Long post.90 yamaha,vip

[bucken]

First, let me say that I have never owned a boat before this.
I bought a 1983 VIP Seasquirt center console.Title says 18'3". 70hp Johnson(early 80's)Not enough motor for the boat.(IMO)
The previouse owner said the motor was weak.(Blown piston?)
Assuming that, I laid out the cash and towed her home.I was more interested in the boat than the motor for the price.
Got her home and tore the head off and #1 piston had a hole on the exhaust side you could drive a herd of buffalo through.
Then it was off to the used motor store.(E-Bay,Craigs List,Newspaper)
Found a 1987 90Hp Yamaha.(With controls)I've heard good things about Yamaha's,so why not.Price was REEEAL good.
Before I go on I should tell you my education.
Regular grade school and high school.4 years in the military, 3 years electronics training,2 years computer design and repair and 12 months learning the finer points of luthiery.
I may not be the smartest peanut in the turd,but i'm not an idiot either.(my opinion)
And I am a welder by trade.
Went to check out the motor.The guy was more than happy to run it for me and do compression test.Good compression.Each cylinder was within 1 lb.
Pisser was weak tho.But then I had no idea what was good.
Got it on the boat
Went for a ride and after 5 min. it would go into slow mode.Wait a few minutes and all would be good for 3 min.Then slow mode.
A week before I got this boat I got a new neighbor.
I did not know it, but he is a boat mechanic.
Over a beer I mentioned my boat problems.
Lets go for a boat ride he says!Load up the cooler and bring the boat to the dock.(He likes beer when he's fishing,I like fish when I'm fishing.)
Boat is loaded with every piece of fishing gear I own thinking I'm going on my first fishing trip with my new boat.WRONG!
Back the boat into the water.He starts the boat.We're going fishing!!
Why isn't he backing the boat off the trailer?
After a couple of minutes he takes the cowling off and lays his hand on the head.
He then shuts down the motor and trims it up and says"lets go back to the barn".
Bummer.
We get back to my house and have a couple more beers,never telling me what was wrong.
"I want you to come over to my place at 7 am" he says.
7am I'm there."wheres your boat he says"
Go home and get boat.
Once there he hands me a ratchet and socket and has me remove the head.
The water passages were plugged tight in a few spots with salt and sand.
He also pointed out the fact that i needed to replace the shift rod.Woopee!!
This site (and my neighbor)was a great help in the replacement of the shiftrod.
I have since rewired the entire boat, added a live well,rewired the trailer,
and am now getting set to replace the keel rollers.
Now I have 2 questions.
How do I repay my neighbor? I've made him a truck load of sinkers.
EDIT

 

[bucken]

Re: Long post.90 yamaha,vip

What was vulgar??

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Long post.90 yamaha,vip

he did the right thing, handed you the wrench. you learn far more by doing, than watching. Give him a gift card, to take the Mrs Mech to dinner.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: Long post.90 yamaha,vip

What was vulgar??

What ever it was it must have been worse than the "smartest peanut in the turd" thing. It did make me laugh but that is disgusting

 

[bucken]

Re: Long post.90 yamaha,vip

My neighbor was right to hand me the tools. It gives you the confidence you may be lacking. I am not a stranger to the internal combustion engine but there is something about the novelty of outboards that,at times,can goof with us newbies.We tend to think they are more complicated than they really are.I have garnerd a great deal of info from this site and it's participents.I thank you all for this.
Anyway,here I am outside in my driveway under the hot Florida sun trying to remove my keel rollers when my neighbor comes over to see whats going on.
I have a roll of paper towels for the sole pupose of removing sweat from wherever it needs removing.(can't get vulgar) He tells me to back the boat across the road and into his garage.I have no room in my garage with the pool table,bar, fridge woodworking tools and such.(It's a man cave)We replaced the rollers and adjusted them for height.Previously the boat was very hard to load because of the rollers.Too high. Learned that here.
After spending the afternoon under my boat he tells me I need to do some fiberglass work on the hull.....Oh joy!
He offers to do it for me but I say I would prefer to do it myself.(Maybe with a little guidence)
This guy is the closest I've ever had to a hero.
I also have a deck hatch which has alot of flex.He wanted me to leave it with him and he would reglass it underneath.
I told him that if I could build a guitar or a voilin or mandolin, I gould probably stiffen up a hatch. I would prefer to do as much on my own as possible.
I never make mistakes,but there are times when I give myself oppertunities to be creative. Now I'm off to the beer store to pay my neighbor. He keeps telling my I don't have a problem a few beers can't fix.
Thank you all for the good questions and answers on this site.
This saga will continue.