My first rope

[Michael Strutton]

Only 7 hours on my new boat and I sucked my first rope. This happened because my rope person was distracted on their phone and my tube spotter was upfront. I had been cautious about the rope but I also had that momentary lapse of neutral being safe (like my previous boat).

What made matters worse was I had used an old tow rope with some knots to make a 10-12' extension on my 60' tube robe - keeps the kids out of the wash. The knotted short rope with the connecting knot and the beginning of new rope got sucked.

I don't know if I needed to, but I first cut the rope from below the boat through the grate. There was a knot jammed there and it look like it would help loosen things from below. It took at least 10 dives to get that first cut. My knife would barely reach through the grate so I was just scratching at the rope with the very tip of the knife. I then proceeded to saw/slice the tightly wound bundle along the shaft from the top clean out portal. That quickly removed the rest of the rope in 4-5 pieces.

Before cutting I realized I only had one knife on the boat. Fortunately it was a sharb lock blade. My first thought was what would happen if I dropped my only knife. So un-braided some tow rope and made a loop for my knife. Then I attached my floating bungee dock rope to the knife loop.l and use this as a leash.

So I'm really glad I got this experience under my belt. I will say I was little rattled at first but now that I've done this, I have more confidence.

I plan on buying a better knife (more than one) and reinforce the job of rope duty.

Is it common to go under the boat or was that unnecessary? Fortunately it was warm water and nice weather.

Any recommendations on the best type of knives or other tools to keep handy for jet port clean outs?

 

[Bennie]

I'm no expert on this (only sucked up one rope....so far) but personally we keep a 9 inch dive knife on board for rope incidents.

In the truck is a machete for a slightly longer reach.

 

[Bruce]

I believe that many carry a curved carpet knife. Something like this http://www.faucetdepot.com/mobile/ProductDetail.asp?Product=176737

You did a great job of getting the rope out quickly. My guess is that you will not run over many more.

 

[Ronnie]

Great job. It probably won't happens again to you but there is always a possibility, especially when someone else is driving while you are being towed (what a helpless feeling). Diving in to clear or cut an obstruction is not common, at least not for me, on a Yamaha jet boat with cleanout ports but I think it depends on the situation, it sounds like you made the best call you could in your's.

 

[Julian]

Sorry you sucked up a rope....that stinks....but I'll bet you'll be watching for it much more next time! I'm super anal about ropes and it is the first thing (almost) I tell people about when I begin rope based water sports.

I do not think there is any need to dive under the boat to cut the rope, and I wouldn't recommend doing that as it is dangerous. The rope from the grate to the end of the hull is all loose, so once you've cleared the clog in the intake, it will either float free or you can pull it through the clean out. No harm done...but don't bother next time.

 

[tdonoughue]

I can unfortunately claim the experience of 4-5 rope sucks. I have not yet had to cut one, nor ever had to dive under the boat. That said, I can envision why you would need to cut or dive given circumstances, but I would not call it common.

When you suck the rope, first secure your boat. Drop an anchor if you can (it is not fun getting most of the way through unwinding rope only to look up and discover that you have drifted too close to those rocks...). Disconnect both ends (from the tube and from the boat). Feeling in the cleanout port, one of those ends will feel like it is more of a good bet. Either it is looser, or on top (while the other end goes down to the shaft with 938248 wraps around it). So I start with that one, pull the rope in the cleanout port up through the grate. Then I work at unwrapping that from the shaft, pulling each loop up through the cleanout port. Takes forever. If you reach a point where you can't budge the one side, recheck the other end. You may have unwrapped something that makes that one good for a turn or two, so pull that one through the grate and continue unwrapping.

It seems like hours when everyone on the boat is looking at you and waiting, but really most times I am sure it is 15-20 minutes and we are once again good to go.

 

[swatski]

In the truck is a machete for a slightly longer reach.

I'm surprised you did not suggest using an AK47 already sitting in the swim platform storage compartment, LOL.

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[Bennie]

I'm surprised you did not suggest using an AK47 already sitting in the swim platform storage compartment, LOL.

WHAT?!? ... NO!!! That's wet storage... we keep it at the helm

 

[Bennie]

That's what happens when you grow up in inner city St Louis (Acomac off of Jefferson) then move to East St. Louis.
great neighborhoods to raise your kids in!

 

[swatski]

That's what happens when you grow up in inner city St Louis (Acomac off of Jefferson) then move to East St. Louis.
great neighborhoods to raise your kids in!

Wow!
I don't always go to East St. Louis. But when I do, it is someone's bachelors party and I am shitfaced... .

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