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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Outboards may be bad for your health

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/21/2008 : 10:40:40

So my shoulder has been bugging me lately. Its weird because it comes and goes, but I thought maybe I shoulg get this looked into before it develops into too much of a problem.

Went to the doc, and she walked me through a dozen weird positions, until she was able to pinpoint the source of pain. Sent me to the radiography lab for ultrasound and xrays, and came up with a diagnosis.

When she called me back in, she had me grab a rubber cord (bungee type thing) and pull back on it. did that hurt? Yup, thats a trigger. That was when it ocurred to me - this was the exact motion I go through about 15 times in quick succession to get our obstinate outboard going.

My prize? "Tendonitis of the rotator cuff" with a side of anti-inflammatories and physio-therapy. At least she didn't tell me to stop sailing.

"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

Take a minute to register your boat with the association!!
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/owner_questionnaire.htm

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 10:44:02

So now will you get electric start?

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 10:46:38

We have it - but it never seems to work. Maybe now I'll look into getting it fixed.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 10:56:04

Geez, something else to worry about...

Edited by - on

cat1951
Admiral

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USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 11:25:02

Hmmm... CRS? Coiled Rope Syndrome.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 11:39:45

that's not what CRS means around here...Can't Remember S***

Edited by - jerlim on 08/21/2008 11:40:10

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 11:53:57

Sounds like it's time for a new motor to me!

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 12:20:54

Chris,
I can commiserate, I had my shoulder rebuilt about eight years ago. I had torn three of the four tendons/ligaments that hold your shoulder together "terribly" according to my surgeon. Probably serving overhand in volleyball did a lot of the damage, but it'd gotten to where I couldn't even lift my arm up level. Lots & lots of PT after four hours of surgery got my shoulder back where I can chop wood again, or pull start an OB if necessary. However I still find it aching after a day of hand planing or sanding, especially if it's over my head. One of the best things about our new Tohatsu? Electric start! I still ache after a day of sailing, but it's not so bad now. We bought a Jacuzzi recently, which helps, and I keep a stock of Tylenol, Aleve, etc. on the boat to knock it back if it gets grumpy.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 13:54:23

Wow Chris, you saved me a trip to the OR. I have exactly the symptoms that you describe but with different causative entities, I just got back from loading the car/family and drove 600+ miles, taking my son to college. Toting things up two flights of stairs. The worst was the fridge and microwave, but everything added up. Then a drive back non-stop and upon awakening found that I couldn't raise my left arm above shoulder height. My thoughts tended to a possible stroke, NAH, no blurred vision, no mumbled speech, etc. So the brain that I am found me out sailing in too much wind today fortunate to make it back without consequences.

Those police marine fellows should never have let me go.

Val on Calista, # 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

Edited by - on

Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 14:05:03

Typically if you tune an outboard engine properly, it will start easily on the first couple of pulls. Maybe a good tune-up is in order. If tuning doesn't fix it, clean or rebuild the carb, replace anything else that isn't in order. Make sure you have clean gas, etc, it shouldn't be so hard to start an engine. It's worth it for peace of mind and to preserve your shoulder.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2008 : 14:26:31

Thanks Stardog.

You are completely right, and that is why, back in around early June, I took said engine to repair shop where they pulled the cord and it started instantly. Then they shrugged and wrote me up a bill for $200. They threw in a new starter cord for me though...

Healthcare is free here, OB service isn't... (just kidding)

Edited by - on

farrison
Navigator

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USA
166 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2008 : 10:51:03

Stardog is right. Starting problems are usually dirty carb/bad gas related. I have a 22 year old Merc that still starts on the first pull. But I have a little ritual that I follow every time I use it. When I pull into my slip, the first thing I do is disconnect the fuel line from the engine while it is still running in neutral. While I am putting the boat to bed, I let the engine consume the fuel in the carberator bowl and let it die by itself (less than two minutes). When I reconnect the fuel line on the next trip out, I pump the bulb until it is firm (6-8 times), pull the primer knob in and out twice (it doesn't have choke) and pull the cord. It never disappoints me. Since your repair guys started it on the first pull, maybe they know some 'ritual' that you need to learn too. Experiment with it.

Also, at the end of the season, I run it in fresh water and also run out the fuel in the carb and then drain and clean the fuel filter. When gas goes bad, it gels and then hardens in the little tiny holes in the carb jets and passages. New gas and use won't clean them out, so the carb needs to be worked over.

Good luck

Paul

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2008 : 11:05:06

There have been a billion discussions about getting OB's running right. At the risk of this turning into another one - Is it OK to add some Carb cleaner to mixed fuel?

The only time I have used the stuff is to clean the jets on a MSR Stove (backpacking stove), and for that it worked incredibly well - a teaspoon of carb cleaner mixed with a litre of white gas cleaned it right up.

