motorboating


		WINDERSPORTS.NET

Welcome to Winder's
Motorboating

Your Ad Here

Table of contents

personal experience

Personal Experience

i took my first motor boat practical in Raffles Marina which is located at the far western side of singapore.it is a club house with beautiful pier which house lots of yatches .Our instructor is captian william francis who is a very knowledgeable boatman who had travelled around the world by boating.

i took my motorboat lesson along with my friend called weiqiang.i felt it is good to attend it along with a friend so that you can have support and encouragement from each other.2 theory lesson lasting from morning till evening is no joke. Try to absorb as much as possible during the class and if you are shy like me,you could stay back after class to ask captain william francis who is most willing to help you .

During the practical lesson you all will be divided into groups of four where you all will take turn to handle the boat and to try out man overboard recovery and berthing and unberthing.this is time where you should be maximising your boat handling skills.

tips on theory test

On the theory test date ,which is a must before you go for your practical test, please do remember to read through the notes which is compiled by captain francis as almost 90% of the test comes from there.

secondly,arrive early as you need to travel quite a distance before you reach the test centre which is at SAF yatch club nearby vacinity.

tips on practical test

On the day ,of your practical exam try to come half an hour early to ask the previous test candidate what qns the examiner asked and try to get the answer from them,so that when is your turn you will be much prepared.

Berthing is a very important part of motor-boating practical exam.i was scolded when my boat came in abit fast and knock onto the pier,my examiner told me this is a motor boat not a maual boat you should be able to berth without using your hand to cling on to the peir .

tips on man overboard

Executing man overboard procedure is easy go slow and make a u-turn back to the person you are trying to recover.Try to aim about 1/2 a boat length away from the person.upon reaching the last 50m put to neutral and let the inertia of the boat glides towards the man.upon reaching the person remember to use reverse gear effectively if going too fast then quickly put to neutral.let the waves pushes your boat towards the man and help to recover the man.

tips on berthing along side

Assuming your dock is at the right haandside.1st thingthrow out your fenders.From far when seeing the dock say 200 metres away go in crusing speed and on reaching last 50 metres hit neautral and let the boat glide its way to the pier and then turn the steering all the way to the left and on straightening remember to use the reverse gear effectively to slow the boat down and finally coming to a halt.

useful information

$300 for the 2 full day theory class and 2 boat practical class
$40 for theory exam and $50 for boat practical exam.

Back to the Top

Your First Boat

So you want a new powerboat! According to most boat salespeople, the three most commonly asked questions form prospective boat buyers are:

How big is it?
How fast does it go?
How much does it cost?
While these are good questions, you need to know more before buying a boat - much more.

There are some major factors affecting a boat's performance and safety. Three factors that you'll want to investigate are the boat's hull design, engine and drive system.

For safety reasons, skippers - and prospective skippers - should understand their boat's action in the water. Each boat has its own characteristics, but the same principles apply to them all. You need to know why your boat floats, why it heels (tips) and how it responds to the water conditions surrounding it.

It's important to remember this: all boats are a compromise! No one boat can do everything well. The design of each allows that particular boat to do some things very well, some things fairly well and some things not well at all.

I hope you find the following series of articles helpful as you decide on your first boat.

The Displacement Hull
This will really float your boat!

Back to the Top

Hull Design / Displacement Hulls

When you start looking for the right boat, it's important to understand types of hulls and bottom shapes that are available, and know what they will - or will not - do for you.

Let's look at hull designs. The displacement hull will always displace (push away) water equal to its total weight. If its total weight is equal to the weight of the water that it's displacing, the boat will float. If, on the other hand, its weight is more than the weight of the water that it displaces, the boat will sink. For example, a cork will float but a lead fishing sinker will not.

As the displacement hull begins to move through the water, small waves appear at the bow and further aft along the hull. When speed is increased, these waves grow larger and the distance between them increases, until the boat is riding between the two waves that it is creating. At this point, the hull has reached its maximum hull speed. Adding additional horsepower after this point only makes the waves bigger, with very little or no increase in the speed of the boat.

