Debunking Myths & Better Understanding Sea-Doo’s Carbon Ring Seal

March 15, 2019

The haters. Oh boy, the haters. If the internet has taught us one thing, it’s that people sure love to dump on stuff. For anyone who spends any time online, they’ll find that the trash talk between brand-loyal watercraft enthusiasts is roiling at a fever pitch. Barbs are freely exchanged, but when it comes to Sea-Doo, one jab rears its ugly head more than any other: they sink. And if you were to believe what the digital mob preaches, it happens all the time.

So if we are to believe that these machines sink more often than a lead-filled, mesh-bottomed canoe, why is it that Sea-Doo has the largest slice of the marketplace; or some of the highest customer satisfaction; or the largest segment of returning customers than any other brand? Could it be the haters are wrong? *gasp!* Well, we won’t say “wrong”, but we will say that there is a lot of misinformation floating out there, and quite a bit that’s simply missing from the public dialogue.

Now that we’ve got you all roiled up and triggered, let’s dive into the meat of the story. In this essay, we’re going to address the primary cause of most of these rumors, these uniquely rare and isolated experiences, and more importantly, how to make sure it never happens to you.

The subject in question is Sea-Doo’s carbon ring. This ring encircles the driveshaft prior to it exiting through the hull and into the pump, sealing the hull from the water outside. The two-piece design provides the craft a waterproof seal while allowing the shaft to spin with the least resistance (ie. friction) possible. More pertinent to the focus of this discussion, the carbon ring is a wear item, just like the wear ring in the pump. It is not designed to last forever.

When under optimal conditions (correctly installed, operated and serviced), a carbon ring can last upwards to 100-to-150 operating hours. Yet, we find more often than not, premature failure of the carbon ring directly linked to operator error, misuse and damaged equipment. Thankfully, there are several telltale signs to alert a Sea-Doo owner well before a catastrophic failure – that is, between the watercraft’s regular service intervals.

The first cause for potential carbon ring failure is also the most common – and gratefully, the easiest to avoid: excessive heat. While not in direct contact to the driveshaft, the carbon ring caps the bellows (the corrugated black rubber boot that contains the shaft’s ball bearing) that encloses the shaft. The carbon ring is preloaded against a tapered, machined support ring (ie. hat), which is held in place on the shaft by a keyed circlip. It’s the carbon ring pressing against the hat on the driveshaft that makes the watertight seal.

As the driveshaft spins, so does the hat – with its flat machined surface – pressed against the stationary carbon ring. This of course, generates friction. Friction causes heat, and excessive heat often leads to early failure. The carbon ring is only cooled when the Sea-Doo is in the water – whether idling or at speed. The heat generated by the hat’s surface spinning against the face of the carbon ring can lead to premature wear (and failure) when operated too long out of the water.

Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not so when you see folks revving the snot out of their Sea-Doo on the trailer. Even when flushing the exhaust system with a running hose, the carbon ring is not being cooled. That is why the operation and service manual recommend running the engine no more than 90-seconds out of the water. Even “blipping” the throttle hard enough to purge the waterbox can lead to premature wear and failure.

While a bent or injured impeller blade can cause undue and aggravating turbulence, the unsettling harmonic is more likely to radically deplete the longevity of the pump’s wear ring before injuring the carbon ring – primarily because the carbon ring is only making contact with the hat, and not the shaft itself. Yet, a bent driveshaft oscillating at several thousand revolutions per minute can carve an erratic wear pattern into the carbon ring’s face, eventually leading to an early failure – although this is often the least likeliest cause.

Although not common, bending or distorting a driveshaft can happen due to careless operation; either by sucking up a tightly coiling a rope; or impact with rocks, branches or other objects small enough to pass through the intake grate. Even when poorly maintained or with parts improperly installed it is difficult to damage a driveshaft enough to injure the carbon ring.

The final factor linked to carbon ring failure is often its hardest to diagnose; engine misalignment. First and foremost, it is incredibly rare that an engine come from the factory misaligned; and all damages would be rightly covered by BRP’s warranty. Rather, it is more likely that engine misalignment is the byproduct of either harsh impacts from wave jumping or having had the engine out before.

Contrary to popular belief, these high-powered machines are not designed to jump waves, and doing so rapidly weakens, loosens and often breaks engine mounts. During a particularly severe impact, the driveline undergoes extraordinary torsional forces, causing the engine to literally shift. It might be significant (in the form of a broken motor mount) or minor, but a misalignment has potentially occurred.

