BASIC POWERBOATING. SAFETY & RESCUE FOR SAILING INSTRUCTORS 17


OUTBOARD STARTING PROCEDURE For best results, follow the procedures described in the manufacturer’s manual. 1 Complete the inspection. 2 Turn battery switch to correct setting. 3 Lower outboard into down position. 4Pump the fuel primer bulb until it is firm (if using a portable or integral tank with an air vent, open the vent before pumping the bulb). Also pump oil bulb, if applicable.


Retrieval line connecting motor and boat prevents motor from sinking to the bottom if you lose your grip.


5 Attach one end of the safety lanyard to the driver and make sure the other end is attached to the ignition cutoff (“kill”) switch at the key ignition or on the tiller.


6 Center outboard motor. 7 Put gearshift in neutral and throttle to start position. 8 If starting manually, activate the primer pump or pull the choke out all the way, then pull the starter cord until the engine starts. When using the cord, remove any slack in it before pulling; don’t yank on it or let it snap back on the rewind. On an outboard with a choke, once the engine fires, push choke in all the way (unless it is very cold). If, after the third pull on the starter rope the engine hasn’t started, push the choke in halfway and pull the rope again. When using an electric start, push the ignition key in at the START position to activate the primer pump or choke. When the engine starts, release the key from the start position. It may be necessary to cycle the pump two or three times before the engine fires. NOTE: If starting a warm engine, do not use the primer pump or choke.


9 Adjust throttle to steady idle. J Check for a stream of water flowing from the inspection outlet for cooling water discharge. Important: If there is no water, turn off the outboard motor immediately, to prevent damage from overheating.


K Check gauges, if applicable. NOTE: If engine won’t start and there is a smell of gasoline, wait several minutes before attempting to start it again.


Lifting an Outboard


A small outboard motor of 10 horsepower or less can usually be lifted and attached to a boat without too much effort. Although this is best done on land, when doing it on the water, tie the boat so it won’t move around during the transfer. Have someone pass the outboard to a person in the boat. As a precaution against accidentally losing the motor overboard during the transfer, tie a retrieval line to the motor and fasten it to the dock or boat.


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