Edited by - on

cat1951
Admiral

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USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2008 : 11:26:16

I have heard of some using a product called 'seafoam', but have not done so myself. It is available at autopart stores and is mixed 1oz per gallon. I have used it in my scooter gas, and in my riding lawnmower and it does clean the internal parts without a special process.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2008 : 10:28:25

Here's another danger... I was taking some friends out on Passage--had a pretty full cockpit, including some kids... This was before I bought the electric start Honda... I yanked on the pull-cord and popped one of the kids in the face!

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2008 : 23:30:49

Forget the shoulder and tune-ups, think of the cardiovascular benefits of a recalcitrant outboard.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2008 : 16:08:34

Chris, I have had bum shoulder as well. Actually a frozen shoulder. Its been going on for 6 months. I am sure glad I have electric start. I had a similar problem like Dave B on time pulling pull cord and smacking someone in the back pretty hard. Last weekend my 6 year old batteries died and I replaced them.
Well my shoulder is doing much better now as I have been exercising it. However Thursday I had my wife rush me to the hospital due to pain in my stomach. Turned out to be a gall bladder stone a little bit bigger than a walnut. Needless to say I was rushed into surgury to have the gall bladder removed. Doc says to take it easy for 30 days. Looks like my sailing days are over for a little while. What a nice thing to have happen over labor day weekend. Oh well...

Steve A

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2008 : 16:29:03

Steve,
Sorry to hear about your gall bladder surgery. I went through the same thing a little over two years ago. Turned out to be one of the best surgeries I've ever had, resolving myriad mysterious health problems I'd been having. Sounds like your surgery was under similar circumstances, rushed into surgery (I met my surgeon while I was being prepped by the surgical staff), then I had a second surgery about ten hours later because a couple of stones had gotten stuck in the bile duct and my surgeon couldn't get to them from her incisions w/o opening me all the way up. She elected to have the two wandering stones removed by another surgeon endoscopically (down my throat) the following morning. That was a fun weekend, and we were supposed to have gone to the British Virgin Isles for a sailing vacation!

I hope your recovery goes well and you have similarly pleasant results from you surgery as I did.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2008 : 10:39:01

David, thanks for support. At first it was quite a shocker going in and being told I needed surgery. Once home, its still hard to believe. It happened so fast.
I hope I develop no complications from removal as I have heard it happens in small percent.
Sorry to hear about your cancelled BVI trip. Were you able to reschedule it?
Luckily living in SoCal, weather nice most year round so I am hopefully only gonna miss 3-4 weeks of sailing, hopefully less.
Steve A

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2008 : 11:38:59

Steve,
Fortunately I've experienced almost no ill effects from the surgery other than some interesting scars on my belly and a hesitancy to lift heavy objects. Fortunately I've got a 21 year old neighbor that likes to help with moving stuff and even makes a point of coming over if he sees something I might need help with (like the chest freezer the other day). Apparently there are some unpleasant gaseous olfactory side effects that can happen as did with my sister in law according to my brother, but I can't report the same, although maybe Rita would disagree.

We haven't rescheduled the BVI event, although we may get a substitute when Kevin Mackenzie brings his new catamaran down to Olympia from Bellingham this fall, he's asked us along for the trip. What I really want to do is get a feel for sailing a full sized catamaran, especially for RIta. I'd like to put one in charter in the Caribbean to help pay it's way, and eventually retire to it. Rita's not so enthusiastic, so I want her to see how stable they are and what a difference it is from a monohull as far as stability under foot. Kevin describes it as "like driving a tennis court", which would be ideal.

I remember the unreal unwinding of events as I went into surgery as well, and I had several hours for it to sink in because my surgeon ended up having to do an emergency surgery on someone else in front of me, I guess my "emergency surgery" wasn't as emergent as someone else's. In any case I got to dwell on it for a while with a fretting Rita next to my bed, and then all of a sudden the rush into surgery, waking up a while later (no idea how long), and being told that I wasn't done yet, they had to do another surgery in just a few hours. It was a lot to take in, but I can say I'm very glad I had it done. No more nuclear heartburn, no more thinking I was having a heart attack, no more high fevers every few weeks, etc. I think the best part is no more heart burn, what a relief, I thought I was getting an ulcer or something.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

Members Avatar

USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2008 : 16:34:51

David, lets keep the smells to ourselves. My Mary will not want to hear I could produce any more than I already do.
Good luck with Cat. I have not sailed the bigger ones but hear how much more stable and roomy they are plus ability to get up close to shore. Sounds like a winner.
Like you, I would love to retire somewhere else and sail even though I am near the Pacific. I have heard about a husband and wife team who charter up in your State of WA and have always been interested in that. My bro lives in Seattle area and the one time I visited him we took tour, ferry, around islands and it was beautiful. I would love to return there one day for that charter.
Well I am off to my dads to compare scars. I just found out he had gull bladder removed when I was very young. I had no idea. Enjoy rest of weekend. I am at least gonna try to go to boat tomorrow and enjoy the sun sitting in my slip.
Steve A

Edited by - piseas on 08/31/2008 16:37:36

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