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Sucked Up a Rope? Read This!

Luc Lafreniere

Jetboaters Captain
Staff member
Scarab Forum Lead
Messages
1,633
Reaction score
908
Points
247
Location
Ottawa, Canada
Boat Make
Scarab
Year
2015
Boat Model
165 G
Boat Length
16
Unlike random debris, sucking up a rope can really suck! Ha! Yes, I'm a master of puns. Ok, but you're pissed because you sucked up a rope and you can't boat. Sorry, still not my fault you don't like my jokes.

Ropes can be VERY problematic. They can be pulled and wrapped around the drive shafts so tightly, it's practically impossible to remove without pulling the pump. You'll usually need to use pliers and a good long and sharp knife to cut the rope off and remove it bit by bit.

If you can't do this, you need to pull the pump. Again, WITHOUT remove the intake grate. See "New Owner? Read This!" For why. Again, here's the video on how to remove the pump:

This will allow you to access everything and remove it.

Ropes can cause no damage at all, to HEAVY damage causing your boat to sink. The latter is rare, but be warned. When ropes wrap around the drive shaft, it can cause so much force that the drive shaft shifts/breaks the carbon seal which prevents water from getting into your boat. It can also damage the impeller boot (black rubber thingy in from of the impeller). So it's very important to inspect for damage after remove it. And when you first put the boat back into the water, look where the drive shaft enters your boat and see if any water comes in before venturing far away from the trailer. Your boat can sink in minutes. It's more obvious at times if you run the engine. So make sure to check it after the engine is on as well.

Hopefully lesson learned. Ropes MUST be well managed at all times, both captain and helpers on the boat. If anybody loses track of a rope, yell at the captain to immediately turn off the engine. It's not worth it debating for seconds. That's all it takes to suck it up. Make sure your crew is aware of this rule. And don't fault them for reporting it. You WANT them to report it. It happens. Also careful around docks where lines are often floating...
 
whelp.... sucked up a thick tube tow rope. Cut as much away as we could after we got pulled to the sand bar, still couldn't get it all.
got back to our vacation spot, got the boat up on the lift, (thankfully shallow and warm) have most of the jet drive off, but I didn't think to bring a deep socket set, couldn't get to the last 4 bolts that hold on the drive. After much running around (after hours) was able to borrow a deep socket from the local harbor. Now to finish the job, and fingers crossed, no serious damage than a lost vacation afternoon, and a tow rope.

I'll update when complete... we don't own our boats, our boats own us....
 
lol, I'm going to quote that line of yours "we don't own our boats, our boats own us". I hadn't heard that one before. Very, very true.

The most common issue after a tow rope suck is the impeller rubber boot in front of the impeller. Make sure it's ok and not ripped to shreds. Personally, I recommend everyone keep a spare one. They are very inexpensive.
 
Yup, rubber boot ripped pretty badly.
I am in need of the 'power of the forum' i'm in Elk Rapids, Michigan on our family vacation. I'm going to start looking for solutions in and around traverse city... I would be very appreciative of anyone's support/suggestions for a good dealer/parts in this area....
How do I spread the word far and wide in the forum?
@Luc Lafreniere
 
Not much you can do here except make a new post with a very specific title. I saw you posted on Facebook too. The reality is that the Facebook group is much bigger. You'll probably find more help there.

Facebook groups i find become very diluted after they hit a certain point. Asking questions gives a bazillion answers, most incorrect. And there's no way to surface the right ones. Hence why I stopped participating there. But it's still a bigger group by far... The power of Facebook. Hopefully you get help.
 
One suggestion was to just remove the boot, and run without it. (short term to finish out our vacations last 2 days) Any feedback on that idea? any long term damage possible?
If we can run it without the boot, that would beg the question, what is the purpose of the boot, It keeps water out of the splines/connection of the shaft and impeller...
 
For the short term, yes. You'll be fine without it. May have a little extra cavitation, but it will run fine. And to my knowledge helps keep the grease in there. So just get a new one as soon as you can. But don't waste boating time because of it.
 
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