Don't let your boat backfire...

[NigelC]

If your boat does not start as usual, do not continue cranking. See the pictures of the muffler following an engine backfire from my '99 ski nautique.
Fortunately, I have a friend who specialises in fibreglass and has been able to repair the muffler. The baffle that sits in the middle of the muffler also got damaged and required the unit to be repaired internally as well.
The muffler sits on or below the water line under the rear floor and as such you may wish to occassionally check the foam pads that sit between the hull and the muffler. Over time they come unstuck and come adrift which can cause the muffler to rub on the hull which will eventually wear through. This will result in lake water leaking into the bilge.

[jhiestand]

I had a similar experience a while back. I don't know what caused my '94 to backfire but it blew one of the exhaust manifold hoses off the muffler and slightly cracked the fiberglass. Wouldn't start at all at that point and had to get towed back in. Had to get the fiberglass patched back up to correct a resulting leak from the muffler.

Backfiring is not a good thing. :|

[surroundsound64]

And if you have to replace them like I did (I have 2 mufflers), you can just get some schedual 80 pvc and stick it in! It sounds great! hehe.