Starting Before Putting It In Water????

[thedukeryan]

I am far from a boat guru like many of you but this struck me as VERY odd. Last weekend or possibly the weekend before I noticed the guy next to me starting his engine before putting it in the water. He would start it while in the boat then have his GF back him in. Not only did he do it once but he did it again after realizing that he did not put the plug in. It was a outboard but I can not remember what type. I have always been told to NEVER start my boat without it at least being hooked up to a hose. With that said is this acceptable for say some out boards?

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I cannot stretch my imagination far enough to think this would be good or proper for any outboard motor. I'm surprised you did not have to tow him back to the ramp because his motor overheated and seized!

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

My personal opinion----no!!!

 

[T.]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I've seen guys do it too. Makes no sense. Not only the risk of overheating the motor, it is hard on the impeller too.

Todd

 

[thedukeryan]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

Well I was half tempted to say something but I didnt know if this was normal for some boats. Next time I see it happen I will make sure to holler at him. Sad thing is that judging from the responses posted it sounds like there may not be a next time for this guy. Atleast he will eventually learn even if it is the hard way

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

We will probably see a thread from him titled==Why Is My Motor Frying Impellers???

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

Stupidity that defies logic. It should go without saying but.... dont do that.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

People do some funny things, thats for sure.

I wouldn't do it because I am my own mechanic and I know what it takes to change a pump.

Starting in muffs in the drive way is a good idea but doing it before it goes in the water is very odd.

Behind a guy at the launch one day, gets his boat in, jumps in and starts it then goes tearing down the river full throttle.

I can't figure out what he is doing, left his truck at the ramp and a line of cars waiting.

He comes back 5 minutes later "Sorry, had to warm it up"???????

Going from dead cold to full throttle is really bad on an engine but he though that was how you did it, people do some funny things.

 

[ovrrdrive]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I know why he's doing it but he's going about it all wrong. He's just making sure the engine will start before he gets launched so he doesn't have to swim back to the dock. I do the same check, but I put my wife in the boat and back down into the water just so she has enough to lower the motor and start it. Once I hear it running I just back deeper and slide her off into the water. That way I know she doesn't get launched with a bad wire or dead battery and get stuck out there.

 

[fabrimacator21]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

Always a bad idea and I second the starting while on the trailer when it's IN THE WATER

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I've watched zodiacs being launched off large ships (on TV) mostly the national geographic and discovery crews, anyhow they always have the engine running just before they spalsh.

 

[marine4003]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I've watched zodiacs being launched off large ships (on TV) mostly the national geographic and discovery crews, anyhow they always have the engine running just before they spalsh.

in those cases..its cheaper to replace impellers than RIBS, a brush against the hull will tear open a compartment..cheaper to replace imp's than hulls.

 

[109jb]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

You guys realize that the original post said nothing about what kind of boat or outboard, only that it had an outboard. If it was a small fishing boat, it could have an air cooled engine on that outboard. In that case it would be OK. If it is a water cooled outboard then it should not be run without either being in the water or on muffs.

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

You guys realize that the original post said nothing about what kind of boat or outboard, only that it had an outboard. If it was a small fishing boat, it could have an air cooled engine on that outboard. In that case it would be OK. If it is a water cooled outboard then it should not be run without either being in the water or on muffs.

Good point.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

the most I do before launching is bump the key--probably don't turn the flywheel once. But I'm not at a place with a line of folks waiting so I can mess with it in the water, warm up, etc. if I need to once launched.
B/c I have to pull my motor up due to low water at the dock or in the marsh a lot, I've accidentally started it while up but you know right away! It's usually just barely out of the water and is down in a second.
People often forget the quiet motors are on when pulling up. And if they run it dry with no apparent harm they think it's OK to do again. They are just lucky.
A friend was at the dock with young family heading out so I went over to see if he needed help with lines; he had a few questions so I learned it was his first time out in a new boat. I heard his motor running, quietly: four stroke 115. I said "isn't your motor supposed to be in the water if it's running?" He had not been thinking and started it while still tilted!

 

[KeyWestBoater]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I always run my OB on muffs at my house for a couple minutes before I leave for the ramp. That way I know it will start right up at the ramp. Also, I NEVER leave the boat unattended while running on muffs. I've heard stories before about folks going inside the house only to return to find the muffs slipped off and their engine damaged.

KWB

 

[thedukeryan]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I was thinking that it was possible that it was air cooled but i do not think this is the case. The boat was probably 18' range and the engine from what I remember seemed pretty good size. If I had to guess maybe 115hp range? What would the size of a typical aircooled engine be? For example 5-10hp?

 

[Yreka]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

Next time, run up and give him a copy of this

 

[jdlough]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

Overrdrive's method is a good idea. To start it while it's in the water but still on the trailer, if you have a competent wife/boat driver on the boat. The motor then gets cooling water - good. If the boat then doesn't start, it's easy to just haul it back out without a lot of hassle.

The guy you saw is ignorant. Even if his impeller still works, it's gotta have some melting wear on it, and will fail soon.

Pity the guy who buys his boat.

Jim

 

[109jb]

Re: Starting Before Putting It In Water????

I was thinking that it was possible that it was air cooled but i do not think this is the case. The boat was probably 18' range and the engine from what I remember seemed pretty good size. If I had to guess maybe 115hp range? What would the size of a typical aircooled engine be? For example 5-10hp?

If that big an outboard then it was water cooled and should not be operated without being in the water or on muffs.

You are right about the air cooled engines being the smaller up to 10 HP range.