All anglers are familiar with such an invention as a boat, and everyone has sailed on it at least once in their life. Whether you use your own vehicle or rent one, most of these boats are equipped with a motor that eliminates the need for rowing and also speeds up your route around the water.
The motor runs on gasoline, which is poured into a portable tank, and then with the help of a hose enters the motor system itself. But there are also models with a built-in small gas tank, usually these are small-sized models with low fuel consumption. On the hose through which the fuel enters, there is a small pear on which an arrow is drawn. It indicates the direction of gasoline flow, that is, from the gas tank to the engine.
Starting the engine after a long period of inactivity, you need to pump up gasoline a little, to do this, press the pear several times, and when it becomes hard, stop pumping. The same must be done if, after each use of the boat, you remove the motor. In addition, if you need to constantly remove the motor after using it, you must remember that a small amount of gasoline will always remain in the carburetor even when the hose is disconnected. This can be avoided by letting the engine run for idling until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. This will use up all the gasoline to the last drop. This is necessary for those who carry the engine in a car, as fuel residues can leak out while driving and stain the interior or luggage compartment of your car.

If you are using 2 stroke motors, then the use of engine oil is necessary. It is worth refueling in a ratio that corresponds to 1:50, which is 2%.
In a four stroke engine there is a small oil tank located in the engine block. As in a conventional car, in this engine you need to check the oil level. This is done easily with the help of a probe. If the engine oil level is low, it must be added. It is better to use the type of oil recommended by the manufacturer. Modern models of four-stroke engines consume a small amount of oil, in this regard, it is recommended to change the oil during preventive inspections of the unit by specialists, which are recommended by the boat engine manufacturer periodically.

Position outboard motor When transporting or leaving the engine for storage, follow the manufacturer's advice on the correct position to store the unit. Sometimes there are small stickers on the mechanism itself, in which the manufacturer draws your attention to the correct location of the motor. To avoid oil leakage, hang the motor vertically or place it in that position. If the 4-stroke model of the engine is laid on its side, oil may leak out. This will negatively affect the process of the robots of the mechanism.
Standard fuel for small and medium boat engines is regular gasoline, which should not contain lead. Of course, you can use fuel with an octane rating (95, 98), but this is not particularly necessary.

4-stroke boat engines are becoming more and more popular. Why are 4-stroke boat engines becoming more and more popular and how do they differ from 2-stroke? Answering this question, first of all, it is necessary to note the price ratio between these models.
The cost of 2-stroke types is less than 4-stroke ones. The cost is also lower Maintenance this mechanism. 4-stroke engine models have more high cost these indicators.
But significant advantage of this type of motors is a low noise level and low fuel consumption. In addition, such an engine is able to maintain operation at low speeds for a long time, which helps fishermen to catch prey on the “path”, as well as those who use navigators to get to the place of fishing. 2 stroke motor under such conditions, it will choke and begin to smoke, and after a while of this state, most likely the spark plugs will become oily and smoked.
It is also impossible to ignore such an advantage of new engine models as low levels of CO exhaust gases compared to older 2-stroke engines. The new models of such units are also distinguished by their environmentally friendly and low-noise operation. But still, many countries will soon ban the use of 2-stroke engines in their inland waters.
Compared to 2-stroke engines, 4-strokes have less pulling power under the same testing conditions. This is due to the higher torque. In addition, 4-stroke engines are more expensive and weigh more than their predecessors. But the development of technical progress gives hope for the speedy elimination of these shortcomings of the model.

