I have a 2006 Islandia with twin Rotax 155's. Yesterday I sucked up the tow rope into one of the impellar's. I cut what I could, and got the engine to turn over, however the engine ran pretty sluggish. Limped in on one engine. The dealer recommended me to pull it out and check for any remaining rope stuck to the drive shaft. The ony problem I have is the this boat comes with the ICS system. Can this be removed easily without screwing up the mechanicals? Also any good suggestions on how to remove the stuck rope in the impellar?
Tow Rope in Impellar
- Thread starter Spike2565
- Start date
- Status
I have had that happen on my challenger 1800 twice. The first time it got both impellers. I had to go under the boat with a pocket knife to cut the rope. Then I could only go about 10 mph because the rope kept water from going through. I got it on the trailer, unwrapped the rope from the impeller shaft, and tapped the starter to turn the impeller enough to free the rope.
Nathan Mayo
Member
I've done this exerise not once, but twice with my Speedster. Duh ! Guess I am a slow study....... I pulled the boat out to parking lot, scooted underneath boat on trailer, and found tow rope twined around impeller shaft and wedged against hull. I duct-taped a razor knife to a wooden dowel so I could reach up and sawed off as much as I could. At one point I had some length still wedged and bound, so I managed to attach a car scissors jack in a position to exert a really strong pull force on it and I spun it off. It was a Bi*ch of a job, but I got it. I'm sure a dealer can do it for you in no time for $200.
It is a great learning experience to teach you to be mindful of where the rope is at all times. Aren't you glad you have TWO engines?
nm
It is a great learning experience to teach you to be mindful of where the rope is at all times. Aren't you glad you have TWO engines?
nm
Well thats why i hopped on this forum ....little brother reverse.....Rope wrapped like crazy still trying to get out i think its like inbetween the two turbines. Sorry for the terms im a auto mechanic im a little lost. Is there something i can put over the intake to prevent this from happening again im shur theres an aftermarket part. I can imagine it would affect flow slightly but, i think he might have toasted it. Just got it three days ago litterally got to love watercraft.
There is nothing on the market for that. You just have to make sure everyone in the boat is well aware and to watch the line. Last time it happened to me, I was in the water after skiing, and I told the person driving my boat to shut the engines off three times. They finally realized what I was saying, and it was too late for one impeller. The weed guards dont even stop it.
Help... Yesterday while in neutral I sucked up my ski rope I immediatley turned the engine off. When I got home we took off the shaft cover and took out the spark plugs to releive compress and rotated shaft backwards the rope came out all in one piece and wasn't chewed up, but should i be worried about anyother mechanical problems? the rope wasn't around the impeller just simply wrapped around shaft about 10 feet of rope!
That is a good idea, I never would have thought of it if you hadn't mentioned it.
If/when it happens to me, I will at least give that a try before starting on the cutting.
Otherwise, there is a big filet knife in my tool box, and a knife sharpener so I can get a really sharp yet rough edge on it and start hacking...
I just had the same problem with the rope getting wrapped up, got underneath and cut out the rope. When I did that, the rope was stuck under the rubber ring on the shaft and now it is loose and sounds a little rougher then the other engine (out of water).
Do I have to get a new rubber ring or is it okay to run it as is? If a ring is needed, is it easy to change or should a dealership do it?
Do I have to get a new rubber ring or is it okay to run it as is? If a ring is needed, is it easy to change or should a dealership do it?
Rope sucked up
This happened to me, it was super easy to fix. I took off the 8 bolts and the Forward/Neutral/Reverse cable from the back assembly, I then took off the 4 bolts that hold on the in-prop, and then I had full access to the shaft and was able to unravel the tow rope. took me about 30 minutes to complete... Hope this helps others!
This happened to me, it was super easy to fix. I took off the 8 bolts and the Forward/Neutral/Reverse cable from the back assembly, I then took off the 4 bolts that hold on the in-prop, and then I had full access to the shaft and was able to unravel the tow rope. took me about 30 minutes to complete... Hope this helps others!
me too...
Just bought a super clean 2001 Sportster and took it out tubing for the first time Friday.
Wife and kids didn't understand that "neutral" on a jetboat isn't the same as on our regular boat where the prop stops and won't grab the ski rope.
ended up with about 20 feet of tow rope up in the impeller.
