Weed removal apparatus for a jet pump propelled watercraft

A blocking means for removing weeds and debris from an impeller in a jet pump propelled watercraft;

• said impeller being fixedly connected to a revolving drive shaft;
• said drive shaft including a non-revolving drive shaft protective cover;
• said blocking means being mounted downstream from said impeller;
• said blocking means comprising a butterfly valve,
• said butterfly valve being mounted on a shaft for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position;
• said butterfly valve being mounted on said shaft in common with a steering nozzle;
• said steering nozzle being pivotally mounted on said shaft at a rear end of a venturi;
• said steering nozzle being activated, at said operating position, by an independent linkage;
• wherein, in operation, when said impeller and said drive shaft are rotating, weeds and other debris are prevented from winding about said shaft when said blocking means is in said open position, propelled water passes freely from an intake opening through said impeller through said venturi, and exits at the rear of said watercraft, and when said blocking means is in said closed position water is prevented from exiting at the rear of said watercraft, thereby producing back pressure and turbulence which dislodged weeds and debris from said impeller.

A method of removing weeds and debris from an impeller of a jet pump propelled watercraft;

• said watercraft including a partially ungrated water inlet and a rear water outlet, comprising the steps of:
• (a) activating said jet pump;
• (b) closing a butterfly valve mounted on an axis downstream of said jet pump thereby preventing propelled water from exiting from the rear of said watercraft thus creating turbulence around said impeller and forcing a portion of said weeds and said debris from said impeller to exit through said partially ungrated water inlet;
• (c) opening said butterfly valve to permit water and a portion of said weeds and debris from said impeller to exit through said rear water outlet of said watercraft;
• (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until said water propulsion chamber is free of entangled weeds and debris.

A blocking means for removing weeds and debris from an impeller in a jet pump propelled watercraft;

• said blocking means being mounted downstream from said impeller;
• said blocking means comprising a butterfly valve;
• said butterfly valve being mounted on a shaft for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position;
• said shaft being vertically oriented and said butterfly valve being connected to a first linkage activated from an operating position;
• said butterfly valve being mounted on said shaft in common with a steering nozzle;
• said steering nozzle being pivotally mounted on said shaft at a rear end of venturi;
• said steering nozzle being activated, at said operating position, by a second linkage;
• wherein, in operation, when said blocking means is in said open position, propelled water passes freely from an intake opening through said impeller through a venturi, and exits at the rear of said watercraft, when said blocking means is in said closed position water is prevented from exiting at the rear of said watercraft, thereby producing back pressure and turbulence which dislodges weeds and debris from said impeller.