Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] Northern Gulf Cruise Outboard Tribulations, etc.

From: "Bob Wilson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:41:03 -0500 (Central Daylight Time)

OK, I've put off posting about this because as I said in my last post, I don
t like to type as much as I like to read.  

    Our second attempt at any overnight time on Los Milagros was in May when
we attempted / intended to crash the party of the 10th annual Northern Gulf
Coast Cruise initiated by Bob Endicott of Fleet 77 Ft. Walton Beach Yacht
Club. ( as an aside, I had the privilege of meeting Bob in January as he and
Trish were on the first 800 = miles of their Great Loop Cruise on a Tonic 23
and in port at Bayou Grande Pensacola for a couple of weeks... he turned me
on to the fleet 77 site etc.)\

Anyway, after emailing the  cruise captain and being told"the more the
merrier", Gaby (the Admiral and a retireed CTO1 USN disabled) and I left
Bayou Grande Pensacola late the evening of May 14th, we made it about 300
yards form the dock when the 8hp Yachtwin that cam on Los Milagros and
always started on the second pull and ran fine till then died!  I hoisted
the main and we sailed back to the "A" dock and slid aroun the corner into a
friend's slip which I knew to be vacant for awhile as he was in Key West on
his Southern Cross 28' (which is now back and for sale if anyone is
interested and has around 35K to spare)  I had been reading here and
elsewhere and suspected fuel flow problems immediately so as soon as we were
tied up I hurried up to wally world (WallMart) and bought a new fuel line...
failing to notice that it said Yamaha replacement on the package.... This
did not help.

    We resigned to spend the night at the dock as we had made arrangements
for our first mate (my 6 year old recently finally adopted daughter to be
watched by my 28 yr young son and we headed off to find some dinner... We
were distracted by the gentleman on A dock space 1 and invited aboard his
beautiful Hunter 35.5 where we conversed for over an hour then made our way
off base to order Pizza and rent 3 movies form Blockbuster to take back and
view on Nav system (HP Laptop).    We had a pleasant if not as planned night
on the boat and  I got up the next morning to seek parts, by this time I had
decided the issue was at the block on the engine that the fuel line connects
to.  I found one that "looked about right" at a Johnson dealer and went back
to install it, after reading the instructions and parts list I noticed a
missing sealing washer and screw.  After seeing the fuel leak profusely into
the water I made another trip to said dealer where they opened another parts
bag and gave me the aforementioned parts... back to the boat, motor would
sorta start but not run, Called a friend iin Tennessee ... he had had the
same symptoms on his 8 hp Yachtwin on his jon boat recently, fixed his by
rebuilding the "fuel pump"... I got some local #s from him and called around
 finally found a complete fuel pump at Harbor View Marine... $60 + but OK...
put it on, No luck still stuck.    It was now Wednesday, I pulled the motor
and took it in to Angler Marine Thursday morning (we are still camping on
the boat 'cause Gaby decided she was not going home until her Pergala was
complete and the house was immaculate... my #1 son had been commissioned to
not only watch Carli (the aforementioned 6 yr old self proclaimed First
Mate) but to put his construction skills to use and fabricate a Pergala
(arbor) in our front yard for Gaby for Mothers Day. 

 Anyway, Wednesday evening we had picked up Carli and taken her to the boat
to camp with us and after my frustration with the motor I had removed it and
readied it to deliver to John at Angler Marine for repair.  I wanted to
sail!   This was a sail boat!  I decided to sail at about dusk Wednesday
evening.  Gaby had decided to sleep in the V berth and Carli was OK with a
sunset sail so... with NO MOTOR we sailed away from the dock and then in the
very narrow channel as I was attempting to get us out to the bay I hear 
Daddy... I need to go poo poo 

I attempted to get the porta potti in a useable location with the tiller
tied off but wasn't quite quick enough to get back to the helm.  While she
took care of business I attempted to get us floating again.  NO LUCK AGAIN
STUCK!  now it is getting dark, Now Gaby is awake, I drop sails and get out
a paddle and attempt to get us moving again after raising the keel but we
are in a mess.  A fishing boat offers us a tow which I gratefully accept,
but they get ur anchor line wrapped around their main prop and we are
drifting to the rocks.   They pull us off with their trolling motor and
unfoul the main outboard prop and tow us back to our dock.

