sinking in the surf

SharkB8 · 01-07-2010, 08:45 PM

I have a squarenose that I ride only in the surf.

There have been a few times that I have lost my ski and it has tumbled in the waves. It has never sunk yet and I'd like to keep it that way. The last day we rode, I was very lucky - mine was the only ski of the four that wasn't sunk.

Are there any hood mods that can be done to help keep the water out when things get squirrelly?

Someone should invent an air intake system that closes up tight when the lanyard cord comes off.

Ksarge91 · 01-07-2010, 09:15 PM

Glass off the air intakes ontop of the hood and cut new ones in the back. Then rip out the old liner and throw it in the trash. To make a new liner, cut a piece of cardboard to size and lay it in the hood. Cover it with duct tape then cover that with glass. Pop it out once it has cured, remove the cardboard adn tape, and glass the new liner to the hood. Get yourself some pool baffles and 5200 them into teh new liner. Be sure to leave atleast an inch of the baffle on the other side of the liner. This will cause any water that makes it's way inside the hood to simply splash against the baffle and wash right out the back.

I've done this several tiems with roundnose hoods and have had great success. I'll have some pics for you in a couple minutes.

Ksarge91 · 01-07-2010, 09:20 PM

pics

pic #1 is the duct tape liner before glass. You can also see where I glassed off the front air intakes (yours are ontop of the hood)
pic #2 is the liner as a single layer of glass. I lay up one layer then pop it out, then glass it to the hull the same time as I lay a second layer. All with 8 oz cloth.
pic #3 shows the where I widened the rear air intakes into triangles. In a square you have to just cut new ones.
pic #4 shows the handholds just because it's a great time to add some while you have the liner out.
pic#5 is the liner popped

DK1Designs · 01-07-2010, 09:30 PM

Get a bilge pump, and leave it on while you ride.

Ksarge91 · 01-07-2010, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DK-Freestyle

Get a bilge pump, and leave it on while you ride.

X2. My dual 500's kept my hull bone dry...... when they were both working.

SharkB8 · 01-09-2010, 05:57 PM

How much would you charge to do it for me?

SharkB8 · 01-09-2010, 06:53 PM

How does having the air intakes in the back reduce the volume of water getting in?

Thanks BTW for the information and pics.

Right now I run a single 500 bilge pump in the rear plus I still have the stock setup. I leave it running all the time in the surf. But I'm not as worried about how to empty the hull after I'm running again. I'm more concerned about not letting 20 gallons get in there in the first place while I'm swimming back to my ski and its rolling in the waves.

greg750sxi · 01-09-2010, 07:14 PM

glass in a pvc downpipe like kawi's have under the hood, its basically a pipe that goes from the air intake on the top of the hood straight down to near the bottom of the hull so that when its flipped water wont just pour in the intake hole. when the ski is flipped the pipe is above where the waterline is when the ski is upside down and therefore ALOT less water can get in. put the pipe at an angle to the opposite side the air intake is on if you want to even further reduce any water that can get in when the ski is rolling or on its side. oh and get a bilge pump or pumps too. theyre wicked cheap and easy to install compared to a hydro locked engine.

Ksarge91 · 01-09-2010, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharkB8

How does having the air intakes in the back reduce the volume of water getting in?

Thanks BTW for the information and pics.

Right now I run a single 500 bilge pump in the rear plus I still have the stock setup. I leave it running all the time in the surf. But I'm not as worried about how to empty the hull after I'm running again. I'm more concerned about not letting 20 gallons get in there in the first place while I'm swimming back to my ski and its rolling in the waves.

If you're only worried about water not getting in when the engine's dead and the skis rolling around in the waves it probably wouldn't help much. The air intakes ontop of the hood let more water in than the back because the back is guarded more. If you slash a wave and dig a little water will flow over the hood but won't go in the back. Helps to keep water out with nose stabs too.

Get yourself some rachet straps. Blowsion sells a brapstrap, or just go to home depot and get some regular ratchet straps. Get a good condition OEM or watcon hoodseal and clamp your hood down tight!! You can also get a pool baffle from depot and run it 10-12 inches up into the pole, through the bracket, and 5-6 inches down into the hull. Run your cables through it and still use the black rubber seperator piece. The 3 places water gets in mostly are the bracket, hoodseal area, and air intakes. All can be sealed fairly well.

227 · 01-09-2010, 09:48 PM

Hey Shark of course you want to seal up your ski as good as possible and run a good aftermarket bilge pump but I'd like to add when riding surf never let go, I mean NEVER. When I crash no matter how hard I get rag dolled or rolled I never let go. On the rare times I get separated from my ski its because it was litterally ripped from my hands. Get used to riding like this and it will help tremendously