2 replies to this topic

[mikea]

So, this weekend I had a chance to take a ride and I was excited when the boat started right up. I went for a ride across the lake, a couple miles and stopped at the beach area. Threw anchor, unloaded the people, the chairs, and other stuff - and sat down for about an hour.

Got a call to head back for a couple more friends, tried starting the boat and .... nothing.

Turned the key and nothing, no starter motor. It seemed like the battery wasn't charged enough to turn it over - or something? I checked if I had left anything on (blower, lights, radio) and nothing was left on.

I got a friend to give me a jump and although the starter motor turned over, the boat wouldn't start?
Oddly, the starter motor didn't sound like it was making the engine turn over like it normally does.

I got a tow back to the dock and pulled the battery to get it charged up, but back at the ranch the battery appeared to be fully charged.

Not sure what the heck is going on. I imagine that the ignition switch, neutral position switch, and fuse are all okay, because the starter did turn over with a jump. (even though it didn't start the boat)

Perhaps, the starter solenoid is shot?

I'll go through the various tests shown in the manual, next weekend - but, I wondered if anyone else had experienced this type of failure in the past. Started right up on the first try, then an hour later - nothing.

[albilbert]

A very silly question.. I had it happen to me.. Did you check for something caught in the intake like a small stick at the prop/wear ring? I had the same thing happen. got good beep code as if the engine would want to start radio and lights were good but not even a click.. turns out I had a small stick caught.. My battery was not really strong at the time this happened
a friend of mine got a shot gun wad caught in his also and lost all thrust

You might have picked up somthing from the shallow water

[mikea]

Battery was completely dead - tested okay with Volt ohm meter, and on charger, but under load it was very, very dead. Tested the starter motor with a known good battery and the starter motor worked. Tried the same test with my battery and nothing. Took the battery to a marina and they tested it with a load tester - it was a bad battery.
Not sure how the bad battery started the boat in the first place - but, glad it was only a battery and not anything worse.