A Lesson Learned

A Lesson Learned

Today was not the greatest of days for me. As I got ready the night before, I put all my tackle into my boat that has been in my house all winter.  After the hours of organizing and reorganizing, I finally had everything where it should be.

I was so excited!  It had been a long long winter and to top it off I had just replaced the motor on my boat.  By the mechanics point of view, the motor had burned to lean.  OK, whatever that means.  I only know that I had to pay him $2500.00 to replace my 1992 motor with an older model.  He assured me that the motor had never touched saltwater, and was good to go!

Well, I was ready.  I had everything taken care of.  I was to pre-fish today, all day for a mid-week Wednesday Tournament.  It was going great.  I got to the boat launch early morning.  Smooth as silk into the water like I haven’t even stopped for the winter iceout.  A nice breeze blowing from the Northeast had me wondering where I was going to go first.  I started the big motor with no problem, let it warm up a bit and go.  She shot up and out like a brand new engine straight from the box.  I was up on plane in seconds thinking it was well worth the $2500.00.  In fact, it ran better than the last motor that had “leaned out.”

I flew ontop the water to my first fishing hole, shut her down and for about 20 minutes I tried some new lures, reels and gear that I had acquired over the winter months.  So now I was ready to put all this gear into some hard core fishing.  I was going to go to some points where I know that the small mouth were.  I cranked the motor, traveled about 100 yards and then…NOTHING.  No power, nada, zero. I checked for battery: OK.  Then checked for fuel: OK.  What is going on?

I cranked and cranked, and it started hesitantly.  I put the boat into gear…….DEAD.  Man I was about 2 miles from the launch!  So I put down my trolling motor and started to the boat launch. After almost an hour on high speed trolling power I reached the launch.  Before putting the boat back on the trailer I tried it again. As I turned the key I was thinking about the next day’s tournament, the following weeks of practice, and tournaments, the booked guided trips already on the calendar…NOTHING.

I called the mechanic, since I had a 90 day warranty starting today, and then went to his shop.  The first thing the mechanic does is test my gas.  My GAS?  This is the gas I just put in the other day!  He pours the gas into a glass, and then said to me, “Look, there is rust in your tank.”  “That’s what blew the motor, and that’s what blew your other motor” I thought it had burned too lean?  What the heck is going on?!  Well, I learned a few things today.  First is, if something breaks down, find out why.  Don’t just assume that it was one thing or another.  Second, if you have a boat that was EVER taken into the saltwater, check out every inch of every inch.

I always assumed that my gas tank was plastic.  No, it isn’t and it is rusty inside, thereby releasing rust particles into my motor thru the gas line.  Third, don’t let them see you cry like a little girl because that is exactly what I did when I found out that I was done before I even started.  Check your tanks, make sure there is no rust or anything that can make it’s way into the motor or you will be out on your behind fishing from the dock until the motor can be fixed.  If you have an extra $2500.00 to spare let me know, otherwise you can find me at my dock, crying like a little girl.