All in a day in the life of... (long)

[SuzukiChopper]

Got a couple that happened today. First one wasn't me.<br /><br />#1. Was at the boat shop today picking up some new plugs and a couple carb kits to get my motor started so I could head out to the lake. Just ahead of me was a gentleman and his wife with what looked like a hydraulic line from a power T&T. Half was braided stainless and half was solid stainless. <br /><br />The parts guy had three new ones (still in packages) laying on the counter along with one the gentleman had previously returned because it didn't fit right. So here they are comparing the bends in these lines with the original, none of them were quite right (although one was REALLY close). The parts guy told this gentleman to goto a brake shop and have them put the extra 2 or 3 degrees he needed into a fairly large radiused curve. Me being the helpful guy I am pointed him towards a close friends motorcycle shop (alot of original HD front brake lines were the same). Told him to drop my name and my buddie would probably do it for nothing. He looked at me (kind of pissed off), and ignored me. <br /><br />They kept at it for a few more minutes while I just waited. The parts guy yet again tries to stear the gentleman towards a brake shop, which at this point the gentlemans wife asks me where this place was I tried to tell him about. I told them and continued to let him know that my friend could possibly make him a full stainless braided line and he wouldn't have to worry about getting the solid bent. I also told him it was teflon coated and wouldn't chaffe anything if he was worried about that. I also suggested that he could also use a piece of tubing or PVC the same radius as the bend and slowly tweek it into place (I have done this many times on the bikes I've built and works like a charm). At this point I guess he was fed up with me and the parts guy trying to help him so he ended up buying all three new lines on the counter even after he was told there was no chance of a refund if returned and opened. I just shook my head.<br /><br />#2. Yesterday I couldn't get my motor started. Had spark, and the plugs were wet. Thought I had flooded it by priming too much which was evident by the connection at the motor leaking (or so I thought). <br /><br />So I went and got new plugs and carb kits. Spent an hour re-bulding the cards, got em put back on, plugs in, muffs on, went to start, no go. As I was priming it though my GF noticed gas was leaking from the connection to motor right from the get-go. I had an extra connector so I thought it couldn't hurt to change it. What do you know, it primed and held and started right up. Stupid me thought it was leaking yesterday because of over priming it. DOH!<br /><br />#3. So we get to the lake BEAUTIFUL day. Took my time getting everything ready (first time out after the rebuild). Plug in, life jackets, oars, fire extinguisher, bail bucket, all the essentials, all there and accounted for. GF heads to ramp, I pull the pin on the extendible tounge (extends about 8 feet), and goto launch. Launch was shallower than last year, no problem, just backed up further. Perfect. Boat is off and it floats! Perfect launch, nothing went wrong (or so I thought). <br /><br />We tooled around the lake for a while, just to make sure everything was ok (a few minor problems to work out, no big deal). Get to the launch, back down, got boat on the trailer and hooked up, motor is up, everything is good. Pull out to unload everything into the truck when I notice the wire connector on the ground. Crap, forgot to unhook the lights when extending the tounge. Broken wire somewhere between the connector and the middle of the trailer GF comes walking up from the ramp, looks at the back of the boat, missing a roller on the trailer. Can't find it anywhere. Oh well.<br /><br /><br />So out of the excitement of seeing all my hard work float, came a few head shakers, but nothing too serious (other than all the punk kids flying down a single lane highway passing 5 cars at a time to get to the campgrounds for the may long weekend, few VERY close calls, very scary to say the least).

 

[Capt Joe]

Re: All in a day in the life of... (long)

Several years ago I left the trailer lights unpinned, but still mounted on the back of the trailer, luckily there was an electrical connection near the back end. Launched the boat & several hours later returned to the ramp. No lights! Eventually woke up that they must have been still on the trailer when I launched. Walked down the ramp & found them in a couple of feet of water. Several boats had launched right over the top of them.