New boat dosen't go forward or reverse....not to worry

[CraigAR]

I took out the boat today and after getting it off the trailer and trying to reverse it, it did not sound right and had no power. I then put it in forward to try to get back to the dock and no go. This is where you dont want to panic but I will tell you I was nervous that there was a major issue. Once tied back at the dock the first thing I did was lift the engine hatch while the motors were still on to see if something came loose. Everything checked out fine. The next step, I went back to the clean out ports. Sure enough, they were not locked in. I've owned my boat for 2 years and never had this happen. I guess after washing it the previous week I did not twist them back in. Closed up the hatch, went up and gave it some throttle while still tied up and boom. We have power. Soooooo, if you have no power going forward or reverse, check on the simplest things first. I'll just leave it at that for any new people reading through the forums or even experienced boaters. Boat on people.....Its a yamaha!

 

[Mainah]

I have benn there. Once but only once. I have forgotten the plug too in haste and hanging over to put that in is quite the sight for anyone watching.

 

[swatski]

Yep.

For anyone reading this, the only thing worse than forgetting to lock the cleanout plugs is to lock them half way/incompletely!

That is a disaster waiting to happen, if they get crooked and don't close up water can bypass and rush into the bilge. So, while the boat is on plane, it can be difficult to tell there is water entering the bilge - until it's too late!
If water gets high enough inside the engine bay to reach air intakes... bad things can happen.

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[DavisAR195]

I took my boat out today to test out some mods over the winter and went through the same thing. After putting the boat in the water and barley moving. I put back in the trailer and started going through everything I touched over the winter. Then started thinking shit how much is this going to cost me. I figured well I’m not going to figure this out now. So head back to put the tie downs on and realized I didn’t set the clean out plug. I first said you Fing idiot to myself and then thank god.

 

[Sbrown]

Yep.

For anyone reading this, the only thing worse than forgetting to lock the cleanout plugs is to lock them half way/incompletely!

That is a disaster waiting to happen, if they get crooked and don't close up water can bypass and rush into the bilge. So, while the boat is on plane, it can be difficult to tell there is water entering the bilge - until it's too late!
If water gets high enough inside the engine bay to reach air intakes... bad things can happen.

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I don't know how your boat is set up that this can happen to you, but on my '17 AR240 there is no way that I know of that water bypassing the plugs can end up in the bilge. Am I missing something?

 

[Beachbummer]

Great pressure ans volume builds and overcomes the seam on that plastic cover, and the water makes it to the bilge. Makes for a FUN day if the same day you figure out the bilge pump is not working (breaker was dead) and you have water up to your ski locker...Turns out you can use an IKEA bag to ferry the water out of the boat! ... so I've heard...

 

[swatski]

I don't know how your boat is set up that this can happen to you, but on my '17 AR240 there is no way that I know of that water bypassing the plugs can end up in the bilge. Am I missing something?

The weak link is the SS clamp tying the rubber cleanout tube to a plastic collar on the bottom side of the cleanout hatch tray. But, the tray itself is not well sealed either. Water will find its way if blowing through a half-settled plug and slowly swamp the bilge/engine bay.
There have been several instances of that, crazy thing is when running fast on plane it may not be obvious that bilge is filling up with water, until it's too late.

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[Matt Phillips]

When my boat is on the trailer, I use a large carabiner and clamp a red "remove before flight" flag that's about 24" long to the grab handle. That way, the first thing I see is that flag, and I keep it in my hand/stringing out of my pocket until I've: 1) put in the bilge drain plug; then 2) hop. up on the boat and put in the clean out ports, then 3) put in all plugs in the bilge and open the ballast bag pumps.

When I leave the boat in the slip at the lake, the flag is clipped to the steering wheel.

This little routine has managed to save me from myself for several years.