Is there truly a thin line between love and hate?  In the case of outboard motors the emotion is generally hate; however I believe this is undeserved.  I love my outboard and it responds accordingly.  It is true that you can get lemons but a simple approach to the care and understanding of your outboard can greatly diminish the chances of poor performance and unreliability.

If you are an experienced crew coach you may have associated with a number of outboards in your career.  Different philosophies have developed towards outboards in different programs.  Some just get new ones every one or two years, some send them for repairs whenever they "act up", and some who run them till they self destruct curse them as they stall, stutter, die, or require more pulls on the start rope than their athletes pull during a twelve mile row.

So, how do we transcend the thin line from hate to love or, for a new coach, start out with the right approach to this sometimes mysterious machine?  In my thirty years of experience with outboards and boats and twenty years of teaching Auto Mechanics I have discovered some universal truths to outboard motors that might help both new and experienced coaches get more coaching done and make less requests for a tow.

1.  Be absolutely accurate when mixing your oil with the gas!!  Here is a simple method to make this fairly painless but accurate.

A.  Establish safe covered place to store outboard tanks with good fuel lines for daily use.  (Don't leave these out in the boat exposed to the sun and elements.  This is very hard on the fuel lines and plastic tanks and also promotes condensation and breakdown of the fuel mix.)

B.  Get two or more six gallon plastic fuel cans with good caps and a spout.  Call these your "refill" cans.  Rubbermaid makes an excellent one available at Wal Mart etc. Take a felt permanent marker and mark these cans "Premixed Fuel Only" "Use X Ounces of (recommended) Oil to 6 Gallons of Gas".  I put "X" in here because different outboards require different oil to gas ratios.  My Johnson is 50:1 which requires 16 oz TCW3 oil to 6 gallons (768 ozs) of gas.  (Outboard oil is usually TCW3 two-stroke oil)  Take 8 to 12 inches of nylon string and tie your caps to the can's handle (this helps prevent leaving or losing them!).

C.  Always fill your daily use outboard cans from the pre-mixed 6 gallon "Refill" fuel cans only.  Empty the refill cans completely before adding the recommended amount and type of oil and take them to the gas station for filling, putting exactly 6 gallons in each can.  Mix well!!

D.  Check with your outboard dealer for the recommended oil type and mix ratio. Most dealers market their brand of pre-bottled oil available in 16 oz, 32oz, 1 gallon and 3 gallon containers.  Many of them also offer "Bulk Oil".  This is the same oil as in their bottled containers except that you provide the jug and it is usually cheaper.  Shop around, sometimes you can get factory brand oil in gallon containers at WALMART cheaper than the dealer.

 E.  The Messy Part: Mixing the oil!  Keep your oil jug or bottle in a specific place with a measuring cup.  If you use bulk oil in a jug, label the jug and write the mixing ratio on the jug!!  For example mine says:  "Johnson Outboard Oil - TCW3" Mix 16 oz oil to 6 gallons gas in refill cans only!"  Also, have a measuring cup or get a clear plastic bottle with a "Fill To" reference line marked on it to yield the exact amount to be added to the 6 gallons of fuel.  Label the bottle too!!!  Finally, keep a couple of rags or a roll of paper towels nearby and screw a plastic milk jug or oil bottle to the wall to hold an appropriate oil funnel and catch the drips after use.  Have a nice large funnel to pour mixed gas from your "Refill Cans" into your "Daily Use" motor cans.

The above process may sound tedious at first but I have found that it simplifies and expedites exact mixing and makes it easier to show "trusted" team managers and other coaches how to mix accurately.

2.  Have a maintenance plan and keep records!!  (Would you coach your crew for a season without a plan?)

A.  Consult your dealer or owner's book to determine what needs to be done.  Pick a time once a year, usually at the end of your coaching season, to have the motor taken out of use and serviced.  If you are knowledgeable and equipped enough to do what is needed, then do it, otherwise the cost of your dealer's trained and updated service department is money well spent.

B.  General things that should be done at least once a year:

• Wash off entire motor inside the cover and out, using both soap and degreaser.
• Wax entire exterior
• Replace plugs - make sure gap is correct, use proper torque and lubricate threads.
• Lubricate moving parts with good outboard grade grease, also grease all lube fittings.
• Flush cooling system with fresh clean water from hose (you can do this yourself  with a garden hose and attachment rig available at Wal Mart or boating suppliers).
• Drain, leak test, and refill lower unit (transmission) with fresh oil.
• Check for flaking paint or rusting spots, neutralize or brush away rust, and spot paint or coat with protecting grease.
• Check propeller for cracks and signs of hub failure.
• Check shear pin that connects propeller hub to drive shaft.
• Make sure you have a spare shear pin, cotter pin, and safety shut off clip attached to motor or inside cover.  (These items need to be attached to the motor as the motor may not always be used on the same boat.)
• Clean or check fuel filter or screen.
• Check all hoses for condition.  (Are they brittle, cracked, or swollen?)
• Get any temporary rigs that you did to get through the season repaired with proper parts!!!
• If the motor will be stored until next season run the engine for at least 15 minutes on "Stabilized" fuel.  (fuel mixed with a chemical known as "Stor + Start", fuel stabilizer, or fresh gas; available at auto or marine supply store.)  Also stabilize any fuel left in your refill or daily use cans.
• Have the engine "Fogged" through the carburetor while engine is running using fogging oil. This will lubricate the intake and cylinders with a protective film during storage.

C.  If your motor is in use year round, consider either getting a loaner while yours is being serviced, or getting a second motor to extend the life of both motors under this kind of heavy use. (This will also give you a back up motor.)

D.  A warning about what you should do yourself:

Even something as simple as replacing the spark plugs can lead to disaster if you cross thread or over tighten them.  Also trying to adjust the mixture if you don't know what you are doing, can lead to poor performance especially in small motors less than 15 HP.  I have seen fairly new motors with mixture screws only 1/16 - 1/4 of a turn off cause very poor starting, stalling and sputtering.  Always consult your dealer or a trained mechanic when in doubt.

3.  Be careful and formal as to who can operate your outboards:

A.  Some people lose sight as to what the "Coaching" launch and motor is for.  The motor is not like a lawn mower or weed eater and requires a knowledge of 1) piloting the boat, 2) outboard operating fundamentals, 3) fuel mixing, 4) set up before use, and 5) securing the boat and gear after use.  It is easy to have $1,500 - $3,500 tied up in launches and motors.  No one should operate it if they have not been checked out on the above 5 aspects of launching, operating, and docking.

B.  Have a good training program for operators and require successful completion of training before people are qualified to operate the launch and motor.

In summary, the care and feeding of your outboard can be greatly simplified if you organize your fuel mixing, plan maintenance on a yearly basis and keep your operators informed and sensitive to the requirements of sensible operation.  Finally, don't forget that the storage of your motor when not in use has a very critical effect on how it runs for you the next time you put it into operation.   Unstabilized fuel, ungreased pivots, and rust spots can lead to a gummed up, stuck, or poorly moving motor next season.  My first Johnson 25 HP motor has had its tenth birthday this past season.  While salt water and almost year round use has made it rather ugly it still starts on the second pull cold, and the first pull warm, and it idles very well.  My second 25 HP, new last summer, runs the same.  I hope it is a testimony to a simple operating system and maintenance program.  Some of my coaches swear the old 25 has more power and runs better than the new one.  I guess that gives me something to look forward to with the new 25 in ten years!

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