Quick Fixes for Sucking up Stuff into your Watercraft

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A Jet Ski or Jet Boat has many great advantages. They have no exposed props, which helps to reduce the risk of hitting something and damaging outdrives. You don't need to be concerned about spinning props that could cause serious injury.

Jet Drives are powerful vacuums that can eat up everything in their path. It could be rocks, sticks or bark, sand, rocks and shells, as well as sandals, snakes, snails, and any other items that are in the water.

Your watercraft pump has the same tolerances as a jet engine. It must work perfectly. It can get stuck in the housing and impeller if it gets caught up in the intake.

What do you do if you get sucked into your Jet Ski?

First things first

Turn off the engine. DON'T FLIP THE JET SKI!!! To check if the material is loosening, shake the machine from side to side. If it doesn't come out, you will need to lift it or get it on its feet.

DON’T START TAKING THINGS OFF UNDER THE WATERCRAFT!!!

There is an intake underneath the watercraft which will allow you to access the pump to clean it. However, the bolts are likely through-bolted so a single mistake could cause more damage than good. It is best to take it to your dealer. This is and not covered by warranty.

Rope and Dock Line are the most likely to be sucked up. A Impeller Protector such as this one (Amazon Link Ad) can help reduce the chance of ropes being sucked up. Rocks are the second most popular. How can anyone eat rocks? They don't float. Keep in mind, however, that your watercraft can be super powerful and only need to be a few feet below the surface of the water. It will absorb anything it comes across, even heavy rocks.

Do not reverse it

The Jet Ski cannot be reversed because it has no transmission. You're just throwing a bucket at the thrust to reverse the jet ski. This will cause more damage than you realize.

Do Not Revive The Engine

You can do more harm than good by giving your watercraft gas to try and dislodge any stuck parts. It is essential that you get your watercraft back on land. This is why I have a $hundred-something per year tow package from SeaTow.

What is the cost of this project?

This will depend on the labor costs at different places. The good news for Sea-Doos is that they have a wear ring that will protect the pump. Your damage to a Yamaha or Kawasaki could be different depending on what was in it.

The cost for a Seadoo repair is dependent on the Wear Ring required and labor cost. The Impeller can be damaged and will cost an additional few hundred dollars. However, these costs depend on the damage. It is best to contact your local dealer to find out what the price might be. The housing may be damaged if it isn't a Seadoo. They are not cheap and can be very expensive. However, you will not know until you have it checked out by a technician or dealer. These numbers are not exact because it is impossible to predict the extent of the damage and how much.

The Wear Ring can be damaged by watercrafts that feel like they have all the power but don't want them to go.

They could not place a screen mesh in front of the intake. Could they not place a screen mesh in front of the intake?

You might be asking why no one has placed a screen on the intake of a Jet Ski. You won't have to worry about anything getting into your Jet Ski.

Great idea right?

Nope. 

The engine will work harder if there is more material in front of it. The machine will be slowed down by even the smallest amount of mesh. Your watercraft actually has an intake grate that can block large objects, but it's not perfect. The intake grate is now the best balance between speed and protection.

The mesh at the front of the drive wouldn't be able handle the power of a watercraft. The mesh idea is not viable because it can't handle the force. It could also be sucked in and cause more damage than any other rock.



What can you do to stop yourself from grabbing more stuff?

  • A shock tube is a must if you are constantly sucking up towrope (Amazon Link Ad). The shock tube will keep the tow rope from getting caught on the impeller.
  • Never let the watercraft go below 3 feet or more of water. Sometimes I will go one step further and kick off in waist-deep water to get me further from the land. To remove debris, rock the craft left-to-right before you start the engine.
  • Always turn off the engine before you reach land when beaching.
  • Never rev the engine while unloading a trailer. The guy ahead of you might have done a flip-flop, so revving the engine in reverse may help you find it. You should not use the throttle in any area that isn't a loading ramp or no-wake. Everything should be done at idle speed.
  • Be on the lookout for Shoals, and pay attention to water levels that are low.
  • After a severe storm, avoid going on a ride. If sticks are loosened from trees, you can take a dip in the water. Sticks are worse because some of them can float below the surface.


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