Many times, such riders have replaced broken or worn motor mounts presuming that aligning the bolt holes would return the driveline to its proper default position. Not so! Certified BRP mechanics will have the correct alignment tools to ensure that the driveline is square. The same goes for the aftermarket tuner or the less-than-reputable repair shop who misaligned the engine upon reinstalling it. Both of which, the onus lies with the owner, not BRP.

Because the carbon ring is the final line between having a great day out on the lake or sinking to its bottom, it’s best to 1. maintain a proper service inspection schedule with your dealer or certified mechanic; 2. look for signs of wear in the form of excessive water in the engine compartment (particularly around the bellow), water whipping violently around the bellow, or large deposits of fine dark gray carbon blown or streaked across the engine compartment; and 3. to consider upgrading your carbon ring kit.

The Watercraft Journal spoke with Greenhulk PWC Performance‘s own Jerry Gaddis, who recommended upgrading to the new style carbon ring hat. Jerry explained, “The new carbon seal hat is 5mm thicker. That means its putting more tension on the carbon ring for a better seal. The kit is less than $90 bucks and comes with the new thicker hat and a brand new carbon seal. It’s the cheapest insurance policy you can get.”

So no, Sea-Doo’s don’t sink; but poorly maintained or incorrectly operated Sea-Doos with worn out carbon rings can though. Proper use and regular service from certified technicians will ensure your Sea-Doo will continue to perform as the day you first picked it up from the dealership; it’s really that simple. And for the haters online? There’s not much you can do about those miserable saps but sit back and feel sorry that they’re not having as much fun as you are.

Addendum (8.24.20): There have been a rash of carbon ring seal failures in recent years as noted by increased service requests. According to The Watercraft Journal’s sources, a confluence of weak or porous materials used by outside suppliers and a limited sequence of units manufactured with slight engine misalignment have contributed to premature failure of carbon ring seals. To our knowledge, 2020-and-up models are not showing these failings. Regardless, please take added precautions to operate your Sea-Doo within the prescribed guidelines outlined in your operator’s manual, as well as stay “on top” of your regular service schedule.

Additional photography and the video below via 3ft Deep.

Real Review: Waterscooter Norway Tests BRP Sea-Doo’s Drysuit

Christian Hammernes

March 13, 2019

The fact that Sea-Doo has not had a dry suit is not all that strange. The proportion of watercraft drivers who ride only when it’s sunny out versus all-year-long must be considered; and that investing in both a wetsuit and a dry suit constitutes a significant cost. The market for the sale of dry suits is therefore perhaps not the largest. But since it increases the possibility of using a watercraft, a dry suit should also be a natural part of the range for all the major watercraft manufacturers as we see it.

With a good dry suit you will keep the winter’s limitations at a distance, both in the spring season but perhaps especially in the fall while the water temperatures are still at their highest while the air becomes colder. And as mentioned, longer trips with varying weather or simply gray days will be far more relevant for several people. Finally, Sea-Doo is now out with a self-developed dry suit. The suit is available through the central warehouse the first week of April, and will probably be ready with the country’s dealers before Easter – according to BRP Norway AS. The suit will initially be sold in Europe.

The new Sea-Doo dry suit is available only in yellow and black, cool for those who like yellow. And yellow is ideal if one wants to be seen well on or in the water. So, if you put security in front of the color scheme for Sea-Doo is therefore an advantage all the way. If you choose a dry suit, your comfort and safety is something you prioritize.

Before we got to test the Sea-Doo dry suit, BRP had already shown the suit earlier in Norway and Scandinavia, but did not go public with the product until now. This is mainly due to inertia around the decision on design and final production, and we have therefore not even given information about the suit until today. The work on developing the new dry suit actually goes back over 3 years, according to BRP. Let’s take a closer look at what Sea-Doo has to offer features at a suggested retail price of $7990 kr ($860 USD).

The suit’s long and durable zipper with a wide opening was one big plus; nothing is more frustrating than having to fight into the suit to get your arms and head in. The zipper was somewhat twisted too close when it was completely retracted; it also bunched up occasionally in a small relief hood at the top. We resolved the issue with a little zipper wax we had.

Like most dry suits, Sea-Doo also has suit braces. The belts seem to be of good quality and are not marked while driving. The tension is easy to adjust, and the buckles do not come off or gnaw during driving. The buckles seem to be of good quality, and it will surprise us if these turn out not to last over time.