To get a close approximation of what the maximum hull speed of any displacement hull boat will be, use this simple formula:

1.34 X the Square Root of the Boat's Waterline Length (This is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed)

Example: If your waterline length is 30 ft, multiply 1.34 by the square root of 30 (5.48). 1.34 x 5.48 = 7.3. The product of this multiplication, 7.3, represents the boat's maximum hull speed in knots.

Round bottom boats are the basic displacement hull design. Some advantages of a displacement hull are 1. a relatively small engine can easily drive it; thus, its ability to travel long distances is outstanding, and 2. because it's traveling through the water, not on top of it, it has a very smooth, seaworthy ride. However, an obvious disadvantage is that this boat hull is slower than molasses in January!

Back to the Top

Planing and Semi-planing Hulls

When a planing hull is either not moving or going very slowly, it is, in effect, a displacement hull. As power and speed increase, however, a planing hull lifts itself up on top of its own bow wave. This causes the boat to displace much less water. As a result, there is much less wetted surface on the hull bottom, meaning much less friction as well. The speed of the boat will now increase at a great rate. With this hull, the more horsepower added, the faster the boat will go.

The advantage of a planing hull is that it is capable of much greater speed. Just keep adding horsepower and away you go! However, a disadvantage is that the boat is no longer going through the waves, but is now going from one wave top to the next. Consequently, as the waves get larger, the pounding of the boat increases. This, at the least, causes crew discomfort. At its worst, pounding can injure passengers and cause considerable damage to the boat's hull and equipment.

The semi-displacement hull, generally seen on larger cruisers, has some lift capability. This is shown by the fact that as speed increases, the forward part of the hull lifts up and allows the boat to exceed its maximum displacement speed. Some disadvantages to semi-displacement hulled boats are that they need much bigger engines and consume much more fuel.

There are many other combinations of hull shapes. Some are Vee shaped forward and flat further aft. Others are Vee shaped forward and round further aft and so on. All of these many shapes (compromises) are attempts by the boat manufacturers to make the boat perform the way that the buyer expects it to perform. Again, a reminder: no one boat is going to answer everyone's needs!

Back to the Top

The 4-Cycle Gasoline Engine
The most popular way to propel a boat. Is it the best choice for you?

Gasoline Engines - Four-Cycle

Unless you plan to propel your boat with a steam engine or turbine, your engine will probably be some type of internal combustion device. Either gasoline or diesel fuel power these engines, and the engines themselves are of either a two- or four-cycle design.
Gasoline Engines - 4-Cycle: These engines power everything from ski boats to mid-sized family cruisers through drive systems such as inboard/outboards, Vee drives, straight drives, and so on (see Drive Systems).

In the gasoline engine, a mixture of gasoline and air is introduced into the cylinder head (or heads). The mixture is then compressed to about 200 psi (pounds per square inch) and ignited by a sparkplug. The resulting heat expansion drives the piston downward, supplying power to a rotating crankshaft. Most gasoline inboard engines are a version of a truck or heavy duty industrial engine. Remember, your car gets to coast going downhill, but your boat engine is pushing uphill all the time. Also keep in mind that a boat engine is driving the hull through a heavy fluid, not just air.

Some advantages of 4-cycle gasoline engines are: 1) They produce more horsepower per pound than their diesel counterparts, 2) with the new ignition systems, they are very reliable, and 3) they are much less expensive in initial cost.

Disadvantages are that they burn more fuel than a diesel engine and will not last as long. And let's not forget the inherently dangerous nature of gasoline! Although gasoline has a lower heat producing ability than diesel fuel (124,000 BTUs per gallon for gasoline, versus 138,000 BTUs for diesel fuel), it has a lower flashpoint. In other words, gasoline will explode when exposed to an igniter. Because gasoline fumes are heavier than air, they can sink to the lowest part of your boat (the bilge) and stay there until something sets them off. Forget to ventilate and Ka-Boom! Voyage terminated!

Back to the Top

The 2-Cycle Gasoline Engine

Light weight, but talk about an engine that burns oil!

