Starts easy and goes like heck!!

18rude

Recruit
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
4
Pulled a real boner the other day with my "new" 1961 Evinrude 18. I was sitting out in the lake. Gave it a tug and it did not start. Instinctively twisted the throttle 'till it stopped and gave it another yank. I say instinctively 'cuz for the last thirty years I've been running a 1976 Johnson 9.9 that will not pull when in gear and will not let you advance the throttle past start when in neutral. Well, it was in forward and the throttle was wide open. Did I mention that it works real good. It fired. tiller went full deflection and in less than four seconds both the boat and I were underwater. The ice had been out for eight days and I had about a twenty minute swim to shore. Recovered the boat the next morning and had it running within an hour. I'll bet I won't do that again.
 

CATransplant

Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
6,319
Re: Starts easy and goes like heck!!

You're lucky it didn't circle around and get you. I know a guy that happened to...he was in the hospital a couple of days. After that, I do keep the kill switch lanyard on, inconvenient as it is. Besides, I hate swimming in cold water. :)
 

rndn

Commander
Joined
May 20, 2007
Messages
2,323
Re: Starts easy and goes like heck!!

At least it was a good ending.
 

Hoss the Hermit

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
454
Re: Starts easy and goes like heck!!

My '53 Lightwin ain't never done that to me!

good to hear you are ok. 20 min in that water is dicy -you must be in pretty good physical condition.
I have replaced the pushbutton kill switch with a lanyard safety on both my old Evinrude 20 and Johnson 25. I went off the side of my inflatable last summer.... scary...
 

JCF350

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
1,149
Re: Starts easy and goes like heck!!

Pulled a real boner the other day with my "new" 1961 Evinrude 18
Did that once also. However the boat did come back for me:eek::eek:
Fortunately the bow came in close enough that I could grab it and pull myself back in the boat. Darn near pulled my shoulders out of socket though.
 

CATransplant

Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
6,319
Re: Starts easy and goes like heck!!

My '53 Lightwin ain't never done that to me!


I'll bet it hasn't. I have an air-cooled 5hp Eska. Direct drive, and it doesn't like to start cold without the lever about three quarters of the way to full throttle. Oddly enough, though, it never threatens to throw me out of the boat. I can't figure out why? :D
 

wildmaninal

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
1,897
Re: Starts easy and goes like heck!!

My cousin did that once in an old aluminum boat with a 3 hp direct drive (no shift). Started the boat up while standing and it was wide open, he of course lost his balance and fell in the lake. The boat circled around on him a few times and he finally caught the side of the boat and pulled himself up.
 
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