11-16-2007
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'72 Pearson 36
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 497
Rep Power: 6
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Sometimes outboards should be tossed overboard....
Ive got to rant about my annoying little 3hp Johnson outboard. A little background on it, i got it for free saved from the junkman. I got it as spare parts for a 3hp Evinrude i had, but it turned out to be a better motor. It was locked up but came free when i was trying to remove the flywheel. New points/plugs and a carb cleaning and it was alive and well. Ive been running it as my main tender motor for over a year now and in that time it hasnt lived the best life it could. It has come off the boat in a pond and came off in the river. At least in the river i had already learned to keep a cable on it.
Now turn to yesterday, im heading out to my boat and round the end dock of the marina and the little bugger quits. This isnt right for it, it never fails. Well i pull the cord and it comes out and stays out, ok now im mad. Oh yea, the waves are higher than i like and its cold/windy with a ripping current. Not a great day to row an inflatable. I hit it a few times with a maglight and the cord goes back in, hey great now i can try again to get it running. Pull the cord and nothing, at least this time it went back in. Try again, nothing, ok im real mad now, im at the end of the anchorage and heading to sea fast. A few more whacks with the light and another pull, cord stays out again. Lucky me, here comes a buddy with his dingy(it has the 3hp Evinrude that i used to own). He pulls me to my boat. I get the motor in the cockpit and start pulling it apart. The mainjet in the carb is corroded and the plastic wheel the pullcord is on is cracked making it not rewind. I clean the carb and jury rig the pull starter to work.
Today i got it off the dingy and brought it to my granddads. Tomorrow it gets a new top cover(bent pretty bad with the maglight) and a paint job. Also gets a new pullstring and spark plugs.
Well thats my rant for today. Im thinking its time to buy a newer outboard. Sad thing is mine isnt that old(1991) and is pretty well cared for given its life.
Lets hear some other annoying outboard stories and rants.
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