Do you start your boat out of water 2024

tkite16 reply :

I see alot of people at the ramp starting there boat before putting it in the water. Does it hurt to just make sure it starts before launching???

Sam reply :

I always start the motor at home before I head out.

I usually do this the day before, late in the afternoonor evening.

Never had trouble with motor but one time when I tested trolling motor (yes, you test your trolling motor before venturing out) it failed.

Seems one of the wires was cut at BPS when they worked on the boat.

Missed one tournament due to the trolling motor failure.

A word to the wise....always, always start your motor before you leave home and check your trolllng motor and batteries.

Second word to the wise.....turn off the ignition and take key with you after you have tested the motor!!!

cart7t reply :

I'm with Sam. Why would I drag the boat all the way to the lake and then wait to see if it'll turn over?

Ballistik reply :

I dont know if this is what your getting at but never dry start it. Always use ear muffs or have it in watter. There is a rubber impeller that is in the lower unit and the water actuall lubricates it. If you do dry starts it will prematurely ware it out and could cause over heating. So yes if you start it at a ramp before you put your boat in that is wrong and could cause damage even smoke and engine eventually.

tkite16 reply :

Quote
I dont know if this is what your getting at but never dry start it. Always use ear muffs or have it in watter. There is a rubber impeller that is in the lower unit and the water actuall lubricates it. If you do dry starts it will prematurely ware it out and could cause over heating. So yes if you start it at a ramp before you put your boat in that is wrong and could cause damage even smoke and engine eventually.

Thats what I was getting at. I didnt know if maybe just making sure it runs for a few seconds was bad or not.

Way2slow reply :

I hope they are leaving out one step in starting their motor before going to the lake and that's hooking a water hose to it so there's water going through it.

Personally, I never start mine before I go to the lake or before I launch it. I take care of my batteries and boat, and over 40 years of doing this I've never had a problem with one not starting after I launched it.

I've seen people have problems because the did start it the day before and forget to turn off the power switch and have a dead battery when they got to the lake.

If you do feel you need to run it before hand, NEVER, EVER start a motor without having water going through it. Yes, you will see people do this all the time at the ramp but all the idiots are doing is frying hell out of their water pumps. Spinning at 1,000 - 1,500 rpm with no water, it only takes a couple of seconds for the thing to get extremely hot. Just a couple of seconds causes the impeller to start hardening and loosing it flex, causing reduced pressure and volume. Any more than a coule of seconds, it starts burning the tips off the impeller or even melting the housing.

Long Mike reply :

For the second time this evening, I completely agree with Way2slow. Don't even think about starting your motor without water going into it. It only takes a couple of seconds to damage the motor.

fooman reply :

I start mine the night before with the muffs on and also do a run down on everything..I dont like surprises at the ramp..

The only reason I do this is because I have been stuck in line at the ramp watching people crank their motors over only to discover it wont start,then it never fails they pull off the cowl and start wrenching on it there at the end of the ramp.

The bottom of the ramp IS NOT the place to trouble shoot your motor when theres a line at the ramp nor is the place to start loading your boat with your gear

crazy larry reply :

I always run mine for a few minutes before going to the lake, with water. The only time i didn't do this, was the only time my motor failed to start. Had water in my fuel.... Hate to be on the ramp with something that won't start. I figure I'd rather have that happen at the house.

Ballistik reply :

Starting it with ear muffs is fine. Its the Dry starts that will kill the water impeller and eventually could smoke the motor.

Team_Dougherty reply :

I have seen many yahoos at the local ramp do many of the same things. I saw one guy starting and running his motor for 15 ~ 20 seconds at a time for three or 4 times with out water. I offered my advice about the water pump. He went on to say he does it all the time without problems. I want to be there when he does.

Tin reply :

Bad idea. Just a bad bad idea imo.

NBR reply :

I start mine with muffs at the begining of the year and then if I haven't gone for a while. At the lake we back down until I can get the lower unit in the water then start the motor before backing in the rest of the way. While it has never happened for it to not start some day it will and if the boat is not off the trailer it is easier to pull out and free up the ramp.

HPBB reply :

with out muffs or being in the water it a big NO!!!, it doesn't take long to burn a motor up.

Branuss04 reply :

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with out muffs or being in the water it a big NO!!!, it doesn't take long to burn a motor up.

