Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 6: Boating Maintenance
monthly with a water-replacing oil spray like Corrosion-X to keep corrosion away. The
same products also help to keep rust and corrosion off inboards and stern drives.
Prop Problems?
Check the propeller several times a year, or immediately after you brush bottom. Any
bent or damaged blades can cause vibration that may eventually ruin the seals in an outdrive
or stuffing box and lead to lots more problems. (A stuffing box is the sealing system
that prevents water from entering around the hole where the drive shaft of an inboard
passes through the bottom of the boat. A similar system is used around the post that supports
the rudder on inboards and sailboats.)
It’s not possible to correctly reshape the blades of a bent propeller without templates and
other gear, so the best thing to do when you see damage is to send the prop to the shop.
Also, watch for fishline on the prop shaft, next to the seals. If not removed, this can eventually
work its way between the seal and the shaft and cause leaks.
Many boaters consistently flush their outboards with fresh water after every trip on saltwater.
Most outboards these days have an attachment on the cowl allowing easy connection
of a garden hose. If you use one of these, be sure to turn on the water first, and then
start the motor to allow the water to flush it out. Starting the motor before you turn on
the water can cause overheating. (I personally don’t flush my motors after every trip but
do attend to them at least once a month to prevent salt buildup in the cooling passages.)
Follow all these maintenance tips and your engine problems will be rare. However, there
will be times when even the best cared-for motor will be balky.
Why Won’t It Start? Basic Troubleshooting
Considering that V6 outboards and stern drives now cost more than a Saturn car—and
almost as much as a Saturn rocket—you’d think they’d start right up, first time, every
time.
Some do, some don’t. Carbureted motors are particularly cranky at times, which is why
they’ve just about disappeared on the new boat market, replaced by more dependable,
cleaner-running, and more efficient fuel-injected two-strokes as well as four-strokes. But
with older motors in used rigs, there may be a bit of gasping and wheezing and sometimes,
nothing at all. Even the latest and greatest motors won’t start sometimes, too.
The loudest sound in the world is when, 20 miles from the nearest land, you turn the
starter key and hear … nothing.