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Cursed in '08

ellicat

By ellicat
in Boating

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ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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Posted

A few of you may recall the start to my year was a diastrous camping trip. The year has continued on much the same. You may also recall the "Rare Bay Day" thread 2 weeks ago where I had to stop short and idle back to the ramp. This was fixed with a $25 part and 3 hours labour.

Well yesterday I planned to hit the bay again with some more rare fair weather forecast. Nothing full-on for the fishing was planned. Just a scoot around the water, a bit of a fish, give the kids a swim, picnic at Horseshoe bay, a bit of a fish etc and then home.

That plan was dashed early when the wife woke up with a crook eye. So I pondered for a while and decided I would head out by myself (after Mitch dropped out on me too). It was a late call, so I shot Chubbs a pm to see if he was keen but he was tied to family things. The breeze had started to pick up so instead of the bay I thought I'd hit the rock wall at the river mouth.

Launched at Colmslie and made it to the Visy Board building just before the yellow X when the motor made a noise and stopped dead. :pinch: :ohmy: Wouldn't turnover so I quickly tossed the anchor and sat down for a curse whilst turning the ignition to no avail. Popped the lid and tilted my head from side to side a few times - that didn't work.:blink: So rang the wife who said things that made me wish I hadn't called. :whistle: Sat there for a while with that sinking feeling in the gut and then rang VMR Carindale (aka Chubbstar) who jumped at the chance to be a great mate and saviour. He came out with his good wife and towed me back to the ramp. :kiss:

Got home with head held low and managed to crash into the fence when reversing up the drive in the dark and busted the lights on the light board. :( Then in my happy state disconnected the trailer and drove the car out, only to discover this morning I forgot to unplug the lightboard cable. :angry:

Hooked up first thing this morning to take her to Coorparoo Marine (with no lights in traffic :evil:). The boys started shaking their heads early on and didn't want to look at me. :unsure: It wasn't gonna be good news. :ohmy:

Apparently a billion to one event had occurred. One of the rings on Piston 1 had broken. Normally the broken bit would be expelled through the exhaust. But not for me. Somehow a part of the broken ring got sucked into Piston 2. Not worth fixing.

I'm up for a new motor, and probably a course of anti-depressants. :blush:

All this, a week after I've just forked out over a grand for a new trim motor, a trailer overhaul (skids, winch cable, new springs, roller, coupling...), and the throttle thingammyjig.

Excuse another long post, but it is somewhat therapeutic.;)

The piston on the right is the one that let go of a ring. The one on the left (with all rings in perfect position/condition) is the one that copped it. The bottom circle is where a piece of the ring ended up lodging. The top circle is where a chunk came out of the bottom. You can see the scoring all over it. There was similar damage inside the cylinder. [img size=480]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/Both_Pistons.JPG

post-564-144598445112_thumb.jpg

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chubbstar Newbie

chubbstar

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OH mate:( Not good.

My boats here whenever you want to borrow it.;) ANYTIME!!!

I just had a chat with the karma gods to find out why they are so dark on you at the moment?

They tell me that it's all been a big mistake and to make up for it your not only going to win lotto but 1 of your mates is going to take you to Harrie's Reef and you're going to break 5 PB's in the 1 session:ohmy:

Untill we hit Harrie's, Chin up mateB)

Jayson

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Feral Newbie

Feral

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Looks like hot spots on number one, might have caused the ring to overheat and let go.

They are right - best to junk it, you dont know what other damage has been done with all that chewed up metal floating around inside..you could spend a fortune on fixing the powerhead to have something else let go.

Chubbstar - good on you for being a great mate!

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Rocket75 Newbie

Rocket75

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I'm trying to think how to put a positive spin on the situation...

-no-one got hurt:dry:

-you remembered the bungs :P

-you have great mates that rescue u B)

-you are gunna catch lots of fish on the charter:woohoo:

-your new motor will be much more reliable :unsure:

-you are due for lots of good luck :kiss: :silly:

Hang in there.

Rocket

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ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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It was a 35 mule Merc. :P

You don't have a new head in your shed do you Ray ?:laugh:

It's a tough one to replace. They don't make 35hp anymore.

The hull is rated to 35hp.

This motor had power tilt and trim which is important to me. To get that I need to go to 40hp 2 stroke or 30hp 4 stroke (which will be a bit doughy).

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benno573 Rising Star

benno573

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what did you do to a small monkey in a past life??? :laugh: :P:huh:

mate, i may not be heading out this weekend but can definately kick one of my mates out (- ok i won't lie any more, i have no mates and usually go it solo!!!) the following weekend if you're keen, if the weather gods smile curtain arti/mackeral beacons here we come. i blew a head on my old merc coming home one day, let's just say i had very very VERY good upper body after that. no-one wants to give you a tow at 3am i've found...

good on "VMR carindale" for bailing you out. :laugh:

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ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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I did look at the oars, but there was no way I was rowing upstream in an outgoing tide.:laugh: The oars are fatter than my arms and I've got a torn ligament in my right shoulder so I was no chance:laugh: :laugh:

Thanks for the offer...I'm booked out in March though. Tilapia Cull and Outthere Charter then something the following weekend I can't remember.:blink: :laugh:

Shortie said to me today I don't need a boat - plenty of deckie spots around - seems he was spot on. Wouldn't need to get it fixed if it wasn't for the rest of the family:P

Thanks again.:)

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faulked Newbie

faulked

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you poor bastard:( withthat kind of luck ill take you out any time mate but you may have to sit in the ski tube 30metres behind that should keep me safe :laugh: can you pinch bits of yours to add to a 30 to turn it into a power tilt model that should get you out of the crap or sometimes they can put a sleave into the bore and a set of aftermarket pistons and away you go again :) good luck mate sounds li,e youll need it

jason

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benno573 Rising Star

benno573

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mate - anytime. my biggest problem is finding a person who is:-

