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fmarcelino
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/24/2013 : 08:58:36

So after taking my C25 on a maiden voyage with just myself and a more experienced sailor, I really didn't have any reason not to take the family. They had been begging to go since we bought the boat and after such a non-eventful maiden voyage, I figured it was time.

Famous last words. Short story version is that we have to loop around another dock in order to leave the marina, which means that I have to sail the boat (under motor) towards the Fairhaven Bridge. As I'm rounding the dock, the engine complete dies on me, and leaves us drifting towards the bridge.

After a few more pulls of the motor cord, I rushed to the front of the boat to drop the anchor. Once we were secure, I tried to get the motor started again, but nothing!

We were close enough where we were able to be pulled back to the marina via a tow line and some folks nice enough to pull us back in, but there were 3 very freaked out people on board.

It makes for a good read now, but it was quite nerve wracking as it was happening.

One of the folks was a mercury mechanic and said this stuff does happen. Just happened to happen in a bad spot.

Anyway, that was my experience this weekend. Just thought I'd share... It makes for an interesting blog post now if nothing else :)

Owner 1982 Catalina 25 (Bel Canto), 89 Merc 9.9hp outboard
Read about my sailing adventures on my photo diary at:
https://belcantosailingphotos.shutterfly.com/

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2013 : 09:57:25

Motors usually die at inopportune moments. They just know. I had a 2 stroke that would die as I turned into the slip - I learned to enter slips very slowly. Good thinking to get the anchor down. A good thing about these mini-crises is that they teach us something, the best thing is that they become great stories.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 20:28:27

Did you open the vent on the gas tank? (Sorry to ask, but it happens.)

Did you have a kink in your gas line? (Don't ask me how I know about this.)

Or maybe something like this happened to you:

<center>

</center>

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 20:48:15

We had some early experiences like that. It was me not understanding when to use the choke, and when not to use it. I was leaving the choke on long after I should have and flooding the engine...it would die as we were drifting into house boats.

After the second or third try I figured out my mistake the motor has always been reliable since then.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 03:45:24

Non-eventful sails teach you slowly... Eventful sails teach you quickly. It's all part of the learning curve, and Great story... keep sailing!

Edited by - on

fmarcelino
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 07:18:00

Thanks everyone for your feedback. As a newbie to the sailing world (at least as a newbie to boat ownership), it's a little reassuring to hear that my more troubling experiences aren't unusual.

Everyone that helped me out on that fateful day said the same thing. This stuff happens. It comes with the territory of boat ownership and the trick is to know what to do when (not if) it happens.

@Take-Five:
The vent was open and I didn't have a kink in the line. What most likely happened according to the mercury mechanic who happen to be there was that either something entered the fuel line and clogged the intake. He thought this because after when we were able to get the motor started up again it did sputter a little bit and then stabilized.
The other thing he suggested was that air may have gotten sucked into the engine because I have a leak in my fuel line and tank which he pointed out.

So now I'm going to replace the whole thing, 3 gallon tank and a whole new fuel line and try it again and see if that helps.

@awetmore:
Thanks for the tip, I don't think that was the case this time, but I will definitely be more aware of how long I keep the choke on.

Thanks everyone again for your feedback. As I mentioned before, it's good to know that my experiences aren't unusual.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 07:24:57

"Our Hansen Sea-Cow was not only a living thing but a mean, irritable, contemptible, vengeful, mischievous, hateful living thing.... [it] loved to ride on the back of a boat, trailing its propeller daintily in the water while we rowed... when attacked with a screwdriver [it] fell apart in simulated death... It loved no one, trusted no one, it had no friends."

John Steinbeck.. Log from the Sea of Cortez

Edited by - on

csmcg
1st Mate

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96 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2013 : 21:04:21

Red eye, my daughter and I laughed until we cried reading Steinbeck's quote. It's accuracy is astounding. Thank you.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2013 : 21:10:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 "Our Hansen Sea-Cow was not only a living thing but a mean, irritable, contemptible, vengeful, mischievous, hateful living thing.... [it] loved to ride on the back of a boat, trailing its propeller daintily in the water while we rowed... when attacked with a screwdriver [it] fell apart in simulated death... It loved no one, trusted no one, it had no friends."

John Steinbeck.. Log from the Sea of Cortez
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

First time I've seen that quote, but it exactly sums up what I feel about all small engines, outboards in particular.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2013 : 21:49:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 First time I've seen that quote, but it exactly sums up what I feel about all small engines, outboards in particular.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Outboards have no special standing here... The best inboard diesel can come to a sudden halt in the worst of conditions, generally due to those conditions, when dead algae in the diesel fuel tank is stirred up and clogs the filter. Just when you think the auxiliary is going to get you through heavy winds on the nose, you're left drifting abeam to the nasty seas, trying to change a filter and re-prime the fuel system, or getting some sails up and taking a different course to an alternate safe harbor. It's one of the oldest stories in sailing.