Since this is also my sons 28th birthday and we have Carli, while we are
again camping dockside, He goes out to play... my plan is to get up early
and take Carli to school then drop off the ailing motor at Angler Marine....
About 4 AM my cell rings and Joey is in jail,  He was pulled over and had a
suspended license allegedly to everyones surprise and could I come rescue
him?  No! not at 4 am!   I get up at daybreak and Carli and I go home, while
I am getting ready to take her to school I try to find out how to get my son
out of jail and he shows up.  He had called the som of a friend of ours and
been bailed out.  I take Carli to school and drop off the yachtwin.   By
10:30 AM John calls, motor had a bit of trach in the carb but was now
running fine (on his fuel tank & hose .... this ia a hint for the rest of
the story).

I pick up the motor and then pick up Carli from school and we go back to put
the boat back together.  I get the motor back on and ... it won't run!    We
keep camping dockside, Friday morning I take Carli to school and proceed to
help Joey pour 8000lbs of concrete for the patio of the Pergala, by 9:30 PM
I'm ready to head back to Gaby and camp, we have a race in the morning,
still can't get the motor to run!   I have borrowed a gas tank form a friend
and pour all the old / new gas from my tank in it, buy fresh fuel and try
again.... No Luck...Still Stuck!   We decide to sail out and try to make the
race, Commodores Cup compettition between local Yacht Clubs, 2 days of races
scheduled, we are sailing out the channel and another Catalina 22' with a 4
HP Tohautsau offers us a tow, we accept and get to the start line and race..
. didn't do well, but we did finish.   back to the dock and Connie's husband
David (who had loaned me the spare tank) and who's son / step son had bailed
my son out of jail deduces that my fuel flow problem seems to be at the tank
end.  It was sucking air at the tank fitting!   Off to West Marine and
Wallmart and AutoZone and back with some hose clamps, a fuel filter, a new
barb fitting to adapt from the tank to the hose etc.   It starts, runs, and
dies!   Sunday was the second day of racing for Commodores Cup... Gaby was
finally ready to go home Saturday Night.   She wasn't ready to race again
Sunday.   Connie and I decided to try it without her.    On the way out the
motor ran, but I had to continually squeze the primer bulb to keep it
running.    On the last leg of the race we were way off course and then
running downwind the shackle that held the maiinsheet to the boom let go.  
We doused sails and motored home, DNF, pumping the primer bulb every 20 - 30
seconds to keep motor lit.

A week or 2 later I went back to the boat and rebuilt the original fuel pump
 cut the original line again and clamped it directly to the pump and it has
run fairly well ever since.   BUT, i can't have the motor cover on this way
as the fuel line directly connected prevents this.

Apparently my issue was an air leak at the tank end at the start of this
misadventure, and the rest was ? karma? 

We raced again since and took 3rd (only 4 in class though) and now L M is in
the driveway for som TLC.

And all the foregoing is why I prefer to lurk than share, but I hope someone
gets amused by it since my fingers are tired.

Pensacola, Florida

1986 Catalina 22' Swing Keel

Los Milagros

Navy Yacht Club Pensacola, Bayou Grande Marina, N A S P

-------Original Message-------

From: Ken G. Brown

Date: 06/21/07 15:05:37

To: [email-masked]

Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] Nissan Outboard Problem Followup

Yay! I was watching with great interest since I have a Nissan (Tohatsu) 6 HP
too.

  Ken

Ken G. Brown, Leduc, Alberta, Canada

1988 C22 Swing Keel #14764 - CTYH4764F888 - Sail# 103

>First of all, thanks to all that responded to my original post about my
Nissan 6 hp outboard motor problem.

>The problem was the hand bulb in the fuel line from the gas tank. The check
valve was not sealing properly. This caused air to get into the fuel line.
After replacing the line and bulb, I had to get the air out of the fuel
system. The fuel filter is clear plastic and I could see bubbles in the fuel
filter. With the motor running and in gear, I squeezed the bulb real tight
and tapped on the fuel filter and line inside the motor housing running to
the carburator. After all the bubbles (air) were worked out, the engine ran
fine. I took it out on the lake and run it at various speeds until I was
happy that it was fixed.

>I'm very happy my motor is fixed. I thought I was going to have to buy
another one. This one is only a little over 3 years old. Just out of
warranty.

>Again, thanks to all the replies. This is a great list.

