boatman

How did you fry the chargers? Battery charging is a function of how depleted the battery is and at what rate you are charging. A group 27 battery at 90AH capacity should charge from dead in about 9 hours at 10A. However, a good charger will slow the charge down to about 2A after the battery reaches 80-90% recharge so mathimatically you could expect the whole process to take from 13-17 hours.

Cutting out when hot is a classic coil problem. Best to take it to the dealer unless you are comfortable doing it yourself.

The letters I've received from council so far say that if you launch at Bonnie Boats you won't have to pay the $30, but everyone else will. Also, the restriction is only during the summer months.

I got a couple more letters. They both said basically the same thing. If you are launching at Bonnie Boats you don't have to pay the extra $30, otherwise shell out. The Director of Leisure Services, John McLean wrote the report that blames out-of-towners for taking up parking spaces and adding nothing to the economy of Georgina. He responded to my letter with this letter. "The parking restriction at Jackson's Point will only be enforced during The summer months (and mostly weekends and holidays) as that is the time that the area becomes unsafe from a congestion standpoint. The beach loadings (#of people on the small beach) become unsafe and the only way we can control that is by controlling the parking during that time. The comment which you have quoted from me remains true for MANY people Who do visit this destination in the summer. What you didn't read in the article was that Bonnie Boats customers will not have to pay for parking in addition to the launch, so in theory, if you have been paying for the launch, then Bonnie Boats will provide you with a "pass" for the days that you do launch. We have discussed the report with Bonnie Boats and came to a mutual settlement regarding the use of our properties collectively. The 10-12 boats who do launch daily during the summer months will be accomodated. The early part of the season and later fall fishing will not be impacted at all in this location as we encourage the use of the Bonnie Boats launch during these times as parking and beach loading is not a problem during that time of the year anyway. The Town of Georgina totally understands the huge economic impact of Fishing on Lake Simcoe in general and in Georgina specifically. As a "travelling fisherman" myself, I am VERY aware the the industry is important and the kind of money spent by fishermen. We want to encourage this (your) kind of use and discourage those individuals who do not spend anything and who are true "daytrippers" who bring everything, spend nothing, clog the parking making it impossible to lauch at Bonnie Boats from time to time, and then leave their garbage. I trust this memo clarifies the actual intent of the report and I have Taken the liberty of attaching a copy of the report which did go to Council. Please help us spread the word that we are OPEN for business to Fishermen who do spend $ in our area." Sincerely, John McLean Director of Leisure Services

Well, I sent an email to each member of council for the Town of Georgina regarding the new parking fees to be placed at Jackson's Point and Bonnie Boats. In the letter, I stated how upset I was with their decision and especially with the comments of Liesure Services Director, John McLean. Councillor Brad Smockum replied with the following email, in which he addressed their rationale for the parking levy, but did not address John McLean's comments that the "out-of-town" visitors add nothing to the local economy. Those comments were the principal reason I wrote the letter in the first place. "The decision to charge for parking was so that we could control the number of people on the beach, during the summer. We charge the same fee for parking at all other Town owned beaches. These parking rates will only apply from mid-June until Labour Day. If you are lauching your boat, Bonnie Boats has set aside an area where you can park. There may or may not be a charge. We have had total chaos at the beach during the long weekends in the past. This decision way made to control these situations. If you have any further questions please feel free to ask." Brad Smockum Ward 5 Councillor Town of Georgina

Money from parking tickets doesn't sound right. I doubt that was part of the agreement.

No, but I'm not going to have my 14 footer that far from shore.

Longer rods and larger reels?! Are you still fishing ultra light, then? lol I like either Berkley XL or Sensation in 4lbs. No less than 4lbs in case you hit a pike, smallie or big (river) trout.

"The park continues to be a destination park for non-residents who do not pay anything for parking, who do not spend any money in the Georgina and who merely come up from the southern reaches of York Region or Toronto and take parking spaces," Mr. McLean said. I've been there a half dozen times this year. In fact, I'm going again on Sunday. Mr McLean can kiss my @ss if he thinks I don't spend money there. I always wait to fuel up my boat and truck when I get there. Usually there is a trip to Smokey's Bait, Tim Hortons and of course lunch/dinner afterwards. If this is what they think of us "out-of-towners" then I'm boycotting their services. Just a drop in the bucket I know, but if that's how they feel they won't get my money. I guess I'll have to find somewhere else to launch. I just emailed each member of the Georgina Council and stated how as a frequent visitor and supporter of local businesses I am upset with their decision and especially with the comments of Liesure Services Director John McLean. It won't do much, but it sure made me feel better. I recommend that anyone who uses these facilities do the same. Yo can get their email addresses from the town of Georgina website.

