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HOW-TO WITH DOCTOR DOO: SEA-DOO WINTERIZING TIPS – KEEP UP THE ENERGY

25 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in "How-To" Series, Doctor Doo

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battery, battery charger, best, dealership, DIY, doctor doo, gti, gtx, how to, maintenance, performance, reliable, rxp, Sea-Doo, service, show me, Spark, technician, tips, wake, watercraft, website, winterizing

drdoo Dr. Doo wants you to keep your energy up during the offseason so your Sea-Doo watercraft is in tip-top shape when spring arrives.

This monthly blog will include tips and insight on seasonal maintenance, systems care, and the products to help maximize your Sea-Doo Life. The winter cold is tough on batteries. It’s important to take the proper preventive maintenance steps to ensure your battery is healthy and ready-to-go when you take your watercraft out of hibernation.

The cold can cause troubles for your battery trauma in two ways;

  • Your Rotax engine requires much more current from your battery to turn over when it’s cold due to the thickening of the oil.
  • Colder temperatures slow the chemical reactions that generate electricity.

Although you may not be using your Sea-Doo watercraft in the cooler months as often, or at all, these tips from Dr. Doo will help ensure you keep the energy up with your electrical system. 

Give your battery a visual check-up.

Ensure your Sea-Doo battery terminals are corrosion free.

Ensure your Sea-Doo battery terminals are corrosion free.

Take a detailed look at the battery casing, looking for damage such as cracks or leaks. If you find any “flaws” in the battery, replace it immediately as a damaged battery can cause operational problems. The battery terminals (where the cables attach to the battery) should be clean, free of corrosion and the cable ends should be securely attached with no “wiggle.” Also, check the cables themselves for damage or wear. If there is any exposed metal of the wiring, replace that section.

Conduct a test.

A certified BRP Sea-Doo watercraft technician should check any battery three years old or older. The tech can conduct a cold cranking power test (CCA test) to measure the amount of power (amperage) the battery is able to produce for half a minute in cooler temperatures. A battery should produce a minimum voltage of 7.3 volts even at freezing. If the battery falls below these minimum standards, it’s time to purchase a new Yuasa° battery from an authorized BRP/Sea-Doo dealer.

Keep it warm if possible.

Providing a protected environment away from freezing temperatures and frigid winds can help keep the energy levels up. If possible, store your watercraft inside a garage or closed storage area. If storing your Sea-Doo watercraft inside isn’t possible you may want to consider removing your battery and storing it in your garage during the winter. When storing your battery, be sure to cover your terminals with a rubber cover or in a cardboard box to avoid possible arcing.

A "Smart" battery charger will maintain proper charge over extended times of non-use.

A “Smart” battery charger will maintain proper charge over extended times of non-use.

An IV for your battery.

To help ensure your battery maintains healthy energy levels Dr. Doo prescribes you utilize a smart battery charger. These tools are designed for this use and won’t overcharge your battery and ensure they are at maximum strength when it’s go time. These tools can also be used for your other motorized vehicles that utilize a 6-volt or 12-volt system.

Drdoo-levelKeeping up the energy during the long winter months is challenging but with Dr. Doo’s How-To tips to live the best Sea-Doo Life, your watercraft battery will receive a complete clean bill of health.

2016

X-TEAM TUESDAY – The IJSBA NATIONAL TOUR RESUMES WITH FINAL TWO STOPS

07 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in X-TEAM Profile

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baldwin, best, champion, durable, event, fast, georgia, IJSBA, musclecraft, pro, racing, reliable, riva, Sea-Doo, service, snyder, speed, Technology, tour, win, x-team.

The 2012 Hydro-Turf National Watercross tour resumes action after a three week break and visits the Southeast with the fifth stop taking place in Lake Hartwell, Georgia this weekend August 11-12 before culminating in Charleston, West Virginia for the National Championship final event August 17-18.

The Triple Crown of Watercross is this coming weekend to beautiful Lake Hartwell at Tugaloo State Park in Lavonia, GA and the local community is laying out the red carpet for the Sea-Doo X-TEAM racers. The weekend will start with an invitation from the people of Lavonia to enjoy live music on Friday Night at Lavonia’s town square gazebo from 7pm-9pm. All the downtown restaurants will be open for fans to enjoy the local cuisine.

