Running Engine with Boat on Trailer

[RonT]

Here are the steps I take when running any ski boat on a trailer:

1) Elevate tongue near max. (hull drains better)
2) Open or remove motor box and or rear center floors (I am typically doing alignments etc. at this time & prefer to really open up the work area)
3) Place a 5 gal. bucket near the water intake area, disconnect the most convenient suction hose & redirect it -or- add a section of hose into the bucket.
     (I have a piece of corregated plastic swimming pool suction hose that resists collapsing that I use with the end that goes into the bucket cut at an     
      angle so it resists sucking to the bottom)
4) Fill the bucket to within an inch or so from the top with the suction hose in the bucket - shut off the supply hose
5) Squirt the shaft strut under the boat with the hose (I use a spray bottle with 10% soap)
6) Start engine & immediately watch the water level in the bucket, if the water is not visibly going down within 5 seconds, shut off the engine & 
    carefully feel the raw water pump, if warm to hot correct pump problems, if cool restart & try again, if still not drawing water, after another 5 sec.
    correct pump problems.
7) I usually turn the hose/water supply on as the bucket draws down to the half way mark
NOTE: A typical ski boat will consume water fast! depending on hose size, city water pressures & idle RPM, EXPECT 600-1000 RPM to consume water as fast your hose can supply it!
9) I usually need to shut the engine off within a couple minutes to allow the bucket to refill since cold engines idle higher, while re-filling check the oil
    dipstick for oil that is clear, if turning milky, your winterization program failed, shut the project down & have a drink.
10) Always let the engine pump draw water as needed, never allow it suck air, never force water into the system. 
 

[kjerchinger]

Great Tips, thanks Ron

   

[Marko56]

What do you think about using the "toilet plunger" over the pick-up under the hull and having the hose from the "plunger" running into the 5 gal bucket?  Will it draw enough water?

[Joel]

Marko,   I dont get the question...??

I know its a pain to take off one of the supply side hoses inside the boat and put it in a 5 gal bucket because the damn things are too short or not in a good spot to do that... but using a fake-a-lake (plunger with the hose connection) typically doesnt supply enough water to keep up with the impeller.  Also, its not a good test of your water intake / cooling system since its providing allot of water pressure to a system that operates under suction (from the impeller) to draw the water up and then pushes it through the manifold, exhaust, etc.

My two cents.

[Mike Harry]

Just a suggestion, but if you get a chance check out my photobucket. I run mine on the trailer "5 gallon bucket style" with a 55 gallon drum.

Fill drum up........ and leave hose running...... Ive never sucked it dry which gives me all the time I need to run it on the trailer.

Again, check out my photobucket. There is a link at the bottom of any of my posts that will take you to my pictures.

[backfoot100]

What do you think about using the "toilet plunger" over the pick-up under the hull and having the hose from the "plunger" running into the 5 gal bucket?  Will it draw enough water?

Marko,   I dont get the question...??

Joel,
I think he's talking about using the fake-a-lake with a section of hose running from it to a bucket filled with water instead of disconnecting a hose from the cooler or the water strainer inside and running that to the bucket.

Marko,
I wouldn't try that. The "toilet plunger" on the fake-a-lake would not provide a good secure seal and would suck air instead of water.
If you look at the plastic hose connection on that plunger it has pretty flimsy gaskets that in no way would provide an air tight seal. The plunger seal itself on the hull would also never be air tight with the amount of suction that the RWP would exsert on it.

Think about it minute. A loose hose clamp on the intake side of the RWP that isn't tightened up enough will suck air instead of water but the clamp and hose is still on there tight enough that you'll never be able to move it by hand.
What kind of seal do you think you would get when you take a 6" toilet  plunger propped up against the hull with a hose connection that has no clamps of any kind on it?
Just disconnect a hose inside, make sure the system sucks water the way it's supposed to and then feel free to use the fake-a-lake for occasional trailer starts after that.  I've been using my fake-a-lake for 20 years just like that without incident.
I would however, suggest that you still do the bucket test whenever the impeller, a clamp, hose, or any other part on the intake side of the RWP is changed or repired for any reason. That's the only way to truly know the system integrity is intact.

Hope this helps.