Sea-Doo u/w scooter: how to fix/bypass its switch

[MapisM]

I suppose that anyone who gave the thing below a try must have, sooner or later, struggled with the magnetic switch levers which I circled in red.
Mine started a somewhat irregular behavior already several years ago, but after fiddling a bit with the lever, eventually I always managed to start it, so far.
Otoh, today I re-tried the thing after having left it stored it for more than a year, and it seems to have given up the ghost for good.

Now, aside from guessing that looking for a replacement part would be either difficult or ridiculously expensive (or both), I was wondering if anyone ever tried modifying the system, fitting a simpler and more reliable switch in place of that stupid double magnetic contact.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

PS: aside from chunking the thing overboard and replace it with a Seabob, that is.
I try to give myself a decency limit, when it comes to wasting money in silly toys...

 

[Portofino]

Mine did not last long ,failed the kids toy test quickly.
It wouldn’t start one May at the start of the season.I opened it up in a investigation type of mood to find water had ingressed= skipped it .
See doo Spark @ circa €5/6 K is probably the best toy I terms of longevity as it lives / operates above the surface.
As long as it’s regularly flushed after use .
There’s an inevitability of water ingress of any underwater toy if it’s not got a Omega or Rolex logo on it

 

[jrudge]

My cheaper eBay version had the same symptoms

I bought a few reed switches from eBay for a few £ as the reed switch in mine had coroded.

Mine had a safety switch on one side and the on off on the other. Both were on reed switches and I bypassed the safety ( it’s a low power caged prop so n real issue)

Hope your problem is similar

I finally threw it away when the main board corroded. I didn’t really see why it needed electronics at all other than to control the switch !

 

[MapisM]

Hope your problem is similar

Yep, that's exactly how also my yellow suppository (as we call it... ) seems to work.
Probably yours was actually identical, coming from some Chinese subcontractor used by Sea-Doo, who sells on eBay the excess production unbranded...

Back to the point, do you possibly remember how you accessed those switches? Is it sufficient to unscrew the black plastic handle?
Besides, did that allow to access also the motor?
I'd be curious to have a look at it, 'cause I suspect that it might also be corroded, in which case it wouldn't be worth fixing anything else...

 

[jrudge]

I just opened the handle up I believe I dont recall accessing the motor.

I assume another alternative is to rip out the electronics and add in a water proof switch. But I suspect there is waterproof and waterproof!

 

[vas]

I just opened the handle up I believe I dont recall accessing the motor.

I assume another alternative is to rip out the electronics and add in a water proof switch. But I suspect there is waterproof and waterproof!

pcbs often fail by only "smelling" salty water
good trick is you spray the PCB with clear laquer (similar to the ones art students use to "stabilise" charcoal drawings) There's a special spray as well for that but I think it's more expensive.

V.