Shake down run results

[NorthWestFloridaBoy]

I took my new boat out yesterday, lets just say it was interesting. I went up the Escambia river. About a mile upstream it threw a fan belt, I had been keeping an eye on the gauges and noticed the water temp jump all of a sudden so I shut her down. Thankfully the belt was still in the boat so I reinstalled and tightened the hell out of it. Upon restart it wouldn't run unless I held the throttle wide open and it ran like s#!t, so I made my way back to the ramp and loaded it up thinking great now the motor is messed up. I pulled the air filter when I got home and saw the problem,when I was tinkering with the belt I must have inadvertanly bumped the choke shut, I mean it was all the way shut. I changed the plugs this morning and wired the choke open and it runs like a champ again. The boat porpoised pretty bad at higher speeds but you could run on plane just under porpoise speed and it did fine. I'll probably experiment with some aluminum angle at the bottom of the transom to get rid of that. I took advice from you guys and made mostly right turns to avoid the "torque roll induced sinking of the vessel move". I installed three bilge pumps ( 2 on the right) and wired them to a full time float switch, I also ran a wire from a switch to them so I can manually turn them on at any time. So to recap I think it was a successful shake down run I learned to carry several spare fan belts, spark plugs and check the choke. I like it.

 

[Anonymous]

.... I took advice from you guys and made mostly right turns to avoid the "torque roll induced sinking of the vessel move"....

I'm guessing you mean at an ldle. When idling, the inertia of the engine wants to counteract the torque roll to the right, but when you're on plane, the boat banks up high on the left side, so the right side can still torque under the water, ESPECIALLY when you come back across your own wake. If that happens, just remember to stay in the throttle, even if water is splashing into the prop. If you let off, you will get a LOT of water in your prop!

I put a throttle spring on my choke to keep it open, but I can still reach back and close it if it is very cold out and the engine doesn't want to start.

 

[Olf Art]

I took my choke completely out ..... shafts and all. Filled the two holes on either side below the air filter (Edelbrock) with a couple of wooden dowels and a dab of silicone.

When it's cold I just let it idle for a couple of minutes until it warms up.

 

[BoHawg]

You're gonna be alright. It's intimidating at first, but you'll get used to it.
It's called "Controlled Fear".

If I can ever work out my transfer to Pensacola, I'll be right there with you.

 

[KING]

Northwest,
I lived up in your area for many years. I spent most summer days on the Escambia River watching the outboard race boats run that river! That was wicked! Do they still race every Sunday??I lived in Century, FL yea the little hole in the wall! Not much to do but run the river! Not many places up there to run a airboat. Well good luck with your boat!!!

 

[NorthWestFloridaBoy]

Hey King I know all about the river races, My buddies run jet boats out there. one has a 514" Ford dynoed at 730 hp before the 250 hp nitrous shot. that is the scariest boat I have ever rode in. it'll go well over 100 mph very easily, he said it'll do around 130 and i told him " I'll take your word for it". Too many jet skiers up there if you ask me. theres a lot of places I can take this boat that no one else around here can get too.

 

[plumcrazy]

maybe this summer some of in central fl will get ya to show us around get tired of the same old same old

 

[NorthWestFloridaBoy]

Sounds good PlumCrazy. Hopefully by then I'll have explored all the places to go around here also so I can get some kind of run formulated for us.

 

[Hogheaven]

I wish I could get that first feeling back from my very first time, kind of like your first deer. heart rate up, sweaty palms, death grip on the stick.
I still love that low engine rumble, and that feeling of unbelievability of what these machines can do.
Congrats...