pull rope

jsimms724 · Sep 11, 2012

I have had my merc 1984 merc 115 about a year, inside the front cover ,tucked behind some maintanence records i found a plastic pouch with a pull start rope. Is this dooable, on a 115 hp. I remember that pull starting a old 48spl with a rope was hard work that would wear you out after a few tries, how hard would a 115 be to pull start

Sea Rider · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

Will need a tough wrestling arm

Assume real hard if engine does not have an internal system to make that task more friendlier, like releasing compression a bit while pulling rope.

Happy Boating

nwcove · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

you might be surprised how easy it is to pull start. (if its in good running condition,and well tuned and warmed up). just for fun, run it till warm, shut if down, turn the key to the "run" position, wrap the cord and pull!

Sea Rider · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

How about a cold morning first start ?

nwcove · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

lol....eat yer wheaties, say yer prayers and buy a new starter if it comes to that!

foodfisher · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

Try it. Quick start on a starter should be a quick start with the rope. Try it, then you'll know.

dwco5051 · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

Make sure no one is seated or standing right behind you when you rope start. Had a fishing buddy move up to see what I was doing and cracked him in the leg with the end of the rope. He yelled like he had been shot.

This was an 85 hp Merc. Not that bad to start but took a healthy pull.

Frank Acampora · Sep 11, 2012

Re: pull rope

Yes, It is very do-able and not as difficult as you might think. Practice it a couple of times so you have the technique before you need it. Here is a Force 125. Note that I brace myself on the engine in this case (or splashwell) so I can give a good pull. Hot starts don't take any special prep, but you may need to block the chokes closed (or manually open the enricher valve if it has one) for cold starting.

Sea Rider · Sep 12, 2012

Re: pull rope

A wild guess, up to which HP do you think will be easy for a lady to rope start an engine ? The ones I know can hardly pull a 20 HP rope...

Happy Boating

Brewman61 · Sep 12, 2012

Re: pull rope

I'd think that'd depend on the lady.
I know some who'd have trouble lifting the rope, let alone spinning the motor.
I know others who could probably lift the boat up over their heads!
Same as for guys, depends on the person.
The only way to know for sure is to try.

JB · Sep 12, 2012

Re: pull rope

Technique is far more important than brute strength. On a dare my 4'10", 87lb. #1 daughter pull started a Johnny 150. Dropped a lot of jaws at the launch.

nwcove · Sep 12, 2012

Re: pull rope

++^1 i have a few small rope sheave only motors, and you dont even need a rope to start em, its all in the technique.

Home Cookin' · Sep 13, 2012

Re: pull rope

One trick is to wrap it, tie the handle end of the rope to the middle of an oar, stand it up in front of the motor, brace the bottom with your foot and pull it back as a lever.

Very important what someone else said about clearing everyone away--that knotted rope will take out an eye.

How a motor pull starts is a function of how tight the compression is, as well as size; I have a 20 hp merc that's pretty tight.

Oh, and be sure the key is on! But don't turn it to start while you're messing with it (your helper may try to engage the key choke and flip it over to start, with catastrophic results).

ondarvr · Sep 13, 2012

Re: pull rope

A good buddy of mine that is a guide had a charging issue with his 150 Merc resulting in the battery going dead a couple of times before he figured it out.

On one trip with his customers the battery was dead so he needed to pull start it a couple of times, on one attempt it did start, but the knot on the rope was stuck in the flywheel, so with the idle turned up it was a 150HP weed eater. The rope and rubber handle hit him several times and knocked him to the ground, with the motor revving to the moon his customer had to belly crawl to the back of the back of the boat to turn off the key (it was tiller motor so the key is in the handle).

Bob_VT · Sep 13, 2012

Re: pull rope

The only advice I will offer......... a floating boat seldom has the stability of a boat on dry land......... your momentum with a good pull needs to be in a safe direction not only so you do not whip anyone but so you have a stable place to land without going overboard or breaking your neck.

royal0014 · Sep 14, 2012

Re: pull rope

Brewman61 said:
I'd think that'd depend on the lady.
I know some who'd have trouble lifting the rope, let alone spinning the motor.
I know others who could probably lift the boat up over their heads!
Same as for guys, depends on the person.
The only way to know for sure is to try.

Slightly off subject, but funny as heck.....

My wife tells a story of when she was about 12y/o. Mom and Dad were in to the bike/Harley thing. One night some friends were over and hitting the adult beverages pretty hard. One big bad biker dude complained that when attempting to kick-start his Hog, it backlashed and threw him over the handlebars!
FIL proceeded to go upstairs and wake his daughter. She comes down, bare-footed and in her nightgown, half asleep, and kick-starts the Hog in one try!

<<)))(((>>

eavega · Sep 14, 2012

Re: pull rope

Brewman61 said:
I know others who could probably lift the boat up over their heads!

Go on...

pull rope

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