Alarm question

[Creekchub]

I went on the river today and had an issue I’d like some advice on. I struggled trailering my new to mr boat in the current. Long story short, I got too shallow and sucked up some gravel. The boat wouldn’t propel and an alarm came on. I shut the motor off and pulled the boat by hand on the trailer. I inspected the grate and there were about a dozen small rocks lodged in the grate which I removed. Should I be concerned about the motor? Maybe drop the foot and inspect the impeller?
Thanks

 

[JL8Jeff]

The alarm might have been the overheat warning. If you had enough blockage in the grate, maybe there was not enough water pumping through to cool the motor. You should be able to get under the motor and shine a flashlight up inside the intake grate and see the impeller to look for any obvious damage to the leading edges of the impeller. The overheat alarm module went bad on my Mercury so I unplugged it and watch the telltale to make sure water is pumping through whenever I start up the motor. Personally, I have never driven a boat onto a trailer in 30 years of boating. I always load it by hand which usually means walking into the water (even in Feb with the water 34 degrees). My uncle used to clamp a 4x4 onto the main trailer beam to give him something to walk down, I've never gotten around to doing that.

 

[Creekchub]

The alarm might have been the overheat warning. If you had enough blockage in the grate, maybe there was not enough water pumping through to cool the motor. You should be able to get under the motor and shine a flashlight up inside the intake grate and see the impeller to look for any obvious damage to the leading edges of the impeller. The overheat alarm module went bad on my Mercury so I unplugged it and watch the telltale to make sure water is pumping through whenever I start up the motor. Personally, I have never driven a boat onto a trailer in 30 years of boating. I always load it by hand which usually means walking into the water (even in Feb with the water 34 degrees). My uncle used to clamp a 4x4 onto the main trailer beam to give him something to walk down, I've never gotten around to doing that.

Water was still water pumping out of the jet but it wasn’t moving the boat when the alarm went off. I’m a jet rookie but guess it wasn’t enough water pressure and triggered the alarm.
I think everything is ok and will investigate it and would have relaunched and tried the motor again after clearing the rocks but the boat landing was crowded.
I’m leaning towards your method of loading the boat from now on. I had a prop Jon for years and could motor it on the trailer in modest river current, a jet is a whole different ballgame.

 

[JL8Jeff]

Our ramp is at an angle to the river so the current is going against you at 45 degrees. If the river is really low, current is minimal. Then, depending on the wind, it can blow it downstream even faster or upstream against the current.

 

[1gr8bldr]

Loading and unloading with a jet is much easier than with a prop, once the learning curve has passed and it becomes instinctive. You just can't quickly rear steer with a prop. Get out in the open sometime and play around, noticing how you can pull the rear.... changing the direction of the front, without requiring you to move forward. My boat is 24 feet long. i could turn it 360 degrees in a 26 foot wide opening. The trick to cross current is to drive your boat onto the trailer. Barely submerge your last few feet of runners leaving 75% exposed. Once your nose of the boat touches the bottom runners, it becomes a guide to push it up on the trailer. The old trypical prop way of lining up, approaching from 40 feet out front, hoping to time it on entry.... is over with a jet. I prefer approach the trailer from downstream, rear pull the the ace end to a 90 right at or above the runners. about 2 feet, then drift with current to alignment, ease the front on the runners, square up, push up up the runners. If you go to any boat ramp and watch.... it pure comedy. Add wind, current , and it becomes hilarious. But the secret to looking like a pro at the doc is never back in deeper than required

 

[Striper57]

Do you have side bunk guides on your trailer? Any type of side bunk can help a lot when power loading at an angle. Our ramp is very similar and we use the same method as 1gr8bldr. You nose up to the barely submerged boat trailer and use the trailer itself to your advantage, which is where side bunks can really help. When the current is strong, you can place the starboard side of you bow against a side bunk guide (you can also use post guides like you see on saltwater trailers as well) and pivot your boat into position. Works like a charm.