The Sea-Doo X-TEAM comes to Lake Hartwell with an overwhelming amount of momentum as RIVA/Neptune Racing rider Troy Snyder looks to extend his overall PRO Stock points lead on his Snyder Built backed Sea-Doo RXP-X.

“I have been training hard to be able to squeeze all of the speed out of my (Sea-Doo) RXP-X that it has, and it has a lot,” said Snyder. “The RXP-X is the best production watercraft for racing ever built and am ready to ride it for all it’s worth to win this championship.”

Snyder carries momentum from the previous stop in Reno with a overall win as does Champion Powersports of Lake Norman’s Brian Baldwin after taking his first PRO Open win aboard his privateer RXP-X effort.

Brian Baldwin Pro Open Winner carries Momentum.

OnBoard stopped by Baldwin’s shop in North Carolina on Monday and he said he was ready to go. “I am in great shape and can’t wait to get on the track,” said Baldwin. “After that first win, i didn’t want to have that big of a break, i just want to keep (the winning) going. The RXP-X is the best watercraft I have ever ridden and I am ready to keep it going!”

On Saturday evening, Watercraft riders of Hartwell, GA will be hosting the Athlete’s Party with some southern BBQ; this is free to all competitors and just $8 for friends, families and pit crews!

Event online registration is open until Thursday 9PM, event check in/registration will be on Friday onsite from 1-5 PM and check in and late registration is onsite on Saturday 6:45 – 8:00 AM. Make sure you bring you IJSBA membership card and if you recently signed up online, make sure you bring proof of registration.

X-TEAM TUESDAY – SNYDER AND BALDWIN GIVE SEA-DOO 1-1 WIN IN PRO STOCK AND PRO OPEN AT VIRGINIA NATIONAL

24 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in X-TEAM Profile

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baldwin, beach, best, bounty, brian, brp, durable, finish, Florida, great, iantosca, IJSBA, maryland, national tour, neptune, north carolina, podium, program, race, radio, reliable, riva, rxp-x, Sea-Doo, service, show, snyder, speed, troy, virginia, win, x-team.

Racers Troy Snyder and Brian Baldwin gave the Sea-Doo X-TEAM the first double win of the season in the premier PRO Stock and PRO Open classes on their respective Sea-Doo RXP-X watercraft.

The two privateers were not alone on the podium following the IJSBA Virginia National racing event as fellow X-TEAM racers Erminio Iantosca took the second position in Pro Stock aboard his RIVA Racing backed Sea-Doo RXP-X.  For the first time during the 2012 IJSBA National Racing Tour two riders from the same manufacturer finished 1-1 in these hotly contested classes.

Snyder overcame a start/stop button setback in moto one to win motos two and three to take his second overall win of the season on his Neptune Racing prepared RIVA backed Sea-Doo RXP-X. Snyder now leads the overall championship points race after five rounds of the seven event series.

“I have to give special thanks to my tuner Bo Dupriest, Tim Judge, RIVA, and my strength coach Jimmy Stratton for preparing me for this weekend,” said Snyder following his win. “I am getting faster every week on my Sea-Doo RXP-X and we are in a good position to win this PRO Stock Championship!”

 

Baldwin in the X-TEAM Pit after his PRO OPEN win

North Carolina’s Brian Baldwin claimed his first PRO Open win of the season, besting the competitive OEM factory supported riders aboard his Champion Powersports backed Sea-Doo RXP-X watercraft. Baldwin finished 1-4-2 in his three motos that proved to be the most consistent of the weekend and earning him the overall PRO Open win. Baldwin looks to have fully adjusted to the new Sea-Doo RXP-X and will be a threat for the podiums top spot for the remaining race events of the season.

Both riders qualified for the Sea-Doo Bounty racer contingency program as Snyder earned an extra $500 from BRP and Baldwin earned an extra $600 from the ONLY racer contingency program in the industry.

Both riders will be featured guests on the Liquidspeedradio.com on-line radio show with host Brian Smith Tuesday night, July 24, 2012 during the Sea-Doo X-TEAM Hour starting at 8 PM EST. Both riders will discuss their weekend wins and what it takes to finish in first aboard their Sea-Doo RXP-X watercraft.

