boating question

[goteeboy]

hey OFC-ers

a boating question.

my current boat is a 16.5 ft Lowe aluminum w/ a 2-stroke 50hp Johnson.

 

here is the question.

 

When starting up from a stand still, should i gun the motor to get it to plane as soon as possible, and then adjust the throttle to the desired speed, or should i ease the throttle gradually until it reaches planing speed? which way would be more gas efficient? These days i don't run at full throttle but just at a little over planing speed in order to save on the gas. which way do you folks do it?

 

question 2. on a cold start, should my two stroke fire up immediately and stay fired up. it bogs down about 3 times and then i finally get it going. but then, i always forget to prime the bulb. will priming the bulb solve the stalling? maybe i need a tune up....i checked the plugs, they seem fine.

 

thanks folks.

[bbog]

When starting up from a stand still, should i gun the motor to get it to plane as soon as possible, and then adjust the throttle to the desired speed, or should i ease the throttle gradually until it reaches planing speed? which way would be more gas efficient? These days i don't run at full throttle but just at a little over planing speed in order to save on the gas. which way do you folks do it?

 

question 2. on a cold start, should my two stroke fire up immediately and stay fired up. it bogs down about 3 times and then i finally get it going. but then, i always forget to prime the bulb. will priming the bulb solve the stalling? maybe i need a tune up....i checked the plugs, they seem fine.

 

thanks folks.

IMO the only appropriate time to "gun" it is when pulling a skier out of the water. Gunning is the least fuel efficient way to operate a boat.

 

For Q2. Priming the bulb will more than likely resolve your cold start issue. I would reserve judgement on the tune-up until the motor is fueled properly.

[Roy]

I never take off full tilt. Aside from being much safer and cheaper it shows that you have some common courtesy. When I'm taking off, it's usually from a dock or boat ramp. Creating a wake when others are approaching a ramp or launching or tied up at a dock or moored, is the mark of a boat ramp bozo.

That's how I feel.

 

You should prime the bulb prior to any cold start.

[Tybo]

In most cases, From stand still to plane is under 5 seconds.

How much fuel would you use?

[DRIFTER_016]

I tend to start off at 1/4 throttle and once I start to pick up speed I run up to 3/4 and adjust my RPM's until I am steady at about 3800.

Between 3500 and 4000 RPM is usually the most fuel efficient range for cruising.

 

As for bogging down on cold start up, I have a 90 Merc 2 Stroke and I have to choke the engine 3 or 4 times to keep it from stalling out.

On my Merc you push in the key and it shoots a shot of gas into the carbs.

It's been this way for the entire 18 years I have owned it since new, so no it's not an unusual anomoly to have to choke it a few times until it warms up enough to run properly on it's own.

And yes hit the primer bulb before starting.

Edited June 18, 2009 by DRIFTER_016

[joefish]

Roy gives you the proper etiquette.

 

I wouldn't want that much wake in my boat as I'm getting ready to shove off.

[F7Firecat]

gotta love the hole shot

 

if you got the hp use it the way you want

 

fuel efficiency......what does it matter whatever your driving your going to burn gas either way

[Fisherman]

It's your motor, use it and abuse like as you wish, liken it to any other motor, do you drive a cold motor out of the stops like that..

[Greencoachdog]

If it's a tiller and you gun it, all you'll be able to see is bow... and all of your schtuff is going to roll to the back of the boat and you run the risk of bruising your little Killdeer legs!!!

 

If it's a console and you gun it, you can still see where you're going and your legs are out of danger... but all of your schtuff still rolls to the back of the boat!

 

I gradually open the throttle in a civilized manner... especially for a Redneck!!!

 

I'm not sure aboot up yonder, but most boat launches down here are in a "No Wake" zone for aboot 100 yards from the launch.

 

The obnoxious bass tourney anglers like the WOT/hole shot, and damn anyone in their way ("I'm Fishing for MONEY!... GOT OUT OF MY WAY!!!")... that doesn't set well with me

[DRIFTER_016]

The obnoxious bass tourney anglers like the WOT/hole shot, and damn anyone in their way ("I'm Fishing for MONEY!... GOT OUT OF MY WAY!!!")... that doesn't set well with me

 

 

I thought them Bass tourneyments was born down yer way in Possum Fart Arkansas or something like that.

