Scarab SB Series, Owner'S Manual

Page: 126 / 182

Owner’s Manual Page 122 Care and Maintenance - Section E
Keep away from intake grate while engine is
on. Items such as long hair, loose clothing or
personal flotation device straps can become
entangled in moving parts resulting in severe
injury or drowning.
Weeds, shells or debris can get caught on the intake
grate, drive shaft and/or impeller. A clogged water
intake may cause troubles such as:
1. Cavitation: Engine speed is high but boat moves
slowly due to reduced jet thrust; jet pump compo-
nents may be damaged.
2. Overheating: Since the jet pump operation con-
trols the flow of water to cool the exhaust system,
a clogged intake will cause the engine to overheat
and damage internal engine components.
The clogged area can be cleaned as follows:
In-water cleaning: Turn the ignition key to the OFF
position and remove the key. Let the boat stop by
itself. Wait a while to allow weeds or other debris to
escape from grate. It may be necessary to repeat the
procedure. In severe conditions if the above method
does not work, the following can be performed:
1. With engine running, put shift lever in reverse
position and vary throttle setting quickly several
times.
2. Try accelerating again. Most of the time, debris
will escape from the propulsion system.
Out of water cleaning: If the system is still clogged,
shut off the engine by turning the ignition key to the
OFF position and removing the key.
Always remove the tether cord from the engine
cut-off switch to prevent accidental engine
starting before cleaning the jet pump area.
From underneath boat, manually clean water intake
area. If the system is still clogged, refer to an autho-
rized Scarab boat dealer for servicing.
NOTICE
Avoid operation in weeded areas. If unavoid-
able, vary speed. Weeds tend to entangle
more at steady and slow speeds. Inspect water
intake grate for damage. See an authorized
Scarab boat dealer for repair as necessary.
B. Towing the Boat in Water
Special precautions should be taken when towing a
Scarab jet boat in water.
Maximum recommended towing speed is 24 km/h (15
MPH).
When towing your boat in water, pinch the exhaust
manifold water outlet hose on each engine with a
large hose pincher. This will prevent the exhaust
system from filling which may lead to water being
injected into the engine. Without the engine running
there isn’t any exhaust pressure to carry the water out
the exhaust outlet.
NOTICE
Failure to pinch the exhaust manifold water
outlet hose may result in damage to the engine.
If your boat must be towed in water and you do
not have a hose pincher, be sure to stay well
below the maximum towing speed of 24 km/h
(15 MPH).
NOTICE
When finished towing the boat, the hose
pincher must be removed before operating the
boat. Failure to do so will result engine dam-
age.
C. Submerged Boat and Water-Flooded Engine
To limit damages to the engine, perform the following
procedure as soon as possible.
Drain bilge.
If it was submerged in salt water, spray bilge and all
components with fresh water using a garden hose to
stop the salt corrosive effect.