DOCTOR DOO: When Heavy Fog After Your Ride is GOOD!!

02 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Doctor Doo

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best, boat dealers, DIY, Dr. Doo, engine fogging, fix, fogging, jet boats, jet ski, jet ski maintenance, jet skis, lasts, lubricating Sea-Doo PWC, motoboating, personal watercraft, personal watercraft maintenance, ppg, pwc, PWC Maintenance, rotax, sea doo dealers, Sea-Doo, Sea-Doo boats, Sea-doo brand lubricants, sea-doo brand oils, Sea-Doo Dr. Doo, Sea-Doo maintenance tips, Sea-Doo XPS Lube, seadoo boats, seadoo dealers, service, sport boats, watercraft

What happens after your day on the water can help ensure your next day on the water is trouble free. One of the most damaging things that can be overlooked on watercraft or boats is the simple act of proper engine “fogging” after usage.

Saltwater users pay extra attention! It’s simple to understand the need for this procedure when you consider its effect.

Have you ever parked you car, truck, etc. a block or so from the ocean yet still notice that haze on your windshield from the salt in the air?  Well, imagine your engine actually ingesting these tiny salt particles while running along that beautiful shoreline.

It’s a scary thing to think about. But rest easy, Doctor Doo is going to explain the procedure to address the effects.

While the ROTAX engine is running, all internal moving parts are getting their needed lubing via oils, fuels, etc. BUT how about the post ride coating of salt mist, or any water for that matter, that can cause rust, corrosion, and oxidation of all sorts? The post ride preventive maintenance is key to longevity and is simple if done regularly and using BRP’s high-quality XPS products.

When conducting your post ride rinsing, flushing and preventive maintenance, follow the owner’s manual instructions for your model when it comes to “ENGINE FOGGING”.  Two-strokes as well as four-strokes need this. On 4-TEC models it protects the critical parts including throttle bodies, intake valve stems, and the list goes on.

BRP service technicians have fixed many carburetors due to frozen throttle shafts that could have been simply avoided by a little XPS lube in the right place after usage.

Here is an example of the fogging port of the typical ROTAX 4-TEC Marine Engine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next is the flame-arrestor on a 947 DI series 2-stroke:

 

Most all 2-Stroke Sea-Doo engines have the port  on the flame-arrestor. Just 4-5 seconds of spray before storing even for a couple of days makes a difference!

 

 

 

 

We strongly recommend using Sea-Doo XPS Anti-Corrosive Lubricant for this procedure. It is a true formulated fogging lubricant and one can should last a couple of seasons when used properly.

I hope this removes the fogging mysteries, myths and clears the air regarding this simple yet important procedure!

This edition of Doctor Doo comes from Glen Perry of Perry Performance Group renown as one of the leading Sea-Doo service centers the southeast United States and the world.


ULTIMATE SEA-DOO FAN UPDATE – SECRET MISSION – SEA-DOO RXP-X 260 DELIVERY

27 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Ultimate Sea-Doo Fan

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260, adventure, barney's, bay, best, cody, dealer, delivery, fan, Florida, for, fun, hawkins, jet, kevin, log, love, move, new, platinum, pwc, rxp-x, sale, Sea-Doo, service, ski, tampa, trailer, ultimate, wassum, wife, x-team.

Back in July, near the birthplace of BRP over 4000 “fans” of BRP congregated in Montreal for CLUB BRP. One of these guests was Kevin Wassum who would be named the Ultimate Sea-Doo Fan contest winner. Kevin and his wife Corrie would get a unique look into the heart of where his beloved Sea-Doo was spawned. Wassum would also win a prize package that would make the most “interesting man” jealous.

Wassum would travel to Lake Havasu City, Arizona to lead the Ultimate Sea-Doo Owner’s Ride up the Colorado river and spend the weekend watching the IJSBA World Finals and see James Bushell win two of the most prestigious PWC racing world championships aboard the new Sea-Doo RXP-X’s T3 hull. This was a great primer as Wassum’s grand prize was a new 2012 Sea-Doo RXP-X 260 watercraft and a new BRP MOVE PWC trailer. Well, that was back in October and Wassum has been chomping at the bit waiting for his RXP-X.

