Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Saturday 16 January 2016

Outboard checks


the season is creeping up.....time for some outboard checks.........a daily inspection routine when I mount thenoutboard on the transom......some obvious things really

1. Fuel ...........check amount in tank; check for debris in any fuel filter; check rubber hoses for any leakage. Make sure spar fuel onboard in small one litre cans with fuel funnel to hand
2. Engine oil level checked
3. Electrics ..........stop switch functions, no loose cords or wires on connection points, spark plug is clean with no wear or carbon build up
4. Throttle system.....carb choke valve works and turning throttle grip ok with right tensional twist set
5. Recoil starter...check for chafing, wear and ratchet engagement
6. Clutch and prop..........shift lever engages engine? Check! Prop not bent or chipped? Split pin still on and looking good?
7. Installing on transom bracket......bracket safe and still strong, clamp screws greased and twisting freely, tied onto transom so not interfering with engine turning. Clamps tight and secure?
8. Cooling water.....discharging on start up
9. Tools and spares...........all there and accessible!!
10. Air vent opened ready
11. Engine out of gear
12. No obstructions to catch elbow when pulling starter cord
13. Kill switch secure and clipped to me

Now given I probably forgot to drain the tank and left fuel I the carb for three months, I suspect it will be worth taking it down to my local chandler where Mick can tut tut me, as he should, shake his head over my slack stupidity, and then try and rescue, clean and  service my lovely outboard.

I know......I meant to drain it but I forgot and got caught back up in school work!
I know, I know! 
It's going to be a tough and expensive lesson to learn and serves me right!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Drain the carb, and try fresh fuel, I bet it will go fine !.

steve said...

Yup I guess it will but might get kick to look at it anyway

Bursledon Blogger said...

Steve, stripping the carb down for a clean really isn"t that difficult and a skill worth learning.

steve said...

Done it on a 1968 motovespa so can do it ona four stroke as well. Just need to find the time. Liked your last post...so many boats
Happy new year by the way Max
Steve

Rational Root said...

I stripped my Suzi outboard carb after watching it done on you tube.

You can take pictures as you take it a part, to make it easier to put it back together.

It was not really that difficult.

One of the smaller jets was completely blocked.

Once that was sorted it ran just fine.

D

steve said...

Thanks RR
I did something similar when I stripped down and rebuilt a two stroke motovespa 125 engine.......on,y it was a lot older than the one on YouTube and some parts were difficult to source or replace but we got thee in the end. Isn't YouTube a wonderful thing.

John said...

Dismantling the carb - put a couple of sheets of newspaper on a tray to do it on, and have something handy to put the little bits in. Clean, absorbent surface, lip to catch the bits that go sproingggg.
Don't poke wire thro the jets, blow thro. Clean petrol and toothbrush to shift the crud - and fluff free rag.

cheers
John

steve said...

Thanks John good advice
Thank you
Steve