Perfect weekend ruined

[Arkid]

Just got back from Havasu. Weather was up around 100, no clouds, slight breeze, water was comfortable. Saturday & Sunday were slightly busy on the lake so boarding was kind of tough but we decided to stay another day and go out all day today (Monday) and take advantage of the conditions.

We get to the boat which is moored at Havasu Springs and set off up the lake about 9am, there isn't a soul around. I never heard it so quiet (if that makes sense??).

After cruising up the lake I feel a puddle under my feet and wonder if something had spilled. Nope can't find anything, must be from being sat out all night with the tube up on the bimini. Hmmmm.. the puddle seems to be getting bigger, oh crap! I look under the dash and the heater core is leaking.

Well I get all freaked out and start heading back to the launch ramp, I had my two young kids in the boat and had visions of the whole thing flooding and being stranded in the middle of nowhere by ourselves.

I ended up taking the boat out of the water and sitting on the beach all day watching the kids play and looking out over a huge glassy lake which for the most part stayed untouched all day! Really a shame!!!

A perfect oportunity to ride in perfect conditions alone wasted!

The worst part is after leaving and finally getting cellular service somewhere out in the desert, as there is none around that part of the lake, I called Tilleys Marine in Ventura and they told me I could have just taken the hoses off and coupled them together. AAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!

Yes it all makes sense and it's so easy but having never done it I had no idea.

I'll be going back in a week or so to try again but I can only wish for the same conditions!

Edited October 3, 2006 by Arkid

[sheeprides]

That sucks. What a shame to miss some great water. The good news is, you'll most likely have the same conditions when you go back in a week or two and you'll know what to do if that ever happens again.

BTW, what are you doing with a heater in your boat anyway? We're in Southern California.

[SunriseH2OSkier]

BTW, what are you doing with a heater in your boat anyway? We're in Southern California.

That was my thought exactly. 100F in October? Water was 'comfortable'? Does that mean you didn't bother with the drysuit?

Skied Sunday in 65F air/60F water/bazillion mph breeze.

[jshap]

BTW, what are you doing with a heater in your boat anyway? We're in Southern California.

That was my thought exactly. 100F in October? Water was 'comfortable'? Does that mean you didn't bother with the drysuit?

Skied Sunday in 65F air/60F water/bazillion mph breeze.

Haha, me too. Actually, the air Saturday was 58F and the water 60F. It was a bit of a shock getting in, but once you get warmed up, it's no big deal. It's worth dealing with to have all that beautiful water all to ourselves.

Edited October 3, 2006 by jshap

[Baddog]

Fall skiing is clearly not for the faint hearted (or California folks, apparently).

[vette-ski]

Just as a tip, I put garden hose fittings on the lines in the engine compartment for a quick bypass if I ever need it. Just be sure to get the male/female ends on there the right way.

[Arkid]

That sucks. What a shame to miss some great water. The good news is, you'll most likely have the same conditions when you go back in a week or two and you'll know what to do if that ever happens again.

BTW, what are you doing with a heater in your boat anyway? We're in Southern California.

The heater was in the boat when we bought it. I figured it would be useful if we go out in the winter.

[Malibudude]

We ran into this one year up at Shasta. It was about 6:45 in the am water was complete glass with the sun not up over the ridge yet. I'm ready to pull my friend, his boat he gets to go first, and after he's up on the ski steam from the heater starts to fill up the driver area and soon I can't see out the window; definitely a Cheech & Chong moment...lol. We did exactly what Tilley's recommended and we were able to keep on skiing. Something just surreal about glass, early morning, and sun coming up over the mountains...good times

[MRC]

Just as a tip, I put garden hose fittings on the lines in the engine compartment for a quick bypass if I ever need it. Just be sure to get the male/female ends on there the right way.

The local auto parts store has hose clamps with wing-nut like adjustment so they can tightend and loosened by hand. I cut one of the heater hoses and put it back togeather with one of these hose clamps so I can bypass the heater in a similar fashion. I also put one of these clamps on the cold water side of the transmission cooler so that I can clean out the screen on the fly if it get's too clogged.

Mike

[stewart]

That sucks. What a shame to miss some great water. The good news is, you'll most likely have the same conditions when you go back in a week or two and you'll know what to do if that ever happens again.

BTW, what are you doing with a heater in your boat anyway? We're in Southern California.

In a week the Jet Ski World Finals are in Havasu.......

[NorCaliBu]

Fall skiing is clearly not for the faint hearted (or Southern California folks, apparently).

You forgot a word.

Here in Nor Cal the daytime highs right now are only hitting low to mid 60's and the water is about the same. If it gets much colder we might need to start wearing a spring suit or something. (*She knows about shrinkage, right?*).

Supposed to be back in the low 80's next week...

[Arkid]

Just as a tip, I put garden hose fittings on the lines in the engine compartment for a quick bypass if I ever need it. Just be sure to get the male/female ends on there the right way.

The local auto parts store has hose clamps with wing-nut like adjustment so they can tightend and loosened by hand. I cut one of the heater hoses and put it back togeather with one of these hose clamps so I can bypass the heater in a similar fashion. I also put one of these clamps on the cold water side of the transmission cooler so that I can clean out the screen on the fly if it get's too clogged.

Mike

OK, so where's the transmission cooler and should I be doing the same as you?

It's all new to me so I bought the Indmar service manual but it really doesn't become useful until after something has gone wrong and them i'm in at the deep end.

Advice on this board is worth it's weight in gold!!!

[MRC]

Just as a tip, I put garden hose fittings on the lines in the engine compartment for a quick bypass if I ever need it. Just be sure to get the male/female ends on there the right way.

The local auto parts store has hose clamps with wing-nut like adjustment so they can tightend and loosened by hand. I cut one of the heater hoses and put it back togeather with one of these hose clamps so I can bypass the heater in a similar fashion. I also put one of these clamps on the cold water side of the transmission cooler so that I can clean out the screen on the fly if it get's too clogged.

Mike

OK, so where's the transmission cooler and should I be doing the same as you?

It's all new to me so I bought the Indmar service manual but it really doesn't become useful until after something has gone wrong and them i'm in at the deep end.

Advice on this board is worth it's weight in gold!!!

It depends on if your bu is Vdrive or Direct Drive... Mine is direct drive and the Transmission cooler is the tube shaped thing inbetween the raw water pump and the engine on the fat hose. It has the big rubber raw water hoses on each end of the tub and smaller metal lines going in the sides of the tube.

On the raw water pump side, there is a screen that prevents chunky stuff from going any further. I often get weeds caught up in that screen. Every once an a while during the season, I will pull that water hose off and run my finger around the screen and clean off as well as possible. (If there are any rubber chunks in there, it's time to check the impeller of the raw water pump). If you do this after the motor has been running, expect hot water to spill out when you remove the hose.

Mike