DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

D

DIRTPOORE96

Seaman
Joined
Jan 31, 2002
Messages
50
I FINALLY GOT ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A NEW MOTOR FOR MY CHECKMATE. 1986 150HP JOHNSON. NICE MOTOR. INSTALL EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO DIRECTIONS, WENT GREAT. BIG MOMENT, TRY TO START. CRANKS, CRANKS, CRANKS. NOTHIN. I THINK NOT GETTING GAS OR SOMETHING. POUR GAS INTO CARBS. CRANK, CRANK, NOTHIN. NOT EVEN A SPARK. SAT DOWN HAD BEER. POURED A LITTLE MORE GAS INTO CARBS, STILL WON'T START? CALL BROTHER ON THE PHONE & HE COMES OVER TO HELP. A COUPLE MORE BEERS. MORE GAS INTO CARBS. HE NOTICES I DID NOT PUT THE KILL SWITCH LANYARD ON. HE PLUGS IN LANYARD. IM STANDING BEHIND MOTOR & TELL HIM TO TRY IT NOW. IT CRANKS &, BOY DID IT FIRE!!! IT BLEW FLAMES ABOUT FIVE FEET ON BOTH SIDES OF MY HEAD. I LOST A LITTLE HAIR ON BOTH SIDES, BUT SHE RAN LIKE A TOP AFTER THAT. AFTER 15 YEARS, WE STILL LAUGH ABOUT THAT MOTOR. I STILL HAVE IT & IT RUNS GREAT. :rolleyes: :cool: :cool:
 
P

pete881960

Recruit
Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
2
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

Funny story, july 4th 2 years ago, I get a call from my friend he's stuck he got a low oil alarm on his outboard. I get some oil from my neighbor and we head out on the rescue mission. I'm on the radio with him looking for him and suddenly the boat dies i look at the gas guage and its empty. Oh no, both boats are about 1/2 mile apart and someone hears our conversation and gets the oil from me and gets it to the other boat, I can't get it started for nothing. now I'm getting rescued by the boat that I came to help. He brings me into his marina. THe next day I call my mechanic he comes to the boat were looking for the cause when I say "hey whats this thing" and suddenly it hits me its the kill switch plug came out. Talking about embarassed and laughter and then needling.
 
H

Huddleston Bass

Cadet
Joined
May 28, 2002
Messages
8
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

:eek: Well talking about being embarrassed! I was one of a few who was running a Merc (150) back in the early 80's in our area. Most of my fella bass buddies were running Evie's and did nothing but brag about them until they ran against me. Well one day there was about 10-12 boats sitting at the ramp waiting to launch for our little tournament. When it came to my turn I launched and the D@mn Merc wouldn't start! Everyone began harrasing me and making obscene jestures. I ended up putting the trolling motor down and trolled to a dock and removed the engine covers. I cranked it a few times, checked gas and then spark. No spark! D@mn kill switch was turned off. Again jestures and so on went on until the end of the day. :D <br />Huddleston Bass
 
F

Franki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 16, 2002
Messages
1,059
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

hmmm, I have a small one..<br />This happend about 10 years ago...<br /><br />An old 40hp evinrude, We'd been out all day, somehow the battery got flattened and I had to start with a rope around the flywheel.. horrid things... Also, it was now getting dark and rather hard to see...<br /><br />anyway, I pulled on that d@mn rope for about 4 hours all up with no success.. I finially got it started by putting a splash of fuel down the carb throats and a really good hard yank. 5 seconds later, it died again. It was then that I realised that I had put my foot against the side of the outboard when I used the rope the first time and had knocked the fuel line off..<br /><br />I had been pulling starting a motor with no fuel for ages... talk about feeling like an idiot...<br /><br />still, it was dark, thats my story and I'm sticking with it.<br /><br />rgds<br /><br />Frank
 
D

DIRTPOORE96

Seaman
Joined
Jan 31, 2002
Messages
50
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

I THINK WE ALL DO VERY FUNNY THINGS WITH BOATS. AS WE CAN ALL SEE HERE. I AM ALWAYS AMAZED THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO THE SAME EXACT THINGS. PRETTY FUNNY WITH THEM DARN KILL SWITCHES THOUGH. THOSE LITTLE PIECES OF PLASTIC CAN MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE AM A** SOMETIMES. :D :D :D
 
B

BigBabyLou

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 9, 2002
Messages
129
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

