Big people in the boat

[Guest]

My mother is a rather large woman and her bro wanted to take her and my dad for ride in his new boat(fuel tank in bow out of the way). So they all get in and my mom sits up front so she can see everything better. After a few min. the boat stalls out so they sit there and try to start the motor. After 5-6min it starts again only to stall once more. After 5x's doing this my uncle tells my mom to switch seats with his wife and sit in the middle of the boat and low and behold the boat runs just fine. Moral of the story is gravity feed fuel systems work better when tank is uphill from motor. My mother was a lil:redface: to say the least.

 

[perchin]

Re: Big people in the boat

what kind of boat is it a 16' tin

 

[Billdc]

Re: Big people in the boat

what kind of boat is it a 16' tin

I think the better question is "How big is your mother"!!!. Sounds like the beginning of snaps.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Big people in the boat

I think it was just a coincidence, the long fuel line had trapped air and took a while to purge just as you guests traded places.
But then again fuel won't flow uphill, but even with tank was in the bow it's still below the motor, you must have a two line system right, in which case it takes a little running to get the lines pressurized no?

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Big people in the boat

Can't speak to the gravity thing. I've never been on a boat where gravity was needed for fuel.

I did have a related situation...

We left the cove and I was having a hard time getting on plane. I looked around and saw the problem. We had a balance problem.

As delicately as I could I repositioned the passengers in the boat. They figured it out pretty quickly as the "big people" were being moved around.
Once all was balanced, we planed out for WOT to the cove spot.

Leaving the cove spot hours later, the folks once again loaded up with a poor balance with all the big folks in the back. This time however, the motor wouldn't pull past idle. I had experienced it before and promptly pulled a pint or so of water out of the separator and we cruised WOT back to the house.

The water issue may have just taken time to manifest or it was related to the balance of the boat and gas tank.

(BTW...either way, it's a simple fix that all need to be prepared to do. I saved the day while my panicked wife was calling marinas)

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Big people in the boat

Both stories are funny.

Reminds me of when I was a kid, we were on vacation in Wisconsin and a guy was giving rides in a sea plane. We went down the lake at full speed then slowed down, turned around and went down the lake again at full speed, then slowed down and returned to the dock. My "large" aunt was let out of the plane and then we went down the lake and took off.:redface:

 

[FunInDuhSun]

Re: Big people in the boat

Get a bigger boat. Problem solved!

 

[j_martin]

Re: Big people in the boat

I have one friend that takes some special rigging.

1. Power prop
2. 150 lb. Ballast (sand) in the bow to balance the extra load in the left seat. Otherwise it won't get on step.
3. Check weather, we don't have much freeboard left.

 

[cribber]

Re: Big people in the boat

My boat is balanced for me and the Mrs. since most weekends it's just the two of us. I have most stuff stowed on her side since she weighs less than me. When we do have folks with us I'll tell people where to sit since my boat is only a nearly 19' bowrider. Gotta do what ya gotta do to maintain stability... nothing personal.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Big people in the boat

all my boats are anti-gravity: the motor is higher than the tank. Your problem is not gravity.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Big people in the boat

My sister and I (both Lard-o's) took my kids out in the fishing boat to pull them in a tube. I sat at the cockpit and my sis was in the back, right behind me. Could not figure out why I couldn't get the boat to plane, just popped straight up like a porpoise and lugged the motor. Finally she says: "Maybe I should move up front?" So she sits in the mid seat and Voila! Boat works fine. We were both :redface::redface::redface:

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Big people in the boat

My sister and I (both Lard-o's) took my kids out in the fishing boat to pull them in a tube. I sat at the cockpit and my sis was in the back, right behind me. Could not figure out why I couldn't get the boat to plane, just popped straight up like a porpoise and lugged the motor. Finally she says: "Maybe I should move up front?" So she sits in the mid seat and Voila! Boat works fine. We were both :redface::redface::redface:

I had the same thing last season while trying to teach a youngster to ski.
Once the kiddo was in the water, the parents and grandparents all moved to the back of the boat with their cameras.

I nicely asked if they could please move back to the front.
When I was met with some resistance, "But we want to watch.."
I explained to them that, with everybody in the back, all you're going to see is me slowly drowning their child as I plow him through the water.

That and the fact that in the back of the deck, all seating but mine is on the port side. Plowing and full starboard wheel was not going to make for a pleasant experience for anyone.

With all 1200 pounds strategically placed, the youngster popped up on his first pull. (My third junior skier up on the first pull I must add)

 

[Guest]

Re: Big people in the boat

It was an old tinny that my unkle had and it now rests at the bottom of the lake. I asked him if he was ever going to get it out and all he said to me was " Son I just don't want to go out there ever again!" Must be some bad memories of that boat for him I guess.



"A bad day on the water is still beter than a good day in the office"

 

[j_martin]

Re: Big people in the boat

It was an old tinny that my unkle had and it now rests at the bottom of the lake. I asked him if he was ever going to get it out and all he said to me was " Son I just don't want to go out there ever again!" Must be some bad memories of that boat for him I guess.

Probably after the boat ride, yer mother got on her menstrual cycle and ran over him.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Big people in the boat

In my runabout and the old 70hp motor I had the people move forward and once we were in plane they can sit back where they want. With the 135 I did not see that problem but I never took it out as loaded as when it had the 70hp but loaded enough.

 

[PGFISHER]

Re: Big people in the boat

My pontoon is really bad for balance. If too much weight on one side; they all get splashed. Fore and aft placement will affect speed; usually untrimable. I'm 165 lbs. but I have some large relatives who don't understand why they can't sit where they want to. After all; it's just a living room on the water, isn't it.

 

[cribber]

Re: Big people in the boat

After all; it's just a living room on the water, isn't it.

LMAO!!! Isn't that the truth!!!

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Big people in the boat

My pontoon is really bad for balance. If too much weight on one side; they all get splashed. Fore and aft placement will affect speed; usually untrimable. I'm 165 lbs. but I have some large relatives who don't understand why they can't sit where they want to. After all; it's just a living room on the water, isn't it.

it is at anchor!