Deep constantly shaded pools usually hold fish all year. Problem is you will likely have to catch a couple dozen chubs for every trout you hook. Early morning and night are also good times to fish.

Fish don't love hellgramites. They actually hate them. They hate them with such a white hot intensity that they try to kill everyone they see. That's why they are such great bait. Fish will hit them out of spite instead of hunger. I use a Rebel Hellgramite for browns with great success. When I've used live ones for bass, I hook them through the tail like you would crayfish. Fish them like a live crayfish and don't be afraid to fish weeds. I haven't heard of them being illegal, but I can see why they would be.

I don't know about Honda parts, but OMC and Mercury impellers for an engine that size are $20+. If you have a manual it should be an easy replacement. The oil could be alittle opaque because of air bubbles. Check the oil after each outing for a while. I bet it'll be fine.

If its really bad, I will spray the area (with the plugs in) with WD40 or something to loosen the oil and dirt. Then I blow it out with compressed air. Sometimes you need to do a little scrubbing with a toothbrush.

I'd run it a couple times before I committed to changing the lower unit seals. The source of water was probably because you didn't have a washer on the drain screw. You might still have a bad seal or two, but I'd test it first. Also, you should run the motor on a boat. You want the gearcase to heat up. It might not fail in the barrel, when it will on the lake. You don't need to fog the engine or anything. That is for storage. Just run it for the season. Also, it couldn't hurt to change the impeller since you don't know the service history of this motor. Nothing wrong with old motors. I don't have a motor newer than 1988 and I have lots of them.

I wouldn't know about oil filters. I've never worked on a 4 stroke outboard. The missing o-ring is likely the cause of water coming in. However, you say the oil came rushing out. Is that because you opened the top (vent) screw first and then the lower (fill) screw? You will find it easier and less messy to remove the bottom screw first and re-install it last. If you found that the oil came rushing out after only removing the bottom screw then you have a really bad seal somewhere in the lower unit. The oil should come out very slowly until you open the top vent screw.

That is exactly how to check the oil. Make sure you top it back up afterwards. If your seals are so bad that they leak even when the motor is out of the water then you will have free water (not emulsified) in the gearcase. If there is any water in the gearcase it will come out as soon as you open the drain. The oil will be floating on top of it. I sincerely doubt the oil you are seeing is gear oil, but it can't hurt to check anyway. As well, if the lower unit leaks that bad you or your service tech should have noticed the problem before now. As for the popping...does it actually come out of gear? If it does, then I'd say its the clutch dog. Sounds like it is just starting to wear out. A slipping prop might cause the motor to rev high and look like the prop is not spinning, but it will still be in gear. If its your clutch dog it can be very expensive. Usually the most affordable option is to swap out the old lower unit for a used one (about $300). A new clutch dog is about $100, but is usually replaced as a set with both forward and reverse gears (approx $500). If you can do the work yourself (and you're lucky) then you might be able to repair it for around $150 for a clutch dog, new lower unit seals and lube. Or find a used lower unit for $0-400. I know that's not what you want to hear after spending $600 on it. That motor commonly sells for $500-700 in good condition. Less if its not pretty. I'd suggest finding a good parts motor. You can usually buy a non-working outboard cheaper than the sum of the individual parts. For instance, I just bought a 1981 15hp for a friend for $150 that only needed some minor work. If you look around you should be able to find something similar.

