Ok, my husband and I own a 1982 25 ft Aquasport with a 25 yr old 225 hp Johnson VRO outboard. He's never had great success starting it quickly. He does everything from rubbing his lucky rabbit's foot, to saying Hail Mary's and turning cartwheels to get her running. This is a key start with a push-in choke. Here's his technique: he advances the throttle, pushes in the choke and holds it pushed in for up to 12 seconds, releases the choke, turns the key to start and we keep our fingers crossed. He repeats this over and over again. Sometimes he takes out the plugs and cleans them. Sometimes she starts, oftentimes she does not. I will say, once the engine DOES start, she runs like a champ. But sometimes he's not successful at all, which can be a disappointment to go down to the boat, load her up, and not have her start.
The biggest difference between male and female mariners (in my humble opinion) is that women can ask for help without feeling helpless. So I asked our old, experienced harbormaster how to start our engine up. He responded, push in the choke for about a second, turn the key to start with the choke pushed in, let the engine crank, release the key, and turn the key to start again, this time without the choke pushed in, and once the engine catches, push and hold in the choke as necessary to get the engine running smoothly. So I do that, and of course, she starts pretty well for me! I go down at 6 am on the weekends by myself to start up the boat and take her out to practice docking her by myself (we are on a tidal river with a pretty good current!) and I don't usually have any trouble starting her up. I neglected to add I do advance the throttle a bit before choking her and turning the key.
You would think the husband would adopt my starting technique, but he tells me I don't know what I am doing, and that the engine is only starting for me because he is back at the engine pumping the bulb and keeping it hard. (I might add, I do this when he struggles to start it, but I haven't got the heart to tell him.) He also is implying that I am damaging the engine by turning the key to start with the choke pushed in.
So I am turning to all you wise salts to tell me: Am I starting this old engine correctly? I mean, the fact that she starts for me pretty regularly tells me I am, but is hubby right? Am I damaging the engine?
And if I am starting the engine correctly, how should I get the husband to dump his former technique and use mine? I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you all~!
Suzyque
The biggest difference between male and female mariners (in my humble opinion) is that women can ask for help without feeling helpless. So I asked our old, experienced harbormaster how to start our engine up. He responded, push in the choke for about a second, turn the key to start with the choke pushed in, let the engine crank, release the key, and turn the key to start again, this time without the choke pushed in, and once the engine catches, push and hold in the choke as necessary to get the engine running smoothly. So I do that, and of course, she starts pretty well for me! I go down at 6 am on the weekends by myself to start up the boat and take her out to practice docking her by myself (we are on a tidal river with a pretty good current!) and I don't usually have any trouble starting her up. I neglected to add I do advance the throttle a bit before choking her and turning the key.
You would think the husband would adopt my starting technique, but he tells me I don't know what I am doing, and that the engine is only starting for me because he is back at the engine pumping the bulb and keeping it hard. (I might add, I do this when he struggles to start it, but I haven't got the heart to tell him.) He also is implying that I am damaging the engine by turning the key to start with the choke pushed in.
So I am turning to all you wise salts to tell me: Am I starting this old engine correctly? I mean, the fact that she starts for me pretty regularly tells me I am, but is hubby right? Am I damaging the engine?
And if I am starting the engine correctly, how should I get the husband to dump his former technique and use mine? I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you all~!
Suzyque