Mounting the engine on the boat Small outboard motors are mounted on the transom of the stern, this is done using screw clamps, which are included with the engine. Thus, the motor is simply attached from above to the transom, fixing it with screws from the inside of the vehicle. If you leave your boat overnight on the water or in other accessible places, then take care of safety, for this it is recommended to carry out an additional fastening with four bolts. For this, the clamp platform provides threaded holes. However, you still have to drill the transom using a drill. To perform this procedure, it is recommended to contact a boat service or a trading company, since it is difficult to do this at home.
But, even taking into account all the strength of fastening the motor to the boat, it is impossible to insure against theft in this way, since even the most reliable locks and chains are not an obstacle to thieves. You can protect your property from theft and damage with the help of insurance, or using the services of paid parking, which has security.
If the motor you purchased contains safety rope, then it should be fixed on the transom bracket of the motor, fastening the other end to the boat. This will keep your engine from falling into the water while performing the maneuver.
When the engine enters a body of water try to pull it out as soon as possible, and send it to the masters for revision. Before going out on the water, it is necessary to test the boat, for this, check the buoyancy of the boat at maximum load in a calm state. It is necessary to pay attention to the water level, it must be below the muffler outlet. And when the engine is off, water should not get into the muffler hole. pay attention to boat manufacturer's recommendations when choosing the power of the motor, the fact is that installing an engine whose power is higher than that provided by the technical characteristics of the boat is undesirable for the simple reasons that it will become difficult to drive the vehicle.
The engine must be installed the center (keel) line of the boat. You also need to make sure that the balance of the boat is normal. This will improve handling. If you want to install the motor on an asymmetric boat, then consult with experts how to act correctly in such cases.
The height at which the engine is located has a big impact on water resistance. Its position is too high will lead to cavitation (the formation of gas bubbles in the liquid), while the screw will rotate in the water-air space, this is fraught with a loss of vehicle speed. Due to the increased engine speed, there is a risk of overheating. BUT too low position outboard engine will provoke water resistance, this will affect the power of the mechanism. So, in order to avoid all possible troubles, the engine should be located in such a way that the distance to the bottom does not exceed 0-25mm.
Before you make your first trip, please read the principle of operation of the mechanism that tilts the engine. To do this, loosen the motor lock and pull the motor head towards you. The motor is now locked in the tilt position. To lower the motor, loosen the lock by raising and immediately lowering the motor. In case of careless running aground, this mechanism will help save the propeller of the outboard motor.
Best choice for your boat good metal screw because it is much stronger than plastic. Such a screw is expensive, but the quality is excellent, while a cheap plastic screw can burst at any time.
For people who use the boat all the time, there is a rule that availability of spare parts, this is the propeller and shear key. shear key- this is a pin made of brass that allows you to fix the screw on the shaft, which makes it possible to continue swimming if the screw has been cut off. This was invented for those reservoirs in the water of which there are many bumps and rocks. Also, experts recommend taking spare parts with you when traveling by boat, for example tool kit, spare cable, spark plugs, etc.. Take care in advance of fuel, oil, flares, life jackets and anchors. This will help you get through the emergency. Safety above all!

How to start the engine So, we have come to the stage when you need to make the first trip to the water. Here you need to start the engine of the boat correctly. Some inexperienced captains, at the first attempts to cope with the motor, pull the starter cable very hard and for a long time, without getting any results. It's all about just needing remove the cap from the emergency stop button located near the steering wheel. Of course, you can not immediately notice such a trifle, but it is better to consider everything. The fact is that without removing the plug, you will not be able to go on a boat, and the senseless pulling of the cable will only steal your time.
The cable is secured with a plug. The other end of this cable can be attached to the arm. This is necessary in order to escape in case of an unsuccessful maneuver or adverse weather if, as a result of these factors, you are thrown overboard by a floating craft. If it falls into the water, the cable will stretch and pull out the plug, which will turn off the engine. This will stop the propeller from injuring you. And the injuries caused by such a screw may be incompatible with life.
After starting the engine with the starter or cable, leave it work for Idling . As in a car, the engine must only be started when the gear selector is in the neutral position. On some new models of boat engines, there is even a function to block the start of the motor when the gear is engaged. So if you are unable to start the boat engine, then pay attention to the plug and the speed switch.

The choke will help start the engine. Required the presence of certain conditions, manual boat engine start carried out easily. To do this, gently pull the cable until you feel resistance. Then pull the cable hard and quickly until you feel a stop. With a cold engine, you will have to try again several times. Also, when starting a cold engine, pull out the choke at least halfway. After the mechanism is enriched with the mixture, carefully return the damper to its place.
Deciding where you need to sail, turn on the transmission and listen to the motor to see if it works properly. You will understand this by the characteristic sound coming from the mechanism. So you will understand if the motor is installed correctly relative to the transom. At high engine power, poor sound or eddying behind the boat with foam means that the engine is mounted at the wrong angle.
If this boat engine model no electric tilt adjustment, the mechanism can only be returned to the correct position manually. Adjust the bolt to change the angle of the motor mount.
When swimming in a body of water, you need to not only move forward, but also backward. To make this move, switch speed. To do this, remove the lever from the forward gear and put it in the reverse position through the neutral position. Before driving, check the capabilities of your vehicle. To avoid getting water into the boat, move slowly. Some boats have transom with self-draining function. In such a boat, water ingress is not so scary, but without such a function, you will have to get rid of the water manually.