This system introduces a mixture of gasoline, air and lubricating oil into the combustion chamber, compresses it, and then ignites the resulting mixture with a sparkplug. The two-cycle engine has been the mainstay for outboard engines. In recent years, however, two-cycle outboard motors are beginning to be replaced by four-cycle systems.
The biggest advantage of the two-cycle engine is that it is very lightweight. The horsepower to weight ratio is the highest in marine reciprocating engines. One big disadvantage is you have to burn a fuel mixture of gasoline & lubricating oil.

Another disadvantage is, because the lubricating oil does not burn as cleanly as gasoline, two-cycle engines tend to smoke, and foul their ignition systems. They also can leave an oily residue on the water from their exhaust. However, great improvement has been made in cleaning up their exhaust emissions through the use of more efficient fuel injection systems.

Back to the Top

The Diesel Engine
Was Rudolph Diesel on to something? No spark plugs? Is this the engine for you? Take a look!

Diesel engines are used in mid-sized cruisers, trawlers, large yachts, workboats and commercial vessels. In the diesel engine, only air is introduced into the cylinder head. The air is then compressed to about 600 pounds per square inch (psi), compared to about 200 psi in the gasoline engine. This high compression heats the air to about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. At this moment, fuel is injected directly into the compressed air. The fuel is ignited by the heat, causing a rapid expansion of gasses that drive the piston downward, supplying power to the crankshaft.
Advantages of the diesel engine are numerous. It burns considerably less fuel than a gasoline engine doing the same work. It has no ignition system to attend to. It can deliver much more of its rated horsepower on a continuous basis than can a gasoline engine. The life of a diesel engine is generally longer than a gasoline engine. Diesel fuel will not explode. However, it will burn!

Some disadvantages to diesel engines are that they're very heavy for the horsepower they produce, and their initial cost is much higher than a comparable gasoline engine.

Whatever type of engine you choose to operate, always follow the manufacturer's recommendations and procedures, as those folks know their product better than anyone else does. Also, always use marine rated replacement parts. Using automotive parts can be very dangerous!

Back to the Top

The Outboard Motor Drive System

Lightweight and compact, maybe this is the way to go.

If you've read about hull types and engine types, then you probably have some idea about the kind of boat and engine you'd like to have. We will now explore the various methods of transferring the power generated by the engine to the water.
First, you need four basic things to make your powerboat move:

A power source (your engine).
A propeller or pump to provide push.
A connecting device of some kind, to connect the engine to the propeller/pump.
Devices to control the amount and direction of the thrust.
Outboard motors range all the way from lightweight 2 horsepower (HP) portable models, to 350 HP monsters bolted directly to the transom (stern of the boat) or to a bracket that is then bolted to the stern. The outboard is basically a self-contained unit, consisting of a power head (the engine), the intermediate housing (the drive shaft) and the lower unit (gear, housing and propeller). The throttle, gearshift and steering are attached to the power head. To change the direction of a boat using an outboard motor, the entire unit - power head, intermediate housing and lower unit - swivels, thus changing the direction of the propeller thrust.

Some advantages of the outboard motor are that they're very lightweight for the HP that they produce, and because they are located "outboard", they take up little or none of the boat's interior volume.

Conversely, a disadvantage is that there is generally a cut-out in the transom for the outboard, leaving the vessel more vulnerable to water breaking over the stern and coming into the boat. Also, by the nature of where it's located, the majority of the engine's weight rides outside of the boat itself. This tends to adversely affect the trim of the boat, causing it to ride down at the stern.

Back to the Top

Inboard and Vee Drive Systems

One's a simple - if space-hogging - system, and the other is a compromise.

An inboard engine is generally heavier and less compact than an outboard engine of comparable horsepower (HP). Its size and power are not limited by a need to have everything in one unit. The engine is placed near the center of the hull, very close to the lowest point, creating a low center of gravity. This is a very good thing! On the back of the engine is a transmission (gear box), which is attached to a propeller shaft. The shaft passes through the bottom of the boat and is supported by one or more struts, located on the bottom of the hull. Attached to the end of the shaft is the propeller. A rudder, placed just aft of the propeller, controls the direction of the boat.
Some advantages of an inboard are:

The engine is positioned to give the boat better balance fore and aft, and create a low center of gravity.
Although open to some debate, the straight inboard system is generally considered the simplest and most efficient method of transferring torque (power) from the engine to the propeller.
Some of the disadvantages are the inboard system takes up a lot of space inside the hull and, because the propeller is in a fixed position, the inboard is not as maneuverable at a low speed or while in reverse.

