Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

So We went down to do work on the lot and trailer, really wanted to take The Floater out, but decided to get more work done. I wanted to make sure it fired up though so no issues when we do go out next. I run the hose about 100 feet hook up the muffs, turn on water climb in boat turn key nothin.... not even a freakin click. Change to Auxillary battery, nothin... god damnit it had only been two weeks since last time out and no issues. How the hell could both be dead. I was feelin pretty shitty anyhow , so I put the newly cleaned cover on and I unhook both batteries and put em on the trickle for next time we go down and called it a day.

After I get home talking to my bro and the ole light bulb goes off.

What's your guess?

Pics of pathway to trailer and grill pad.
Mostly by Admiral Paula and first mate Cassady.

left it in gear

Yep.

When I went to test drive my boat the first time when the sundeck was installed it was the first time I was starting it for the season.

I cranked and cranked and cranked and nothing. Just wouldn't fire. We had a Mercury technician looking at the motor, pulled the plugs, checked fire you name it. Nothing worked.

I finally had to get into my helm seat for something and there it was. The kill switch lanyard. What a dumbass. I told them I really did know how to drive my boat, honest. Put on the lanyard and it fired right up. Imagine that.

jimrs wrote:left it in gear

...or the pulled kill switch.

Either way...we've all done it!

The stories are endless........

you bet we've all done it

It was in gear I had a hard time getting on the trailer last time and once she was on I shut off the key.

Wont do that again.

got to be kill switch, you only do that once!! Took me an hour the one time I did it to figure out my kid had pulled it off...

I had a somewhat similar problem with my mothers old pontoon. Never really had any real issues in getting it started, even though she hardly ever took it out. So one day, my son and I went for a ride and had lunch. After eating we decided to go out and about and that buggar just wouldn't catch. So I did what any real man does, I took off the engine cowl and looked around. Not that I had any clue of what I was looking at. Although it did smell like it was flooded.

I tried and tried to get that pos to start. After awhile a guy comes up and asks if he could help. Sure! He gets in and it starts right up! WTF!!!

Apparently, one doesn't need to push in and turn the key all the time. Pushing the key in was giving it choke and a it was all ready warmed up, it didn't need it. We never used the pontoon that much, so we always had to push in a turn to get it to run.

I thought I was the only one that stupid. My grandson pulled mine off a few years ago and I had to be towed back to dock. Next day I was going to load it up and take it to the dealer when I though, That Damn safety thingie and yep was not hooked up all the way. Never happen again (famous last words).

Im glad you all explained to me how NOT to screw up!
Thanks to your stories i wont be writing in here that I did that... cause i woulda!

I believe that would be the last thing I would do, is to tell anyone. I would keep it to myself, it helps keep the DUMBASS from coming out.

jessp wrote:I believe that would be the last thing I would do, is to tell anyone. I would keep it to myself, it helps keep the DUMBASS from coming out.

Then no one would learn from your mistakes and know what to look for, yes sometimes you forget to check the simple things, i know one time I took off without venting my gas tank and it died quick, now if I had metal tanks I might not have figured it out what I forgot, but one look at the sucked in tank let me know why I ran out of gas.

curtiscapk wrote:It was in gear I had a hard time getting on the trailer last time and once she was on I shut off the key.

Wont do that again.

Will too

but hopefully I remember next time....