I'm a first timer and got an old boat (Seabreeze tri-hull) with Chrysler 55HP engine. I have been working on engine for the past week and got it running although not smoothly tuned. Family has been bugging me so we decided to give it a try this morning.
We went to a lake launching ramp. I still can't manage a trailer and the boat completed blocked the central rear view mirror. I was backing this whole thing like a giant dinosaur without a head. Finally got the rear of the boat into the water and hitted a deep hole. I figured out the I didn't raise the motor. The guy sold me the boat didn't give me the pin for holding the motor while it is tilted. I decided to pull everything out of the water. Then I found myself stuck in sand. A goodhearted boater pulled me out with his truck. I then found some water in the rear drain so I unplugged it and let it drain and the Walmart plug broke and would not hold tight. I decided to call it a day so I pulled off the parking lot after thanking the helper. The whole family drove to a nearby bait shop and was wandering. Then we met another good hearted boater who let me have a piece of metal for holding the engine while it is raised. He also let me have his old drain plug (although old but much better than the Walmart brand). We thank him so we headed back the ramp and tried again. We met the first helper back and he said the water is too shallow and he is leaving. He was also having problem getting his boat back to the trailer too and I helped him to drive his truck back and forth to get the boat. Then we met a park ranger who told us that there are lots of deep holes so he directed us to use one that seems to be the best. He helped us to get the boat into the water. So I parked the trailer and the 4 of us got into the boat. We put life vest on and I started the engine. I let it warmed up for a few minutes. Then put in N then reverse, engine stopped. Restarted engine, same thing happened for a few more times. Then I couldn't start the engine at all. I finally got the engine to start, put in reverse and back the boat out for another 30 feet of so. Engine died again. Now I couldn't start the engine. After I was able to start the engine again, the current already blew us back close to shore and the propella stuck in sand. The four of us were like fools and I was the big daddy fool trying to get the family back to shore. Finally, we all decided to get wet to save ourselves. We jumped into water and pushed the boat back to ramp. I got the trailer and after 15 or 20 times back and forth, finally got the trailer straight enough to let the boat get in. We finally managed to put the boat back to the trailer, tied it up and went home.
After we parked in the driveway, I looked at the trailer and wondered what is that pulling handle with a return spring for. I also wondered why there is a short piece of chain hanging next to it. Then all of a suddern, I realized that was a tilting mechanism to release the boat into the water and the chain is to stop it from tilting too high. Not to mention I have some damage on the propeller.
I learned it is best to have a trolling motor. I learned to have a spare plug. I learned the battery needs to be secured or it will dropped into the hole at the back of the boat. I learned not to wear jeans. I learned to have spare clothes in the car. I learned to have a section of 10' PVC pipe with ends capped to get me out of stuck situations. I have learned more beyond all these.......
Wasn't it fun ? Can someone tell me where I can get into a boating school? Oh, I think I need to get to a trailer driving school first.
Cheers.
-AC
We went to a lake launching ramp. I still can't manage a trailer and the boat completed blocked the central rear view mirror. I was backing this whole thing like a giant dinosaur without a head. Finally got the rear of the boat into the water and hitted a deep hole. I figured out the I didn't raise the motor. The guy sold me the boat didn't give me the pin for holding the motor while it is tilted. I decided to pull everything out of the water. Then I found myself stuck in sand. A goodhearted boater pulled me out with his truck. I then found some water in the rear drain so I unplugged it and let it drain and the Walmart plug broke and would not hold tight. I decided to call it a day so I pulled off the parking lot after thanking the helper. The whole family drove to a nearby bait shop and was wandering. Then we met another good hearted boater who let me have a piece of metal for holding the engine while it is raised. He also let me have his old drain plug (although old but much better than the Walmart brand). We thank him so we headed back the ramp and tried again. We met the first helper back and he said the water is too shallow and he is leaving. He was also having problem getting his boat back to the trailer too and I helped him to drive his truck back and forth to get the boat. Then we met a park ranger who told us that there are lots of deep holes so he directed us to use one that seems to be the best. He helped us to get the boat into the water. So I parked the trailer and the 4 of us got into the boat. We put life vest on and I started the engine. I let it warmed up for a few minutes. Then put in N then reverse, engine stopped. Restarted engine, same thing happened for a few more times. Then I couldn't start the engine at all. I finally got the engine to start, put in reverse and back the boat out for another 30 feet of so. Engine died again. Now I couldn't start the engine. After I was able to start the engine again, the current already blew us back close to shore and the propella stuck in sand. The four of us were like fools and I was the big daddy fool trying to get the family back to shore. Finally, we all decided to get wet to save ourselves. We jumped into water and pushed the boat back to ramp. I got the trailer and after 15 or 20 times back and forth, finally got the trailer straight enough to let the boat get in. We finally managed to put the boat back to the trailer, tied it up and went home.
After we parked in the driveway, I looked at the trailer and wondered what is that pulling handle with a return spring for. I also wondered why there is a short piece of chain hanging next to it. Then all of a suddern, I realized that was a tilting mechanism to release the boat into the water and the chain is to stop it from tilting too high. Not to mention I have some damage on the propeller.
I learned it is best to have a trolling motor. I learned to have a spare plug. I learned the battery needs to be secured or it will dropped into the hole at the back of the boat. I learned not to wear jeans. I learned to have spare clothes in the car. I learned to have a section of 10' PVC pipe with ends capped to get me out of stuck situations. I have learned more beyond all these.......
Wasn't it fun ? Can someone tell me where I can get into a boating school? Oh, I think I need to get to a trailer driving school first.
Cheers.
-AC
