First time out and might have bad big problem

[jwells]

Saturday was our first time in the new boat. I was come tell satisfied and love the boat performance was great ride was great. Wanted to go for a little evening cruise before we went home for the week and about five minutes in something in the left engine went wrong. It rattled the whole boat and sounded horrible. I figured I sucked something up and I would pop open the hatch pull the plug and be on our way. There was nothing in either side. I idled back to the ramp and pulled it out but I couldn't find anything clogging anything up. I took it straight to yamaha and dropped it off. I'm really conserved because of how loud and the way it vibrated everything on the boat. The water was clean and I didn't run through anything at least not on the surface of the water. Has anyone else ever had this happen

 

[Scottintexas]

yes, many of us, many times, mine was a piece of silicone around the jet pump came loose, I thought the engine was going to shake apart,

it could be something as small as a tooth pick or fishing line that gets caught in the impeller. The cleanout ports are great if you suck up a ski rope or get a bunch of weeds but small stuff sometimes you have to take the boat out and find it.

At this point I wouldn't worry about it and would think it will be something easy, Let us know what the dealer says,

 

[jwells]

Wow I didn't realize that it was going to be so sensitive. I will definitely let you know what they find

 

[Julian]

I always try the reverse clean out trick when something like this happens....

https://jetboaters.net/threads/easy...ut-of-your-jet-pump-without-pulling-plugs.16/

There isn't much that can go wrong with these boats...but stuff in the pump is often the simple problem...hope this is the case here....

 

[jwells]

I really hope that's all it is. I was also moving about 20 mph when it happened it just seems like the little things would get shot right through. I never realized something as small as fishing line could cause the noise and vibrations we had. It felt pretty serious so I hope you are correct and I will definitely pay more a attention to what's in the water

 

[jwells]

The reverse trick is definitely something I will have to remember but that reminds me of one other thing. I was shocked at the reverse being so week. I had to really get on the power to make anything happen in revers. Not a problem though I will get used to it. Thanks again for all the tips

 

[GiddYupJoe]

@jwells you would be surprised what these big vacuumes can suck up! Hope it's something smaller than a golf ball in your situation.

 

[OrangeTJ]

I'm willing to bet it is just something small enough that you couldn't find it thru the port. Something stuck between the blades of the impeller. It will make a massive vibration and racket. I generally get something in there once a year....which is about as often as my stern-drive friends ding their props. So far I've always been able to get the stuff out through the port. Not much you can do to "be on the lookout" as far as really small stuff goes.

 

[OrangeTJ]

Oh, yeah...reverse takes a lot of revs to make much progress. These boats are very different than prop drive. They are all a set of compromises...hopefully those that go with the jet drive will suit you well, as they have for us.

 

[Ronnie]

I agree with @OrangeTJ . It does not take much at all to cause cavitation and / or vibration. Something as small as a pencil eraser or a few inches of fishing line will do it. Anyone new to the experience may freak out but once you've been through it successfully you should be able to handle it a lot better. It only happens to me once a year. A few years ago we just got back to the boat after eating at a restaurant on the water! somehow a small twig, maybe a half inch long got in the intake and it floated to the front of the intake when I pulled the cleanout plug so it was hard to get. Anyway, the whole crew freaked out as we were miles from the dock but my son and I knew exactly what it was. I Pulled the clean out plug, fished around for the twig and we were on our way in less than 5 minutes.

Anyway, when, not if, it happens again. Make sure you do a thorough check of the intake on the pump giving you problems. Not just what you can see through the clean out port but get your hand closer to the front of the intake if you can. Slide yours fingers along the shaft (this is not meant to be a comment with sexual undertones) to feel for fishing line and if you have to get in the water to reach debris stuck /blocking the intake grate. The latter is how it is done on jet boats without cleanout plugs, I call it the old fashion way. Not eloquent but effective, the reverse trick doesn't help when the debris is vegetation that is over a a few feet long with part of it out side the intake and most of it stuck past the intake / before the impeller. I learned this the hard way.

My primary point being, don't take it to the dealer right away. Check here first especially if you are just staring. Your boating trip or going to the dealer is inconvenient. We probably could have saved you the trip and reduced the anxiety you experienced. Oh, and add a blade of some kind to cut though debris like vegetation or rope to your boating gear.

 

[MikeyL]

This is a really IMPORTANT EDUCATION thread and I wanted to say a big THANKS to all who have contributed.
I learned alot. VERY Nice ! Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA

 

[Glassman]

Yep, here's to hoping that it's just debris. Something similar happened to us once, heck probably several times in varying intensity.

The worst time it turned out to be a chunk of wood about the size of a thumb from the knuckle to tip. Tiny, but a hard piece of wood that lodged right on the edge of the blade in a place I couldn't quite reach the first time I investigated.

After several minutes reaching through the clean-outs I felt it and was able to dislodge it.

Interesting how we go from despair - thinking the day or the weekend could be shot, to finding the culprit and clearing it - revving the engines with no vibrations except for the kids cheering!

Good luck, hope for the best!

 

[rkluck]

Our lake is pretty clean but I did have a small piece of wood caught up between the impeller and the housing. The cavitation is a pain but doesn't happen that often. I have seen videos of people going through shallow weedy areas with no problem. I don't; take that chance.

