wondering how to make your boat better and safer, these are two good options.

NMMA (The association of boat builders) says the bilge pump is to catch a little left over water and does not save you from lots of water coming in.... Not with the default pumping power they suggest!!!

The alarm buys you more time to figure out the issue early, and more bilge pump power buys you even more time, and gives you a fighting chance to keep up with more water. Ultimately it's a boat with finite water capacity and an infinite water supply just below it. It's a fight for time to recover before the damage is too great.

Glad the impact looks minimal beyond the pain of the tow.

Great reminder on the clean outs!! Not sure on your clean out type, but EZ Locks are great to prevent blow outs, on the "push-in" plug type.

on list to do.

I'm with Scott here. How did water enter the hull?? Did it blow the cleanout tube completely off of the mounting surface?? Just a blown plug doesn't let water come in the boat.

I'm blaming clean out plug as there was no other source of water coming in once bilge pumped out and I re started engine.
The water wasn't hot so it wasn't a hose from exhaust as I first thought or any other cooling lines I saw leaking once compartment was dry.

 

[Babin Farms]

I'm blaming clean out plug as there was no other source of water coming in once bilge pumped out and I re started engine.
The water wasn't hot so it wasn't a hose from exhaust as I first thought or any other cooling lines I saw leaking once compartment was dry.

I would pull the plug while on the water & look in the bilge for leakage because that should not happen. Something is either not tight, your tube came loose or possibly it popped the access hatch to the bilge under the cleanout hatch allowing water in to the bilge. The last thing you want to do is have to pull a plug to remove something from the impeller and have water come into the boat.

 

[14SX190]

I would pull the plug while on the water & look in the bilge for leakage because that should not happen. Something is either not tight, your tube came loose or possibly it popped the access hatch to the bilge under the cleanout hatch allowing water in to the bilge. The last thing you want to do is have to pull a plug to remove something from the impeller and have water come into the boat.

I didn't have plug locked in place and was running a few minutes until it bogged with weight.
Once bilge did its job with engine off. There was no more water intrusion.

When problem first acted up I stopped and checked clean out and saw it wasn't locked in place and no weeds.
I thought it was something with pump. Never checked in engine compartment as I was heading back to ramp when we noticed water splash pouring from under hatch edge.

Alarm would of saved day early and why it's is so recommended.


Absolutely.

 

[Scottintexas]

I'm still confused by the problem,

normally if a cleanout plug blows and causes a problem either
1. it has lodged sideways and disconnected the rubber cleanout tube from the fitting causing water to be pumped into the bilge, the few times we've seen this the plug stays stuck sideways
2. it blows through the hatch or breaks the hatch tray allowing water to leak down into the bilge

the fact that you were able to reinstall the plug doesn't seem to make sense to me,
maybe the pressure made it go sideways and pushed the bottom hose connection off it's base to allow water in, when you stopped the engine it returned to normal ?? but this would still mean you don't have the sealant intake on the tube anymore,

I'd pull at least the manhole covers to get a good look and maybe even my next trip plan some extra time at the dock to inspect it with the motors running to verify you don't have anything else going on,

glad to hear the motors are running, run them long and hard for awhile to burn off any remaining moisture in the block,

and thanks for sharing your experience, it helps us all to hear these and figure out in that moment of decision, there's a problem, do I run to shore to beach it or turn the engine off and figure it out,



.


.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Class of 2021 I built the EZ locks for this reason after people from the old site asked me to come up with a simple and reliable solution to the push button clean out plugs doing this or blasting open the rear hatch when under way You have no way of knowing if your push button clean out plug is going to stay in place or come sideways and fill the engine compartment or blow out totally. Here are a couple videos for understanding the EZlocks

and

the others have come and gone but EZ locks are still available and very inexpensive insurance against this happening to you they even let you know that they prevented a blow out.

