2015 Scarab sucking up a rope - Will the boat sink or swamp?

[Sean Scarab 195]

Last weekend, I sucked up my 3rd rope and I'm really bummed about it as my boat sits in the shop needing repairs $$$. I've only had the boat 15 months.

First rope: lobster hoop netting on a dark night. Nearly sank or swampled the boat beingtowed 30 miles back from Catalina island, required new engine from water damage.

Second Rope: Dropping anchor on a dark night while boat-in-camping, towed 30 miles back from Catalina. $200 repair.

3rd Rope: Trying to be helpful and pull a guys boat stuck on the sand. We spent an hour getting the rope out, dropped the boat back in the water, get up to speed then engine dies and bilge starts cranking. In just 5 minutes, the boat fills with water. Boat is in the shop now waiting estimate/repairs.

I'm curious: How much water can one of these Scarab boats take in from a broken seal as the result of a rope? Will they sink or just fill up really good with water, flooding the engine compartment?

Do the Yamahas deal better with this? Do the newer Scarab models deal better? Taking in water is more than a deal breaker for me with a boat.

 

[Betik]

Man you have been unlucky. .......

 

[fireflymedic]

Somewhere on here is a video of happy people being towed in a swamped scareb I believe. Many document yamahas being swamped and not sinking. as cheep as yamaha is can't imagine they make them that way by choice and not force. Surly it's a coastguard regulation that a small boat must be buoyant.

 

[SVTSINR]

Not to sound like a dick but you need to familiarize yourself with the boat. The only point of entry for water is the carbon seal, bellows and supporting ring. If my boat was sinking I would at least take a look and do whatever I had to to prevent submersion.

 

[Sean Scarab 195]

Not to sound like a dick but you need to familiarize yourself with the boat. The only point of entry for water is the carbon seal, bellows and supporting ring. If my boat was sinking I would at least take a look and do whatever I had to to prevent submersion.

Good advice. Obviously I need to do a way better job of keeping ropes out of the engine.

 

[itsdgm]

That's a bummer @Sean Scarab 195 sorry to hear about your issues. Believe me, I've sucked up a rope a few times myself. Once on my older sea Doo which required pulling the boat out of the water to remove the rope and a few times with the Yamaha. Any jet boat can and will suck up a rope anytime the engines are running, regardless of what position the shifter is in. My wife learned this the hard way a few years back when she sucked up all 60 feet of my best wakeboarding rope which wadded up in a ball the size of a fist. It was packed tight in there. The advantage that the Yamahas have in this situation is that they're equipped with cleanout ports. So we were able to remove/cut the rope out while still on the water. It took over an hour, but it could be done with the right knife and patience. Unfortunately, that day I only had the right knife

 

[SVTSINR]

Good advice. Obviously I need to do a way better job of keeping ropes out of the engine.

No worries, I've done it twice myself and I'm sure it will happen again.