Got towed back to our place. I was going to take it apart and get the rope out, but I noticed that the bilge pump was coming on about every 2 minutes and a neighbor told me that I had wrecked the seal on the shaft.
That's more than I want to get into, so I took it over to my boat repair guy this morning.
I guess my question is if there is a tow rope made with floats on it that will keep it from getting under the boat.
I'm going to make a strict rule of shutting the motor off completely when waiting for someone to get back on the tube or boat, but it would still be nice to have a rope that would float better. I was thinking of something like a pool "deep end" rope with floats on it every few feet.
Any advice GREATLY appreciated!!!
Just bought a super clean 2001 Sportster and took it out tubing for the first time Friday.
Wife and kids didn't understand that "neutral" on a jetboat isn't the same as on our regular boat where the prop stops and won't grab the ski rope.
ended up with about 20 feet of tow rope up in the impeller.
Got towed back to our place. I was going to take it apart and get the rope out, but I noticed that the bilge pump was coming on about every 2 minutes and a neighbor told me that I had wrecked the seal on the shaft.
That's more than I want to get into, so I took it over to my boat repair guy this morning.
I guess my question is if there is a tow rope made with floats on it that will keep it from getting under the boat.
I'm going to make a strict rule of shutting the motor off completely when waiting for someone to get back on the tube or boat, but it would still be nice to have a rope that would float better. I was thinking of something like a pool "deep end" rope with floats on it every few feet.
Any advice GREATLY appreciated!!!
Tow Rope
You could use swim noodles or some other floats and cut it and attach it to sections of the tow rope.. The only problem I see, is storage on the boat when not using it.. There is only so much space on the speedster. I usually shut off my enigines when waiting, and I try to make sure everyone on board pays attention to where the rope is!
You could use swim noodles or some other floats and cut it and attach it to sections of the tow rope.. The only problem I see, is storage on the boat when not using it.. There is only so much space on the speedster. I usually shut off my enigines when waiting, and I try to make sure everyone on board pays attention to where the rope is!
Lately, I have jumped off the boat and swam a bit away, and told the wife to idle away as I feed the rope and keep slight tension on it.
Also, I don't typically fall when wakeboarding, so I wait till I am tired and get her attention, and tell her to cut it while I am still standing, and after the boat and I come to a standstill, I pull myself to the boat by the rope.
Just minimizing my chances of sucking it up.
Also, I don't typically fall when wakeboarding, so I wait till I am tired and get her attention, and tell her to cut it while I am still standing, and after the boat and I come to a standstill, I pull myself to the boat by the rope.
Just minimizing my chances of sucking it up.
Tow Rope stuck in Impellar
I'm glad to see I'm not the only newbie to make this mistake. I removed my spark plugs, but I don't know how to rotate the shaft backwards. I lowered the weed grate on my 1997 Challenger and crawled under my trailered boat and and grabbed the shaft with my hand but could not turn it. What am I doing wrong?
I'm glad to see I'm not the only newbie to make this mistake. I removed my spark plugs, but I don't know how to rotate the shaft backwards. I lowered the weed grate on my 1997 Challenger and crawled under my trailered boat and and grabbed the shaft with my hand but could not turn it. What am I doing wrong?
At the back of the motor where the drive shaft comes out, there is a large metal ring, about the size or a bit smaller than a paper plate. You can get a good hand-hold on that and turn the engine.
Both spark plugs will need to be out.
If it still doesn't turn, you have some other obstruction.
The first time I sucked up the ski rope in my pump housing, it had wrapped itself around the driveshaft so tight you couldnt even begin to try and move it. We cut it out with knives at first after disconnecting the pushrod off of the ICS grate so we could get to it. After sawing on it forever we decided to use a pair of wire cutters. This worked MUCH better. It was a total pain in the you know what. Took well over an hour and 2 guys because our arms got tired reaching up under the boat. I WILL NOT USE THIS METHOD AGAIN.
The second time however, i did just like this. I removed the nozzle, and impeller housing (whatever it is called) so all that was left was the drive shaft. It is 4 nuts that mount assembly to the boat, 1 bolt on tierod end for steering, and 2 bolts that connect the 2 reverse plates together to remove, takes 10 minutes. Once off, I grabbed the rope and started pulling, it unraveled itself with no damage to the rope, boat, or pump components. 30 minutes total from out of water back in water. No tired arms, one man job. Hardest thing about this time was the rope was caught between the boat and the bunk boards of the trailer. I laid on my back and but my feet on the underneath of the swim deck and pushed like heII. My buddy pulled the rope out.
