How to Remove Rope From Jet Ski
If you have sucked up rope into your jet ski and have gotten it to land, and have avoided flipping it over, below will be the steps to remove the rope.
1. Get To land
Don’t flip the jet ski while in the water, this will make it sink.
It’s best to get the jet ski on a trailer or a dolly.
2. Disconnect the battery
You’ll be working around the pump, and you don’t want the engine to start.
3. Pull & Push Rope
When the jet ski is on land and on a trailer, get under it. Make sure the wheels are blocked off beforehand, so the trailer doesn’t roll you over.
Try to pull on the rope to see if it comes free.
If pulling doesn’t work, twist the rope and then push on it to see if it frees it from the driveshaft.
4. Cut the rope
If the rope doesn’t come free easily, then you may consider cutting it free.
Use a knife to cut the rope. If you want to try to keep the rope, skip to step 5.
Since the rope can get sucked up into the pump, you may need to tape the knife to a stick or something long to break it free. You could also get a long handle knife (ad).
Avoid taking the intake grate off even though it looks simple, it’s not. At least one of the bolts is through-bolted, and is a nightmare to put back on, especially since you’ll need to seal it back up and wait 24 hours before riding again.
5. Remove The Pump
If the rope is not coming out or cutting it free is not working, then the last option is to remove the jet pump.
Remove the jet pump from the rear on the outside of the watercraft. It’s not hard, but if you have never done it before, it can be tricky.
Below is a great video showing you how to remove the pump from a Sea-Doo to expose the drive shaft. Once you remove the pump, you can easily un-wind the rope and set it free.
How To Keep From Sucking Up Ropes Again?
If you want to avoid sucking up ropes, then you need an impeller protector (ad).
You can also use a pool noodle, but you’ll need to cut the noodle long-wise to slip in the rope and then tape it back up. A zip tie can be used instead, but I like the Velcro zip ties (ad) better as they don’t cut you.
What To Avoid!
- Avoid flipping the jet ski over while in the water, it will sink.
- Avoid trying to fix this while in water, it won’t work.
- Avoid removing the intake grate, it’s often through-bolted and will need sealant and a dry time of 24 hours if you do. Removing the pump from the rear is easier and quicker.
- Everything you need to get to is on the outside of the watercraft, don’t remove parts from the engine compartment.
- Don’t put the jet ski in reverse, the engine is directly connected to the impeller and that won’t do anything. If you’re stuck in the middle of the water, you’ll need to use a paddle, swim it back or call Sea-Tow.
Can You Reuse The Rope?
After removing the rope, I suggest you don’t reuse it.
It’s often too stretched out or frayed to be worth it. Sometimes you may not have an option and have to cut the rope out, so you can’t reuse it.