The suit contains a firmly integrated hood, which contributes to the collar being relatively dominant and thick. As the suit is designed, the cap works excellently both coiled and unrolled over the head. It is also easy to pull out and roll together, even with 3mm gloves. At speeds above 35-40 knots, it quickly became clear that one is better off using a neoprene hood or helmet, rather than pulling the cap over the head. When used with a helmet, it pushes the collar slightly, and frustratingly towards the underside of the helmet. Since we often drive with just a helmet, this is one minus point for us, but most of the people probably will run with a neoprene hood and glasses, and with that combo the hood and collar work wonderfully. (It’s also worth noting is that the neoprene cap from Sea-Doo is sold separately, the same applies to their new type of neoprene gloves, price and info about these we will return to.)

The suit has solid neoprene cuffs in both the neck and arms; the seams appear strong. Especially the seams and the strength of the arm cuffs are important to us, as these are heavily stressed when taking the suit off and on repeatedly. More than once, we have broken cuffs on our other suits, and that is something you do not want. As expected, the suit and the fabric can withstand water. Our tests from both quayside and watercraft show that the men’s suit remains watertight. Removing air from the suit is also unproblematic, both on land and in the water. All in all, we found only positive experiences here.

Sea-Doo has chosen to go for integrated shoes, than with fixed shoe sizes adapted to the different suit sizes. That shoes are included in the price naturally adds value, and who does not like to get the most for the money? The downside is whether your shoe sizes do not match the suit size. We are a little surprised that BRP chose this rather than a latex sock or pure cuff as most other manufacturers do. This gives greater freedom of choice for one’s own footwear. The shoes themselves worked well; there was room for thick socks. The shoes are noticeably a bit more clumsy than the neoprene shoes we use for our other dry and wet suits. All in all, the shoes work well and help defend the price of the suit.

Unlike several of our dry suits, the Sea-Doo suit has glued areas with anti-slip material in the seat. In contrast to, for example, the Gecco grip that we have on our Jettribe wet suits, probably these fields do not provide just as good attachment. But compared to dry suits completely without anti-slip on the butt, the Sea-Doo solution surprises well, not too little and not too much. It should also be added that the suits are relatively spacious and there is more than enough fabric in the longitudinal direction so that one is not affected by driving in a sitting position, even with a lot of warm clothes underneath.

In addition to what has already been mentioned, the only thing we have to critique on the suit is that it lacks a zipper in the crotch, something we mentioned to BRP last year, but were unfortunately too late in this process. BRP Sea-Doo has not revealed the dry suit yet, but the selection is now expanded and you do not have to look for dry suits for kayaks and kiters. The Sea-Doo suit goes a little higher on the price list than the very popular Crewsaver Cirius suit, but quite in line with most others. Is it worth the price of 7990 kr? ($860 USD) Yes, as long as it fits you in size of suit and shoes.

[This article was originally written by Christian Hammernes for Waterscooter Norway March 9th, 2019; and has been translated, edited and condensed by The Watercraft Journal. You can read the original publication in its entirety here.]

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Gallery: The 15th Annual & Final Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300

Jessica Waters

March 11, 2019

In the end, there were few left on the course. Of the 42 machines lining the edge of Lake Havasu below the Crazy Horse Campground a mere five hours earlier, only half a dozen still cut around the wide-spread buoys that dotted the smooth, calm waters of the lake.

“The Hahn is a game of attrition.” I heard that phrase a dozen times since arriving in Lake Havasu City a week earlier to cover the 15th annual – and possibly the final – Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 race. It is one of a dozen or more catchphrases that get pinned on this iconic endurance race.

“The Toughest race around”; “You can’t win in the pits, but you can lose in the pits”; or, conversely, “The only race that’s won or lost in the pits”; and “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

The list goes on. And you’ll hear them again and again, in one form or another. No one will take credit for them, they’re all taglines that have been around since long before some of these racers even knew about this lake, much less this race.

But this year, the game of attrition was a high-stakes game. The calm waters made for fast racing, and – according to several of the racers – blown engines.

“When it’s choppy out, you’re on and off the throttle, and the engine gets to breathe,” I heard one of the racers explain. “When it’s smooth like this, your instinct is to keep it pinned, and that can burn through an engine pretty damn quick.”

And sure enough, each of the 30 ten-mile laps saw yet more skis – both standups and runabouts – fall to the wayside. Some pouring smoke from under the hood, others sputtering and dying far from shore, making the final stretch to the beach on a gaff.

