basic engine operation for newbies

[MadBomber]

I saw something at the riverpark ramp yesterday that made me cringe.  I used to do outboard repair part-time in another life.</p>

This fellow (old enough to know better) had what appeared to be a late model nitro with a merc engine with Tracker stickers.  He was preparing to load the boat, pulled away from the dock with the trolling motor and then cranked the Merc.  When it fired, he gunned it to about 2-3000 rpm and before it settled back down to idle, he eased it into gear.  It clunked pretty hard when it engaged. There are two bad practices here.  Any well tuned engine should not need to be gunned to keep it running and anytime you put it into gear, the engine should be at regular idle and the movement of the shift lever should be a crisp (quick) movement.  If you hear several clicks from the lower unit, you are not shifting quickly enough.  That clicking noise is your clutch dog wearing out.</p>

Just a thought!  </p>

 

[jon the fisherman]

yep, and I love it when they pull out of the water and fire up the engine..."to get the water out"....and burn up the water pump.

 

[Guest]

The boat repair places love these people. I've always had a saying "Take care of the boat and it will take care of you"</p>

 

[Guest]

MB we could have a picnic with a cooler of beverages at any boat ramp........ I have seen guys actually start their motor on the trailer, doing who knows what (tuning) and letting them run for several minutes.....Loading and unloading is a sight to behold especially for newbies....

I dont know how many times I have tried to explain to someone having trouble, that a drive-on trailer means just that...I saw a guy the other day, with a bass boat back it untill all you could see was the winch...emoCrazy

 

[SpurHunter]

Wormhook that has to be the best emo DHuan added to the list!</p>

BTW, why didnt you stop me the other day if you thought I was backed in too far!?

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[MadBomber]

jon the fisherman - 11/1/2007 12:11 PM yep, and I love it when they pull out of the water and fire up the engine..."to get the water out"....and burn up the water pump.

</p>

An even better one is to crank it up before they put it in the water to "make sure it's going to start."  That breaks off the pump impeller blades.  I've seen a lot of jet ski folks do that.  Of course, I never say anything to them about what they are doing! 

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[Guest]

MB, I can just read their minds when you tell them something. (what does that ole fart know?) There is no need of wasting your breath, let em learn the hard way.</p>

My uncle told me about something that happened years ago below one of the dams in al. A boat wouldn't start for a bunch of fellahs and he overheard one say to the other that maybe they could pull it off like you used to do cars and trucks, so they hooked the boat up behind another one and went to towing it around in circles. They finally stop and one in the tow boat asked the one in the back boat if it had fired yet and he said pull him around one more time because he thought he had heard it "far" one time.</p>

 

[SpurHunter]

 

[Hogman067]

It also is bad on the prop hubof the boat when you do that as well

 

[jighead]

this really happend! a man and his wife take a test ride in a new bow rider and they love the boat so they buy it from the dealer who is located on the lake .they come idling back to the dealers dock the next weekend and tell the sells rep. that the boat seams a little slugish and slower than it did when they test drove it,so the sells rep. goes back in the shop to get one of the shop guys to look at it and he comes back in laughing so hard he can barly stand up and tells everyone inside the shop to come out side and take a look ............the boat is still strapped to the traileremoCrazy emoScratch

 

[FROGGER]

I LIKE TO WATCH PEOPLE PULL BOAT OUT OF WATER WITH MOTOR STILL TRIMMED DOWN SO FAR THAT IT RAISES BACK OF BOAT UP OFF TRAILER, THEY STILL KEEP GOING EVEN WITH ALL THE NOISE FROM MOTOR DRAGGING! OR YOU HAVE THE ONES WHO SPIN THEIR TIRES WHEN PULLING OUT OF RAMP SLINGING GRAVEL AND WHATEVER ELSE INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT. emoDoh emoCrazy

 

[Guest]

jighead - 11/2/2007 12:14 AM

this really happend! a man and his wife take a test ride in a new bow rider and they love the boat so they buy it from the dealer who is located on the lake .they come idling back to the dealers dock the next weekend and tell the sells rep. that the boat seams a little slugish and slower than it did when they test drove it,so the sells rep. goes back in the shop to get one of the shop guys to look at it and he comes back in laughing so hard he can barly stand up and tells everyone inside the shop to come out side and take a look ............the boat is still strapped to the traileremoCrazy emoScratch

emoScratch

 

[NRG]

I once saw a guy hit reverse as hard as he could with the boat still attached to trailer, but was in the water, and soon so was his tow vehicle, he didnt set parking brake, and his dog knocked it out of gear as luck would have it at the same time he gunned it. they dog jumped out and swam to the boat and climbed in, and sat in his usual fishing position, tuned back to the boat and dog owner and barked twice, as if to say lets go .. I laughed so hard I actually peed my pants. I would have never believed it I hadnt seen it. the guy said it was a new truck, had just got perm tag !!

 

[SpurHunter]

cheez - 11/2/2007 9:10 PM

jighead - 11/2/2007 12:14 AM this really happend! a man and his wife take a test ride in a new bow rider and they love the boat so they buy it from the dealer who is located on the lake .they come idling back to the dealers dock the next weekend and tell the sells rep. that the boat seams a little slugish and slower than it did when they test drove it,so the sells rep. goes back in the shop to get one of the shop guys to look at it and he comes back in laughing so hard he can barly stand up and tells everyone inside the shop to come out side and take a look ............the boat is still strapped to the traileremoCrazy emoScratch

emoScratch

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I love the BS meter! That is the best!</p>