I have had big week - Friday week ago I was on my regular Friday evening boat trip across to my local yacht club, home of the 0 Crown Lager on-ice(a rather fine refreshment). Anyway, about 8.00 pm I decided I was a bit merry and it was time to go home. Next thing I am in the middle of Lake Illawarra (my local lake)and the motor won't go no more. In shorts and t-shirt, merry as, wet and bloody cold. Nobody around at this time to give me a tow so after about 2 hours of rowing/pushing/swearing, I reach the shore. Problem is this shore is on the opposite side of the lake whare I live. I then leg it down to my mates house and band on his door about 11.30pm. " Noodle's, give us a lift over the other side so I can get my car and trailer and get that rotten boat home" He then drives me over, leaves his car, hops in mine, we drive back, retreive the boat, drive back to my side, he gets in his car and goes home, now about 1.00am. Gets up the next day for the autopsy on the motor and find a hold in the exhaust manifold, thus allowing water into no 2 cylinder. Easy enough to replace I reckon. Problem was to get to this stage I had to completely remove the powerhead from the thing. OK. so while its off I may as well clean out any salt corrosion from the water chambers in the block. Not a good move, the screwdriver goes straight through the block in to no 1 cylinder. At this stage I decide it's broke and my next move is to get another motor - quickly - we had a fishing trip organised with the boys for the weekend. So I find a motor at the right price and it's a good un'. Only problem is it's 750km away, at a place called Minnie Water 150km North of Coffs Harbour. No probs, I drive up on Wednesday afternoon get into town about 9.00pm. Pay the bloke, put the motor in the boot and start the return journey to Coffs for a motel. Gets home the next afternoon after working during the day and finally manage to get this motor out of the boot by myself. Then finally manage to get the thing on the back of the boat by myself. This is a 50hp with power tilt and trim - not a nice little 15hp you can lift with one hand. Now it's on the back of the boat it's time for bolting it through the transom. Should be an easy job just drill a few holes and bolt it on. To do this I needed to lift the motor using the power tilt/trim. Easy you say, just push the up button. Nope. Won't go. After about two hours my mate comes over, who is an Auto Mechanic. He points out that the power t/t pump is upside down and puts it up the correct way. Beaut. I now have t/t, I get the motor bolted on and off we go to the Central Coast for a weekend of fishing and drinking. Still not yet connected the steering or wiring. After 3 hours of across Sydney traffic we get there about 11.00pm. Gets up in the morining, heads to the boatramp, do steering and wiring and off we go. Now about 8.00 am Saturday. Catch SFA, pack up about 2.00pm and head off for a drink. I get up the next day, stinking hangover and wake the boys. " Go away imbecille, I'm sleeping" So no fishing Sunday. Ahh well, always next week.