The Vee drive is a variation of the inboard system. This system is sometimes called an Angle drive. In this configuration, the engine is installed over the propeller and rudder, with the drive shaft facing forward instead of aft. The shaft then enters another gearbox that changes its direction by 180º, sending the propeller shaft back through the hull to the propeller under the engine.

The main advantage of the Vee drive is that it places everything in the stern of the boat, leaving much more interior space for cabins, etc.

A main disadvantage is that the entire weight of the engine and propulsion gear is located at the very stern of the boat (that old balance thing again). Another drawback is that, by passing through a change of direction gearbox, you are losing some efficiency and increasing your chances of a problem with the drive system

Back to the Top

Inboard/Outboard and Jet Drives

Today's most popular drive system, coupled with another that does not involve a jet engine!

Drive Systems /Inboard/Outboard and Jet Drives

The stern drive is also called an I/O (Inboard/Outboard) drive. As the name implies, this drive system is, indeed, a combination of the straight inboard and outboard systems. The engine is located inboard, in the stern of the boat. Power from the engine is sent through the transom into an outboard drive unit, which is very similar to the intermediate housing and lower unit on an outboard engine. The steering system on the boat turns the entire outboard unit, changing the direction of thrust from the propeller, just as it does on a true outboard.
Some advantages of the stern drive are:

You have the both the size and low center of gravity of the inboard, along with the maneuverability of the outboard.
You have more usable interior volume than the straight inboard.
On the other hand, there are some major disadvantages to the stern drive system. Power from the engine thrust must pass through two 90° gears to reach the propeller, causing a considerable loss of efficiency. Also, because they are inherently more complicated than the straight inboard system, I/O drives are more prone to failure

The jet drive is a powerful, engine-driven water pump that sucks in great quantities of water through the bottom of the boat and shoots it out through a nozzle at the stern. Operating on the principle of physics that, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction", the boat is propelled forward. Steering the boat is done by changing the direction of the discharge nozzle.

A few of the advantages in using a jet drive system are:

There is a complete absence of all underwater appendages. There is no rudder, no propeller, no strut, and no shaft - no nothing!
Jet boats are safer around people in the water because of the lack of all underwater appendages, especially the propeller.
Because the system is so simple, there is less likelihood of failure.
Among the disadvantages of jet drives are that, even though great strides have been made in improving jet pumps, they are still not as efficient as other systems. Also, debris in the water (weeds, trash, etc.) can be sucked into the pump and put you out of the powerboat business for some time.

Back to the Top

How to Maneuver Your Power Boat
Is there really a big difference between driving a car and driving a boat?

The first major difference is that a boat has no brakes. The only good way to stop your boat is to reverse the thrust direction of your propeller. This is done by first throttling your engine down to idle speed and then shifting into reverse. If you try to shift at any engine speed other than idle, you will soon destroy your gearbox. Because it takes longer to stop your boat than your car, you must approach docks and other immovable objects slowly and, when in doubt, STOP! Tempting though it may be, never try to grab the dock with your hands and arms, or try to push off with your legs. Docks and boats can easily be repaired. The same cannot be said about your limbs!

The second major difference is in the way your boat turns. When you turn the steering wheel of your car, the front wheels turn, causing the front end of the car to begin to turn. The rear of the car follows. On a boat, however, the opposite is true. When you turn the wheel on your boat, the stern starts to swing in a large arc, thus changing the direction of the boat. When you turn your boat, you must have enough room for your boat's stern to swing. If you try to turn too sharply when leaving the dock, for instance, the stern will swing into the dock with a resounding thud. In a tight spot, you might want to consider backing out or, to be more nautically correct, going astern. That way, the stern will pull the boat away from the dock and the bow will follow!

