i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

[badkins50]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

good news: you have a good friend that is willing to help you when in need.

bad news: he may never help you again

naw a true friend will always be there for you as I'm sure this one will be, just now his first response is going to be "before I come looking for you, is it in neutral?" I think alot of us have been there done that, I know I have.

 

[fintek9]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Been a few years, but I had the whole "why won't my motor start" issue. Must have spent an hour looking the motor over when I look down and see the kill switch lanyard with one end hanging from my vest and the other end just dangling in the air. Damn, I felt like such and idiot.

DITTO HERE, Just after getting my Mastercraft X-Star I had my 2 most important buddies in my click I needed to impress the most out for their first ride in my new boat.......no start...nothing....Well one of these friends is a mechanic, He damn nere had my whole dash apart trying to find my problem when I look in my ski mirror and on my swim platform to see one of my 2 kids (boys) "sling shoting" the other with that darn ......"RED LANYARD".....................
They still bring that up every dan time they get on my boat!!!!!

 

[robcarync]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

I will keep this in mind....If the boat wouldnt start up, I probably woulld not have instantly thought to check the shifter or the kill switch...Good lesson for a newer boater like myself

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

That ain't no dumber than putting the hose on a portable Evinrude gas tank backwards so that the arrow on the primer bulb that should point towards the motor points to the tank instead. No matter how hard, or how many times one pumps the primer bulb the motor just won't pick up gas and run.

I won't tell you how I know that, but I will say that now, each time I go to connect the fuel hose, I remind myself that there is an arrow on the primer bulb and I look at that arrow before I attach the hose to the tank and motor.

 

[bassman284]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

That ain't no dumber than putting the hose on a portable Evinrude gas tank backwards so that the arrow on the primer bulb that should point towards the motor points to the tank instead. No matter how hard, or how many times one pumps the primer bulb the motor just won't pick up gas and run.

I won't tell you how I know that, but I will say that now, each time I go to connect the fuel hose, I remind myself that there is an arrow on the primer bulb and I look at that arrow before I attach the hose to the tank and motor.

THAT is DUMB!!!! (Don't ask me how I know).

OK, I'll tell you if you quit hitting me in the arm.

I did that once, only I did it while giving a demonstration ride to a lady who was interested in buying my boat. It was a 14' jon boat of uncertain vintage with a 1976 Johnson 6 on it. She was already favorably impressed that it looked a lot better than "the other junk I've been looking at" and I was ready to impress her with how easily it started. The hose was less than a year old so I was baffled at why it didn't seem to want to firm up. Numerous pulls on the rope had no effect. Finally took a close look at the bulb and saw the arrow pointing the wrong way.

For those who crave information, I've linked my original post on this subject. I was bassman283 in those days. Long story. I blame Steve.

Selling the boat

 

[Augoose]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Put a sticker on your dash, check shifter and kill switch when motor won't start.

Also add, "Raise lower unit before trailering and lower unit before starting"

 

[third times the charm]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

:facepalm:Okay, I dont feel so bad now, I have done the same thing in my on boat. worst part about it, I was putting in to do some fishing, when i backed my trailer off one side of the rampSo after 30 mintues of trying to figure out why i wasnt getting any gas to the ob, flipped the bulb around, then had to put my truck into 4 low to pull the trailer off the ledge.I had one h2$% of a audience after it was all said and done

 

[scipper77]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

So here I am at a popular beach in the bay. A girl goes down the line trying to see if anyone has a booster pack because there battery was dead. If just so happens that the guy I bought my boat from was there and he did. 5 minutes later he was going back the other way and told me that they had bigger problems than a battery and he had to go.

So I was hanging around my boat just in case the bow anchor came loose (stern tied to shore.) I didn't want to leave my boat unattended. Twenty minutes later I walked over to the boat with the no start issue and asked them if there was even a click when they tried to starring. There was nothing. They told me that the battery wasn't dead because the radio was working just fine.

This was the exact same scenario that started this thread. I said "I'm no mechanic but..... Is it in gear?" The two guys looked at me with a blank stare that made me feel pretty uncomfortable. Then one got up walked over to the controls and started it right up.

I guess the blank stare is the look of someone realizing that they "feel like the biggest idiot in the world" (see thread title)

I am very happy that I could help them out, I feel slightly redeemed from when I made the same mistake last week.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

I'll third the fuel hose connected backwards thing. Couldn't understand why the bulb wouldn't firm up and why my trusty Evinrude 4HP Deluxe would not start when it always starts like 2nd pull. I'm cranking and cranking and have 2 young kids and my buddy with me and they day looking to be about ruined when I finally figure it out. Last time I let my dad do pretty much anything concerning a boat! (It was his boat I was using but it's my motor)

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Remember a friend will bail you out of jail, but a good friend will be there and say wasn't that fun.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

i would sugest a case of cold beer

 

[ddrieck]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Did The same thing on my last outing....... friggin safty teather was hanging from my belt and not plugged in and took me like 2 hours to realize it...errr my wife realized it and asked me if that coil line thingy goes somewhere.:facepalm:

As for paying your friend back... no need to right now....someday he will be calling on you for help and you will not even hesitate for a moment to return the favor..... thats waqht true friends do for one another

 

[gypsysoul]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Had to resuce my brother in law a couple of weeks ago in the dark, finally found him and family. boat would crank over but would not start. took about two minutes to find the safety tether had gotten steped on and disconnected. he was a little red in the face. I will just keep that one in my hip pocket for a rainy day!

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

That may be what happened to me last weekend. I was out in my pontoon boat and we went to the aid of a friend of ours who sucked the tow rope into his motor on his jet ski. I shut the motor down without taking it out of gear. and we anchored for about a half an hour to eat lunch.When I tried to start it it sounded like the starter wasn't engaging. No gas fumes. My next door neighbor towed me back to shore. Later that day I put the water to the out drive and it started right up each time.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

After time those safety tethers stretch a little .They may look ok but if you put a dime between them and the button ,it will work much better. Since that happened to me I bought a new one and I disconnect it when not in use.

 

[scipper77]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Just to be clear, there appear to be two types of idiots here. Those who leave it in gear (me) and those who forget the safety tether.

I am glad that my mistake seems to be raising awareness on iboats about these problems through this thread.

As an update, my buddy absolutely refuses to let me make it up to him. He actually seems pretty aggressive about it like he will be pissed if I do something for him. He says he knows he will need help one day.

 

[sasto]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

Your bud is a keeper. That's what friends do for each other.

I had 2 friends help me recently. They called me around 11 last nite stating they were broke down 2 miles from the marina. I preped the boat and left the slip when they called to let me know they were fine. I know my friends (and I) would do the same as your bud did!

 

[scoyt]

Re: i feel like the biggest idiot in the world right now.

One time when I was going fishing, I dropped the boat off and parked. Hopped in the boat and for some reason it would not start. Only spin over, no fire at all. I drained 2 batteries completly before I finally gave up and put it back on the trailer and went home. I really felt like an idiot when I got home and discovered that the lanyard for the kill switch was just SLIGHTLY pulled out. I charged the battery up and it fired right up. Man was i MAD! I honestly believe that would have been my best day fishing too................