Boat Launch Fail . . .

[tpenfield]

Not the kind that you would see on YouTube, but . . .

Yesterday was 'boat launch day' for my 33 ft. Formula. After dozens of hours of maintenance and prep work the boat was ready for its seasonal launch. The boat hauler was scheduled to arrive at 3:00 to haul the boat down to the boat ramp a few miles away and then the Admiral and I would take the boat over to our harbor and put it on its mooring.

At about 1:30, I gave the engines a warm-up run for about 10 minutes each 'on the muffs' just to be sure that the engines were good-to-go at the ramp.

The boat hauler arrived, we get to the ramp, stick the boat in. I go to start the engines . . . the port engine starts right up . . . the starboard engine . . . nothing . . . no clicks, no noise, Nada. :facepalm:

The boat hauler pulls the boat back up the ramp and we try to sort things out . . . shifter in neutral position, kill switches, solenoid maybe . . . ignition switch, etc. Still nothing. And this engine had started up no problem about an hour before

The major issue being that the power steering runs off of the starboard engine. So, no steering if that engine is not running. If it had been the other engine, then I could have limped the boat over to the harbor on one engine.

We finally decided to bring the boat back to my house and set it back on blocks, so I could do some electrical testing and figure things out.

Using my voltmeter to trace things out, it looks like the solenoid gave it up the hour before when I started the engines :facepalm: Sort of 'funny' how a component can be working one minute and not the next.

Anyway, I went to West Marine before they closed for the day and got a solenoid (Sierra Brand is all they carry). I also ordered 2 Mercruiser solenoids to have some spares. The engines and the trim pumps use the same solenoid, so one is bound to go like what happened at the ramp.

Of course on my engines, the solenoids are buried down at the bottom of the 'electronics' box, so changing it out is a multi-hour task.

In my 13 years of powerboating, this is the first time one of my boats failed to start at the ramp. We are tentatively scheduled to try launching again next Saturday morning . . . not sure how much a 're-launch' will cost :noidea:

 

[alldodge]

The major issue being that the power steering runs off of the starboard engine. So, no steering if that engine is not running

Bummer that the simple things can stop everything, glad it was an easy fix

You real cannot steer at all without the port motor? What would happen if it died out at sea?

 

[89retta]

That's the thing with electrical parts. Either they work or they don't . There is no warning when they are about to go

 

[Ned L]

Sorry to hear you had to cancel your launching, a way to really spoil the day. Even though it was a pain to change the solenoid out I’m glad it was a ‘simple’ fix.
I had to reschedule my day too, but mine was mostly to do with DOT permits.

 

[tpenfield]

Bummer that the simple things can stop everything, glad it was an easy fix

You real cannot steer at all without the port motor? What would happen if it died out at sea?

Steering is really hard at best without the power steering going. I have had to steer manually on occasion, turns are gradual, so weaving through the mooring fields to get out and to my harbor, then to my mooring would be over challenging.

If it was the port engine, then I could have continued with the launch and fixed it at my mooring.

Anyway, I put the new solenoid in and the engine fired right up :thumb:

 

[alldodge]

That's good you can steer. My signal engine PS went out and it was hard at anything above 1500 rpm, but not over difficult. Guess that second outdrive changes a lot. Glad your now ready to go boating

 

[southkogs]

It happens, right? The bummer for you was the added expense with the hauler. Sorry Ted - that part stinks. Almost as bad as having to wait another week for a boat ride!

 

[oldrem]

Could have been worse and gone out half way to the slip

 

[GA_Boater]

Don't know if I can add any words you didn't already use or think about using, Ted.

Hope it goes better next Saturday and you sport a

 

[Nicktr23]

Guess i'll be carrying a spare solenoid from now on too!

 

[JimS123]

Sort of 'funny' how a component can be working one minute and not the next.

I used to do annual tuneups. One year I had an engine failure the day after - turned out to be the brand new "condenser" failed an hour after installation.

Drop the kicker down - no problem - just take a little longer to get home - right? Wrong. It was hot that day and the $2 plastic fuel line connector on the filter cracked, spewing gas all over.

The first and only tow I ever had to accept. Electronic ignition was installed the next day. Now carry a spare fuel filter cover.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Ted, I would almost consider using an electric power steering pump

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Isnt there a saying better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all. Better to be broke down at the launch than out at sea I guess. Ive had a couple starter issues with my mercruiser short of that and running out of fuel when I first bought my other boats ive been lucky. My fuel sender shows 1/3 of a tank when its empty. Ive tried two other senders and had no luck getting one perfect my tanks only 6 inches deep its 40 gallons though so the sender has to be perfect to be right. Ive lived with it since about 2000 I know when its low the gauge starts bouncing around hits the 1/3 mark and stops when that occurs its time for fuel. My new boat has a Yamaha display I hate the fact that I have to select the fuel gauge to view it.

 

[tpenfield]

Ted, I would almost consider using an electric power steering pump

I am wondering if there is a way to run the power steering off of both/either engine, similar to what the alternators do?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Ted, with a remote reservoir and a few check valves....yes

you have the stock saginaw "can-o-ham" pumps, correct?

 

[MTboatguy]

You can hook that power steering pump up to an electric motor, we used to pull our fans and put electric fans and put our steering pumps on electric motors so they were not drawing power from the engine, it is really not that hard to do, just need to make a set of brakets to mount the electric motor to and pull the belt off the engine and run it over the electric motor, put the correct check valves as well as the reservoir, hook up to 12v and you are good to go. In our cars and truck we would pick up HP by doing it.

 

[tpenfield]

Ted, with a remote reservoir and a few check valves....yes

you have the stock saginaw "can-o-ham" pumps, correct?

Correct

 

[Scott Danforth]

two of these adapters https://www.summitracing.com/parts/p...4aAi0UEALw_wcB

one custom tank, two 5psi check valves with 20gpm capability and you can run on either motor

or pick up a small electric hydraulic pump

 

[JASinIL2006]

If it was going to fail, better to do it at the ramp than miles from shore! Hope your re-launch goes smoothly next week!

 

[ajgraz]

This was an equipment fail. A launch fail is due to user error, and is usually a lot more entertaining.