Splashdown!

As I intimated here the Whaler has been having "issues" this year. My 1986 vintage 17 foot Montauk has always been a workhorse in the summer.  Mrs. Rumbear uses it to drag kids around Glorietta Bay on all kinds of towed water devices. Yah wanna learn to ski?  Check.  Kneeboard? Check. Toobing? Check.  I generally tag along on one of the jet skis.  When she is not hauling Princess Rumbear and friends SNO and SNT are out with their friends practicing "safe" boating...so I am told.

However.....

This year the fuel system started acting up. So I contacted the local wrench and had him go through the carbs. Cleaned them he did. I got the boat back and ran it around the Bay with nary an issue. Then I let the boat sit for two months because of other commitments.  When I subsequently fired it up one sunny day the engine ran like crap. I dawned on me afterwards that I had last years fuel in the beast.  Whatever "cleaning" had been performed was prolly all bollixed up. Clearly the three carbs needed more attention. No way was I shelling out more $$$ for my idiocy

3 synchronized carbs. Now I have rebuilt carburetors in my day. It's always a good thing to finish one up and have just a few left over parts. However, three rebuilds in a row struck fear into my Joe Frickin Mechinecky heart.  So, I procrastinated.

Just before the 4th of July the Rumbear Youth started making noises aboot using the water toys. So I set about with Sea Foam and other additives to clean the gunk out without any disassemble. I removed the gas tank and emptied the contents. The fluid was the color of a dark rum & coke. This was not just bad gas, I do believe it was starting to ferment. New fuel lines, filters and voila! It ran....kind of.  Good enough to get us through the 4th I surmised.  I then went through the jet skis.  All water toys were running and all was right with the world.

Yes, it was.

Of course, that did not last.  Whaler did not last a day. New problem arose with the limiter kicking in and not being allowed to run above 1500 RPM.  It's called limp mode....as in limp your salt encrusted butt home at 7 knots. Did I mention the engine ran ruff too?  Hard to clear of fuel issues when you are traveling at 7 knots. At one point the cowling was removed and the top cylinder was red hot. There's a clue. Many were the sad faces on the Rumbear Youth and friends. Jet skis are fine but....what about our friends? No safe boating for them....

I pulled the water toys and brought them home to Rumbear Manor.  I knew what was needed wit the fuel issue, however the limp mode added a new layer to my troubles. Nevertheless, I sallied forth and ....procrastinated.

July has been cloudy here in Sandy Eggo and there was not much call for "dad can we use the boat?!'  Then the weather took a turn for the worse...yes, the sun came out. My procrastination days were numbered.  The pull of safe boating was strong.

It was time. research online, review some manuals and dive in. All tips pointed to a fuel delivery issue. Carb delivering fuel to the top cylinder was suspect. However, it is hard to diagnosis fuel issues when you cannot run up much past idle.  It took me a while, but I realized I had two problems. Fuel delivery yes, and....cooling.

Fuel deliver was the carbs.  I sucked it up and did the deed. Now I had to tune them.  Back to problem two.

So this week I dropped the lower unit from the beast. Two sheared bolts, a can of PB Blaster, blow torch, easy outs, several skinned knuckles, learned several new swear words and bingo....water pump shot. Then, as I was taking that out...I sheared a bolt inside the lower unit. Great... some fine work with a hand drill and the mechanic Gods blessed me.  Back together and water flowing like it should.  No limp mode and we have full RPM's.

Carbs got tuned this morning and it was time to splash the boat.  We ran down to Glorietta Bay (Coronado) and did the grand tour.  I tweaked the carbs en route and all is good. (Knock on wood). Teh good ship Rumbear is in a slip and ready for teh summer...or what's left of it.

Oh, I have to buy a new battery....of course.

The Rumbear Youth is smiling and looking forward to safe boating.....

I wonder if their interpretation of that word is similar to mine?