Boat starting problems

[zpacheco]

So, we were out on the lake yesterday and were listening to the radio while swimming. Probably swam for about an hour (battery is not even a month old). Went to start the boat and it wouldn't turn over. You could hear the engine trying to start but it just wouldn't turn over. Sat and swam some more, didn't want to stress out, and turned off all power. Then tried after about 15 minutes, still same thing. After awhile we decided to get a tow. While in tow I tried to start again, still same thing. Then about 10 minutes into tow, while they were pulling us, I tried again and it turned over. Ran fine and started good the rest of the day. Is this just the battery? Thats my impression. What else could this be?

[WTRSK1R]

Sounds like the battery, but the starter on the boat may be going as well. MC and Indmar recommend greasing the bendix on the starter annually because of the wetness in the bilge area that they are continually operating in, but few people do it because you have to actually remove the starter to perform the task.

A friend of mine just replaced his starter because of intermittant issues with it, and when he pulled it from the boat we connected it directly to a car battery. When you tried to make it spin, the bendix gear would pop right out, but the motor only turned really, really slow. When you jumped the batter cable directly to the motor windings it spun like crazy, so there was obviously some corrosion inside the solenoid mechanism that was limiting how much current actually made it to the motor under normal starting conditions.

Good Luck.

[Archimedes]

First question, do you have a deep cycle battery in your boat or a cranking battery? If you're gonna run the stereo like that and only have one battery, you need to have a deep cycle. I run our stereo/amp for as long as 90 minutes sometimes off the battery and the boat still starts. Couldn't do that with the cranking battery that was in the boat when we bought it.

[zpacheco]

It is a deep cycle battery. Can't remember the specs on the battery, but I know it is a deep cycle.

[oldairboater]

I found a broke terminal two weeks ago. It was cracked under the bolt where it wasn't visible. Terminal felt tight when I grabbed it and tried to hand turn it on the post. I actually removed the starter and tore it down checking brushes and bearings to find nothing wrong with it. Greased it and reinstalled but still had the same problem. I checked my battery switch and it was okay. Last thing I checked was battery terminals which I should have checked first. The reason I checked them last was because I cleaned them a couple of months ago and just knew that couldn't be the problem. My advice is start at the terminals and work back to your starter since you just installed a battery. Clean and tight terminals are a must with the length of our cables with the voltage drop they cause.

[kevkan]

I've had similar problems with my old boat and vehicle. Everytime the problem was at the positive battery connection.

[zpacheco]

So, I just got the boat and haven't cleaned the terminals. I guess I will start there. That and just bring the DeWalt radio for swimming!! There has been no problem with it starting all summer, but usually I don't run the radio while swimming. Maybe I can get an accessory battery?

[TLR67]

I found a broke terminal two weeks ago. It was cracked under the bolt where it wasn't visible. Terminal felt tight when I grabbed it and tried to hand turn it on the post. .

+1 only 1 week ago... Replace with a new sealed terminal and all is well now... Heading out here in a minute...