Dealing with Seaweed in Tampa Area

[Johanv09]

We have had our AR220 for 2 seasons. The seaweed around Tampa Bay is a nightmare specially around the bridges. Has anyone found any possible solution to avoid clogging the intake? Every time I pass under a bridge, I need to do the reserve maneuver to get rid of the seaweeds. It is a nightmare

 

[Babin Farms]

The best thing I can tell you is to avoid it.


@svana are you having the same issues?

 

[Madman]

Move to WI. We haven’t had any weed problems for at least the last 6 months.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Where?

We have never had an issue in the ICW in Pinellas and the times I’ve been in the bay and the Hillsborough river it’s non issue

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Well I am glad I came up with the reverse maneuver 23 years ago.
I also invented weed resistant intake grates but I keep them totally secret. The weeds are horrid in Tampa bay it is why I originally came up with the reverse move and later decided to make special intake grates. But remember if you did not have the reverse move you would be pulling the clean out plugs a lot. Just wait for the red tide to fill the water with dead fish again

 

[svana]

The best thing I can tell you is to avoid it.


@svana are you having the same issues?

Not too bad but the only bridge we usually pass is the Skyway so there's alot of water flow underneath to not have much of it just sit there. I will say that we've had some days/seasons where it's prevalent in open water but I usually do my best to bob and weave around it. Thankfully I haven't had any major suck-ups around here yet (knock on wood).

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Not too bad but the only bridge we usually pass is the Skyway so there's alot of water flow underneath to not have much of it just sit there. I will say that we've had some days/seasons where it's prevalent in open water but I usually do my best to bob and weave around it. Thankfully I haven't had any major suck-ups around here yet (knock on wood).

One thing to remember when in the channels the weeds usually collect on the outer sides of those passages due to boats wakes seperating them so watch this and avoid the edges where they collect.
I run in the flats in very shallow water with nothing but weeds and this is difficult.
Also remember when reversing in shallow water to go very easy on the throttle as that thrust shoots down and stirs up a lot of stuff that then gets sucked into the intake grate.

 

[gRobi]

Not ideling arround is helping a lot. Never had problems at full throttle

 

[Johanv09]

Where?

We have never had an issue in the ICW in Pinellas and the times I’ve been in the bay and the Hillsborough river it’s non issue

My main headache is passing under the Dunedin Causeway bridge. We have not had issues in the bay or the Hillsborough river.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

My main headache is passing under the Dunedin Causeway bridge. We have not had issues in the bay or the Hillsborough river.

Weird, I’ve run thru there many times and never have had an issue with seaweed. Hundreds of boats pass under that bridge on a weekend day. Doubtful since it’s so shallow there but are you going outside channels?