But strangely enough, few of those whose skis now sat cold and quiet at the water’s edge, packed up their gear and left. They gathered on the shoreline, watching and cheering on what were, a few minutes before, fierce competitors. A few even pitched in, helping the pit crews of the racers that, laps before, they had battled against.

The sportsmanship and camaraderie that highlighted the legacy of the Hahn – and the man that it memorializes – in no way curtails the intensity of the competition, however, and there was little doubt on the shoreline of the seriousness of these racers and their pit crews as they fought their way around mechanical issues, exhaustion and other racers. The teams this year – a promising high-count considering the drop in attendance in recent years (and hopefully not a case of too-little-too-late) – was a mixed bag.

First-timers and former champions, mother-son teams, husband-and-wife competing against each other, pit-crew sisters and dads; racing legends and racing up-and-comers partnering up, and racers who normally compete head-to-head, teaming up.

Renee Hill, who teamed up with her son Tyler to take on the rigors of the Hahn, and was one of the few teams to remain on the course until the last few laps, said she is hopeful that enough people will pledge to race next year to keep the race alive.

“I do think it should be ran next year but there needs to be enough people to sign up,” said Hill, “The Mark Hahn 300 is a test of endurance for not only the rider but the boat and the pit team. All three need to work together in harmony to achieve a successful outcome. I love teaming up with my son showing that this race is for both the old and the young racers. You’re only as old as you feel!”

“The Mark Hahn Memorial 300 is one of the most amazing races I’ve ever attended,” said Jimmy Roberts, who put in his first Hahn appearance this year. “And I’ll attend it again if they have it! After taking off in second place and running 40 miles with one of the world’s best Hahn racers – Team Pastorello – made it even more intense! Although we didn’t get to finish the race due to a engine failure, we know what we are gonna build for next year and the same crew is coming back for it!”

And in the midst of this eclectic selection of teams, stood one iron man – one that deserves a story all his own, but I will compromise with a short kudos to a young racer who not only finished the race, won his class, and took 11th overall, and did it solo – but he stopped in mid-race to lend assistance to another racer. Pure class. Kole Cramer. The words kinda go together now.

By end the of the race, major players were out – Pastorello, as mentioned, suffered engine failure; so had Klippenstein and partner Brian Baldwin; handing the lead position to Mark Gerner and partner Juan Francisco San Martin aboard their Kawasaki 310R. The combination of wide-open racing and lightning-fast 49-second pit stops earned the PWC Offshore duo a blistering 3-lap lead.

“Going in to the final 3rd turn on the 30th lap – with only a few minutes to the finish line,” Gerner told The Watercraft Journal, “…the Kawasaki experienced a mechanical and went down. Do you understand what I’m saying? It died on the last turn buoy of the last lap. It was like some cruel joke…”

Gerner was gratefully towed in, but not before the Broward Motorsports Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO piloted by Chris MacClugage and Troy Snyder completed the 30th lap, earning them the overall win, and returning the championship to the ‘States as well as to Yamaha, like Follmer and partner Billy Womack had done 15 years earlier.

With increasing costs and decreasing participation making each year a bigger hurdle to clear for race organizers, the 2019 Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 was billed as the final go-around for the iconic endurance race. However, with the vocal racer outcry against the ending of such a well-loved and challenging race, combined with the dedication and passion of event founder, Mike Follmer and others, Ross Wallach and Jim Russell, there is a strong possibility the race will live on.

“It’s all in the racers’ hands,” Follmer said at the awards ceremony following this year’s race. “If we can get 42 or more racers to sign up for next year, we’ll do what it takes.”

Many of those who attended this year’s race were quick to sign on for a 2020 Mark Hahn.“Based on the response that we got, I would say there’s a better than 70% chance that we hold the event next year if the racers continue to commit to wanting the event to continue,” Wallach told The Watercraft Journal. We hope it happens.

Top finishers: 1st: Chris MacClugage, Troy Snyder; 2nd: Mark Gerner, Juan Francisco San Martin; 3rd: Dennis Mack, Eric Francis; By Class: 4SMU: Kole Cramer; 4SNA: Andreas Kubatzki, Craig Kelling; 4SS: Chris MacClugage, Troy Snyder; MS: Dennis Mack, Eric Francis; PA4: Enrique Martinez Gamiz, Javier Severi; S2SU: Steven LePrauhan, Tyler Kowalkski, Mike Demauro; VMO: Louis Nguyen, Jack Chang

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