Vortex 223 Twin Rotax How To Run On One Engine

[BillTrib]

Last weekend on the maiden voyage of our new 2019 Vortex 223 we got a plastic bottle cap stuck in the impeller going from the launch through the no-wake zone to the Delaware. Had to go back, pull the boat out of the water, knock the bottle cap out with a big screwdriver then launch again. Next half hour was pure joy zooming down the Delaware Ship Canal, but alas 13 miles downrange in a no-wake zone in front of a restaurant the starboard engine picked up what turned out to be a piece of a stick, so there we were with a brand new boat that could only go 5 - 6MPH before starting to vibrate and make a terrible racket.

Part of the sales pitch was that you can get home on one engine. So, I closed the red handle/white valve near the back of the engine compartment on the starboard engine, started the port engine and set out. 2/3rds throttle, lots of smooth sounding noise and only 7MPH. So, I ended up going back to twin engines and it took 2.5 hours to get home.

This seems to be nuts: why couldn't I have used the good engine to at least get up to 15MPH or so on a plane to get home? The Medallion system does have an engine setup screen with Single and Twin, on the water stuck a long way out I wasn't in the mood to experiment. If anyone can tell me how to run this boat on one engine in an emergency I would really appreciate it.

 

[spatty99]

Part will depend on which engines you have, as getting up on just one requires a lot of power... Guessing you need at least 215hp per engine for 22', possibly more.

 

[BillTrib]

Part will depend on which engines you have, as getting up on just one requires a lot of power... Guessing you need at least 215hp per engine for 22', possibly more.

I have twin 200s. It seemed like when I went from idle to 4000 RPM except for the noise nothing much happened like the computer was limiting the speed.

 

[Ancient canoe]

Is the red handle/white valve you are describing the water intake for the down engine? They may limit speed in single engine mode to avoid ingesting water in the down engine even though there is a shutoff valve. Forgetting that valve and running at higher speeds would be a costly mistake.

Upon research I don't think that's it since BRP motors don't have a raw water cooling system.

 

[BillTrib]

Thanks for checking. I am trying to get my dealer to get an answer from Chaparral, so far nothing. I will be making some calls this afternoon.

 

[Gym]

I have no experrience with your make/modle but in general you want to leave your dead engine throttle in the forward position. This lifts the bucket out of the water flow allowing water to flow cleanly through the pump and reducing drag. Was your throttle limited to just 4k?

 

[BillTrib]

This boat has fully computer controlled throttle and a single wide gate covering both outlet nozzles. I wasn't limited to 4K but when I went from 3K to 4K and only saw a 2mph speed change it seemed like something was wrong. I just got off the phone with a dealer in Florida who said that the boat was most likely in guardian mode which limits forward speed if one engine is off. Bummer!

 

[Dean P]

This boat has fully computer controlled throttle and a single wide gate covering both outlet nozzles. I wasn't limited to 4K but when I went from 3K to 4K and only saw a 2mph speed change it seemed like something was wrong. I just got off the phone with a dealer in Florida who said that the boat was most likely in guardian mode which limits forward speed if one engine is off. Bummer!

Sorry to hear about your mishap. That sucks on your first time out. But, welcome to the forum!

How do you like your new boat? Is this your first jet boat? Any pictures? Are you in Florida?

 

[OrangeTJ]

It's hard for me to imagine how the system could limit speed without also limiting rpm or dropping the gate to impede thrust. It's not like the pitch of the impeller can be adjusted and it's not like there's some kind of computer controlled linkage between the engine and the impeller. If you were limited to 4K rpm and only running on one engine, then yeah - I get it. But if you had access to the full range of rpm, something sounds amiss. I would expect top speed to be low running on one engine, but even my SX210 with twin 110 engines could get up to 15 mph on one engine.

 

[swatski]

The BRP exhaust is still cooled with raw water so the speed needs to be limited to avoid water backing up in the exhaust at speed - into the engine that's off. Same as with the Yammies, where you can manually push the dead engine throttle forward and clamp the cooling intake hose to that engine - in non-E models.

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[Dean P]

The BRP exhaust is still cooled with raw water so the speed needs to be limited to avoid water backing up in the exhaust at speed - into the engine that's off. Same as with the Yammies, where you can manually push the dead engine throttle forward and clamp the cooling intake hose to that engine - in non-E models.

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Our boats only have 1 throttle. Engine are synced together. You should close the valve when boat is being towed (just like yous).

 

[BillTrib]

Sorry to hear about your mishap. That sucks on your first time out. But, welcome to the forum!

How do you like your new boat? Is this your first jet boat? Any pictures? Are you in Florida?

When it runs I like it. Going out on a clean lake this Friday. More after that!

 

[BillTrib]

It's hard for me to imagine how the system could limit speed without also limiting rpm or dropping the gate to impede thrust. It's not like the pitch of the impeller can be adjusted and it's not like there's some kind of computer controlled linkage between the engine and the impeller. If you were limited to 4K rpm and only running on one engine, then yeah - I get it. But if you had access to the full range of rpm, something sounds amiss. I would expect top speed to be low running on one engine, but even my SX210 with twin 110 engines could get up to 15 mph on one engine.

I think it may be easing the gate down. This explanation makes sense, thanks for your answer.

 

[spatty99]

There might not be enough power, even with the lone engine running 100%. I've been able to get a 430hp Speedster (light 19 footer) on plane on one engine, but it just barely made it. More weight and less power won't help.

 

[swatski]

Part will depend on which engines you have, as getting up on just one requires a lot of power... Guessing you need at least 215hp per engine for 22', possibly more.

You are close! 180hp seems enough, in a Yamaha, but we are talking well tuned pumps which is the key. I can run over 30mph on one engine. With or without trim tabs I'll plane easily. The tunnel/pumps need to be well ported/sealed though.

Here - the PORT engine is at WOT, STRBD just idles (to prevent water ingestion), from a dead stop one engine (port here) throttled up only:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/lucky-13-l13-anti-cavitation-cone-install-2016-ar240.12099/

 

[BillTrib]

Thanks for posting this. Unfortunately I can't control the throttles independently. Last Saturday being able to do this would have really helped.

 

[BillTrib]

Resolution: Don't boat in places like the Chesapeake with lots of debris like sticks and bottle caps in the water...

As far as running on one engine, I was just being skittish. The procedure is to shut down the bad engine, close the valve in the back, start the good one and open it up more. At 5600 RPM I can put the boat on a plane at 12-14mph, just under the 15MPH max towing speed recommended by Rotax.

It sure would have helped to have this spelled out in the owner's manual. Would have saved me 1.5 hours of putting back to the boat ramp...

On Wallenpaupack last week I opened the boat up and was greeted by the same horrible vibration. Looking in the intake and exhaust they were clean as a whistle. Then I started feeling along the ribs supporting the exit cone in the back of the boat and found a one inch long piece of stick from the first trip to the Chesapeake that was wedged between two vanes. Pulled it out, problem solved. Boat runs great, pulls skiers and wakeboarders effortlessly. Hit 55MPH on a speed test run. Fuel consumption appears to be about 1/3 more than my old 18 foot SeaRay bowrider with MR170 engine and alpha stern drive, very reasonable indeed.