-as obsessed with fishing as me

-not scared/sick when it gets bumpy

-a mild alcoholic so i don't look bad (not essential but preferred)

to go deckie and won't run away when it comes to the fuel bowser :laugh:

i'll get hold of a mate of mine today and see if he can help ya. he's got an unofficial outboard wreckers up north - i'll see if he has got a merc 35 lying around that you can scrounge bits off to put it back together. i'm heading up there in a week so can easily bring bits back if he has them. :silly: do you know exactly the model # of the engine - or is it just mercury 35 outboard motor, it's in a black box, it has thinamiwhatchits in it... :laugh:

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ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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faulked wrote:

you poor bastard:( withthat kind of luck ill take you out any time mate but you may have to sit in the ski tube 30metres behind that should keep me safe :laugh: can you pinch bits of yours to add to a 30 to turn it into a power tilt model that should get you out of the crap or sometimes they can put a sleave into the bore and a set of aftermarket pistons and away you go again :) good luck mate sounds li,e youll need it

jason

I was having a look at cmcsales.com.au last night. They make an after market trim & tilt that looks OK. (Would be interested if anyone has seen or heard of them). Apparently the HP rating used to be done at the flywheel, but is now done at the prop. So a 30HP these days would probably be similar to my old 35.

The boys don't think a rebuild is a viable option.

There's no way I'd risk being towed - you may be safe but I know what'd happen to the rope and tube;)

:laugh: :laugh:

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ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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benno573 wrote:

mate - anytime. my biggest problem is finding a person who is:-

-as obsessed with fishing as me

-not scared/sick when it gets bumpy

-a mild alcoholic so i don't look bad (not essential but preferred)

to go deckie and won't run away when it comes to the fuel bowser :laugh:

i'll get hold of a mate of mine today and see if he can help ya. he's got an unofficial outboard wreckers up north - i'll see if he has got a merc 35 lying around that you can scrounge bits off to put it back together. i'm heading up there in a week so can easily bring bits back if he has them. :silly: do you know exactly the model # of the engine - or is it just mercury 35 outboard motor, it's in a black box, it has thinamiwhatchits in it... :laugh:

Hahaha - I was just joking yesterday that the only way I can get rid of my fuel lately is to just give it away:angry:

:laugh: :P

If your mate has a 35hp 2 stroke merc circa 1989 with a good head that would be great and the wife says I can kiss you (but that's all):kiss: :unsure: :blush: :laugh:

You're right there shortie. I've bought people scratchits in the past but couldn't bring myself to give them away before scratching them. It's the thought that counts:P :laugh:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Cowfish13 Newbie

Cowfish13

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I think a few people have been cursed this year. I've lost a spare spool to my reel and then today, we went down to the coast and I packed my best rod for flicking light lures around for Bream (it's a T-curve Tournament).

Opened the boot to find the esky had shifted onto the rod and the stripper guide (think that's what it's called:S The bottom biggest one anyway) had been bent at a right angle and the lower half of the blank was covered in scratches:angry::(:(

I bent the guide back into place-ish. The apoxiy has a crack in it but that seems like it. I hope the graphite hasn't been badly damaged though:( It's rated 2-4kg and I've only got 4lb braid on it so there won't be too much pressure exerted on it.

Here's hopeful:(

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werewolf Newbie

werewolf

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ellicat wrote:

That's an awesome pic! Another AFO legend immortalised lol:laugh:

Bummer about your motor, but its a good excuse to upgrade woot!:cheer: :blush: That is of course, if you have a money tree hidden away somewhere:dry:

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  • 2 months later...
ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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Well I decided a few weeks ago that I was going to get a new 30hp 4 stroke. Quiet, fuel economy, no stuffing around with oil. I'm not interested in speed records on the water etc etc so thought that'd be the way to go. Estimated cost with installation etc $6K

Then I got a phone call from Coorparoo Marine. They had a bloke trading in a motor in good nick that they thought would suit me.

After a couple of days thinking about it I said yep and hanging off the back I now have a 40hp 2 stroke Force motor. Never heard of a Force before, but they tell me it is some sort of Merc thing. It looks and sounds good and is dark grey and looks to be in top nick. Turned her over today and she starts easy first go and reckon it'll push me along pretty well when the weather takes a break.

It's not the 4 stroke I set my mind on, but for $2k with a lifetime warranty who's going to be fussy.;)

Hope I'm not speaking too early, but I'm starting to feel the curse is breaking:) :) :) :)

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shortie Newbie

shortie

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ellicat wrote:

Well I decided a few weeks ago that I was going to get a new 30hp 4 stroke. Quiet, fuel economy, no stuffing around with oil. I'm not interested in speed records on the water etc etc so thought that'd be the way to go. Estimated cost with installation etc $6K

Then I got a phone call from Coorparoo Marine. They had a bloke trading in a motor in good nick that they thought would suit me.

After a couple of days thinking about it I said yep and hanging off the back I now have a 40hp 2 stroke Force motor. Never heard of a Force before, but they tell me it is some sort of Merc thing. It looks and sounds good and is dark grey and looks to be in top nick. Turned her over today and she starts easy first go and reckon it'll push me along pretty well when the weather takes a break.

It's not the 4 stroke I set my mind on, but for $2k with a lifetime warranty who's going to be fussy.;)

Hope I'm not speaking too early, but I'm starting to feel the curse is breaking:) :) :) :)

Let put her in the water tomorow. She how she runs. who cares about the weather its only a test run.

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