There is also a third major difference between steering a car and steering a boat. When your car stops, it's going to stay where it stopped - the ground does not move underneath it (that's probably why the Romans called it terra firma). When you stop your boat, the water that you are sitting in is probably moving due to wind or current. Current can be caused by many things, such as the movement of water down a river or the rising and falling of tides. Before you attempt any maneuvering with you boat, check to see which way the wind is blowing by looking at the water's surface. Then stop for a few seconds to see if there is any current effecting the movement of your boat. If there is wind and/or current, try, if possible, to approach the dock with your bow into the current. This will allow you to maneuver better and also help stop your boat faster.

Maneuvering your boat properly is a lot like learning to ride a bicycle. It takes a lot of practice, but once you learn how to do it, it's great fun! Most other boaters are going to form their opinion of your boating skills by how well you handle your boat when either leaving or returning to the dock. Keep in mind that nobody does it perfectly every time!

Back to the Top

Securing Your Boat to a Pier
Expensive hull damage to you boat is most likely to happen when it’s improperly tied up in its berth. Want to avoid that?

Part 1- Recommended Diameters and Amounts of Dock Lines More of this Feature

Expensive hull damage to your boat is most likely to happen when it’s improperly tied up in its berth. When strolling along the docks of marinas, I’m often amazed by the type and size of lines used (even clothesline!). It's also wondrous to see the ingenious, unrecognizable knots some skippers use to secure their very expensive boats in a slip. If the wind comes up or somebody leaves a large wake, dock lines and fenders are the only things keeping a boat from smashing into the pier or seawall. Here are some basic rules of thumb about dock lines.

Any well-equipped boat should have at least six (6) dock lines: two (2) bow lines, two (2) stern lines and two (2) spring lines. The dock lines should be at least 2/3 of the length of your boat and the spring lines should be at least the full length of your boat.

The size (diameter) of your line depends on the size and weight of your boat. The following is an approximate guide.

Line Diameter
Boats under 20 feet = 3/8"
Boats 20 to 30 feet = 1/2"
Boats 30 to 40 feet = 5/8"
Boats 40 to 60 feet = 3/4"
Boats over 60 feet = 1"

If your boat is heavy for its size, consider going up one size in diameter. A boat cannot be damaged by having its dock lines a bit oversized, but I've seen lots of damage done because lines were too small!

Back to the Top

Part 2- Types and Strengths of Dock Lines More of this Feature

Nylon is the best choice for dock lines. In my opinion, it is the only choice! Nylon line comes in two types. First, there is 3 strand twisted, also called "laid" line. This type of line is fine for most purposes, as it is strong and stretches to help absorb shock. It does, however, have the disadvantages of kinking easily and being rough on the hands. Coiling laid line clockwise helps to avoid kinking.

The second type of nylon line is braided line. This type rarely kinks and is much easier on the hands. Its disadvantages are that it tends to chafe more easily than twisted line and it's more expensive.

Polypropylene line (called "poly") is a poor choice for dock lines. Poly does not stretch, it has a very low breaking strength and degrades quickly in direct sunlight.

To illustrate why nylon lines are preferable to poly, here are some of their respective breaking strengths.

Diameter Nylon Poly
(Lbs. breaking strength) (Lbs. breaking strength)
3/8" 4,000 2,100
1/2" 7,000 3,900
5/8" 11,000 6,000
3/4" 15,000 8,000

[Note: For finding safe working loads for the above lines, calculate 1/5 the breaking strength. For example, the working load of 3/8" nylon line = 800 lbs.

Back to the Top

Part 3: Tying It All Together

One word about knots in your dock lines: A knot will reduce a line's breaking strength by as much as 50%. Avoid them as much as possible! The only knots a dock line should encounter are those that you tie around cleats or pilings. The art of tying nautical knots, also known as Marlinspike Seamanship, is an essential skill all boaters should learn.

Good dock lines are expensive, so wherever your dock line goes through a chock or other hardware, use a chafing guard around it. Chafing guards can be purchased in a ship's store, or you can fashion your own, less expensive models, out of an old piece of garden hose.

