Recent content by Captain Caveman

  1. Captain Caveman

    Raising outboard higher

    Many years ago I had a long shaft '79 Evinrude on a mid-80s Fisher boat. The plate was a few inches below the hull. Since it was a clamp on, I really couldn't really go higher as jimmbo noted. However, I bought a piece of 2x2 aluminum tube along with two scraps of flat aluminum, had my buddy...
  2. Captain Caveman

    Boats from work.

    That baby has got back... Does your shop have a Wall of Shame? A place for all of the destroyed parts or crazy things that you've pulled out of boats? In my cabin, I've got a few blown up pistons, broken tie rods, and other things from my ATVs and boats that happened upon misfortune!
  3. Captain Caveman

    Critters in My Boat

    I use the stinkiest, cheapest dryer sheets that I can find. At the least, they smell better than mothballs. They somewhat work but won't stop a determined rodent. Don't use poisons unless they are instant like the antifreeze. Otherwise some eagle, red-tailed hawk, owl, or other beneficial...
  4. Captain Caveman

    Keel guard length

    You will make mistakes and damage it, but Murphy's Law says that whatever preventative measurers you install will not be protect from the mistakes that you actually make. You will likely hit a submerged rock, bang into a dock, forget to put in the boat plug, etc. I've never had a keel guard...
  5. Captain Caveman

    towing - engine in neutral?

    That is not an accurate statement. Many lakes have concrete ramps, but the concrete has to end at some point. This is especially the case on northern lakes where ice and freezing/thawing make longer/deeper launches impractical. Lake bottoms after the launches end can be rock, gravel, sand...
  6. Captain Caveman

    towing - engine in neutral?

    Sounds good in theory, but most people I've seen never do it. Additionally, your boat is already at an angle so even with tilting your prop is horizontal at best but usually still pointed down at an angle. The prop wash does most of the damage to the ramp bottom, not the propeller itself.
  7. Captain Caveman

    towing - engine in neutral?

    To me this is the bigger issue: #1 - powering onto trailer is harmful to the boat landing #2 - if your motor doesn't have a safety mechanism to prevent starting in gear, the boat could lurch when you start it. Solutions: #1 - don't power load. Use the winch or back further in. #2 - part of your...
  8. Captain Caveman

    Parking boat in driveway

    I like that idea. Pick up a 1970s Buick or Mercury with the curb feelers and get it registered and insured for pennies. It would look fantastic hooked up to the boat.
  9. Captain Caveman

    Parking boat in driveway

    Years ago I unhitched my boat in front of a friend's house in Minneapolis. We went to go haul some stuff and when I got back, my boat had a ticket. Same thing, I looked it up and discovered that it can't be unhitched on a city street. Hooked up to a tow vehicle and parked is okay.
  10. Captain Caveman

    1st Boat

    I like to ask the seller questions about maintenance. When was the gear oil last changed? When was the impeller last replaced? Etc.. If they don't know that's a bad sign. If they have paperwork, that's usually a good sign. Motors and boats that were not maintained well by the previous owner, are...
  11. Captain Caveman

    Stalling at Idle and Idle Speed

    If I'm reading this correctly, you had a no-start issue in August, got it fixed, and therefore you have ruled out that it's a motor issue? This is October. You could have a new issue with the carburetor. Lots of mechanics skip steps, like rebuilding a carburetor without replacing the needle and...
  12. Captain Caveman

    handy cap crane mounting

    I don't know if you are always leaving from a dock at your home, so I'll just suggest mounting the crane to your dock instead of the boat. I'm sure that limits flexibility, but it sure is a lot easier than mounting a crane to a boat that was never intended to support such a device.
  13. Captain Caveman

    I got a boat...help needed!

    Sounds like a cut and paste out of the advertisement that got you to buy the boat. Take it back to the seller and demand your money back. I'm pretty serious about my statement above. However, you are likely stuck with buying a boat that it sounds like you didn't test in the water first. Never...
  14. Captain Caveman

    Why I do not have new boats.

    Kids and new boaters should all start with a 14ft tin boat with a small motor. They will run it into rocks, other boats, and the trailer plenty of times. Starting them on old stuff is the way to go. My daughter has been steering my boat since she was 2. She's a teenager and can wheel that boat...
  15. Captain Caveman

    Grease zerk in center of the axle stripped out,

    Those tiny threads are easy to strip if your grease gun is holding onto the fitting for dear life. As airshot said, just get a bigger press zerk fitting and tap her into place.
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