Clean out port - my situation yesterday

[ezrider]

Good morning all.

Yesterday I went out with some friends on our 252S. Overall, it was a great day in Pittsburgh. We went through the Lock/Dam as well.

When we starting heading back to our slip I could feel some hesitation coming from the starboard side. I gave it a little more throttle after I got out of the no-wake zone we were in, which is pretty large as we were in downtown Pittsburgh. The entire area there is a no-wake zone.

As I increased the throttle the vibration became more pronounced. I was getting forward propulsion from the starboard side, even though I could tell there was something stuck in the impeller. I tried some of the tips I have learned from the threads on here but nothing was working.

I anchored down and through the clean out port I could feel a piece of a small branch stuck in the impeller. However, I think it was in there in such a way where it would still spin. For the life of me, I could not break it free as it was really lodged in there. It was too thick to break with my fingers.

I ended up heading back to the slip using mostly the port side motor. With 6 people and plenty of food and drinks it was definitely a struggle. After a while of slowly working our way back and trying to break free whatever was stuck in the starboard side motor along the way, finally I could feel the issue correct itself immediately. I guess the impeller eventually cut the twig/branch in half and spit it out.

Super relieved as I was going to pull it out of the slip over the next few days to get under the boat and have to remove it that way. I am concerned about any other damage but once the issue corrected itself everything ran completely smooth as it did before. No vibrations and the impeller seems perfect. Next I take it out of the slip I will definitely do a more thorough check.

Just wanted to share my story. Also, a picture of the point in downtown Pittsburgh.

Max

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Good morning all.

Yesterday I went out with some friends on our 252S. Overall, it was a great day in Pittsburgh. We went through the Lock/Dam as well.

When we starting heading back to our slip I could feel some hesitation coming from the starboard side. I gave it a little more throttle after I got out of the no-wake zone we were in, which is pretty large as we were in downtown Pittsburgh. The entire area there is a no-wake zone.

As I increased the throttle the vibration became more pronounced. I was getting forward propulsion from the starboard side, even though I could tell there was something stuck in the impeller. I tried some of the tips I have learned from the threads on here but nothing was working.

I anchored down and through the clean out port I could feel a piece of a small branch stuck in the impeller. However, I think it was in there in such a way where it would still spin. For the life of me, I could not break it free as it was really lodged in there. It was too thick to break with my fingers.

I ended up heading back to the slip using mostly the port side motor. With 6 people and plenty of food and drinks it was definitely a struggle. After a while of slowly working our way back and trying to break free whatever was stuck in the starboard side motor along the way, finally I could feel the issue correct itself immediately. I guess the impeller eventually cut the twig/branch in half and spit it out.

Super relieved as I was going to pull it out of the slip over the next few days to get under the boat and have to remove it that way. I am concerned about any other damage but once the issue corrected itself everything ran completely smooth as it did before. No vibrations and the impeller seems perfect. Next I take it out of the slip I will definitely do a more thorough check.

Just wanted to share my story. Also, a picture of the point in downtown Pittsburgh.

Max

Sounds like a great day on the water with family and friends! Glad the issue cleared itself! If you can swim under the boat with a mask and a light, that might be a quicker way to give the area an inspection before pulling it out. Being that it was a branch I’d be surprised if there is a permanent damage.

Thanks for the positive story!

 

[captras]

That is one of the best advantages of the Yamaha over other brands. I have had my 242 for 6 years now. Only had to access the clean outs 3 times. However, each of those I was a long way from my home dock. Would have been a long, slow haul to get back. The only other course of action would have been to dive under the boat and try to clear that way....which would have been nearly impossible. Instead, a 5 min or so delay to access the clean outs and remove the stick/debris/rope and then back on our way!

 

[tdonoughue]

Great story. Has happened to me similarly actually at least 1/2 the time I have something stuck in the impellers. I power through a little bit and it ultimately chops up whatever was there (usually a stick) and we go our way. No permanent damage from that so far (knock on driftwood).

Glad you had a good day on the water with a successful fix!

 

[Betik]

what you are describing happens rather often. Between the water and housing restiance the impeller cuts piece of wood And you are good to go. That being said there is likely to be damage on the impeller and housing, but the damage is so minimal that we will notice with the naked eye and you will not see a degradation in performance. what I have said so far is nothing new and the only reason I chime in is because I wanted to make the following comment. Please be very careful if you decide to go under the boat.
if you chose to do so, you must make water is super clear and you cannot without significant effort. You need to be certain there is no waves or wakes or any sort of rocking of the boat. And I would have avoid doing any of this without a scuba tank.

I am very familiar in how people deal with situations underwater and putting your self in mercy waters on a rocking boat with about 30 to 45 seconds worth of air supply is a bad. The boat can rock just the wrong time to get your hand temporarily stuck which will immediately put you on a panic mode and reduced those 45 seconds to 20 seconds before you start swallowing water.
if you want to inspect please put that boat on a trailer.

 

[ezrider]

Thank you for your comments. I plan on checking underneath next time I take it out of the water to see if there was any damage. Seems to be driving perfectly but as you said, there could be something minimal to the eye but I’ll check and revert back once I take it out of the water. Not sure when I will do this at this point but probably within the next couple weeks.

 

[ripler]

I boated on the Mon between lock 3 and 4 with my Yamaha for 10 years and had to use the clean out ports just about every weekend and it was mainly due to small pieces of wood. When they raise the river levels all kinds of things get picked up off the shore and carried down river. A lot of debris also gets let down river when boats lock through.
There's nothing boating on a river and having to reach into a cleanout port to find what's causing your cavitation, you never know what you will be pulling out.

 

[Yambers]

I think I had my first encounter with a piece of wood this weekend as well. Went to start the starboard engine and it briefly started, then died. Tried to start it again. It died. Tried a third time while giving it a little throttle. It started and I gave it a little "goose". It had a slight wobble, then smooth as silk again. I guess I was lucky. Ran fine when I shut it off, so had to pick something up while floating and starting. I couldn't see anything once I got it on the trailer and at home. But that is the first time I even thought about anything getting stuck in the 30 hours we have put on it this summer.