Putting together an on-boat toolbox...ski-rope removal tools?

[scooper77515]

I know the basic tools I need, spark plug wrench, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.

But, I will be teaching the wife to pull me on waterskis this season, so we WILL suck up a rope. What tools make fixing this on the beach or on the water more easy?

 

[sporsterjoel]

I know the basic tools I need, spark plug wrench, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.

But, I will be teaching the wife to pull me on waterskis this season, so we WILL suck up a rope. What tools make fixing this on the beach or on the water more easy?

Sounds like its going to be an interesting summer for you LMAO. Id get some goggles and a really sharp knife the is long enough to reach into the intake

 

[scooper77515]

So, find a stiff filet knife? and keep it sharp!

You know, I never thought of the goggles, so that is a good idea. Our water is cloudy, but if you get your face within 6-12" you can see what you are doing.

 

[Seadoopilot]

If you were able to fix a rope sucked in the grate and rapped around the prop and shaft I would be HIGHLY impressed if you were to do it in the water . Very Dangerous without scuba

Much more likely to be done on the trailer

will need a long serrated knife most likely , rope does not like to be cut.

to get the boat back , a trolling motor or a marine radio to call for a tow

Better yet Don't Run Over The Rope

 

[scooper77515]

So, technically, the day is done if we suck it up...

 

[Seadoopilot]

In the best case , it would take several minutes to cut free
How long could you hold your breathe?
Ant add the time to get under the boat , then in the correct position , Make sure you do not get tangled in any loose rope , No light under the boat , Little to hold on to, the boat will be moving arround .
You must be in at least 5 feet of water to have a little less than 4 feet of room to move.
And the tightest part of the rope will be all the way to the blades and stator


So If you get it back on the trailer you could have it clear in 30 minutes or so then go back out on the water .

 

[timeman]

I have never sucked the rope on my challenger, probably helps that I have a tower. But I was with my buddy when he got the ski rope sucked tight into his Speedster. We had four guys, all pretty good swimmers, and a good long knife, we took shifts but still it was impossible to get the rope free while bobbing around in the lake., By the time you got to the intake, and started to reach up inside, you were well out of breath.

We got a tow, put it on the trailer, and were able to remove the final piece of rope which because of the tremendous torque, was like cutting through steel.

We wasted a lot of prime daylight trying to do it in the water, I would recommend flagging down the nearest boater, and getting a tow to shore, preferably your trailer....Of course, keeping the ski rope on top of the water not running over it would be the easiest...

 

[seadoo-owner]

Add to tool kit


2 x hose clamping pliers
can use car brake hose clamps

Reason
in case you foul your pump and end up getting a tow back
be sure to clamp off the cooling hoses as per the operators manual

or after 1/2 hr on trailer you may have no rope in ya pump but engines full of water

 

[timmyboy76]

how about, 1-1/2 to 2ft of 1in hard plastic rod, with carpet knife melted into end of it, facing up...?

 

[timmyboy76]

Add to tool kit


2 x hose clamping pliers
can use car brake hose clamps

Reason
in case you foul your pump and end up getting a tow back
be sure to clamp off the cooling hoses as per the operators manual

or after 1/2 hr on trailer you may have no rope in ya pump but engines full of water

thought of this, if need towed, and heck w/ clamp'n off, just unhook both hoses from head, have "T"/"Y" fitting, join together, then run/have spare hose and up/out the hatch hood...?

 

[sporsterjoel]

The reason i said goggles and a sharp knife is that how my friend got a rope out of his boat. The longer the boat runs the harder it will be toget the rope out.

 

[Seadoopilot]

how about, 1-1/2 to 2ft of 1in hard plastic rod, with carpet knife melted into end of it, facing up...?

what the ?
To have a long handled knife ?

 

[timmyboy76]

what the ?
To have a long handled knife ?

:lols:....carpet blade.
People think twice, of mess'n w/ ya.

 

[jords]

I reccomend to get a long piece of foam and install it so it floats , I use a water snake (kids pool toy) its about 7-8 feet long trim it down to 3-4 feet and it makes it really visible ...

 

[scooper77515]

I have installed a ball-valve in line so when I get towed, I just crank it shut to stop water flow. No need for hose clamps, etc.

I got the idea on the rope, though. Just get it out of the water immediately and not waste all day screwing wtih it under water.

 

[kustomkarl]

Scott just be sure to keep an eye on the ball valve so it doesn't corrode and cause more problems. That almost sounds like over kill planning on being towed from a breakdown. I would just bring a pair of flat nosed vise grips to clamp on the hose if you really have to. I have one in my "emergency" tool box and haven't ever had to open it up in 5 years....Preventative Maintenance (PM) is my best safe guard.

...now watch I'll have a break down next time out...:ack:

Karl

 

[scooper77515]

I use it for running on the hose also. So it isn't just for that one or two times I break down, but every time I do any maintenance on it.

 

[CypherAZ]

This thread got me all worried and s***, because today was the first day we took our speedster out tubing. We spent like 2 hours tubing, a lot of the time my wife was driving with no issues. I think you'd have to really not be paying attention to run over your tow rope.

I'll post a few pictures once our friend gets around to uploading them.

 

[soundguy]

My first time...

The first time I got my rope around my impeller, I did the stupidest thing. After running over the bow line, I figured if I put it in reverse, it would unwind. Of course, we all know how THAT went! Make sure you tell her that going in reverse will NOT unwind it.

I agree with many other folks that it is almost impossible to effectively remove it from the impeller through the grate in water, especially if it's a boat and not a waverunner/jetski. By the time you get in position to be able to work on it, you'll be out of breath.

Tell her that if she finds out she ran it over, just to kill the engine and be towed to shore unless you have scuba equipment.

Keep a dive knife and a set of Allen wrenches handy when you get ashore. If it gets too wrapped around the impeller, you'll have to get to the transfer box and remove it from there...much easier on a JetSki than a boat.

How do I know so much about this?? I've done it a dozen times and the last time it happened to me, my son was driving and he wrapped about 20 feet of line in it and it tore through the hull.

Life sucked that day.

 

[scooper77515]

I never thought about it messing up the hull...:ack: