How long can you leave moored in water

[soccerdad]

My two stroke skis will slowly take on water through the carbon ring if left floating over a couple of days. Do the new skis (2021 GTI SE) also have the same issue? I may need to leave one floating for the week since I don't have enough ShorePorts for all my toys. (tough problem to have I know...)

 

[Ckrawiec]

My two stroke skis will slowly take on water through the carbon ring if left floating over a couple of days. Do the new skis (2021 GTI SE) also have the same issue? I may need to leave one floating for the week since I don't have enough ShorePorts for all my toys. (tough problem to have I know...)

Skis should NOT take on water while just sitting idle....period...through the carbon ring or anywhere else...You have an active leak which needs to be repaired. I leave my skis floating ALL summer long and they are dry on the inside.

I DID have a ski (Spark 2) taking on water into the hull and discovered the vinyl tube for the engine flush port (the tube makes a seal through the hull by friction (vinyl tube is slightly larger than the hull hole....in theory anyways)). In cold water, older tubing, etc....the tubing shrunk just enough to let water into the hull.....came out in the morning and the ski was squatting in the water and I caught her just in time otherwise it would have eventually sunk...pulled the ski but left the drain plug in and watched water dripping OUT around the vinyl tube through the hull......siliconed the bejessus out of that connection (inside - took top deck off and outside too - hard to reach so it took creativity and patience) and its held ever since (2 years now).

 

[Dr Honda]

Nope... that's wrong.

The carbon seal leaks by design. That's how it cools it self. Seadoo's with a carbon seal ARE NOT rated to be left in the water. Period.

 

[soccerdad]

Thanks Guys. I guess my question is if the new skis have the same type of carbon seals. Therefore should not be left floating for long periods of time. Or if they have some other system.

 

[Dr Honda]

I haven't looked at a 2020 ski yet... but everything I have put my hands on uses a carbon ring.

Seadoo changed to that design in 1995. They don't (potentially) last as long as a "Stuffing Box"... but they are safer. Here's the deal. A standard seal pack has an inner, and outer seal, and a bearing of some kind in the middle that keeps it centered on the driveshaft. It's held in place with a rubber boot, and some clamps. (kind of like a carbon seal) There is also a grease nipple. Most people are lazy, and just beat the hell out of their PWC, and don't actually maintain them. So... water gets into the seal pack, and rusts the bearing. While out running... that bearing seizes, and stops... but the shaft doesn't. The pack spins... rips the boot, and that leaves a 2" hole in the bottom of your ski. It will sink in about 10 seconds.

The other side of it is... someone that doesn't understand how to properly maintain things, and when the book says "One pump of greases after 10 hours" thinks.... "Lets pump it 5 times". The problem with this is... HYDROLIC PRESSURE !!! So 5 pumps will build pressure, and can literally push the seals out of the pack. No seal... and you get the same issue as above.

If maintained... a seal pack can last dang near forever. I had one in my Polaris that was 15 years old, and working great... but I rebuilt it because I had the shaft out.

Carbon seals wear out... leak, and make it so you can't leave your ski or boat in the water... but they CAN NOT have a catastrophic failure.

 

[benjilafouine]

Mr. Honda, while we're on the carbon seal subject, how long do they last (in hours)? My 2018 GTI is closing in on 94 hours, what is there to inspect? Just removing the boot and making sure the seal is OK (meaning not worn out). My ski doesn't take on water at all.

I also have a 2003 GTI that was completely rebuilt in 2015 and at last check (last year), the seal looked perfect.

And about greasing, does that apply to any model?

 

[xspook]

while we're on the carbon seal subject, how long do they last (in hours)?

I put 350 hours on a ski that had the original carbon seal. Was still working fine when I sold it.

 

[mikidymac]

The carbon seal is technically there for the life of the ski and doesn’t require maintenance.

What will kill a carbon seal is an engine out of alignment or running the ski out of the water for extended time and overheating it.

I have never replaced one that wasn’t damaged from someone running it on the hose for a very long time. The carbon seal is only cooled by the outside water so you can easily overheat them.

 

[benjilafouine]

That’s what I was thinking.

 

[skiasylum]

I think I remember that Miki uses a two hose set up when he runs his skis out of the water, one for the exhaust and one for the carbon seal. Great idea when your trying to warm the engine before a oil change.