Emergency Starting

[pogo]

Just thought I'ld transfer part of my post from another thread.

Got caught out with a flat battery on thursday night.

Was right on the point of calling water police or coast guard when I remembered I had seen an emergency starter cord in my engine cowl.

Thought how unlikely am I to be able to pull start a 125 Hp Mariner two stroke but lets give it a lash.

To my suprise and happiness it fired up on the first pull. And the pull was a lot easier than I thought. Engine was slightly warm.

In the top of the inside of the engine cowl is a small bag with an emergency pull cord and instruction sheet ( waterproof which is a nice touch).

The instructions tell you to remove the flywheel cover, the plastic cover over the flywheel held on with 4 nylon butterfly nuts. This exposes the flywheel which has slots in it to fit the pull cord and a groove to run the cord round, the cord is short, only goes around 1 1/2 times but it seemed to work really well.

This was the first time I had tried it but my advise now would be check under your cowl, in your toolkit or read your manual and see if you have one and maybe give it a test run at the ramp one day. It could be a life saver and generally a time and embarrassment saver.

I am off now to check the electricals on the boat because there is no way that the battery should have been as flat as it was wtih the loads that were on it.

It is also a new (2mths) battery.

Am also collecting bottle tops to fit two batteries. but I'm glad that I know that the pull start is an option

Regards POGO

[Outnumbered]

my boat has a dual battery setup but just in case i always take my jump pack out with me.

[heckendorfmortgage]

Another little tip when pull starting a larger motor if the battery has a bit of life left in it.

The instant you go to pull the rope get your mate to engage the starter.

Even though the battery might be too flat to turn it over it helps and cushions the compression a bit.

Vroooommmmm all being well.

MH