>Randy Wahlfeldt

>Roboboat

>84 SK 12566

>Clinton Lake, Illinois

>https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/rwahlfel/www/c22maint.htm

--

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:17:46 -0400

Hey Bob,

Such as life .... I think most of use have had motor problems. At least 
you have a bead on the problem. Keep the faith and keep the stories 
coming. Soon they will be of your long voyage with all kinds of great 
stories to tell. Non of them about motors ...

Fair sailing !

Bill Bell
#13784, Phoenix
87sk, Port Orange, FL

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Wilson <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Sent: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 9:41 pm
Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] Northern Gulf Cruise Outboard Tribulations, 
etc.

OK, I've put off posting about this because as I said in my last post, 
I don't like to type as much as I like to read. 

    Our second attempt at any overnight time on Los Milagros was in May 
when we attempted / intended to crash the party of the 10th annual 
Northern Gulf Coast Cruise initiated by Bob Endicott of Fleet 77 Ft. 
Walton Beach Yacht Club. ( as an aside, I had the privilege of meeting 
Bob in January as he and Trish were on the first 800 = miles of their 
Great Loop Cruise on a Tonic 23 and in port at Bayou Grande Pensacola 
for a couple of weeks... he turned me on to the fleet 77 site etc.)\

Anyway, after emailing the  cruise captain and being told"the more the 
merrier", Gaby (the Admiral and a retireed CTO1 USN disabled) and I 
left Bayou Grande Pensacola late the evening of May 14th, we made it 
about 300 yards form the dock when the 8hp Yachtwin that cam on Los 
Milagros and always started on the second pull and ran fine till then 
died!  I hoisted the main and we sailed back to the "A" dock and slid 
aroun the corner into a friend's slip which I knew to be vacant for 
awhile as he was in Key West on his Southern Cross 28' (which is now 
back and for sale if anyone is interested and has around 35K to spare)  
I had been reading here and elsewhere and suspected fuel flow problems 
immediately so as soon as we were tied up I hurried up to wally world 
(WallMart) and bought a new fuel line... failing to notice that it said 
Yamaha replacement on the package.... This did not help.

    We resigned to spend the night at the dock as we had made 
arrangements for our first mate (my 6 year old recently finally adopted 
daughter to be watched by my 28 yr young son and we headed off to find 
some dinner... We were distracted by the gentleman on A dock space 1 
and invited aboard his beautiful Hunter 35.5 where we conversed for 
over an hour then made our way off base to order Pizza and rent 3 
movies form Blockbuster to take back and view on Nav system (HP 
Laptop).    We had a pleasant if not as planned night on the boat and  
I got up the next morning to seek parts, by this time I had decided the 
issue was at the block on the engine that the fuel line connects to.  I 
found one that "looked about right" at a Johnson dealer and went back 
to install it, after reading the instructions and parts list I noticed 
a missing sealing washer and screw.  After seeing the fuel leak 
profusely into the water I made another trip to said dealer where they 
opened another parts bag and gave me the aforementioned parts... back 
to the boat, motor would sorta start but not run, Called a friend iin 
Tennessee ... he had had the same symptoms on his 8 hp Yachtwin on his 
jon boat recently, fixed his by rebuilding the "fuel pump"... I got 
some local #s from him and called around, finally found a complete fuel 
pump at Harbor View Marine... $60 + but OK... put it on, No luck still 
stuck.    It was now Wednesday, I pulled the motor and took it in to 
Angler Marine Thursday morning (we are still camping on the boat 'cause 
Gaby decided she was not going home until her Pergala was complete and 
the house was immaculate... my #1 son had been commissioned to not only 
watch Carli (the aforementioned 6 yr old self proclaimed First Mate) 
but to put his construction skills to use and fabricate a Pergala 
(arbor) in our front yard for Gaby for Mothers Day. 

 Anyway, Wednesday evening we had picked up Carli and taken her to the 
boat to camp with us and after my frustration with the motor I had 
removed it and readied it to deliver to John at Angler Marine for 
repair.  I wanted to sail!   This was a sail boat!  I decided to sail 
at about dusk Wednesday evening.  Gaby had decided to sleep in the V 
berth and Carli was OK with a sunset sail so... with NO MOTOR we sailed 
away from the dock and then in the very narrow channel as I was 
attempting to get us out to the bay I hear "Daddy... I need to go poo 
poo

I attempted to get the porta potti in a useable location with the 
tiller tied off but wasn't quite quick enough to get back to the helm.  
While she took care of business I attempted to get us floating again.  
NO LUCK AGAIN STUCK!  now it is getting dark, Now Gaby is awake, I drop 
sails and get out a paddle and attempt to get us moving again after 
raising the keel but we are in a mess.  A fishing boat offers us a tow 
which I gratefully accept, but they get ur anchor line wrapped around 
their main prop and we are drifting to the rocks.   They pull us off 
with their trolling motor and unfoul the main outboard prop and tow us 
back to our dock.

