Can you believe this?
 

Our duck season opens on Saturday. I took the boat to the lake this evening camoed and grassed, with the Chessie. Got launched and went to start the motor and it won't start. I can feel myself getting panic disorder. Too late to get it to a mechanic and too late to buy a new gas motor. I am thinking about stopping after work tomorrow and buying the most powerful electric motor Walmart has just so I can use the boat Saturday morning. I don't know if a 55 lb. thrust electric will push a 17' modified v aluminum loaded with a 90 pound dog and 450 pounds of duck hunter( there is two of us). Anyone have any thoughts on this?

RE: Can you believe this?
 

It won't, esp if there is any kind of wind or current.

Get the motor to a shop ASAP and find some place to hunt that maybe you can row too for opening day. I know your pain. The same thing happened to my dad and I a few years back. We were lucky to have an old 6 horse Evinrude we had just got fixed up as a back up. It was a piece of sh*t, idled bad, ran at most 1/2 a horse in reverse, but it got us through the 1st day.

Good Luck.

Any day spent huntin, is better than any day spent workin,,

Duckmastor2

RE: Can you believe this?
 

Did you go through the entire checklist?

Mine includes the following:

- ensure proper gas/oil mixture
- ensure gas line is connected (sounds stupid but I sometimes forget to hook it back up after flushing the motor)
- check your plugs and plug wires
- make sure it's in neutral
- check electrical connection if it's an electric start
- check battery

Try to think of anything that could go wrong and more. Good luck. I hope you get it fixed.



Jerry
DE Duck Hunter

RE: Can you believe this?
 

If you are as serious as us about duck hunting. One of us would have gladly sacrificed our bodies, jumped in the water, and pulled the boat in to position. When the boat don't run, we wade. Always have to have a backup plan. Pulling a boat load of dekes is easier than carrying them any day...But if you got until tommorrow, my 55 pound pulls my 1870 just fine in ideal conditions without 300lb blind and 300lb of dekes. I really don't think it would move the boat when loaded up for hunting. A push pole and a rope will do you more good. Think you would be better off getting some good waders and a long rope. Have you tried a shot of starting fluid with choke turned off?