Hi guys, I am a newbie

[julie the great]

I have the dumbest questions for you so please don't laugh. I bought my Seadoo Challenger from a woman who was selling it because she got divorced and was selling everything. I asked her these questions but she didn't know how to answer me. Ok, what is the thing in the back of the boat where the jet is, this thing is right in the middle and I can move it up and down with my hands. Behind this thing is I guess the jet itself? It is kind of rounded shaped and as I say it can be moved up and down and behind it is a hole where i suppose the water is sucked up. That is the first question, and the other question is what makes the boat steer? I know on the outboards it's obvious that the engine turns with the steering wheel but what turns on this jet boat? I really wanted a boat and I heard great thing about these type of boats so that's why I bought it even though I am clueless.
Thanks you guys for any help you can give me.
Julie

2001 Seadoo Challenger 18 ft. 210 HP mercury

 

[timmyboy76]

hold on, let me pick myself up from laugh'n....j/k Jules....ummm, the black thing on back of boat is the pump assy/housing, water is sucked up from underneath and shot out that, which inadvertedly, moves you forward. the gate(thing you moved up/down) is a reverse gate, which when down, will allow you to go backwards, also comes in handy when docking, and then for steering, theres a cable running from the steering wheel,(steering box), that goes to the nozzle(end of pump assy), which directs the water, thus turns your new boat....did it help any?

 

[unclejay]

Put Them In A Cockpit

Dont feel bad about being a newbie - take all the 'experts' around here and put them in a 757 cockpit and they'd be newbies too... short-lived ones.

A little more information about your boat.

Since it pumps water out the back in order to move, it behaves a little differently than regular boats. The first time you put it in the water, Id do it when there aren't a lot of other boats around, so you can practice docking and maneuvering without risking a bump.

You will find that, even when the Forward-Neutral-Reverse lever is in Neutral, the boat still creeps forward a little. This is a good thing, the best way to creep around a dock if to leave the engine at idle and just shift in and out of the 'gears' repeatedly to nudge it along slowly.

There are no real 'gears', the engine pumps water all the time and the gear shift just blocks some of it or reverses the water flow.

You want to be careful not to beach the boat in shallow water. The wake from a passing boat will bank the rear of your boat up and down, damaging the jet pump badly. You will also suck up junk when you start the engine to leave.

Avoid weeds and floating sticks, they can get sucked into the jet pump. When this happens, do the following:

- If you hear a beep noise like a buzzer, shut down and get towed back, or you will ruin your engine.
- If there is no beep and the engine is still running, try backing in circles, alternating shots of power to clear the weeds
- Dont try to swim under the boat to clear weeds you could get your hand stuck in the grate and drown. Get a tow put it in the trailer, and go underneath with long pliers or a stick with a knife duct-taped to it. Back in the water in 15 minutes.

Happy boating !
- Carry some tools and spark plugs at all times. a small Sears tool kit will do.

 

[unclejay]

Put Them In A Cockpit

Or you can get cheaper tools at Harbor Freight Tools on the web

 

[kustomkarl]

Welcome to the seadoo forum Julie. From the post responded you see we have a great forum here, full of active friendly members eager to help out and answer any questions you might have. You might think about becoming a "Premium Member" so you can have access to an operator manual to help give you a little more information about your new seadoo jet boat too. If you need any parts or items for it we also have a "parts" link ( http://www.seadoowarehouse.com/ )available too, to order from if needed.

If there is anything else you need just ask away...we are more than happy to oblige.

Karl

 

[julie the great]

thanks very much

hold on, let me pick myself up from laugh'n....j/k Jules....ummm, the black thing on back of boat is the pump assy/housing, water is sucked up from underneath and shot out that, which inadvertedly, moves you forward. the gate(thing you moved up/down) is a reverse gate, which when down, will allow you to go backwards, also comes in handy when docking, and then for steering, theres a cable running from the steering wheel,(steering box), that goes to the nozzle(end of pump assy), which directs the water, thus turns your new boat....did it help any?

timmyboy, so that is the reverse forward gate then? I don't rememberwhic position it was in when I moved it up and down. Will it go back to the correct position when I put it in the water? Anotherwords by me moving it around it didn't hurt the cable since I manually moved it instead of using the reverse handle in the boat.
thanks again,
jules

 

[julie the great]

thanks unclejay

Dont feel bad about being a newbie - take all the 'experts' around here and put them in a 757 cockpit and they'd be newbies too... short-lived ones.

A little more information about your boat.

Since it pumps water out the back in order to move, it behaves a little differently than regular boats. The first time you put it in the water, Id do it when there aren't a lot of other boats around, so you can practice docking and maneuvering without risking a bump.