Since this is also my sons 28th birthday and we have Carli, while we 
are again camping dockside, He goes out to play... my plan is to get up 
early and take Carli to school then drop off the ailing motor at Angler 
Marine.... About 4 AM my cell rings and Joey is in jail,  He was pulled 
over and had a suspended license allegedly to everyones surprise and 
could I come rescue him?  No! not at 4 am!   I get up at daybreak and 
Carli and I go home, while I am getting ready to take her to school I 
try to find out how to get my son out of jail and he shows up.  He had 
called the som of a friend of ours and been bailed out.  I take Carli 
to school and drop off the yachtwin.   By 10:30 AM John calls, motor 
had a bit of trach in the carb but was now running fine (on his fuel 
tank & hose .... this ia a hint for the rest of the story).

I pick up the motor and then pick up Carli from school and we go back 
to put the boat back together.  I get the motor back on and ... it 
won't run!    We keep camping dockside, Friday morning I take Carli to 
school and proceed to help Joey pour 8000lbs of concrete for the patio 
of the Pergala, by 9:30 PM I'm ready to head back to Gaby and camp, we 
have a race in the morning, still can't get the motor to run!   I have 
borrowed a gas tank form a friend and pour all the old / new gas from 
my tank in it, buy fresh fuel and try again.... No Luck...Still 
Stuck!   We decide to sail out and try to make the race, Commodores Cup 
compettition between local Yacht Clubs, 2 days of races scheduled, we 
are sailing out the channel and another Catalina 22' with a 4 HP 
Tohautsau offers us a tow, we accept and get to the start line and 
race.... didn't do well, but we did finish.   back to the dock and 
Connie's husband David (who had loaned me the spare tank) and who's son 
/ step son had bailed my son out of jail deduces that my fuel flow 
problem seems to be at the tank end.  It was sucking air at the tank 
fitting!   Off to West Marine and Wallmart and AutoZone and back with 
some hose clamps, a fuel filter, a new barb fitting to adapt from the 
tank to the hose etc.   It starts, runs, and dies!   Sunday was the 
second day of racing for Commodores Cup... Gaby was finally ready to go 
home Saturday Night.   She wasn't ready to race again Sunday.   Connie 
and I decided to try it without her.    On the way out the motor ran, 
but I had to continually squeze the primer bulb to keep it running.    
On the last leg of the race we were way off course and then running 
downwind the shackle that held the maiinsheet to the boom let go.   We 
doused sails and motored home, DNF, pumping the primer bulb every 20 - 
30 seconds to keep motor lit.

A week or 2 later I went back to the boat and rebuilt the original fuel 
pump, cut the original line again and clamped it directly to the pump 
and it has run fairly well ever since.   BUT, i can't have the motor 
cover on this way as the fuel line directly connected prevents this.

Apparently my issue was an air leak at the tank end at the start of 
this misadventure, and the rest was ? karma?

We raced again since and took 3rd (only 4 in class though) and now L M 
is in the driveway for som TLC.

And all the foregoing is why I prefer to lurk than share, but I hope 
someone gets amused by it since my fingers are tired.

Pensacola, Florida

Los Milagros

-------Original Message-------

From: Ken G. Brown

Date: 06/21/07 15:05:37

 

Yay! I was watching with great interest since I have a Nissan (Tohatsu) 
6 HP too.

  Ken

 

>First of all, thanks to all that responded to my original post about 
my Nissan 6 hp outboard motor problem.

>The problem was the hand bulb in the fuel line from the gas tank. The 
check valve was not sealing properly. This caused air to get into the 
fuel line. After replacing the line and bulb, I had to get the air out 
of the fuel system. The fuel filter is clear plastic and I could see 
bubbles in the fuel filter. With the motor running and in gear, I 
squeezed the bulb real tight and tapped on the fuel filter and line 
inside the motor housing running to the carburator. After all the 
bubbles (air) were worked out, the engine ran fine. I took it out on 
the lake and run it at various speeds until I was happy that it was 
fixed.

 

--

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