The more experienced of this forum I'm sure will chime in. That said, the first thing that comes to mind, being an 88', when was the last time the carb was rebuilt? Maintenance is something, right or wrong, that tends to get put off, whether it's my tow vehicle or the boat. The thing about boats is no one wants to get stranded out on the water. To that end, the boat usually gets more love than actually necessary . I'm always doing stuff to prevent breakdowns. So, my humble suggestion would be to at least pull the carb at some point and rebuild it. It may be that it just needs a thorough cleaning and perhaps a new pump assembly. Inspection will tell. Perhaps revisit all external adjustments first? Lets see what the collective has to offer.
Regards