You will find that, even when the Forward-Neutral-Reverse lever is in Neutral, the boat still creeps forward a little. This is a good thing, the best way to creep around a dock if to leave the engine at idle and just shift in and out of the 'gears' repeatedly to nudge it along slowly.

There are no real 'gears', the engine pumps water all the time and the gear shift just blocks some of it or reverses the water flow.

You want to be careful not to beach the boat in shallow water. The wake from a passing boat will bank the rear of your boat up and down, damaging the jet pump badly. You will also suck up junk when you start the engine to leave.

Avoid weeds and floating sticks, they can get sucked into the jet pump. When this happens, do the following:

- If you hear a beep noise like a buzzer, shut down and get towed back, or you will ruin your engine.
- If there is no beep and the engine is still running, try backing in circles, alternating shots of power to clear the weeds
- Dont try to swim under the boat to clear weeds you could get your hand stuck in the grate and drown. Get a tow put it in the trailer, and go underneath with long pliers or a stick with a knife duct-taped to it. Back in the water in 15 minutes.

Happy boating !
- Carry some tools and spark plugs at all times. a small Sears tool kit will do.

those are some really good pieces of advice. I will remember that about the boat moving somewhat by itself and will adjust the movement by switching the throttle in and out of gear.
thanks
julie

 

[julie the great]

thanks karl

Welcome to the seadoo forum Julie. From the post responded you see we have a great forum here, full of active friendly members eager to help out and answer any questions you might have. You might think about becoming a "Premium Member" so you can have access to an operator manual to help give you a little more information about your new seadoo jet boat too. If you need any parts or items for it we also have a "parts" link ( http://www.seadoowarehouse.com/ )available too, to order from if needed.

If there is anything else you need just ask away...we are more than happy to oblige.

Karl

I do have the manual but it was stored under a seat and I just found it.
thanks
Julie

 

[kustomkarl]

The Gate should Click into drive, so it won't jump out of forward or reverse.
The owners manual will have tons of good info, that's not a bad read either. If you have any more questions give us a shout.

Karl

 

[Nate Surveyor]

Hey, Julie, you are the opposite creature to me...

I am quite mechanically inclined, but have no speedster!

You are not too mechanically inclined, but have a nice ride.

So, stick around, and learn a bit. It is easy to ruin a nice boat, like that, with just a little ignorance. Believe me, we all have it, just in different places!

On this forum, I find some of the nicest, and most willing to help on earth. So, don't hesitate to ask.

Welcome to the forum!

Nate

 

[julie the great]

you guys are all just wonderful!

Hey, Julie, you are the opposite creature to me...

I am quite mechanically inclined, but have no speedster!

You are not too mechanically inclined, but have a nice ride.

So, stick around, and learn a bit. It is easy to ruin a nice boat, like that, with just a little ignorance. Believe me, we all have it, just in different places!

On this forum, I find some of the nicest, and most willing to help on earth. So, don't hesitate to ask.

Welcome to the forum!

Nate

thank you! thank you!:cheers:

 

[xrider]

if you have driven your regular prop style boats this jet boat will behave a bit different. its easy to use once you learn it. first time I jumped in my challanger and tried to back it in I was all over the place.
steering is very sensitive to changes. reverse is completly opposite from prop style boat.
also u cant shift to any "gear" if you have any throttle. You need to throttle it all the way down in order to change. thats why when docking just use forward-neutral-reverse to direct the boat where you want it.

like someone said go out one day when there is noone out there and practice.

ohh and at slow speeds boat will wonder around, so just use slow steering corrections and you will be fine.

 

[julie the great]

thanks xrider

I can't wait to try it out this weekend.
I will let you all know how good or bad I do, haha!
Julie

 

[Nate Surveyor]

Now if you posted some pics from down under, we'd all appreciate it!

A few things you should know, is that rig is running a MERCURY motor, so regular outboard oil is fine. Just don't mix synthetic, and non synthetic.

And, don't forget to put the plugs in, when you back it down into the water!

I have not done it yet, but I have seen it done!

Nate

 

[Nate Surveyor]

I know you are excited to get your self in the water, but a few comments may make you enjoy it more.

DON'T give it wot in shallow water. Start it in 3 ft of water is ok, but idle it out, to 5+ feet before you hit it.

It will suck up trash, and the complexity of the machine all goes up when you do that.

I say this, because I almost learned this the hard way. I Idled over a gravel bar, ( a foot deep) and HEARD all the rocks sucking up. I killed it immediately. It was small gravel, and I think most of it fell out. But it has been the demise of several, who had new (to them) machines. They had to get new impellers/ wear rings.

I am sure other could chime in. But read the manual, even if it is boring.

Nate