Remember, good dock lines and good fenders are your first line of defense against hull damage. Use nylon line that's correctly sized for your boat's length and weight, and learn how to tie a proper cleat hitch, at the very least.

Back to the Top

Anchors and Ground Tackle

Knowledge of your anchoring equipment (called "ground tackle") and the ability to use it is an absolute necessity.

If you go boating long enough, sooner or later you're going to need to anchor. Knowledge of your anchoring equipment (called ground tackle) and the ability to use it is an absolute necessity. Many of today's power boaters just go from marina to marina and, as a result, are unfamiliar with their ground tackle and how to deploy it. Worse yet, some boaters don't even have an anchor aboard!

Think about it. You and your family are out for a fine day of boating, when your engine breaks down and cannot be restarted. The wind is blowing you towards a rocky shore and the waves are getting larger. At this point, you need an anchor and the knowledge of how to use it. Otherwise, you risk losing your boat or, possibly, worse things!

Let's take a look at the 3 basic types of anchors available:

Patent Anchor: The Danforth© anchor is the best known of this type. Its advantages are that it is lightweight with good holding power and stows flat. However because of its light weight, it has difficulty penetrating thick weeds or hard bottoms.

Plow Anchor: The plow anchor is so named because it looks and performs like a plow. It holds well on almost any type of bottom conditions. The plow anchor, however, is heavy and very difficult to stow unless you have a bow pulpit and roller.

Mushroom: The mushroom will sink down into the mud or sand. If left long enough, it will have tremendous holding power. Most permanent moorings use a large mushroom anchor.

Since storage space is always at a premium on boats, the number of anchors you carry and the type you decide to have must be compromises between safety and convenience. Anchors are rated by their horizontal load capabilities.

Here are some approximate horizontal load requirements for various boat lengths:

Boat Length (feet)
Protected Waters (lbs)
Unprotected Waters (lbs)

20 360 720
30 700 1,400
40 1,200 2,400
50 1,600 3,200

When looking for an anchor, check the manufacturer's stated horizontal holding power. If you have any doubt, remember that an anchor that's a little too big is much better than an anchor that's a little too small!

Your anchor line is called a rode. Nylon line is the best choice here because of its strength and ability to stretch. It's also a good idea to have a 6-foot to 12-foot piece of chain between the anchor and the nylon line. The chain really helps to keep the anchor (stock) parallel with the bottom and also acts as a shock absorber.

Your anchor rode must be long enough to create a horizontal, rather than vertical, pull on your anchor. Anchors are designed to dig in deeper when they are pulled horizontally. They are also designed to come free when pulled vertically.

There is a simple formula which helps calculate the proper scope (length) of rode you need. Take the height of the boat's bow from the water line and add it to the depth of the water. In this example, we'll say the height of the bow from the water line is 3 feet, and the depth of the water is 12 feet.

Example: 3 feet + 12 feet = 15 feet

If you are in a well-protected area (no waves or wind), multiply the total by a factor of 5.

Example: 15 feet x 5 = 75 feet of rode needed

If you are in normal conditions (some wind and some waves), multiply the total by a factor of 7.

Example: 15 feet x 7 = 105 feet of rode needed

Finally, if you are in rough conditions, multiply the total by a factor of 10.

Example: 15 feet x 10 = 150 feet of rode needed

Back to the Top

Maintenance tips(enviromental free solutions)

How to clean your boat?

* To clean fiberglass stains, try making a paste of baking soda and water. Use a sponge or soft cloth and gently rub the mix into the stain. This paste can also be used to clean onboard showers and heads. While baking soda is an excellent all-around cleaner, keep in mind that it is abrasive, so use with care. Use lemon or lime juice as a final wipe-down for a shiny, fresh-smelling finish.

* For cleaner windows and mirrors, mix vinegar, lemon juice and warm water. Buy a spray bottle for a dollar and fill it with the solution. Spray it on your windows and wipe with paper towels or newspapers.

