How Does the O.P.A.S system work?

[DeeGee]

I wanna learn more about it. All that i know about it is that it is when i turn they turn to help me turn. Ive heard stuff about water goin to them and stuff. Im just not sure.
Fill me in please that be great!

Dan

[Shibby1485]

Hey Dan,

OPAS = Off Powered Assisted Steering

on the RXP they are not mobile. They are permanantly in the UP position and do not have a water supply line going to them from the venturi and thru the top deck of the hull.

ALL Seadoo 3-seaters have Mobile OPAS fins. They are designed to pick themselves into the UP position when under throttle. When you release the throtle, they drop down into their lowest position to give you that steering ability.

typically on jet propulsion machines, the ski WILL NOT TURN if you do not apply throttle. so as a safety, manufactueres have incorporated a device to give beginners a way to steer in off-throttle situations.

on your machine, you will see about a 6" long black hose going fromt he propulsion system and into the top of the hull. that fitting is the splitter. if u look inside the hull in that region, you'll see a "T" with two hoses coming off it. each of these hoses goes to each OPAS fin to supply water pressure so that they raise and lower depending on how fast you are going or how much pressure is in the propulsion system.

HOWEVER, if u ride in rough waters, the pump constantly losses pressure, so the FINS drop down causing the ski to drag and veer side to side. this is why many of us remove them to eliminate the drag and hooky feeling they give in the rough stuff. when u remove them, now ur back to the old days... if u let go of the gas and turn the handlebars all the way, u'll still go straight. u need to apply throttle to turn.

make sense?

STEVE

[RX951]

Thanks for explaining that thoroughly Steve.

I met a guy today at the local boat ramp that just bought a new RXP. He asked me if I knew any detailed information about them. I referred him to this website.

[11]

It doesn't work, just get a set of block off plates.

[DeeGee]

I knew they travelled up and down but was confused on how it did that.
I know what you mean when riding in the rough. Can get a little scary at some points. What if i get the offshore kit to keep them in the up position all the time?? I like having them on there, mkaes my pig handle better

[RX951]

It doesn't work, just get a set of block off plates.

I told him that most everyone uses the block off plates.

[NCHeel]

DeeGee, how do you know the opas makes the ski handle better? Have you rode a ski without them? Once your ski is up on plane they are not helping you any unless they catch a wave and throw you off.

[Shibby1485]

they definitely do make the ski turn sharper with the OPAS fins on regardless of what speed ur at. you just need to re-learn the machine with them removed and add things like sponsons to get it to turn decently again. and the RXPs and RXTs are not exactly "handling" machines to begin with. quite a few CC racers leave the OPAS system installed, but u'll never catch a straight-line rider or endurance racer leaving the OPAS fins on.

just a matter of preference.... definitely jam them up at the bare minimum, u'll see big improvement from that alone.

[DeeGee]

Thanks Shibby. I will be making my offshore kit this week. Gotta love the detail shop!

I might have to do the block off mod eventually as i want a thru-hull exhaust. I got a free flow now and its just not loud enough

[jfwsouth]

.... definitely jam them up at the bare minimum, u'll see big improvement from that alone.

How do you jam them up? I would definitely like to try that before removing them.