Blower hose - 1997 Sport Nautique

[Liamfm]

Hi there - still working through the little stuff. Can someone post a photo of how the blower hose is routed today? My old one had some heat tape around the part that goes near the manifold/exhaust. But it ran on the outside (port) of that, squished into the engine cover. IT was brittle and fell apart in my hand, so I need to replace it.

I'd like to know the proper way to route it, and how to get to the end on the stern. Is it below the center cover on the stepover?

Thanks in advance for the newbie Q&A sessions.

[NautiqueJeff]

Not sure on the routing for a Sport, but yes, it connects under the center step. I think there are screws under the padding (you'd have to replace the padding, and I would recommend SeaDek for that), but I got to mine by removing the gas tank that's behind the rear seat.

On the Ski Nautique of that era, there is a hard tube that runs outboard of the right stringer to the back of the boat. The blower hose just runs from the blower to this tube (very short run), and the tube comes out at the back of the boat. Then you run another hose from that tube to the vents under the step. Not sure if the Sport is the same, but I would assume so. This is where the tube comes out at the back of the boat, behind the gas tank.

[Liamfm]

I should have taken a photo of mine then. Totally not like that. They had a flex tub off the blower, to the outside of the manifold, then down under the floor to "somewhere" in the back. I haven't gotten that far back yet to find it. Time to start looking I guess.

[Liamfm]

Jeff, How is your hose routed from the motor to that pipe on the right stringer? My old one ran up and over the engine mount, kind of pinched between the engine cover, engine mount and manifold. I've got the boat apart, removed the old one. I bought 3" hose and it fits snugly on the motor. I haven't been able to get it over the pipe yet. That pipe is a bit bigger than the motor.

I'm concerned this isn't going to last long. The material is thin and it will be right next to some of the hottest parts of the engine. I'm just thinking they could have (or did) design this better than what I just took apart.

EDIT: On second pass, the 3" hose simply runs THROUGH a piece of PVC in the starboard stringer. From there, its outboard of the stringer and I suspect it is the same as yours, coming up from behind the gas tank. I did not remove the tank. I put the new section into the PVC after realizing that there was more flex hose on the other side. Its a tight fit, and a threw the screw back in for good measure. I can feel air at the vent now with the blower on, and didn't feel air anywhere else. I'll call it good for now. Still would love to see the routing from the blower to that PVC. Mine is still squished in by the exhaust.