Little did Wassum know his Sea-Doo was planned to arrive on December 23rd. The perfect holiday gift if there ever was one for the Ultimate Sea-Doo fan. But fate was to continue to build the suspense as the delivery truck it was on making it’s way from the BRP factory in Valcourt, Quebec suffered an accident in Vermont…This caused a delay. Regardless, the shinny new Sea-Doo RXP-X 260 designated for the Ultimate Sea-Doo Fan contest winner arrived at Barney’s Motorcycle and Marine in Brandon (Tampa), Florida last week. The promotions team quickly put a plan together to make Kevin’s long wait that much more memorable. In comes Corrie…Thanks Corrie. See how it went down through this video.

So you have not heard much from Kevin Wassum as of late, but now Kevin will be logging miles like…the Ultimate Sea-Doo Fan. Stay tuned for news on his adventures living the Sea-Doo Life!

DOCTOR DOO – HOW TO KEEP YOUR SYSTEM CLEAN – DON’T SUCK!

18 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Doctor Doo

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Doctor Doo is here to help cure what ails you!

A problem we hear from time to time with Sea-Doo watercraft and boat owners is the congestion of debris in the direct drive water jet propulsion system but this is something that can be minimized with some understanding of what is going on underneath your vessel.

Lets first look at what a Direct Drive Water Jet Propulsion system consists of.

A Direct Drive Water Jet Propulsion system starts at the intake, this is a tunnel or track that enters the bottom of the hull to feed the encased impeller. Now hold this vision for just a few sentences… In front of the intake inside the vessels engine compartment rest the engine, mounted directly onto the bottom of the hull with the in-line drive shaft angled straight back (towards the transom) traveling through the hull and connected to the front, center of the impeller. No transmission here, it is a “direct-drive” system.

Okay back to the water flow. The impeller is a bladed or veined component that when turned transfers water from front to back, this is what creates the water propulsion. But there is more to it than that, behind the impeller blade are directional veins angled the opposite as the impeller blades to straighten the twirling water flow to force it straight back to use that energy as efficiently as possible to create maximum forward thrust. Behind the jet pump is the Venturi. The venturi is shaped similar to a cone, with the inlet being much larger in opening diameter than the smaller, tighter exiting outlet. This compresses the water and provides greater thrust when forced out. Imagine holding a garden hose with water running freely out of the end. now squeeze your thumb over the end and wow, it shoots a stream of water a lot harder, faster and further, this is what the venturi does.

Now to provide steering (and trim on some models) there is a pivoting nozzle on the rear of the venturi, this redirects the water flow from side to side to push the transom to side to side to change direction – or up and down to change/trim planning angles.

Okay so that is direct-drive water jet propulsion 101, this video offers a visual look at everything we just described.

This system draws water up into the water jet pump and pushes it out the back to propel the vessel. The pump is creating suction to draw that water into the system and anything else that might be in its negative pressure proximity. This could include sand, trash bags, sticks, Sunglasses, rope, but designed to efficiently process water and it does this very well. To help ensure only water enters the system an intake grate is mounted over the inlet. This is usually comprised of three hydrodynamically designed “bars” that run from the front of the opening to the back and are nearly flush with the bottom of the hull. The intake grate ensures large objects do not enter the propulsion system.

The intake grate is designed for hydrodynamic performance and the greater the covering, fencing or screening of the intake substantially impedes water flow and ultimately performance suffers. There is a balance but with this small objects can be drawn into the intake system. Here is where education can save you headaches.

First you should always follow your owners manual and operate your vessel in 3-feet (1m) of water depth or more but if you do find yourself in shallower water and your Sea-Doo vessel’s propulsion seems “funny” get to a safe location (one with out current and clear of potentially dangerous objects) and turn off the engine(s). The worse thing you can do is try to power through it. Why? Okay, imagine you’re vacuuming the interior of your car. You accidently run the hose nozzle over a rouge gas pump receipt and it is sucked to the end of the hose impeded airflow. Bumping up the vacuum power to max only holds the paper to the hose tighter. Shut the vacuum off and watch the paper fall off the vacuum hose un aided.