Gotta agree with everyone else, i've been told by two marine mechanics and they both said that it is harmful to the engine to do so. I don't know about you guys, buy I trust my mechanics.

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

I NEVER run mine out of the water,....NEVER!!!!!

in fact, I don't even hook the clips up to the battery till I get to the lake ;D

jrhennecke reply :

Never. Never.

Tpayneful reply :

I only start the motor out of the water with muffs and a hose if I am troubleshooting the motor at home. Other than that I wouldn't do it. My Evinrude repair manual has a note that you "SHOULD NEVER REV THE ENGINE" when you are running it with muffs on. A runaway condition can occur and destroy your motor.

I keep my engine tuned up and use it way to often to have to check and see if it worked in the yard. From the end of March until November 1st my boat will be on the water once, twice or three times a week. With this activitiy level I usually don't have starting issues. If I did, I would use the trolling motor and fish before I went home.

littlefisher reply :

No. NEVER start or run your outboard without water circulating through the cooling water intake in the gear case. Cooling water prevents damage to the water pump (running dry) and overheating of the engine.

NAILER reply :

Right on Tpayneful, i agree. If you use it enough you won't have any problems. Keep the motor tuned and batteries charged and it should run.

ctbassmaster2008 reply :

sorry for the newb ? but what do you guys mean by using ear muffs ?????

Tpayneful reply :

Any question is a good question.

Muffs is slang for a outboard motor flush device. One is shown in the picture below. You put connect this to a water hose, put it over the water inlets on the lower unit of your outboard and turn on the water before you start the motor. This will ensure that water is circulating through the water pump and the engine to keep it cool.

This is acceptable for idle speeds only. DO NOT rev the engine because the muffs cannot provide enough water under higher RPMs.

You can buy one of these at Walmart for less than $10.

trailboss502 reply :

Quote
you "SHOULD NEVER REV THE ENGINE" when you are running it with muffs on.quote]
i dont necessarily believe that one, cuz how do you think boat shops make sure everything is fine on your boat if they dont rev it up on earmuffs...i mean i could understand if your holding the throttle down, but reving it up to see if everything is okay and running adequately wont hurt your motor.

Tpayneful reply :

trailboss503,

I own a SELOC repair manual number 1308 for Evinrude and Johnson outboard motors. It states "NEVER operate the engine over 1000 RPM with a flush device attached, because the engine may "RUNAWAY" due to the no load condition on the propellor."

It also states "To test the water pump , the lower unit MUST be moved into a body of water."

An outboard repair shop backs the trailer and boat into a water filled pit or uses a barrel full of water to test your engine. This will keep the propellor from spinning too fast and also ensure that the engine has a adequate supply of water to cool the engine. They shouldn't rev the engine with a flush device. If they do, you need a new outboard mechanic.

Do you believe me now?

trailboss502 reply :

number 1 i am my outboard mechanic, & # 2 i never said i didnt believe you, i was just stating my OPINION

tight lines

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Quote
trailboss503,
I own a SELOC repair manual number 1308 for Evinrude and Johnson outboard motors. It states "NEVER operate the engine over 1000 RPM with a flush device attached, because the engine may "RUNAWAY" due to the no load condition on the propellor."

It also states "To test the water pump , the lower unit MUST be moved into a body of water."

An outboard repair shop backs the trailer and boat into a water filled pit or uses a barrel full of water to test your engine. This will keep the propellor from spinning too fast and also ensure that the engine has a adequate supply of water to cool the engine. They shouldn't rev the engine with a flush device. If they do, you need a new outboard mechanic.

Do you believe me now?

This is why there is a tank at most shops. Some use a 55 gal drum for smaller o/b's

tntitans21399 reply :

Always have water going into the engine when you start it, rather it is at the lake, ear muffs, or lower unit in a trash can or bucket. Running the engine without water can hurt the water impeller or engine. The impeller could come apart because it is just a piece of rubber. And the engine could over heat if you run it long enough without water to cool it down.

GobbleDog reply :

I don't completely start it, but I ALWAYS turn it over once before hitching up. And then once again before backing down the ramp.

-hydrillagorilla- reply :

Outboard engines cost a lot of money. I would be dang sure I knew what I was saying before I recommended something to someone.

just my opinon

Happy Releasing,

H.G.

507

Do you start your boat out of water 2024

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