motorboating the hard way

All happenings at the Perich pad aren't as smooth as I let on.

Here's a craigslist hunt that went awry.

I thought this would be a good idea.

Get this super cheap outboard,

and part it out.

Yeah salty outboards don't like to come apart.

Fortunately the kids are like ants.

Point them in the direction and they have at it.

The stand was crazy.

I bet he had an engineering degree too,

just very little hands on experience.

Little by little we chiseled away at the motor.

Seriously,

we had to chisel and hammer this thing apart,

so many bolts were corroded and broken.

We were lucky this engine died of an electrical problem,

so internally the mechanicals were in good shape.

Enough boaters throw rods or run into rocks,

making parts worth more than the complete engine.

The hardest decision was letting go of our little outboards.

In the past 2 years,

we only used one of them twice.

Yeah...pathetic...

It isn't easy knowing that a minty 80's outboard,

preserved all these years,

is going to go die on some guys salty tender.

After a deep breath,

I had to fight that hoarder trait.

Must let some things live out their own lives...

Of course with each action,

there's an equal and opposite reaction.

My hooks were set on this mid 80's suzuki 30 hp tiller steer.

A dead old mans freshwater baby.

Eye on the prize...

That rattle-canned silver hiding a super clean low hour engine.

So much space compared to the 9.9 & 15.

The master plan is to ditch the big mercury 500 50 hp,

with all the steering and controls,

and go pull start - tiller steer with extension,

like an American panga.

I found the merc repair manuals,

and have a shred of hope to get it running,

or it'll get parted out too.

The rock in the gear is the old whaler hull.

Before 1972,

the transoms were low-cut 15" high,

and you may have noticed the suzuki is the more popular long shaft,

made for a 20" transom.

Now the choice is a metal bracket or fiberglass work.

Yeah always something.

TP