The quieter you go, the further you'll get! When checking the motor for the first time, remember one Golden Rule : no need to immediately try to squeeze everything out of him that he is capable of. Such an anguish will significantly affect its quality, and in a negative way. When checking the engine, pay attention to the instructions given in the engine manual. Basically, after 10 hours of continuous operation, new engine already able to return to normal operation.
Being on a shipping channel, and fishing there from a drifting boat, let the engine idle, this will help you quickly sail the boat in case of a collision. Sometimes it happens that ships pass by at high speed, they simply do not have time to slow down when they see a boat ahead, and when the engine is off, you will start to panic when you try to start it.

Electric motors In our article on outboards, we can't help but mention electric motors. These types of motors allowed in all inland waters where engine use is prohibited internal combustion. Such models serve as a good substitute for rowing boats. If we talk about the power of electric motors, then, unfortunately, it is not so great that you can travel on a large river or lake. Moreover, this engine unable to cope with traction in adverse weather conditions.
Therefore, most often they are used as an auxiliary mechanism for the movement of the boat. For example, an electric motor suitable for fans of spinning fishing and fishing on the track. You can use it for taxiing and for small movements of vehicles. And in good weather, swimming in small reservoirs, it will perfectly cope with traction and will work almost silently.
The electric motor is running from a powerful battery that has a charge of at least 30-50 Ah. But such a battery, in the process of movement, sits down, not being able to be recharged, unlike internal combustion engines. In such cases, it is recommended to carry a spare battery with you, which can be rearranged when the first one is completely discharged. If, when using an electric motor, accelerate the boat to high speed, it will require a lot of energy. In addition, after 3 hours of engine operation at full power, even a 70 Ah battery runs out.
Catching fish on the "path", you can do without reverse gear, which consumes a lot of energy. Therefore, a battery of 50-60 Ah is enough for a full day, fishing in the water area, about 3x3 km in size.
But among all the shortcomings of the electric motor. It also has advantages:

• low motor weight (from 7 to 10 kg)
• convenient to use
• Transportation and installation of this model can be easily handled by one person.
• the engine is 100% environmentally friendly because it works without producing exhaust gases at all
• maintenance of such an engine is completely optional, and it lasts a very long time without breakdowns

Should pass without any difficulty. Moreover, this statement applies to both two-stroke and four-stroke equipment of all popular manufacturers. However, some nuances are still possible. On this page, we have prepared for you some practical recommendations that will help, after a long off-season, to qualitatively prepare the outboard motor for full and safe operation.

Reactivation of the outboard motor - the first steps

We repeat that the depreservation of the outboard motor after the winter, with the correct preservation of the vessel, should not cause any difficulties. First, open the gearbox housing. After that, carefully inspect the gears, as well as the reverse mechanism. If there is water in various parts of the engine, it must be removed. Most often, the cause of its entry into the body are loose seals. After the steps have been taken, remove the grease. Then flush the gearbox housing. Regular gasoline is suitable for this procedure. Be sure to pay attention to the bearings. If they are rusty, then replacement is indispensable. In addition, it is necessary to lubricate the water pump, as well as the rubber impeller. During the off-season, there is a risk of loss of elasticity of this element. To lubricate the above parts, you should carefully turn the engine down with the flywheel, and then pour a small amount of machine oil or car oil into the water intake.

The re-preservation of the outboard motor often involves the fight against rust. You can use gun oil to remove corrosion. It should be carefully applied to places that were affected by rust during the winter, and then washed off with gasoline after a few hours. After completing all the above steps, you can start the engine. With working candles, the engine should start immediately without any problems. Please note that after the first start of the engine after winter, during the first few minutes of its operation, clouds of smoke may appear. This should not be feared, since they are a normal product of the combustion of oil, which was used in the process of conservation of the unit.

