going thru seeweed/grass

[brooksville_rebel]

Last two weekend's out there seems to have been a lot of grass floating on top of the water. Wife says its from the shrimpers dragging their nets. This is in the Gulf.
Boat is a 24ft pontoon with 40hp.
We will be going along when suddenly the engine or prop will whine and lose juice. We have to "pull over", shut down the engine, tilt it up and normally watch a glob of grass float away. Sometimes I have to reach down and pull some off the lower unit. Restart and were are good till the next instance which can be a few minutes later at times. I think it happens more when we are full WOT then say half WOT along. Top end for us is about 10-12 knots.
I don't see others having this issue out there so not sure why we do and why so often.
Is it the grass or the start of a lower unit problem ?
Engine issue ?
Really the grass build up ? If so is there a quicker/simplier way to clear it ? Its annoying as hell especially when in the channel on the way in and boats flying up our 6.

Thanks
Mark

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

By "whine" do you mean the rpm's increase? If so maybe the hub is spun on the propeller? I would check the propeller.

 

[brooksville_rebel]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

By "whine" do you mean the rpm's increase? If so maybe the hub is spun on the propeller? I would check the propeller.

Hmm I don't recall if RPM's increased. Just the engine whined real loud. Will have to check. Is there a way to check for a spun hub ?

Thanks
Mark

 

[superbenk]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

Draw a line across the prop & end of the prop shaft with a permanent marker or paint marker. Take the boat out & run it. Lift the drive & inspect the mark. If the line isn't straight or its broken from how y drew it, the prop is spun (the outside of the prop is loose in the rubber inner hub). If that's the case you'll need to replace or have the prop rebuilt.

 

[Air Traffic]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

If it is just grass or seaweed buildup you can at times remove it by putting the transmission in reverse and giving it a fair amount of throttle.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

^ I had to do this in areas with lots of weed buildup, go until you loose power due to the weeds, stop, kick it in reverse and watch the blob float up and away from your prop, then continue for another 100ft and repeate :lol:

 

[etracer68]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

If and when I have to go through weeds, I will tilt the motor up, but not to high, make sure the water inlets are under water. They seem to slip off better. I try not to go through at planning speeds.

 

[Bondo]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

^ I had to do this in areas with lots of weed buildup, go until you loose power due to the weeds, stop, kick it in reverse and watch the blob float up and away from your prop, then continue for another 100ft and repeate :lol:

Ayuh,... Ditto that,... Weeds are really bad at my dock, for 'bout 100 yards out,...

I just plow through 'em til I feel the prop slippin', then slip it into Reverse, 'n pump the throttle once,...

The weeds are shed, 'n I continue on til cleanin' the prop is necessary again,...

The Good part is, if ya plow through 'em often enough, you can keep up with mowin' down the weeds,...

 

[southkogs]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

x3 - with Bond-0, Gibbles and Air Traffic. We've reversed to "mow the lawn" many times.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

Last two weekend's out there seems to have been a lot of grass floating on top of the water. Wife says its from the shrimpers dragging their nets. This is in the Gulf.
Boat is a 24ft pontoon with 40hp.
We will be going along when suddenly the engine or prop will whine and lose juice. We have to "pull over", shut down the engine, tilt it up and normally watch a glob of grass float away. Sometimes I have to reach down and pull some off the lower unit. Restart and were are good till the next instance which can be a few minutes later at times. I think it happens more when we are full WOT then say half WOT along. Top end for us is about 10-12 knots.
I don't see others having this issue out there so not sure why we do and why so often.
Is it the grass or the start of a lower unit problem ?
Engine issue ?
Really the grass build up ? If so is there a quicker/simplier way to clear it ? Its annoying as hell especially when in the channel on the way in and boats flying up our 6.

Thanks
Mark

Have you had a exceptional warm summer and not so deep water. This is a good indication of both.Lake Gaston (VA) has or had the same problem and they used to drop/sprinkle some chemical/powder on the water to kill the grass.

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: going thru seeweed/grass

Maybe try a propeller guard. While they are primarily for protection against hard debris, rocks and bottom, some claim to fend off weed entanglements.