Towing Ski

[Pnut80]

Ok, Guy, I know i made a mistake. Last weekend took ski out again to run. It was doing its normal stuff. Ran good for a while then wont accelerate. I get Aggrevated, Hook ski to boat and take off. WELL over the recommended speed. Get back to dock. Ski will crank, But my concern is. How do i tell if i pushed water into engine?

 

[GGuillot]

Ok, Guy, I know i made a mistake. Last weekend took ski out again to run. It was doing its normal stuff. Ran good for a while then wont accelerate. I get Aggrevated, Hook ski to boat and take off. WELL over the recommended speed. Get back to dock. Ski will crank, But my concern is. How do i tell if i pushed water into engine?

Pull the spark plugs, put the plug wires on the grounding poles and crank it. If water shoots out the cylinders it took in some water.

 

[Ckrawiec]

OK, so if I'm right and as the manuals all say, TOW the ski SLOW or clamp off the water inlet pipe to the cylinder head. OK then...who really carries around a clamp to pinch the hose closed and putting it on under the seat on the water has to be an acrobatic act.

Take a look at this little gizmo I dreamed up....Real heavy thinking on my part .

It is nothing more than a garden hose fitting ....3/4" hose x 1/2" IPT (iron pipe thread) with a little teflon tape and a 1/2" iron pipe cap. Small, put it in the glovebox or your emergency kit, jump in the water and thread it into the water inlet behind the ski.....good to go. YES?

 

[GGuillot]

mall, put it in the glovebox or your emergency kit, jump in the water and thread it into the water inlet behind the ski.....good to go. YES?

No, the water will still pump in, remember when on the hose it flowing in reverse. The best way is a shut off valve just before the water valve on top the muffler, or same place you would pinch the line. When towing at a fast rate the pressure of the water passing through the jet pump can build up enough to push water in, which is why it's advised to keep it below 5 mph if you can't pinch or block the line.

 

[Ckrawiec]

No, the water will still pump in, remember when on the hose it flowing in reverse. The best way is a shut off valve just before the water valve on top the muffler, or same place you would pinch the line. When towing at a fast rate the pressure of the water passing through the jet pump can build up enough to push water in, which is why it's advised to keep it below 5 mph if you can't pinch or block the line.

DOH!!!!! I just keep forgetting that that rear port is for flushing....therefore....REVERSE FLOW.......arrrrgggghhhhh!!!! It sucks to keep getting old ...Nevermind, my little gizmo no good.

 

[gmni]

Similar query but specific to [2018] Sea-Doo Spark that I have yet to see a definitive answer for.

I know the score with clamping off the water inlet and, setting aside ideas of fitting a valve to the pipe itself, I agree with everyone who questions the physical reality of doing this given where the pipe is located in a Spark, how little access/leverage you have and the immediate proximity of a roasting hot engine/exhaust... and all while bobbing about in the water, and most likely, furious.

Having looked at the attached Cooling assembly drawing for the 2018 Spark (thank you riva racing) the pipe to be clamped during towing is identified as "1200" which connects directly, and exclusively, to the flushing adapter at the back where you connect the garden hose when flushing the exhaust out of the water.

My ask: instead of trying to clamp the pipe in the engine bay, why can I not do what Ckrawiec suggested and block it at the flushing adapter using something like the bilge drain plug?

I don't see how the flow direction is relevant in this case as you are blocking the same, correct pipe (and on the same [inlet] side of its connection to the engine)... just approx 1m further along it.

Any air or water that's in there when you plug it has no outlet and hence while I can understand a little compression of any air, any pressure from another direction should equalise preventing further ingress.

Fully stand to be corrected . Is there anything missing from the assembly drawing or other reason that would negate this?

 

[mikidymac]

Similar query but specific to [2018] Sea-Doo Spark that I have yet to see a definitive answer for.

I know the score with clamping off the water inlet and, setting aside ideas of fitting a valve to the pipe itself, I agree with everyone who questions the physical reality of doing this given where the pipe is located in a Spark, how little access/leverage you have and the immediate proximity of a roasting hot engine/exhaust... and all while bobbing about in the water, and most likely, furious.

Having looked at the attached Cooling assembly drawing for the 2018 Spark (thank you riva racing) the pipe to be clamped during towing is identified as "1200" which connects directly, and exclusively, to the flushing adapter at the back where you connect the garden hose when flushing the exhaust out of the water.

My ask: instead of trying to clamp the pipe in the engine bay, why can I not do what Ckrawiec suggested and block it at the flushing adapter using something like the bilge drain plug?

I don't see how the flow direction is relevant in this case as you are blocking the same, correct pipe (and on the same [inlet] side of its connection to the engine)... just approx 1m further along it.

Any air or water that's in there when you plug it has no outlet and hence while I can understand a little compression of any air, any pressure from another direction should equalise preventing further ingress.

Fully stand to be corrected . Is there anything missing from the assembly drawing or other reason that would negate this?

You are better off posting in the SPARK section since they are so much different than the 2-strokes.