Thats the best solution, dont get it sucked up. We learned a few things last trip out. When tubing, have the person on the tube let out the rope as the boat pulls away from them holding the rope so it stays taught till it is all the way out. Dont leave any slack rope in the water, it needs to be on the boat or on the tube. If it is a ski rope for whatever sport your doing, when the skier goes down, do a figure 8 around the individual to bring the rope back to them. Just dont do one to tight and run over the rope. That way you keep a constant motion keeping the rope tight.
If you dont want to do that then Kill the motors while you are going forward. Dont go to neutral then kill the motor to bring the rope in. I just back down to near idle, pull the kill switch. Then put in neutral so it is ready to start, pull in the rope, start, and go.
If you have someone starting from shore or off a dock, back up to them. Kill the motor/s Throw them the rope and have them gather it up so its tight. Start and pull forward and let them let the rope out. Dont try and go past them and throw the rope to them, eventually you will suck up a rope that didn't get throwd out far enough.
Lastly, having a wakeboard tower will also keep that rope farther from the pumps than hooking it on the back of a boat. I highly recommend one if it can work on your style of boat. They say you shouldnt tube off of one but I Hear more creaking and groaning from my tower from wakeboarders than I ever do the tubes. just be careful with kids or those big, flat type flying tubes because they can really sky when using the tower!
The second time however, i did just like this. I removed the nozzle, and impeller housing (whatever it is called) so all that was left was the drive shaft. It is 4 nuts that mount assembly to the boat, 1 bolt on tierod end for steering, and 2 bolts that connect the 2 reverse plates together to remove, takes 10 minutes. Once off, I grabbed the rope and started pulling, it unraveled itself with no damage to the rope, boat, or pump components. 30 minutes total from out of water back in water. No tired arms, one man job. Hardest thing about this time was the rope was caught between the boat and the bunk boards of the trailer. I laid on my back and but my feet on the underneath of the swim deck and pushed like heII. My buddy pulled the rope out.
Thats the best solution, dont get it sucked up. We learned a few things last trip out. When tubing, have the person on the tube let out the rope as the boat pulls away from them holding the rope so it stays taught till it is all the way out. Dont leave any slack rope in the water, it needs to be on the boat or on the tube. If it is a ski rope for whatever sport your doing, when the skier goes down, do a figure 8 around the individual to bring the rope back to them. Just dont do one to tight and run over the rope. That way you keep a constant motion keeping the rope tight.
If you dont want to do that then Kill the motors while you are going forward. Dont go to neutral then kill the motor to bring the rope in. I just back down to near idle, pull the kill switch. Then put in neutral so it is ready to start, pull in the rope, start, and go.
If you have someone starting from shore or off a dock, back up to them. Kill the motor/s Throw them the rope and have them gather it up so its tight. Start and pull forward and let them let the rope out. Dont try and go past them and throw the rope to them, eventually you will suck up a rope that didn't get throwd out far enough.
Lastly, having a wakeboard tower will also keep that rope farther from the pumps than hooking it on the back of a boat. I highly recommend one if it can work on your style of boat. They say you shouldnt tube off of one but I Hear more creaking and groaning from my tower from wakeboarders than I ever do the tubes. just be careful with kids or those big, flat type flying tubes because they can really sky when using the tower!
I think all boats should have 2 motors. Rather it be a main motor and a trolling motor or 2 mains. Especially on big lakes. Every person I know that has a boat has either limped in on one motor or has paddled in or been towed in at one time or another. I will never own a boat with a single motor. I will put a electric trolling motor on it if I have to even.
Still not getting exactly where to turn the drive shaft. Other than the plugs, what else do you remove when doing this? I don't currently have any obstructions, but I'm sure I'll suck my rope up again at some point in time and am hoping to fix it a bit quicker than the last time.
The plastic sleeve is just a drive shaft boot. It is there to help protect the shaft, but the first time you suck something like a rope in, they break. Most people leave them off the next time they pull the pump off. It wont hurt anything for now.
Jetboater02
New Member
yesterday I found some rope floats (looks like a mini pool rope float) I think they are meant for PWC anchors but at a buck fifty, I got a couple cuz sometime my passengers don't seem to listen.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