* If the chrome on your boat has lost some of its luster, use apple cider vinegar on a soft cotton cloth to rub it clean. Then, grab a fresh cloth and add a dab of baby oil to restore it to a bright shine.

* Does your boat have copper fittings that are turning dingy? Make a paste of either lemon or lime juice and salt. Rub gently to clean. The citrus adds a nice, fresh scent.

* To clean any plastic surface on your boat, a mixture of white vinegar and warm water will do the trick.

* As an alternative to bleach, use hydrogen peroxide. The more water you add to the peroxide, the weaker the strength of the peroxide solution will become. Remember that hydrogen peroxide will bleach carpet, towels and other fabrics, so use it with caution.

* Any interior woods can be cleaned by using olive oil or almond oil. The oil will provide natural moisturizers for the wood and add shine at the same time. Don’t use these oils on exterior surfaces, however, since they don’t hold up in direct sun.

Back to the Top

Clear clogged intake

The two plastic screens on either side of the bottom of the gear case of your outboard engine actually serve two purposes. First, water from whatever you?re floating in enters through them and gets pumped through the engine for cooling purposes. Second, the screens keep larger objects from being sucked in and blocking internal cooling passages.
larger objects from being sucked in and blocking internal cooling passages.

But because the screens have small holes, they can become clogged, especially when boating in shallow water, muddy flats or grassy areas. Trying to rock your boat off a sandbar is almost a sure way to clog these ports. It?s easy to tell when they become clogged because the little telltale nozzle on the back of your outboard engine ? you know, the one that squirts a stream of water ?ceases to flow. It?s a simple fix, really. Here?s what to do.

1 If you notice the water flow stop, cut the engine immediately, turn it all the way to starboard and trim it up and out of the water.
2 Take a screwdriver, which should be in your onboard tool kit (see Oct. 1998, pg. 20) and remove the retaining screw on the port side of engine. You must remove both screws before they will pull out. Turn the engine full to port and remove the screw from the starboard side. At this point, the screens on both sides are loose and will pull out of their slots.
3 With both screens out, clear any weeds, mud or sand that are causing the blockage. It sometimes helps to lower the engine back into the water to help flush out the port a bit (provide you?re not in the same muddy, sandywater).
4 Once you?ve cleared the obstruction, flush the screens in the water to remove any debris from them.
5 Reinstall the screens, making the screws just hand tight and lower the drive back into the water.
6 Wait a few seconds, start the engine and closely watch the telltale nozzle, which should begin to squirt water again in five seconds or less.

Back to the Top

Tools to carry

Two rules govern what tools to carry aboard your boat: The bigger the boat, the more tools you should carry. Likewise, the older the boat, the more tools you'll likely need. For most pleasure boaters, the necessary tools are basically the same, with slight variations for a boat's age, size and engine/drive configurations. We asked industry professionals and avid everyday boaters who carry tools on board, and this is the list that ensued:

Duct tape - Guaranteed to stick at speeds up to 200 mph, this fabric-reinforced tape does everything from securing a piece of stray molding and attaching fenders to sealing holes or leaky fittings.

Electrical tape - If a wire breaks or the insulation chafes, electrical tape can mean the difference between driving home under your own power or being towed.

WD-40 - Spray this inside a wet distributor cap, use it to penetrate a rusty fitting or lubricate your old rod and reel. Be careful where you store it, though; this stuff is flammable.

Screwdrivers - Carry small and large slot- and Phillips-head screwdrivers to fit all screws on board.

Pliers - Carry a pair of standard slip-joint pliers, a pair of needle-nose with side cutters and a pair of channel-locks. If you have the space, also include a pair of vise-grips.

Socket set - You can get away with carrying common sockets, but carrying a set is usually a better idea if you have room. Craftsman makes sets that include standard and metric sizes. Also be sure you have a socket that fits your engine's spark plugs and prop nut.

Combination wrenches - Metric and standard combination wrenches (open on one end and boxed on the other) are essential for on-water repairs. Craftsman and other companies offer combination wrench sets, and also include them with a socket set.

Adjustable crescent wrench - Keep a large one that fits bigger nuts that the combination wrenches will not.