I'll concur that you did very well in your "first test." The key is to fight off panic, consider your options, put them in order, and try them in that order. You'll find that your crew and passengers "freak out" only if you show anxiety. The first duty for the captain is to hide any anxiety and take things one step at a time, as if you've been there before--even if you haven't. Freaked out passengers just make things worse for everyone, including the captain.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2013 : 21:54:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'll concur that you did very well in your "first test." The key is to fight off panic, consider your options, put them in order, and try them in that order. You'll find that your crew and passengers "freak out" only if you show anxiety. The first duty for the captain is to hide any anxiety and take things one step at a time, as if you've been there before--even if you haven't. Freaked out passengers just make things worse for everyone, including the captain.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well said.

Edited by - on

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2013 : 04:07:03

Kudos to you for promptly dropping anchor. That is a veteran reaction

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2013 : 12:28:09

Lots of people approach the dock and then near it they drop the engine speed to idle and then it dies. I try to drop the speed a ways out and find a speed that is slow enough and one that the engine will still run comfortably at, given the conditions. I've had good luck with mine, so far.

I could tell engine stories all day, but you'd hafta tell us more about yours before we could determine if it is a descendant of the Sea-Cow...

At first they seemed cantankerous but mine have become so beloved we have named them... Shirley.. Skippy.. and putput...

And Heavy Fuel.

Edited by - redeye on 07/01/2013 12:40:59

fmarcelino
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 06:08:29

There really isn't too much more to tell.

One of the folks that pulled us back into the slip (yes we were that close) was a mercury mechanic.

He managed to get the motor up and running again, but he did notice that there was no fuel in the carburetor so he suspected a clogged fuel injector. Also the primer bulb did leak when we use it to pressurized the bulb, so he said that was suspect as well. Air got in there and either got into the engine, or dropped the pressure in the line so that no fuel made it to the engine.

Or a combination of both. Once we did get it running it did putter occasionally under idle, but eventually settle down and idle nicely. From that point on, the motor was working fine. While tied to the dock, we put it in forward, idle, and reverse.

The only issue is that when I put it in reverse and it's in a low speed it still did stall one or twice.

Is this something I should get looked at now?

Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 06:16:25

I'd put some working miles on that motor, so you can A) work out if there is still a problem B) get some confidence back in it and C) figure out how to make it work again if it fails.

I bet it just needs some run-time. These motors prefer to run, and with load (motor around wide open). Put about a gallon through it, and see if it calms down for you.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 09:50:55

<< There really isn't too much more to tell. >>

All I know is that it is a merc. ( and it don't like you much, or at least your gas. )

Like for me...Mine is: Shirley is a 1984 Johnson Sailmaster 6hp two stroke OEM for Catalina 25s that is in the garage right now about to go to the shop for a tuneup after 5 years as starting first or second pull everytime. I pulled the thermostat out of her last year cause we just don't get that cold down here. A flat three blade prop pushed her pretty good from the word go but she is slow at cruse speed. She has the smoothest shift I've ever seen and she stays in gear. I pulled her cause she seemed to be runnin a little hot and I was worried her water pump is getting old. THe boys at the shop did a good job with her last tune up ( 5 years ago ) and I've changed out the oil in the foot once, cleaned her cover and reworked her gasket on the cover, changed out the rubber lines on the water pump and changed out the plugs once. Shirley will surely start and run every time.

I've checked to make sure her back up shear pin is shiney ( and I can find it ) about every year.. and we normally kept one taped to her with electrical tape but that one is gone.

I've got two cans of starter spray on board but she has never needed it.. I put a new starter rope on her last year, but I'm not real happy with the looks of the new rope so I don't think it will last over about 5 years. She got a new tank and line and bulb 6 years ago. I keep an extra bulb on board.

Shirley likes the choke on start and then pretty quick no choke. She does not like to run rich.. lean her out a little makes her happy. I keep promising her I will get a Dive knife with a lanyard on board in case I need to jump off and cut her prop free from fishing line, but I haven't yet, so I will probably end up trying with a kitchen knife and drop it, if it does happen..

Shirley in drydock...

Right now I'm running Skippy. A little harder to crank ( some spray if cold ) but only 3 or 4 pulls..Skippy loves to cruse with a clean hull. One pull after the first start of a day. Skippy's throttle is way sensitive and he will reve up in a heartbeat....

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 09:59:14

Oh.. and I always told her I would find a grease gun with the proper size nipples to grease up her joints but I never have.

She has a very stiff throttle... If I was in Salt water her throttle would have rusted out years ago.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 10:22:13

And I traded Putput. (a merc 5hp thumper ) and really wish I had just gotten her a foot extension and kept her... She was sweet...

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 12:38:52

Does your gas can have a name too?

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Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 13:21:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 Does your gas can have a name too?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Why, Phil: Of course!

Edited by - Ape-X on 07/02/2013 13:21:48

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 15:30:49

A leak in the gas line will do it. Air will enter and kill the suction. Just replace the whole line, including the bulb--they have a finite useful life, made shorter by the introduction of ethanol.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2013 : 15:38:04

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Why, Phil: Of course!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Last name, Mehup...

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2013 : 03:38:18

<< Does your gas can have a name too? >>

Ya shouldn't have asked..... but that's a story for another time.

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fmarcelino
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2013 : 21:28:57

So after replacing the fuel line, we finally made it out on our first family voyage.

Motor seemed to be working great now, so apparently the culprit was the leaky pressure bulb on the line.

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Edited by - on

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