The Perfect storm

[Paul B]

Today my wife and I were out boating, minding our own business and all of a sudden it got dark.
They did predict severe weather but that is for Sissies.
Anyway, we figured we would head in so we packed up. tied up the inflatable and started the engines.
Of course, only one started. No noise on the other one.
On a nice day this would be no problem, I would have lifted the engine compartment, climbed in and found the problem but with the storm coming I figured I would fix it tomorrow.
We headed in on one engine which is no problem except there was no power steering and on a boat with two engines, it is almost impossable to steer trying to back into a slip. As we neared the dock I called the marina to get some help backing into my slip. There is another boat the same size as mine right next to mine and the wind was blowing right into that boat.
The marina said they would send someone to throw me a line and help pull the boat in.
As I got to the slip I told the marina I was one minute out. They said OK we will be there.
I pull in front of my slip with the one engine running and of course, no one there.
Now the sky opened up with torrential rain horrendous wind.
My slip is in a dead end so there is no where I could go.
I saw someone on the dock running and my wife called for help.
He came over and we threw him a line. We hit the piling with the back of the boat because I could not maneuver on the one engine but there was no damage. I managed to jump off and get a line around the front cleat and we pulled her in.
It was raining like I remembered in the monsoons in Nam.
You could not see your hand in front of your face.
We ran into the cabin to wait it out but it kept raining.
So we said the heck with it, we were in bathing suits and soaked anyway so we just left the boat and walked to the car.
No sense covering a wet boat because it will be hot and steamy when I get back there.
So tomorrow I will go back and fix whatever is wrong with the engine and dry the thing off.
This happens al the time in boating but as long as no one dies, it's all fun.
I went into the marina office to yell at them and I found out that their power went out along with their radios and they could not tell the dock boy where my boat slip was. (It's a large marina with hundreds of boats)
I did not collect anything today, but I got a bunch yesterday. :tongue1:
I

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

that sucks!! all that money you pay to keep the boat there,thank god no damage
What marina and were is it??

 

[Paul B]

that sucks!! all that money you pay to keep the boat there,thank god no damage
What marina and were is it??

I am in Port Washington on the north shore. I pay about $6,000.00 to keep the boat there including nothing. But it is what it is and all the marina's charge the same thing.
They are usually good but the storm just started and they were all running around trying to put more lines on boats, their power went out and their radios so the kid could not find my slip.
No one got hurt and now I have a reason to go to the boat tomorrow so I could fix the problem of the engine not starting.
It will be an easy electrical problem being nothing works on that side, no lights or power.
But it is nice having twin engines.

 

[Paul B]

I went to the boat today to fix the problem.
It was an easy fix.
I bought this boat from a girl last year after her husband left her and moved to China leaving her with two small kids and a large mortgage and tax bill of $19,000.00 a year.
Nice guy.
Anyway the guy had a "mechanic" take care of the boat while he had it.
When I went to look at the boat the starboard engine would not start so she called the "mechanic" who serviced the boat for them.
She did not want me messing with it until I bought it.
Fine, the guy came and "fixed" the problem.
Today, a year later I found out how he "fixed" it.
On almost all boats there is a fusable link on the started that protects the electrical circuitry on the boat. The fuse was bad (or rotten) so he removed it and just put the wire on the post on the starter.
This is fine as a temporary repair if you are stuck and will normally work forever, but it should be removed and wired the correct way with the fuse.
Anyway even if you don't do it the correct, safe way, you should secure the wire on to the starter bolt to supply power to the boat systems.
This Jaboni, just pushed the ring terminal of the wire on the starter post and squished it with a pliers.
Again, fine as a temporary repair to get you home, but you don't leave it like that or you tell the boat owner what you did so he can fix it. But NOOOOO. I find out in a freekin monsoon typhoon.
I have a cardinal rule. No one ever, under any circumstances touches my house, car or boat. If I could see in my mouth I would do my own dental work.
I never had anything done that I did not have to change and do myself. I really don't know how anyone hires anyone for anything.
I had my porch re done once because I was too busy working around the clock. My wife said this guy does good work and I was too busy.
OK he comes to the house with a shovel with a hole in it, a sledge hammer taped together and a stick with a string on it for a rueller.
I gave the guy a big plywood box and said, put this in the porch up side down and pour concrete on top of it, then put the fieldstones around it. I don't want dirt in my porch because here in NY the dirt freezes and pushes the stones out.
He fills up the box with dirt. Good thing I saw him.
Then he is building the steps out of cinder blocks. I told him the porch is fieldstone and not cinder blocks. He said, this is the way we do it in Mexico.
I told him to look around to see if he thought he was in Mexico.
Then he got fieldstones and I came home to find the first step 6" the second step about 12" and the last step 8". I made him rit that out.
Then he makes the porch and I try to open the door, but the porch is higher than the door so I can't get in my house.
He says he will cut the door. I tell him I will cut his throat, he says he will grind down the cement. I tell him, " you have a shovel with a hole in it, a broken hammer and a stick with a string on it and you are going to grind down the cement"
I said take your string, stick and shovel and get out of here.
He said "I don't think you want to pay me"
I said "Pay you, I am going to kill you"
Then I hired a kid to help me demolish the thing and I built it the way it is supposed to be built.
But my engines are now repaired the correct way and purring like kittens

 

[albano]

But my engines are now repaired the correct way and purring like kittens

WHAT Jaboni, put the 'spark arrestors' on cockeyed? :splitspin

 

[Paul B]

WHAT Jaboni, put the 'spark arrestors' on cockeyed? :splitspin

You mean the flame arresters? That Jaboni would be me. I was laying on them to get to the starter on that starboard engine.
I would also like to meet the Jaboni that designed where to install the starters on marine engines, he needs a beating.
See that left engine (left in the picture) you know where the starter is on the left side under the exhaust riser. See how much room there is.
For a contortionist.

 

[KathyC]

I would also like to meet the Jaboni that designed where to install the starters on marine engines, he needs a beating.
See that left engine (left in the picture) you know where the starter is on the left side under the exhaust riser. See how much room there is.
For a contortionist.

lol, ah yes, getting to the starter..my boat is the same, it's under that manifold...tricky at best and you need 3 arms, nevermind how much they weigh! I feel for you Paul

Good that it is fixed though!!..and what a nice clean bilge

 

[Paul B]

Good that it is fixed though!!..and what a nice clean bilge

Thank you, I like to eat in the bilge. :tongue1:

I do get in there and scrub it all the time. It was a grease pit when I bought the boat but now it is almost pristine.