You know what they say about opinions...lol. There is always descrepency. When it comes to my outboards I always error on the side of caution. If you don't grease the prop shaft it can corrode and become one with the prop. You will be very upset if this happens and you need to change the prop. You may even find that the prop is fused so badly that replacing the prop also means replacing the prop shaft $$$. The gear case is designed to run with the constant backpressure of the prop. Without it, you run the risk of gear case run-away where the gears spin too fast and fail. I'm not saying that running a motor in a barrel without a prop will result in failure, but it increases the risk of it. Water in the gearcase is a problem. It can be very serious. Its a problem I would fix immediately. However, you don't yet know where or why it is leaking. The most common source of water in the gearcase is due to bad seals at the oil changing screws. These seals are either o-rings or washers. They are too be replaced EVERYTIME you change the oil. Few people actually do. That's why I suggest replacing them and then running the motor a few times and checking the oil afterwards. Since you don't have any free water in the gearcase so your leak is very minor. Therefore, you have little risk of failure as long as you are diligent in checking the oil. If you find water is still getting in then replace the seals. That is what I would do, but its just an opinion. I'm not a marine tech. Just an enthusiast.

The oil is most likely unspent fuel and carbon (99% sure of this). It is very normal. Check your lower unit oil. If there is water in there then you have a problem. If you have a leaky seal water WILL be in the lower unit. As for popping out of gear, take off the prop and inspect for any obvious signs of damage. Test with another known good prop if you can. However, I'm not optimistic enough to believe that is your problem. Explain what you are doing and how you are running when if fails. This would be helpful in troubleshooting the problem. Here is a diagram of your lower unit gears. The clutch dog has two small protrusions on either side that contact the forward and reverse gears. In time the sharp edges round off and starts popping out of gear. http://www.myfishingpictures.com/showphoto...0&password=

Flushing the old oil and water out will not solve your problem. The best advice has already been given...replace the o-rings or washers (whcih ever it has) on both drain screws and refill the lower unit oil. Check the oil after running the motor for the next few outings. If everything is ok, then don't worry you are fine. Also, always re-grease the prop shaft after replacing the prop. And please don't run your motor without the prop. You can damage the gears.

What does the oil look like? Is it black and thin or is it gear oil from your lower unit? You have thru-hub exhaust so if its black and thin its probably unspent fuel and carbon if its gear oil (not as likely) you have a worn out prop seal. Popping out of gear when you're running is probably a worn clutch dog in the lower unit. Just like in a car, when the clutch wears out you start poping out of gear. They are not normally related problems. However, it could be a spun prop, but they normally begin to fail under high torque (trying to plane) not at cruising speed.

Yeah, people do that here too, Daplumma. I actually saw an Evinrude 20-35 hp rebadged to 10hp at the dealer the other day. Me and the service guys had a good laugh about that one. Anyway, its impossible to know what you'll need to do for your motor without referencing the parts catalog to your exact year since outboard companies make subtle changes to their motors all the time. Also, dealers don't normally sell a "conversion kit". They will probably just try to sell you a new motor - the buggers. Either way, if you find out what parts you'll need you'll then have to buy those parts used making sure to get the exact parts you need (referenced by part number not year) otherwise it would be too cost prohibitive. Seriously, you'd be better off selling your motor and buying a used 15 hp, but I understand the appeal of modification. If you go this route, the best thing to do is find a 15hp parts motor of the correct year and pillage parts from it. Make sure you know exactly what year(s) you need and don't settle for something close.

The Holy Grail of engine mods. I don't know anything about Merc/Mariner so I don't know if it can be done. However, in order to know if its possible you need to post the year of your motor. Then someone will have to cross-reference all the part numbers to see what parts are different. You'll probably have better luck asking this question at the iboats forums. Or better yet ,search their archives (as crappy as they are) since this question gets asked a lot. http://www.iboats.com/bbboard/bbBoard.cgi?

I almost feel insulted - lol. Johnson/Evinrude (BRP) first. Who cares about the rest. Gull outboards have a bad name. I understand one of their models actually isn't too bad, but I don't remember which one. Of course, it doesn't matter because you wouldn't buy a motor from a company with a bad reputation and no dealer support anyway, right?

Just a heads up. I was testing outboards on my 12' boat this morning in the harbour and the police were out checking boats for safety equipment, operators licenses and boat licenses. They were good guys and pretty fair, but they were thorough. Also zero tolerance for no life jackets.

If the wooden boat "never had water in it" then it won't need to swell. Wooden boats take a lot of maintenance. Also, can the wooden boat take a 135 hp? Free is free. If I had room to store another boat I'd take anyone that was free.