I think this is one of the basic mishaps which no-one can avoid.<br /><br />Of course I wasn't an exception either. I pull up to the ramp, back my 26' beauty in the water, jump on, try to crank her, she fires up and as soon as I let go off the key, she dies. I try again and again and after about 5 minutes I give up because others want to use the ramp.<br /><br />So I pull her out of the water, park closeby and try to find the problem. I check the wiring etc, looking for an electrical problem and what do you know, I notice the kill switch :rolleyes: <br /><br />Ten minutes after the first unsuccessful launch, I'm at the ramp again, launching ... this time it's all right.<br /><br />What baffled me though was the fact that the killswitch kills the engine power only when the key is in the On position. But if the key is in Start (cranking), the engine has full power and can fire up. :eek: For a long time, I've been thinking about changing this. My personal preference would be to have the kill switch supply power to the engine AND starter, i.e. you can't crank and fire up without the kill switch on. Anyone agrees with me?<br /><br />Have a great season and be safe!<br />Lou<br /><br />P.S.: Don't forget the kill switch. Really! ;)
 
X

XCoastie

Recruit
Joined
May 25, 2002
Messages
5
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

Here's a dumb one for you. When I was just a young sailor (fresh out of basic training) I was stationed at Coast Guard Group San Francisco. They had everything there, from Bouy Tenders and 82 foot patrol boats, to 14 foot Boston Whalers. One day we got a call that a large cabin cruiser was high and dry on a sandbar. The plan was for a 40 foot patrol boat to go to the scene followed by a Boston Whaler. Once on scene the Whaler would take a line to the Cruiser and then the 40 footer could use the 2 massive GMs to pull it off. I was the seaman aboard the 40 footer so I was elected to drive the BW to the scene. Oh boy, now was my chance to show them what I could do. It was really rough in the bay that day and at times the entire boat would come out of the water. (I could have slowed down but I wanted to show everyone what a sailor I was). When we got on scene the coxswain told me to putter up to the cruiser and tell them the plan. I got about 3/4s of the way there and the engine on the BW died. The engineer was on the 40 so all he could do was tell me what to look for over the radio. He had me check the gas before we left so we knew we had plenty. Anyway, to make a long story short, it turns out that when I checked the fuel I had put one of the 6 gallon cans slap on top of the fuel line. As I was hotdogging out to the scene the tank was leaping up and down on the fuel line and eventually cut it almost in half. Guess what? No spare fuel line. Now they had to send another BW out to rescue me and take the line to the cruiser. Talk about embarassing. They called me Hot Dogger and other things for months after that. Now though, whenever I go out in any boat with an O/B I check to make sure the fuel line is in tip top shape and can't chafe anything. Something else might cause the boat to break down, but with me on board it ain't gonna be the fuel line, I GARRONTEEE!!! :rolleyes:
 
C

c11yll

Cadet
Joined
May 18, 2002
Messages
27
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

Never mind 'not forgetting the kill switch', you've got to know it exists first!!<br /><br />Having purchased my very first boat i preceeded to restore it to its former glory. After doing so it was time to start on the Evie hanging off the back of it. When purchasing the boat the o/b fired up first time and roared like a lion, sure got the blood pumping in anticipation for the 'big' launch. Anyway, the time came and the lions were quiet, not even a mouse could be heard. Forunately i have a friend who is a mechanic, just not the marine type! This guy knows engines but not the 'workings' of a boat, and neither did i. Many days & nights are spent stripping/greasing/oiling etc..etc....but still no joy. The decision is taken to purchase new spark plugs & a battery, and to change the oil & fuel(out with the old & in with the new, i'm thinking i should have just done this at the start). It's time for another go.....the key turns, we now have movement, the flywheel spins and the engine groans..........then dies! This process is repeated over & over whilst we stand by scratching our heads clueless. By this time we're pulling our hair out, tools have been thrown and i'm ready to throttle my mate because he's supposed to know what he's doing! We're just about to give up AGAIN when another mate drops by. Seeing the pain & anguish written all over our faces he asks whats wrong. This *&$£*@ engine, piece of sh*t thing won't roar like a lion i reply. To which he walks up to the boat and says 'have you tried pushing this button in?'!<br /><br />It turns out his dad used to have one so he knows what he's doing. The rest is history!!
 
B

bradyt

Seaman
Joined
Aug 24, 2001
Messages
61
Re: DON'T FORGET KILL SWITCH???

My brother and I ,last fall are out on the lake in the evening.About half hour after dark we decide to come in.Well he starts the boat<br />,turns her around to head back to the dock and it dies.He tries starting it for twenty minutes,nothing.we get out the orrs and procede to row to the dock,the wind in our face.about 3 hours later we get to the dock.Its almost midnight.Get the boat back to his garage and Shazam some how the disconnect on gas line to motor came off.Imagine that! :confused: <br /><br />mth54-Pink at night sailors delight, Pink in the morning sailors take warning! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top