I have an issue with my 07 Challenger 180. I have only had in on the water four times so I'm not real comfortable with the two lever shifter/throttle system. I have more experience with the Merc single lever [and so far wish this boat had it]. The boat moves forward far too quickly, as far as I'm concerned, while in neutral. The other day I made the mistake of starting it while I was removing a mooring rope and the boat swung around and cranked the dock. I realize that there is no "dead" neutral with jets but I have never had this amount of forward motion in the three other jet boats that I have owned. Any ideas out there?
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Moving while in neutral
- Thread starter wazooo
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My Challenger was hard to manuver at slow speeds. Wind/waves make it worse. My Speedster 200 is alot easier to control at slow speeds. I use manual power when leaving the dock and always drift in to dock. Bumpers are always deployed and ready. I have gotten used to launching and retrieving my boat on my own.....I guess practice and for thought...and I don't let just any one drive at slow speeds near objects....I find that the shifter F/N/R....has mid points, like between Neautral and Reverse, I can actually hover.....takes concentration.
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seadoodude1
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Mine drifts forward as well, but I bet you can adjust cable going to reverse gate to adjust neutral position. As you know, neutral on a jet boat is nothing more than the reverse gate partially covering the jet stream so forward and reverse are in balance.
It takes a few hours to get used to the forward movement, after about 20 hours in my 180SE I can spin it on a dime like I have side thrusters (lol). You find the it is important to have the steering wheel centered when starting it or it will spin right or left depending on which way the wheel is turned. Usually I make sure it will start, then push out of my slip a bit, center the wheel, start it and get into reverse pretty quickly. It does take some getting used to. I usually return to my slip without putting it into forward, just use the Neutral thrust, which as you said, moves it pretty well. Practice makes perfect.
motion in neutral
Thanks a bunch guys. Patience IS a virtue. I'm just a little frustrated cause I'm so used to the "one lever Merc drive". I will check my reverse gate's position. Maybe it's not coming down far enough. If I remember right the boat idles at around 1800. Does that sound right?
Thanks a bunch guys. Patience IS a virtue. I'm just a little frustrated cause I'm so used to the "one lever Merc drive". I will check my reverse gate's position. Maybe it's not coming down far enough. If I remember right the boat idles at around 1800. Does that sound right?
stripesace
New Member
I've just gotten in the habit of starting my sea-doo in reverse, after watching some jet boat owners out here start there boats in reverse. It moves a whole lot slower in reverse.
Forward thrust...
For the most part, the 4-TEC's average rpm at idling is about 1750. It reaches 1800 in some models and for the most part, is not adjustable.
I see you understand that the operation of the jet pump does not give us a true reverse. If your neutral allows so much thrust that it swings you back around into the dock before you can break mooring, then you have a problem in your bucket adjustment.
I do practice what I call safe starting. While moored, I start my engine and then, watch for drift. If my lines begin to tighten from forward drift, I pull back just a tad on my lever till movement is a minimum. Then, I can break mooring relatively easily.
Because the bucket directs thruse forward and backward at the same time, there is a delicate balance trying to be maintained. If you have a steady boat at 1800 rpm, then for some reason, current or a decrease or increase in rpm, will change this. It's almost too bad we don't have a way to kick out the shaft, like a true power in power out PTO shaft.
I have gotten used to it and like stated above, can spin my boat like I have bow thrusters. The ability to spin in a tight spot is the biggest benefit of the jet drives. I've owned shaft drive motors, Evinrude and Merc's, for the majority of my life but I can honestly say now, with my GTX and Challenger, I"ll never own another one!.............:cheers:
For the most part, the 4-TEC's average rpm at idling is about 1750. It reaches 1800 in some models and for the most part, is not adjustable.
I see you understand that the operation of the jet pump does not give us a true reverse. If your neutral allows so much thrust that it swings you back around into the dock before you can break mooring, then you have a problem in your bucket adjustment.
I do practice what I call safe starting. While moored, I start my engine and then, watch for drift. If my lines begin to tighten from forward drift, I pull back just a tad on my lever till movement is a minimum. Then, I can break mooring relatively easily.
Because the bucket directs thruse forward and backward at the same time, there is a delicate balance trying to be maintained. If you have a steady boat at 1800 rpm, then for some reason, current or a decrease or increase in rpm, will change this. It's almost too bad we don't have a way to kick out the shaft, like a true power in power out PTO shaft.
I have gotten used to it and like stated above, can spin my boat like I have bow thrusters. The ability to spin in a tight spot is the biggest benefit of the jet drives. I've owned shaft drive motors, Evinrude and Merc's, for the majority of my life but I can honestly say now, with my GTX and Challenger, I"ll never own another one!.............:cheers:
I let a real "Captain" drive my Speedster and dock it once. Had no idea and was out of control the whole time trying to dock it. Got out saying how crappy handling that little boat is. HAHA. It took me some getting used to but with a little seat time I can put it anywhere. My best O crap moment: I was in a double boat slip at a marina and untied and fired the boat up. I had the wheel turned a little and then turned it the wrong way to correct and ended up completely side ways in the slip in about .2 seconds. There was a bunch of people sitting at tables there eating lunch and laughing at me. I make sure my wheel is straight now.
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