Boat Speedometer Help

A speedometer indicates the velocity of a vehicle. In a boat, your speed is important for safety reasons, not just for those riding on the boat but also for swimmers, skiers and residents along the shore. A boat kicking up a wake at certain speeds can change the conditions of the lake. If your speedometer isn't working, there are some steps to take to get it back in business.

  1. Pitot Position

    • Boat speedometers use a pitot to determine speed. A pitot is a hollow tube protruding from the stern into the water. Movement pushes water into this tube, changing the air pressure. The change in air pressure causes the speedometer needle to move. The pitot must stay down to work correctly, but it will spring upward if it runs into something in the water. If it has popped up, depress it to the down position.

    Pitot Debris

    • You can exhale directly into the pitot line. Depending on the manufacturer, you may be able to remove the line if you want to apply more direct air pressure. If not, you can slide wire in and out of the tube to clear any blockage out of the way.

    Pitot Kinks

    • Sometimes the pitot can twist between the back of the boat and the dashboard. If you can remove the pitot line, slide it out and make sure that it doesn't have any kinks in it. Also, any cracks in the pitot line can interfere with air pressure, giving you inaccurate speedometer readings.

    Check the Gauge

    • If the pitot line doesn't have any problems but the speedometer either doesn't work or seems inaccurate, follow the manufacturer's instructions to remove the gauge and take it to a boat repair service for a checkup.