98 4.3 w/ thunderbolt IV, carb, electrice fuel pump craps out

[chs marine service]

i have this boat that had a bad fuel pump @ the beginnning of the season and now it runs but when getting up on plane, actually once up on plane, the rps take a nose dive. if i do not touch the throttle, the engine dies, starts right up. if i pull the throttle back to idle, the engine stays running..
i have tested the pump, the power to it and the pressure. all pass tests. im leanign towards a bad ignition switch ( inside the cap) but in the past when these go bad for me, the boat will not restart until it cools down.
anyone have other theories?
this boat has had nothing done to it since new other than being well maintained.

 

[nola mike]

Doesn't sound like a bad ignition switch. If that was the case you'd lose your gauges at the same time the boat dies. Do you? Sounds more carb/fuel related. Can double check with a timing light, see if you're losing spark when it dies. If not, check fuel filter contents, move on to carb.