A common mistake of Sea-Doo owners that get into vegetation and it begins entering the jet pump system is powering up and hoping it will be processed. What this can do is pull the debris into the system deeper increasing the odds it will get stuck. Another common mistake is thinking by putting the vessel in reverse and powering up it will blow out the debris that way.

Remember a few paragraphs up when we discussed “direct drive”? This system works off of redirection of waterflow. In reverse the water coming out of the venture is redirected forward, similar to technology of jet airplanes when they slow down after landing.  The intake is still drawing in water in the same direction even when in reverse.  Both of these actions can also cause the exhaust to overheat as the cooling water flow is hindered. The best course of action is to turn off the engines and more times than not the debris will simply fall away.

In 2012 BRP takes this thinking a step further with the addition of the weedless system. This new system works with the iTC (intelligent Throttle Control) system and offers a button located on the dashboard of select Sea-Doo boat models and when activated (engine must be turned off) hinges the intake grate downward to utilize gravity in the aid of debris simply falling away.

That was a long way of simply saying, to keep your propulsion system clean, simply suck less!

 

 

This installment of Doctor Doo was supplied by Willy Carmine a former member of the BRP/Sea-Doo R&D team and current President of Route 1 Motorsports an authorized BRP Sea-Doo and Can-Am dealer in Grant, Florida where his customers boat in the Indian River, the 120 mile long lagoon that averages 4.5 feet (1.4m) in depth, so he knows a thing or two about shallow water boating.

 

DOCTOR DOO – Winter Storage, Old Man Winter Will Find Your Sea-Doo!!

04 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by Sea-Doo OnBoard Editor in Doctor Doo

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WHY WINTERIZE, WHY, WHY, WHY?

Should I winterize?

Do I NEED to winterize?

Well then, what IS winterizing?

Is a SNUGGIE, LL BEAN and a can of Sterno involved in any way?

If you live in the tropics as we do in sunny South Florida , you may think winterizing is just for our northern friends who make a snow shovel standard morning equipment. Nope, winterizing can easily apply to us all. Not necessarily for all of the same reasons though. This is why we like to call it winter “Storage” more than winterization.

Many of us hardcore riders will ride year round as long as our choice riding spot is still *liquid* and with the southern regions of North America feeling the first truly cold spell of the season, this is now very pertinent. So it’s really all about proper storage, and will vary depending on temperature exposure, weather, duration of storage, etc.

Many negative implications can result from improper storage, ranging from gummed-up fuel systems, prematurely failed batteries, rusted precious internal metals to actual broken engine cases, and other areas with cooling jackets. Instead of yet another article on “How to Winterize” this one is to warn you of the results of not taking storage seriously.

Take proper storage seriously and the cost of keeping your favorite Sea-Doo in top shape will be much lower. Going through the proper motions is also key to keeping our machines at peak performance. The kind of performance we have grown accustomed to from our friends at BRP! So to get down to the basics, if you are in an area that gets into the lower 30 degree range, full-on winterization is a must. Even down in the south we saw major problems last winter with expensive internal engine freezing issues that could have been avoided.

Some individuals are able to do this on their own, but if you are in any doubt get your watercraft or boat to an authorized BRP/Sea-Doo dealer ASAP! There you’ll find the right tools, technicians with knowledge and products that go into proper storage procedure and ensure it is performed correctly. Here you can be assured the right chemicals, the right tools and technicians armed with the latest tech updates from BRP engineering are utilized to ensure the best preventive maintenance is performed.

BRP offers premium storage lubricants in the XPS brand and additional maintenance items available at authorized BRP/Sea-Doo dealers

The owner’s manual touches on the big points of storage, but the large amount of batteries that we sell and the fuel systems that we clean show us that a little $$ spent now, on the right things, (Battery Tender or Fuel Stabilizer Stabilizer for example) sure can save you LOTS of the green stuff in your wallet, or maybe, just maybe, that next upgrade to your vessel that you’ve been wishing for!

Have a beautiful winter, and keep up with us at OnBoard

Long may you run, Dr. Doo

Glen Perry of Perry Performance Group provides this installment of Doctor Doo and is a fitting author as he has earned his PHD in Doo care as a 35+ year veteran of the powersports industry with the last 20 specializing in Sea-Doo product. Perry is also the creator of the popular Sea-Doo forum sea-doo.net

 

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