Stumble

[BlowHo]

Well the new boat ran great for my last camping trip of the year. My youngest son caught his first fish and all the kids had a great time tubing.

The boat ran pretty good the entire team and had plenty of pickup. However, after running it hard for an hour or more with kids on the tube, it would start to stumble.

It wasn't audible, but I could feel it through the tow line, almost as if it wasn't getting gas. After giving it a break, it would run fine. This only happened a few times and not every time I ran it hard.

I checked the plugs, and the fuel line and the filter on the motor (screen) and did not seen anything out of the ordinary. I don't think I have an inline fuel filter anywhere. It is a Force 85, 1983 model.

Any thoughts? Also, the boat was in water for five days and when I pulled the plug about a gallon and a half came out. Too much I'm assuming?

Thanks

 

[baxtr]

Re: Stumble

you shouldn't get any water in it at all unless it rains or wet kids in the boat maybe?

Mine took on water for a bit, it ended up getting in by the speedometer pick up, one of the screws was missing and water would slowly get in. i just had to pull it off, silicone the **** out of it and screw it back on . I found it by getting the boat on the trailer, putting the plug in it and dumping about 15 gallons of water inside the boat ( I needed that much to create enough pressure to come out of the screw hole) Try that and just search around the boat to see where water is coming out. Do this after the boat is dry, easier to see what is new water and not old water.

unless you find an actual hole, there are not too many places water should be able to get in. speedo pick up / drain plug / drain plug assembly

 

[BlowHo]

Re: Stumble

Baxtr - I figured the wet kids getting in and out would add a little, it didn't rain.

Since I am the super novice, I wasn't sure if how much to expect. I did add a fish finder so perhaps my silicone job was insufficient. It is an old boat and there are spots underneath where the get coat has cracked and the fiberglass is showing through. I plan to fix all of that this winter. Thanks.

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: Stumble

Chances are it was the kids getting in after tubing, you will be surprised at how much water is on and in their suits when they come on board. If you were in the water for 5 days and you were tubing all of those 5 days that is only a little over a quart per day. You should put a bilge pump in it if it doesn't have one. As far as the stumble goes I'll let some of the pros on Force engines answer that one.

 

[BlowHo]

Re: Stumble

Ensign - thanks for the reply. It might have been just that. My wife told me that a cooler opened and spilled some water out. In addition, the kids were also using it as a jump off platform when it was tied to the dock. I have had it in the water prior to this trip for day long events, and there has been no water.

Anybody have an idea on the surging/stumbling problem with the motor??

 

[walk-on]

Re: Stumble

I usually get a fair amount of water in the bilge area of my boat as well. By the time the kids swim (in and out of the boat several times) and my wife and I taking several turns wakeboarding or kneeboarding there is a fair amount of water in the bilge area. Once I pull the boat out of the water, I use the water from the bilge to wet my sponge when wiping the boat down.