Some days...

[airdvr1227]

It twas the best of times. It twas the worst of times.

Had my share of both yesterday. I've been battling charging issues and thought I had them under control. Beautiful day here in Ohio yesterday. Mid 80's...not humid. Perfect day for boating. Dunked my rig and took off. Tooled around for a bit and dropped anchor in the cove for some swimming and sun. After about 2 hours we decided to go for another run around the lakes. I pulled up the anchor while Rox got her warmed up...I said Rox got her warmed up. Started and warmed... "Honey...I think the batteries are dead."

On first pass it would have appeared the batteries were dead. Turn the key and nothing, nada. Gauges don't even twitch. All we'd been doing is listening to the radio for a couple of hours. So I put on my 'boat dead in the water repairman hat'. Remind me to throw that hat away. Couldn't figure out what the problem was. I was thinking all I needed was a jump but then, on a lark I tried the trim. Worked fine. Now I'm really confused...and frustrated.

Cell phone call to the marina. Orange distress flag is out. Marina guy shows up and has all sorts of ideas that would probably work...on a Merc. Then he had to leave...in a hurry. More distress flag waving and a nice man finally tugged us to a ramp and drove me to my truck and trailer.

I drive back to the ramp and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get my boat on the trailer. Evil thoughts of taking out the plug and maniacally laughing as she slips below the surface cross my mind. A bunch of really nice teenagers offered to help. Back in the trailer and bow roller is way too high. Have to back in further. Hop back out and down the ram and 'bang!' I'm on my ***. Slipped on the algae on the ramp and gashed my back on the trailer.

Towed her home and dropped her at the dealer. I'm beginning to understand that '2 happiest days' thing.

 

[MAXXIE]

Re: Some days...

Hey, everybody has days like that, I've had my share for sure. What always brings me around is the simple fact that the bad days are far out weighed by the good ones. Sounds to me like you have some kind of electrical/ ignition problem, I suck at electrical problems & know how frustrating they can be, but hold you head up little buck-a-roo, better days are ahead.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Some days...

Yup. Happens to us all. I had health issues and didn't launch until just before July 4th weekend this year. A wonderful, long weekend on the water, and boom! Day 3 (Monday) I bent both props.

Was sidelined for FOUR gorgeous-weather weekends, first trying to get a new set (out of stock in the entire US), then cobbling together a platform so I could sit on the outdrive and muscle off both props while bouncing around in the water. Had those reconditioned, put them back the same way, found a second set on eBay... and finally got back in the water 2 weekends ago.

I've boated for exactly 3 weekends so far, missing the best summer weather the NE has had in years , at an (unexpected) cost of about $1100. in new and repaired props, tools and nuts... including the 2 I hurt using that F****** platform.

I feel your pain...

 

[Thad]

Re: Some days...

A bad day on the water is better than a good day at work.

Remember that.

Hope they get ya going soon with nothing more than a simple fix.






















Oh yeah...almost forgot...........................THROW THAT HAT AWAY

 

[xeddog]

Re: Some days...

I had something extremely similar happen to me too. The not starting part, not the falling on my *** part. I knew the batteries were charged because they were fairly new, I have not had any charging issues, and we had not even listened to a radio. We get out and have a great time. Went to start her up to come back and . . . nothing. Absolutely nothing. No click, not twitch in the gauges, no nothing. Like you, the trim worked fine too.

So we are scratching our heads and checking battery connections, etc. and nothing seems to help. After about 30 minutes (we weren't in any hurry) we decided to try and jump the starter solenoid to see if the engine would at least turn over. The starter motor spun like a banshee but the engine didn't turn over. I guess we just engaged the motor and not the actuator. But it did tell us that the batteries were fine.

I just tried to hit the switch one more time. Still nothing. Then I let out one of those fake little screams of frustration and hit the switch rapidly about 10 times and about the last time, the engine jumped. After that all was fine with the world again. It started and ran perfectly the rest of the day.

So if this ever happens to me again, I think I might try jumping the SWITCH itself instead of some of the other electrics. Either that, or maybe the bee-ach just needs to let me know who's boss once in a while.

Wayne

 

[Lou C]

Re: Some days...

It twas the best of times. It twas the worst of times.

Had my share of both yesterday. I've been battling charging issues and thought I had them under control. Beautiful day here in Ohio yesterday. Mid 80's...not humid. Perfect day for boating. Dunked my rig and took off. Tooled around for a bit and dropped anchor in the cove for some swimming and sun. After about 2 hours we decided to go for another run around the lakes. I pulled up the anchor while Rox got her warmed up...I said Rox got her warmed up. Started and warmed... "Honey...I think the batteries are dead."

On first pass it would have appeared the batteries were dead. Turn the key and nothing, nada. Gauges don't even twitch. All we'd been doing is listening to the radio for a couple of hours. So I put on my 'boat dead in the water repairman hat'. Remind me to throw that hat away. Couldn't figure out what the problem was. I was thinking all I needed was a jump but then, on a lark I tried the trim. Worked fine. Now I'm really confused...and frustrated.

Cell phone call to the marina. Orange distress flag is out. Marina guy shows up and has all sorts of ideas that would probably work...on a Merc. Then he had to leave...in a hurry. More distress flag waving and a nice man finally tugged us to a ramp and drove me to my truck and trailer.

I drive back to the ramp and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get my boat on the trailer. Evil thoughts of taking out the plug and maniacally laughing as she slips below the surface cross my mind. A bunch of really nice teenagers offered to help. Back in the trailer and bow roller is way too high. Have to back in further. Hop back out and down the ram and 'bang!' I'm on my ***. Slipped on the algae on the ramp and gashed my back on the trailer.

Towed her home and dropped her at the dealer. I'm beginning to understand that '2 happiest days' thing.

You sure the shift control was completely in Neutral?
Do you have a kill switch (lanyard)?
There is a big multi wire connector (engine to dash harness) that goes over the engine, is that plugged in all the way?

the starting sytem on an OMC Cobra is almost identical to a merc, the fact that your gauges didn't power up suggests a loose or corroded connection in the main harness...