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Bass Boat

gun_runnergun_runner Member Posts: 8,999
edited February 2004 in General Discussion
I recently purchsed an older model pro cougar 14ft bass boat with a 35 hp evinrude. The boat has electric start etc and has a stearing wheel. It also has a live tank and lots of other stuff. The boats old But I bought it for $750 with trailer.
Now the question. I dont know squat about boats and would like to know if anyone had a source for owners manuals etc. Its almost warm enough to start thinking about gettin the boat in the water. (couple months) And I would like to be able to do just that. I need to know proper starting procedure. How many batteries do I need to fully operate my boat. What kind etc.

Thanks

Larry
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Comments

  • gun_runnergun_runner Member Posts: 8,999
    edited November -1
    Thinking about a new nitro anybody in here own one of the new nitro Z series boats? I'd love to here your experiences
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  • BOBBYWINSBOBBYWINS Member Posts: 7,810
    edited November -1
    Larry,
    You have just experienced the first of the two happiest days of your life.The second of those two days comes when you get rid of it![:D]

    Been there,done that.
    (four times[:D])
    BW

    IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.
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  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,446 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Before you fire it up, get the model number off of the evinrude. See what gas - oil mixture you need. Battery will be for STARTING only. Walmart sells them. K-mart or any boat place sells an attachment to hook to a garden hose ( running ) that fits over the lower end of the motor. Do not start it up without water flowing thru the engine. After it starts you should see water coming out the back of the engine about half way up. If you don't turn it off. Your water pump will not be working if no water. Your troll motor will work off of a deep cycle battery. Most important is to check all wiring. You do not want a fire on board while boating. Check your state law on what is needed before you launch it. IE; life vests, fire estiquisher, flare gun, tow rope. Last but not least.. make sure the plug is in the back also.. good luck.
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  • orca44magorca44mag Member Posts: 690 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ....and always keep all livewells/baitwells full of ice cold beer.
    Sage wisdom from the master himself.[8D]
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  • REBJrREBJr Member Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    congrats!!
    Bought mine in 1999, had it in the water maybe 35 times. Hope you get to use it more than I am mine! Don't know about joys of owning and selling, bought mine new, and outside of another trolling battery, have had absolutely no problems, joy all the way. Have thought about selling it, but it doesn't eat much while sitting in the drive, so I hang onto it. Couldn't ever part with it before I bought another one myself.
    Have you checked ebay? some times they list older manuals for all sorts of things, maybe you get lucky.
    All in all, Select-fire was right with his reply, all pretty much the same, just different oil mix rates. If you repower, look at oil injection engines. No more mixing hassels.
    -Ralph

    EDIT: just did a search for evinrude manuals from ebay's home page, got a page full of results


    In the demonstable absence of evolutionary perfection, if some calamity is not to occur, we shall have to learn to live with ourselves as we are. Fast. -Tattersall
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  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,062 ******
    edited November -1
    Never take just one Baptist fishing with you. Always take two.

    Take one and he'll drink up all your beer.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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  • RUGERGUNZRUGERGUNZ Member Posts: 5,638 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Congrats on your new boat.

    Boat - (n). hole in the water that you throw money into.

    Boats can be expensive, but are great fun. You can find manuals for the engine online, places like Haynes.

    The battery should be a deep cycle, when it is not used to start the motor, it will be used for the live tank, radio, etc. Unless you have more electrical needs than what I stated, you will only need one. The cheapest place to buy is Wal-Mart.

    The motor is most probably (but not always) a 50:1 mix of oil and gas. It takes special outboard 2-stroke oil, if it is a newer engine you will want to make sure it is TCW-3 certified. If it is older it can run any outboard 2-Stroke oil. If the engine does not get good compression and you do not want to do a rebuild, keep increasing the ratio of oil to gas (40:1, 30:1 etc) until you get good compression. (I once ran a 40 Mercury on 30:1 for a year because of a bad piston ring)

    **If you do run a higher oil ratio, you will need to change spark plugs often. Always carry a spare set on the boat either way.**

    I would start it in the yard before going to the lake. You can purchase a hose adapter that fits over the lower unit intake and supplys the cooling water to the engine. The engine can be run for short periods without water but it is hard on the water pump.

    If it came with metal gas cans, throw them away and buy plastic, the metal ones will rust inside and get into the engine. If it came with any gas and it is over a year old, throw it away and get new fuel.

    This is how I start my outboard, each engine is slightly different in how it likes to start.

    1. Start with fresh gas mixed with the right ratio of oil.
    2. Squeeze the pump in the gas line until it becomes too hard to squeeze anymore.
    3. Have the engine in the water or hooke to a hose.
    4. Turn the key, if it does not immediately kick over, give a little choke. (Not too much)
    5. If youve tried choking and doesnt give a kick, try a little starting fluid.
    5. If it has trouble running without stalling you can idle it higher till it gets warmed up.
    5. As soon as it is running check to make sure the telltale (little stream of water) is pumping water. If it doesnt start pumping within 30 sec of startup, you probably have a water pump seized. These are not cheap to replace on Mercurys, not sure on evinrude. Normally you have to drop the lower unit to get to it.



    Some other tips (Use under your own discretion, some can be dangerous)

    1. If all else fails and you cant get it to run and you dont think it is flooded, take the spark plugs out and put gas in each cylinder (just a little). Put spark plugs back in, and try again. If it starts and then wont run, you probably have a fuel line or carb problem and take it to a dealer. This is similar to when it will start on starting fluid but not keep running.

    If you live in a cold climate (freezes) start your boat in the yard after you are done, (this time with no water hooked up) and blip the throttle, this will pump all the water out of the engine and keep the motor from freezing up.

    (**Make a tool kit to take with you, they will brake down when you least need them to. Always take a few tools (Wrenches, screwdriver, etc) Spark plug wrench, spare plugs, Carb Cleaner, Starting Fluid and the all important pull-start rope (If the battery gets weak you will need to hand start, the top of the powerhead should have slots to put a knotted end of a rope in and wrap about three turns to be able to pull start. *Be extremely careful, they can start and pull the rope back in with you too*)


    Sorry if I got long-winded on you. Been running outboards as work boats since I was 14, and picked up a few things along the way.

    If you have any more ?'s feel free to e-mail me.



    RUGER.jpg

    "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." -- Sigmund Freud, General Introduction to Psychoanalysis
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  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    first, second, third, life jacket, then recommend a flare gun & a paddle
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  • Chevyman TxChevyman Tx Member Posts: 1,875 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No matter what, dont take the wife along. You will spend most of your time driving back and fourth to the bank so she can pee and she will spend the rest of your time listening to her onager!

    "Keep turnin to the RIGHT"
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