 

[Crob83]

I'm still confused by the problem,

normally if a cleanout plug blows and causes a problem either
1. it has lodged sideways and disconnected the rubber cleanout tube from the fitting causing water to be pumped into the bilge, the few times we've seen this the plug stays stuck sideways
2. it blows through the hatch or breaks the hatch tray allowing water to leak down into the bilge

the fact that you were able to reinstall the plug doesn't seem to make sense to me,
maybe the pressure made it go sideways and pushed the bottom hose connection off it's base to allow water in, when you stopped the engine it returned to normal ?? but this would still mean you don't have the sealant intake on the tube anymore,

I'd pull at least the manhole covers to get a good look and maybe even my next trip plan some extra time at the dock to inspect it with the motors running to verify you don't have anything else going on,

glad to hear the motors are running, run them long and hard for awhile to burn off any remaining moisture in the block,

and thanks for sharing your experience, it helps us all to hear these and figure out in that moment of decision, there's a problem, do I run to shore to beach it or turn the engine off and figure it out,



.


.

Pretty sure he said he never installed the plug at all, that was the problem. He forgot

 

[Sean R]

Something does seem off. When I forgot to put mine in (Cleanout plugs) and launched the boat and wife, she new something was wrong immediately. She no waked to the dock, giving me the WTF look. Because I am a Jet Boat Junkie now I knew I forgot the plugs, put them in and off we went. Know going back 5 years in my old Jet Boat new member days, I could have got on the boat told my wife, give me the drivers seat ( I would say helm now)went to the big water mash the throttle and probably ripped the hatch off. But I still don't see how water could have gotten into the engine compartment, wouldn't you have two old faithfuls blasting water up the cleanout tubes? How did it get in the eng compartment.

 

[14SX190]

Something does seem off. When I forgot to put mine in (Cleanout plugs) and launched the boat and wife, she new something was wrong immediately. She no waked to the dock, giving me the WTF look. Because I am a Jet Boat Junkie now I knew I forgot the plugs, put them in and off we went. Know going back 5 years in my old Jet Boat new member days, I could have got on the boat told my wife, give me the drivers seat ( I would say helm now)went to the big water mash the throttle and probably ripped the hatch off. But I still don't see how water could have gotten into the engine compartment, wouldn't you have two old faithfuls blasting water up the cleanout tubes? How did it get in the eng compartment.

The cover under lid is not sealed or secured well(never a problem before) and water filled rear compartment into ski locker and into engine compartment I guess...
Going to reseal and fasten cover jik too.

Will update tomorrow

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

What happened has been going on for many years there are 2 common issues, the violent one and before they put the cable on the plug it would blow open the hatch and launch the plug up in the air usually landing in the water forever gone, or in the boat and endangering it's occupants. The other was the plug going sideway in the tube filling the engine compartment with water, I made those videos before this web site even existed. And I mentioned both types of failures.

 

[Beachbummer]

I have experienced partial failure followed by total failure of the plug very early in my ownership. The volume of water is tremendous. I imagine it seeps through every possible point while under pressure. If the plug is totally not in, the boat doesn't move, so that could not have been the start of it. Probably the plug was partially engaged and created a tsunami of invading water. I wasn't there, but I've been there, so that's my made up theory knowing the very little that I know about this situation.

 

[Julian]

If the boat flooded fast, then clean out plug blow out is the #1 reason. What happens is the plug is either:

1. forced from the seated position and launches all the way up the tube breaking the hatch and killing the engines in the process (killing them because the hatch cut-off switch is triggered)
2. forced from the seated position and wedges in the tube sideways, which then forces the tube (which is just rubber exhaust hose) off the bottom connection point to the pump and you have a 6-8 inch hole in the bottom of your boat.....and typically the boat is moving forwards when this happens, so there is pressure in the intake channel which is further pushing water into that big hole.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

the problem with the plug sitting sideways in the tube is first the operator does not notice anything wrong then as water fills the hull the operator feels it but doers not immediately realize why the boat is handling strangely and then the either the operator gets curious and stops to investigate or the most common result is the engine gets full of water and stops.