Ball peen hammer - You can always find a use for one of these, even if it's just to discipline a recalcitrant guest with a thump to the head.

Allen- and Torx-head wrenches - Many newer boats use these fasteners where hex-head bolts and screws don't fit.

Spark tester - Good for older boats. This takes the mystery - and the danger of shocking yourself - out of checking for juice at the plugs.

Trailer-tire tools - This is especially important if you have a single-axle trailer. A spare tire won't do you a bit of good unless you have a trailer jack and everything you need to change it. Odds are the tools for your tow vehicle won't work.

The storage space you have on board determines how many tools you can carry. Be sure you either keep them in a dry space or store them in a watertight bag or box. That way, your tools will be rust-free and ready when you need them

Back to the Top

Cruise control

every boat has a cruising "comfort zone" that yields an optimum mix of speed and fuel efficiency. You could find that exact speed. All you'd need do is borrow the radar gun, digital tachometer, transducers and fuel-flow gauges used by our staff, then spend a morning on the lake running at various throttle settings.

Or, you could get a 95-percent approximation of your boat's optimum cruise speed by simply following a few simple rules our experts have concocted after performing hundreds of detailed boat tests. These hints apply primarily to gas-powered, planing-hull boats since this is the type of boat most of our readership owns.
Somewhere between planning out and top speed, there is a combination of speed and engine load that will yield the maximum number of miles per gallon. To make a broad generalization, this "sweet spot" usually occurs somewhere between half and three-quarter throttle.

If your boat is marginal on power, this generality may not apply, but if you selected an engine that can hold your boat comfortably on plane at half throttle or less, the formula works. For a large number of V-6- and V-8-powered runabouts, optimum cruise speed falls somewhere between 3,000 and 3,500 rpm.
To further optimize fuel efficiency, make sure your boat is running level and in trim. Weight distributed unevenly front to back or side to side will cut into running efficiency, so you may want to move gear and passengers to level the load.

If you have an outboard or I/O-powered boat, you can also adjust the drive for optimum efficiency. Begin with the drive down, then gradually raise it with your trim adjustment.
Notice how the speed and rpms increase as you raise the drive. Raising the drive decreases the drag of the lower unit in the water, and it also allows the bow to rise, which reduces the wetted surface of the hull.

As you continue to raise the drive, you will eventually cause the propeller to cavitate. Your optimum drive setting is a few degrees shy of this mark.

Back to the Top

Distributor Maintenance

In the age of electronic ignition, it's easy to overlook the distributor. Just because it's electronic doesn't mean it's maintenance-free. Periodic peeks under the cap and rotor can save you a lot of headaches. The checks don't take long to perform, and practically anyone can recognize trouble before it starts.
One possible sign of trouble can be hard starting. If you have to crank the engine over several times before it catches, pull the cap and have a look. Twist the retaining screws to release the cap from the distributor housing and do some snooping.

Check the cap for cracks, holding it up to a light if possible. Then look around the terminals for carbon tracking (a sooty residue). Pitted contacts, which look like pits on chrome, also can make starting difficult. Sometimes the pits can be removed with a wire brush, but if it's too severe, the cap should be replaced.
Likewise, check the rotor for cracks and pits on the terminal and carbon tracking. Those same carbon spots on a rotor can trigger a no-start condition. Sometimes the high voltage in modern ignition systems actually can burn a pinhole through the rotor, causing the spark to ground itself through the distributor housing. The voltage never gets to the spark plugs.

Check under the rotor and look for frayed or cracked wiring. Older-model boats use mechanical advance mechanisms that can stick because they're rusty, causing sluggish acceleration. The mechanisms usually can be disassembled, cleaned with a wire brush or wheel and put back together, using a light coating of white lithium grease on moving parts. If you have access to it, blow out the assembly with compressed air before you replace the rotor and cap.

Back to the Top

Your Link Here

Recommended Reading

motorboating: a complete guide--- by bill pike

starting motorboating----by emrhys barrell

Please do come back often for my updated boating tips .If you have any tips regarding motorboating pls feel free to email me

info@windersports.net

I would add your tips to this page with your name