[Pigeontroller]

Its as much about adjusting the trim, as it is about adjusting the throttle.

[wallyboss]

First of all it all depends on where you are when you take off. Nobody around and safe to do so, I go full throttle right off the bat. Which is the big reason I maxed out on the HP's. Get on plane in 2 seconds. If other people around then be civilized.

[Whitespinnerbait]

The obnoxious bass tourney anglers like the WOT/hole shot,

 

 

 

:worthy: :P

[goteeboy]

thanks for the responses folks. it was helpful.

[Fish4Eyes]

My boat is a tiller, and gets up on plane almost instantly after I gun it. I dont put a price on fishing, the way I see it is, I don't get to fish everyday so I'm going to enjoy myself as much as I can while im out on the water. A 50hp should not be too bad on gas anyways, ask the guys with the 250+ hp motors what their opinion is on gas consumption...lol.

[Billy Bob]

As far as the cold start problem there are a couple things that play into that. Of course priming the fuel line by squeezing the bulb helps but not always necessary. If the boat was just launched then YES it will help but it the boat is left in the water not so much.

 

That motor should have a electronic primer by pushing in the key while starting. This helps a LOT and the throttle should be pulled up between half and three quarters while pushing the key in and turning it. Once started push the key in one or two more times to get some extra gas into the cylinders while it's cold. And the final thing that can make a difference is what angle the engine is at when your starting it up. I noticed on my 1985 VRO 50 hp Johnson that if the motor is trimmed ALL the way down it makes it harder to start, but if it trimmed up at least 3/4 it starts right up.

[hirk]

The most important thing not mentioned here is that you MUST let the engine warm up before you turn high R's or put it under load.Due to differing metal composition you must achive a uniform ambient temperature fist to prevent whats called a cold seize and resulting cylinder damage.

[LeXXington]

treat her like a car, yea you can thump her down or slow and steady.

 

I always try the mid way just incase I forgot about something and as GCD said it rolls out

 

never hole shot when at the marina!! you look like an ass and rock the docks

[NBR]

If you are in traffic it is not safe and in many places illegal to open the throttle until you are clear of other boats, people, docks. rafts etc. In terms of fuel efficiency in gallons/hour low rpm.s result in low gph but low rpm's are also low mpg. I look at several boat tests over the course of a year and most boats with outboards have their peak mpg's in the 4200 to 4600 rpm range. My boat gets less than1 mpg at 1000 rpm's and more than 4 mpg at 4500 rpm's. My boat is carbureted and injected boats are most likely different. I just don't recall.

 

I run a fiberglass pad hull boat with a 150 motor. When I'm clear of other boats and safe I tuck the motor under and give it full throttle. This gets the boat on plane the quickest and into the best wetted hull position for mpg. Also it gets the bow down so you can see where you're going. As soon as I get on plane I back the throttle off a bit and then start to trim out. Working both throttle and trim I get the boat set up so there is no steer torque and I get an engine noise that for lack of a better word I call sweet.

 

In my boat this is normally about 4400 rpm's. From this point I can go up to 5500 rpms if I want but seldom do I can go down in rpm's but if I go down too far my boat will porpoise causing me to tuck the motor in a bit. I hate going down the lake like a yoyo.

[POLLIWOGG]

One benefit of a slow start is you get a chance to figure something wrong here, a vibration or boggy start might be your prop full of weeds. A jackrabbit start with a prop full of weeds can spin the hub and put a lot of stress on gearing.

[ecmilley]

i almost always gun it out of the hole to get it on plane then back off, almost zero wake from the boat, if i try and go easy it chews fuel and leaves a fairly large wake (not to mention it's no fun either)

[Chris]

If it's a tiller and you gun it, all you'll be able to see is bow... and all of your schtuff is going to roll to the back of the boat and you run the risk of bruising your little Killdeer legs!!!

 

Hahahahaha

 

I always start up and idle and then proceed slowly out from the dock to let the engine warm up. Once out from the dock I ease the throttle up to cruising speed. Climbs out of the water quickly enough for me.