When re-preserving the outboard motor, it is quite possible that it will not start. In this case, you should not panic, but you just need to determine the cause of this problem. Most often, it can be associated with a malfunction of the candles or poor-quality fuel supply. In the first case, during the re-preservation of the PLM after the winter stay of the vessel, it will be enough for you to simply replace the candles. At the same time, we strongly do not recommend calcining old candles. This is an imaginary saving, which can later negatively affect the quality of your motor and even in the worst cases lead to its breakdown.

In turn, problems with the supply of fuel are mainly due to a malfunction of the shut-off needle of the float chamber of your carburetor. In most cases, it just sticks in the closed state. The reason for this situation is most often improper preservation of the fuel system of the outboard motor. To avoid this problem in the future, additives or a stabilizer should be added to the fuel used during storage. It is worth emphasizing that they must be original and intended specifically for the brand of your engine.

If you replace the phrase "motor stalled" with the word "adventure", then life becomes much more interesting.
(Folk wisdom)

Any person wishes that during fishing or pokatushek, the outboard boat motor does not stall. It's like running aground in the middle of a body of water. Not only does this cause a bad mood, it can also cost money to tow the boat back, plus repairs. In such situations, the best tool is your calmness and knowledge. Being familiar with common problems engine, and knowing how to fix it, you get rid of delayed expenses and mood problems. This is critical for any boater, whether veteran or novice.

Wanted to fix it. Finally broke.

Remember! If you are a beginner, and you have a powerful, modern motor, then disassembling it, you will see complex system, which you will not be able to understand without experts with knowledge of the matter. Here it is better and more correct to take it to the service.

Yours sincerely,
team "Sea of ​​​​boats"

I still remember my first four-strong outboard motor with a built-in tank. We finished cherishing the boat, I went to the shore, pulled out the pin, lifted the engine ... and all my pants were in fuel - since then I have never forgotten to wrap the fuel tank cap! I personally saw on a fishing trip how a Japanese outboard motor was knocked out from the second jerk. It smoked even at the first winding - this means that they were transporting it on the wrong side - they immediately drowned it out of fear, waited a couple of minutes and pulled it so hard that the starter cord did not return back. Please read the outboard motor manual once.

Once a buyer arrived 300 miles away and swore at the boat shop staff (not from ours, from the neighboring area, of course), saying that the outboard motor would not start. In his presence, the shift supervisor performed a miracle - he started the engine by simply opening the air cap.

South Ladoga: everything is as usual, a light breeze came up and raised meter waves in 5 minutes, Kazanka under a six-horsepower outboard motor two. The helmsman forgot to remove the safety cable from the safety checks from his wrist. At the next squall, he (the helmsman) clings to the side, tears out the pin and the outboard motor stalls, turns the motorboat sideways to the wave ... The guys were lucky - they managed to turn on the engine, well, and then they washed the boat.

Helpful Hints

Why does a boat motor need a hubcap? The PLA does not have an air filter and water splashes can get into the air intake of the carburetor. If you glue the cap of the outboard motor from the inside, for example, with isolon, then the engine will become much quieter, the main thing is not to block the air intake hole.
. There is no radiator with a fan in the plm, since the engine cylinders are cooled by outboard water. The output of the control jet signals the health of the water cooling system. For reference: the diameter of the cooling channels is about 1 cm, and it is easily blocked by a plastic bag that will be in the water. Take care of nature, do not litter on the water!
. There is no gearbox in the PLM, and the only handle for switching the direction of travel must be translated with a confident movement quickly and clearly, at low engine speeds, of course.

What to do if the boat motor does not start?

Here we are on the pond: we hung the outboard motor on the transom, pulled the starter cord and silence. What to do? Troubleshooting algorithm.
We check:
1) Is the air cap open?
2) security check inserted
3) fuel tank switch

Quiet again. This means that the fuel does not burn or does not enter the engine cylinder.

