Bonehead alert: Dropped Outboard in water

[Leither]

Plenty of good advice. I had a similar experience several years ago, except I didn't have the excuse of a snapped shackle. I was sailing with a friend and lifting the outboard from the tender onto the deck of the boat (a maneuvre I had performed numerous times) when it all went pear shaped. One of the tender lines came loose and the tender moved away from the boat. To prevent both myself and the outboard (a 15hp Mariner) from going overboard, I had to drop the outboard. I watched aghast as it disappeared below the waves. Then imagine my surprise when it reappered briefly, buoyed up by the air trapped in the motor casing! Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to grab it and avoided the embarrassment of telling my friend that his engine was lost in 40 feet of water......

The old WD40 and drying out trick worked just fine and the outboard lived to tell the tale for many more years!

Stuart

[poopdeckpappy]

might be good idea to drain carb and fuel tank just in case water sipped in, it wont take much water to smess to fuel

[merc2dogs]

Originally Posted by tausap

That is classic! I bet you would have good experience with two strokes and water.


How often do you not make it?

Actually there are actually only a couple of incomplete runs a week. Most common if we try to run the whole length of the lake because you have to make a couple turns, and they don't like turning on water. Need real gradual input, and it's easy for a ski to lift off the water and flop over too far then bite hard and dump you.

It is fun, more enjoyable than a jet ski, and the best use for a snowmobile I can think of! (I hate snow!)

No life jackets because we have plenty of people around and a boat at the ready all the time.

Ken

[midlifesailor]

If it were me, I'd skip the wd40 and use something like Corrosion-X.

I became aware of the product because its commonly used to treat the interior of airframes to prevent corrosion. I plan to clean all my diesel and treat all the exposed metal I can find on the boat with Corrosion-X over this winter.

[sailingdog]

MLS-

Corrosion-X is great as an anti-corrosive spray, but it is a bit too heavy and sticky to be any good for treating an engine that has been dunked in water.

Originally Posted by midlifesailor

If it were me, I'd skip the wd40 and use something like Corrosion-X.

I became aware of the product because its commonly used to treat the interior of airframes to prevent corrosion. I plan to clean all my diesel and treat all the exposed metal I can find on the boat with Corrosion-X over this winter.

[Bene505]

Cell phone, not engine, but good info to know...

My cell phone accidentally went into a bucket of salt water and was there for an hour or so. I got my vacuum cleaner, turned it one and put the cell phone in front of the hose, so that the biggest opening in the case was up against the end of the vacuum hose. Now there was other air entering the vacuum; the cell phone did not block the flow of air completely. I left the room and let it run for a few hours.

I figured that I could suck all the water away. I repeated the process with other small opening in the cell phone, but for a lesser time on those other holes.

And you know what, it worked!! The cell phone worked again.

[tommays]

It is allready a bit to MUCH TIME the motor needs to run as saltwater will rust the crankshaft journals and all the spray in the world will not lube these areas without the motor running

[sailboy21]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

MLS-

Corrosion-X is great as an anti-corrosive spray, but it is a bit too heavy and sticky to be any good for treating an engine that has been dunked in water.

A lot of corrosion sprays could also leave a coating on internal engine parts preventing proper operation of the reed valves, carb parts, and possibly the rings and seals. You don't want to spray WD-40 directly into the carb or crank case because it will also displace or strip the oil from the bearings.

[tausap]

I ended up taking apart the carb to drain and clean it and letting the whole rig dry overnight. I was able to get it started on the first pull after putting it all back together. I let it run about 10 minutes at a high throttle setting, but was having trouble keeping it running at idle. I suspect I may need to just adjust some of the carb settings to get it running smoothly again, but it seems to be none the worse for the wear. Time will tell.

[therapy23]

If the carb settings were right before then you have some other problem. Perhaps corrosion starting in the idle jet orifice.
Or just a piece of junk.