 

[PaulyB]

I have been out several times this year on the Potomac River, and everytime I go out, I have had to clear my pumps doing the reverse trick at least once, sometimes two times on one trip out. I have had to open the cleanout ports one time to get something out that wouldnt come out doing the reverse trick. For what its worth the Potomac is awful right now, logs and debris are floating everywhere. I dont mind sucking things up, although it can be a bit embarrassing when I have friends with me and they dont know what is going on...

 

[jwells]

I agree with @OrangeTJ . It does not take much at all to cause cavitation and / or vibration. Something as small as a pencil eraser or a few inches of fishing line will do it. Anyone new to the experience may freak out but once you've been through it successfully you should be able to handle it a lot better. It only happens to me once a year. A few years ago we just got back to the boat after eating at a restaurant on the water! somehow a small twig, maybe a half inch long got in the intake and it floated to the front of the intake when I pulled the cleanout plug so it was hard to get. Anyway, the whole crew freaked out as we were miles from the dock but my son and I knew exactly what it was. I Pulled the clean out plug, fished around for the twig and we were on our way in less than 5 minutes.

Anyway, when, not if, it happens again. Make sure you do a thorough check of the intake on the pump giving you problems. Not just what you can see through the clean out port but get your hand closer to the front of the intake if you can. Slide yours fingers along the shaft (this is not meant to be a comment with sexual undertones) to feel for fishing line and if you have to get in the water to reach debris stuck /blocking the intake grate. The latter is how it is done on jet boats without cleanout plugs, I call it the old fashion way. Not eloquent but effective, the reverse trick doesn't help when the debris is vegetation that is over a a few feet long with part of it out side the intake and most of it stuck past the intake / before the impeller. I learned this the hard way.

My primary point being, don't take it to the dealer right away. Check here first especially if you are just staring. Your boating trip or going to the dealer is inconvenient. We probably could have saved you the trip and reduced the anxiety you experienced. Oh, and add a blade of some kind to cut though debris like vegetation or rope to your boating gear.

I have been out several times this year on the Potomac River, and everytime I go out, I have had to clear my pumps doing the reverse trick at least once, sometimes two times on one trip out. I have had to open the cleanout ports one time to get something out that wouldnt come out doing the reverse trick. For what its worth the Potomac is awful right now, logs and debris are floating everywhere. I dont mind sucking things up, although it can be a bit embarrassing when I have friends with me and they dont know what is going on...

I here ya there I had a friend with me and his date. He told her how awesome my news boat was it I was awesome for about five minutes. I really like the boat I just wasn't prepared

 

[jwells]

Yh

I agree with @OrangeTJ . It does not take much at all to cause cavitation and / or vibration. Something as small as a pencil eraser or a few inches of fishing line will do it. Anyone new to the experience may freak out but once you've been through it successfully you should be able to handle it a lot better. It only happens to me once a year. A few years ago we just got back to the boat after eating at a restaurant on the water! somehow a small twig, maybe a half inch long got in the intake and it floated to the front of the intake when I pulled the cleanout plug so it was hard to get. Anyway, the whole crew freaked out as we were miles from the dock but my son and I knew exactly what it was. I Pulled the clean out plug, fished around for the twig and we were on our way in less than 5 minutes.

Anyway, when, not if, it happens again. Make sure you do a thorough check of the intake on the pump giving you problems. Not just what you can see through the clean out port but get your hand closer to the front of the intake if you can. Slide yours fingers along the shaft (this is not meant to be a comment with sexual undertones) to feel for fishing line and if you have to get in the water to reach debris stuck /blocking the intake grate. The latter is how it is done on jet boats without cleanout plugs, I call it the old fashion way. Not eloquent but effective, the reverse trick doesn't help when the debris is vegetation that is over a a few feet long with part of it out side the intake and most of it stuck past the intake / before the impeller. I learned this the hard way.

My primary point being, don't take it to the dealer right away. Check here first especially if you are just staring. Your boating trip or going to the dealer is inconvenient. We probably could have saved you the trip and reduced the anxiety you experienced. Oh, and add a blade of some kind to cut though debris like vegetation or rope to your boating gear.[/QUOTEThanks for the tips I appreciate it

 

[jwells]

@jwells you would be surprised what these big vacuumes can suck up! Hope it's something smaller than a golf ball in your situation. View attachment 21327

Wow

@jwells you would be surprised what these big vacuumes can suck up! Hope it's something smaller than a golf ball in your situation. View attachment 21327

wow

 

[Julian]

@jwells Any word from the dealer yet?

 

[OrangeTJ]

I have been out several times this year on the Potomac River, and everytime I go out, I have had to clear my pumps doing the reverse trick at least once, sometimes two times on one trip out. I have had to open the cleanout ports one time to get something out that wouldnt come out doing the reverse trick. For what its worth the Potomac is awful right now, logs and debris are floating everywhere. I dont mind sucking things up, although it can be a bit embarrassing when I have friends with me and they dont know what is going on...

If I had to clear my pumps every time I went out, I'd be looking for a different kind of boat in all honesty. Fortunately for me, our boat has essentially no surface vegetation and very little in the way of floating debris.

 

[ToddW850]

I second what all the others have said. And I too speak from experience with the fishing line. Question. Did everything seem okay at idle? But the vibration was when you gave it throttle? I sucked a fishing line up last year and started vibrating extremely bad. I actually couldn't get it all out right away. I was limping back to the boat launch with one engine above idle and the other (with the fishing line) at idle. Fishing line freed itself. But I've sucked up large seaweed and I got cavitation, no real vibration.