Bringing the 2-stroke outboard motor to life

1) Since the fuel is not ignited, we look at the candle. We change the candle to a new one or clean the old one (do not forget to check its gap). On a two-stroke outboard motor, spark plugs are a consumable item.
2) Run plm. It worked a little and stalled - which means that fuel is not coming from the carburetor - it is dirty. Do not rush to remove the carburetor. Try to start the engine with a special technique - it helps in 99% of cases. We draw 5 cubes of fuel into the syringe and pour it into the cylinder through the candle hole. We twist the candle and pull the rope. The outboard motor worked and fell silent - which means that the carburetor is dirty.
3) Remove the carburetor, turn out the jets. We wash the carburetor with clean gasoline, and blow the jets with air from a car compressor. In order not to waste the time intended for fishing for repairs, we deal with bad fuel in three main ways:
. We refuel in the city at a good gas station with 92 gasoline.


. We put an additional filter on the fuel tank (you can embed the filter into the gas line - see photo on the right). It is better to take a filter for diesel engines, because. it is equipped with a metal mesh inside. It is well suited for two-stroke plm, a 2% mixture of oil and gasoline calmly passes through it, and dirt gets stuck, old outboard motors with metal tanks especially need such filters, condensation forms in them all the time, and remnants of the wall coating fall inside the tank . To eliminate these shortcomings, we buy a filter. You can also change the tank to a plastic one.
. We categorically do not use last year's gasoline.

Revive a four-stroke outboard engine

On such engines, spark plug problems most often occur if the amount of oil in the crankcase is exceeded. The candle must be unscrewed and wiped with a rag, and the oil level must be reduced. There are two options.




. First, unscrew the drain plug and carefully drain the oil. To be honest, I never succeeded - my hands are in oil, and bye-bye oil. To change the oil, you need a screwdriver three times larger than in the SPTA.
. Second, the suction of oil with a medical syringe (50 cubes) directly from the filling hole is more real, and the easiest way is to strictly follow the instructions.
The photo above shows the oil level control window in the crankcase and an oiled candle (no gap - no spark!).

We clean the carburetor in the same sequence, as well as for a 2-stroke plume.

Scary to remove the carburetor?

There is modern way cleaning. We take a can of carburetor cleaner (see photo on the right) with us on the road. We puff from it into the carburetor air intake for 5 seconds, wait half a minute, and pull the rope - I personally succeeded.

Often, small 4-stroke outboard motors (power: 2.3-3.5 hp) do not unfasten during transportation. On bumps, the PLA bounces and rolls over, and excess oil enters the cylinder. You can return the engine to operation as follows: first we hang it on the fence for half an hour, and after that we try to start it. Did not help?

We act further. We turn out the candle, and close the hole with a rag, turn the engine with the starter cord - the oil starts to fly out. We substitute the rag all the time with the clean side and when we see that there is no more oil, we screw in the candle and start the outboard motor. In order not to spoil the engine ignition system, be sure to remove the emergency stop pin! If you do not have such checks on the motor, then we put the candle on the metal oil pan, i.e. ground it. Do not forget about 5 cubes from the syringe.

In more powerful outboard motors, the oil will flow to the wrong place in about three hours, so if you get to the reservoir in one hour, then nothing bad will happen. If so, see above.

About boat engine oil

Do not torment the motors with the TC-W3 standard, it is installed only for 2-stroke engines, not 4-stroke ones. Fill in oil for outboard motors - special, no experiments are needed, experiments have already been carried out by manufacturers.

Gear oil in tubes is 180 gr. and 230 gr., be careful, the first is not enough for most outboard motors. In the gearbox (leg), special oil with maximum protection against water.

A liter package of oil for the gearbox (legs) is more profitable than a tube, especially in the first year of operation, because. you will have to fill and change the oil three times. The first time for a run-in, the second after it at the beginning of the season and the third for conservation. The last change is the most important, because simply by the color of the oil you can determine whether water enters the gearbox or not. If the oil has a whitish tint, then you need to go to the service to check the seals, beats, etc. There are two options for filling oil from a liter container: a pump for 200 rubles. (very convenient) or you can do this. We take a suitable tube, cut off the neck, and fill it from the canister (economy method).

After I spilled the oil in the trunk of my car, I began to secure myself as follows: I cut off the lid from a 5-liter plastic jar and put a supply of oil in it.

It is bad to store the outboard motor on the balcony - the rubber seals do not tolerate frost very well, they do not like the heat either, and that is why it is not worth running the PLM in a barrel.

It is best to break in the engine on an empty boat alone. Be patient with these 10 hours and the outboard motor will serve you faithfully for many years.