First Launch

[henryb]

With the weather report showing sunny, calm and warm (20c in Canada is warm for April) for 3 days... It was time to head up to the cottage and launch the boat!

We have a great set-up with a fully enclosed boat house, where we lift the boat up with a hoist (actually 4 hoists) and heavy-duty straps... So putting the boat back in, is a snap! It drops in, in less then 10 seconds!

Install the battery and give her a crank. After about the 3rd try, she fired up, spewing copious amounts of smoke from burning off the fogging oil that I applied when winterizing her last fall.

After a generous warm up, we went for our first cruise, and the engine ran as smooth as I remember it from last fall after the stator / switch box repair.

But the whole point of my story was that there are a couple of small things that will be in need of repair: the air blower seems to have given up the ghost (but it might be the switch or the wiring?). However, I do have a used blower to replace it with. And the tach does not seem to read at all?

Any suggestions on getting to the bottom of these little repairs would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dr Honda]

Since your tach and blower stopped working while it was sleeping... I would start in the helm... and in some of the nooks and crannies of the boat. Make sure that some little critter didn't get in there, and chew on stuff. This kind of thing happens all the time if you didn't have a tight fitting cover or tarp. (assume you didn't since it was in a boat house) I would also pull fuses, check, and set back in. Also, I would pull the switch wires, and put them back on. Sometimes you build a little corrosion, and lose contact.



As far as the fan... I'll bet it's a bad switch. We see it here once in a while. Even though the switch is rated for the power... it's right on the edge. And, after some time, the contacts just give up. The simple way to figure it out, is if the fuse is blown. If it's ok... it's the switch. If it is blown... the fan is shorting. Oh... and if it was making any funny noises last year... I would grab a stick... reach into it... and see if it spins free. (if it doesn't the fuse would have blown)


If playing with the fuses, and plugs doesn't take care of the tach... then it's probably gone. They aren't very waterproof, and I know I've purged mine a few times. If it sat with a little water over the winter... it could be corroded inside.


FYI... I was hoping to put mine in the water today... but I have too much to do around the house.

 

[henryb]

Ok, here is my update. After a thorough check for little critters, or even signs of there chewing activity... I found nothing! Which was a huge relief, as they can cause serious damage.

Next was the easy bits... Checked my spare blower motor, with the existing switch and wiring... No go. So either it doesn't work (it's used) or the problem is elsewhere. Moved to the switch... I just so happen to have a complete set of switches (the ones that originally came with the boat), which I swapped out for another set that had visible symbols that I bought as a set (also used). Sure enough, the blower works like s charm... So you were right that switch must be just on the edge (it was a little flaky last year as well, but I could always get it to work with a few extra clicks). Fortunately, this original switch had a good symbol in it... Probably because it gets swapped out regularly?

Now for the tach... Which all of this testing going on, I had the boat sitting outside, with the tach in the sun for a couple hours. Next time I started the engine, the tach was working... So probably some condensation getting in there. FYI, the clear plastic cover on the tach gauge is cracked and probably does allow moisture inside! So maybe I will start looking for a good used replacement! Anyone?

 

[henryb]

As a follow-up, I was wondering if those switches can be resurrected back to life by disassembling them and performing some type of magic?

What is it specifically inside that makes them go off?

 

[Dr Honda]

I wouldn't resurrect the switch... but you can pop the rocker off the top, and swap out a nicer looking one.

There was a few on ebay... but I don't recall the price being very good. BUT... since it's basically a Merc "Outboard" power head... you can use a generic outboard tach.

 

[henryb]

Just a glimpse of the scenery from Newboro Locks on the Rideau Canal last Sunday! It was 24c, glass calm all day! Virtually no boaters, no weeds, no wind, just serenity!!!

 

[Dr Honda]

Sexy bathing suit. LOL.

I tried to put my boat in yesterday. Got out to the lake... and the docks weren't in yet !! AND... since I was alone, I didn't feel like beaching my 4000 Lb monster. So... I came home.

 

[henryb]

Ya, my daughter wasn't all that happy about me taking her picture!!! She said she looked like a hobo!!! LOL