Tipped a GTX Limited 230 today. Didn’t even think it was possible.

[sea-squirrel]

First, a little bit about myself. I’ve only been riding a PWC for a couple months. Maybe have 5 hours on it. Absolutely love the machine (GTX Limited 230).

Was taking two of my kids for a ride and was leaning over to put bumpers on before a refuel. My kid in the back was also leaning over to put the rear bumper on. Leaned too far apparently. Foot well took on some water and before I knew it, all 3 of us went for a swim. The Seadoo didn’t roll though.

Everyone was calm and cool about it and we got back pretty quick. I guess I’m wondering if this has happened to anyone else. I was under the impression that this model was pretty much untippable. Rookie mistake and very embarrassing.

Later that day I was doing some slow turns with two passengers and I almost tipped it again. I’m assuming it’s the added weight, but it caught me by surprise.

Any tips for this would be much appreciated.

 

[benjilafouine]

The passenger weight limit on you Sea-Doo is most likely 605 pounds (with gas tank full and cargo empty). You have a sticker that says so. I found out that when you reach around 400 pounds these skis start to become more unstable and have a tendency to tip over more easily. When you get really close to the limit, the ski becomes very unstable especially when cruising at low speed. Happened to me also some years back on my two stroke (525 pounds limit). I had two passengers and we were about 50 pounds short of the limit and we almost tipped over a few times and the ski was very unstable. Reboarding in these conditions is also difficult.

BRP suggests that people board the ski from the back, starting with the driver. When you board from the side, it is always a risk unless you instruct clearly your passengers to lean on the other side while someone boards but at three people, it becomes complicated.

 

[sea-squirrel]

The passenger weight limit on you Sea-Doo is most likely 605 pounds (with gas tank full and cargo empty). You have a sticker that says so. I found out that when you reach around 400 pounds these skis start to become more unstable and have a tendency to tip over more easily. When you get really close to the limit, the ski becomes very unstable especially when cruising at low speed. Happened to me also some years back on my two stroke (525 pounds limit). I had two passengers and we were about 50 pounds short of the limit and we almost tipped over a few times and the ski was very unstable. Reboarding in these conditions is also difficult.

BRP suggests that people board the ski from the back, starting with the driver. When you board from the side, it is always a risk unless you instruct clearly your passengers to lean on the other side while someone boards but at three people, it becomes complicated.

Thanks for the reply. We were maybe 400 pounds. We had a lot of clearance. I was getting paranoid and thought maybe water was in the hull making it unstable.

 

[benjilafouine]

Did you remove the seat to make sure there was no water there? With a brand new ski there shouldn’t be any or less than a cup. I have seen on this forum and on YouTube brand new skis sinking...

If yours had some it would have been hard to keep in balance even at medium speed.

 

[benjilafouine]

Make yourself a habit to frequently inspect the inside hull and make sure everything is in order.

 

[PJ Moran]

Same thing happened to me last summer. I weigh over 200 and had a newbie passenger who probably weighed more than I did. We rode around "nicely" for a little while. When we coasted down to come back to the dock, passenger leaned a little to wave at someone and we went over in a flash. They clearly did not know you can't just do whatever you want on these things.

The ski and we all popped right back up without incident. I reboarded while my passenger just swam back to the dock. You have to tell newbies about things like this before letting them ride.

 

[POPPS]

I have learned that, after play time on skis, (subs etc ), you drive the ski in a straight line at hi throttle for at least couple hundred yards for the bilge/vacuum pick ups to do their jobs and suck excess water out of the back of the ski, since that is where they are located.

 

[Sajack]

I have learned that, after play time on skis, (subs etc ), you drive the ski in a straight line at hi throttle for at least couple hundred yards for the bilge/vacuum pick ups to do their jobs and suck excess water out of the back of the ski, since that is where they are located.

Which models come with a bilge/vacuum pick up? I don’t my GTI 90 has one, although it should.

 

[benjilafouine]

You have a vacuum pick up on a GTI 90 but no bilge and I barely see a drop of water there.

 

[Sajack]

You have a vacuum pick up on a GTI 90 but no bilge and I barely see a drop of water there.

There are a couple of clear plastic hoses back at the right rear, not sure what they are...

 

[POPPS]

Those clear hoses are your pump powered vacuum bilge hoses, you will have 2 of them. THey are tied hi at the pump to prevent syphoning, and are secured by brackets to the left and right of your bellow, you will need to remove your gray pto cover to access them. Sometimes, they can become glogged, pull them out of their brackets, and turn them upside down to find any accumulated mush.

 

[Sajack]

So, with these drain lines, are you telling me that there is no way that water can accumulate in the engine compartment as long as the motor is running and the pump is working, assuming that there isn’t a hole in the hull? I usually ride alone, and in remote areas, and have a paranoia about my boat filling up with water and sinking.

 

[POPPS]

I apologize, the pickups on yours are at the back of the hull, where the water rushes to when you accelerate. I call them bilge, but they are vacuum powered from the jet pump, but at idle, the vacuum is less. So we always make a habit of going in a straight line at high throttle for couple hundred yards after we have been "playing" or tipped it.

 

[benjilafouine]

The only other way to get water in the hull is to flip the ski over. Maybe sitting under hard rain could bring a few drops but no more. I check mine frequently and I could never pick up that a few ounces (probably from heavy rain or hitting a wake boat wave at low speed with water splashing on me).