Help stuck on boat.

[ebisucapt]

So in the ICW I managed somehow to find the only rock in a cut. Well I bent/broke a prop. Waiting for new one. Well previously to this the out board on my dingy quit working. It has a bad misfire and tends to stall and when given gas wants to die. 3.5 HP Merc 4 stroke.

It has a new carb and I have removed it and cleaned it three times. With no difference. I disconnected the kill wire. checked the valve adjustment. (Sorta don't have feeler gauges with me). I am thinking a coil but not sure. And for some odd reason the coils for this motor are nearly $300 a bit much to buy to experiment with. I am anchored out in Charleston and can't get out to get anything.

Really scared to go to a marina with one engine on Monday with the currents around here but have no choice as My prop came in and having a diver change it.

Just wondering if anybody else thinks a coil can cause this problem in my outboard?

[jkishel]

If you have an ohmmeter you can check the coil. Remove all the two wires and the spark plug cable from the coil. Resistance across the two terminals should be about .02 to .04 ohms. Resistance from the negative terminal to the spark plug cable tower should be around 10 ohms. Otherwise the coil is bad.

[ebisucapt]

This coil only has one wire to the kill switch and the plug wire. Do you thing it should still have the same readings? I don’t get any reading till I set the ohmmeter to 20K then I get 13.24 Anything less then 20 K I just get the 1. Thanks for the reply.
Greg

[Bobby Lex]

I'm confused. Is the problem how to get yourself to shore, or is it how to get your boat to a marina? Or both?

If you need to leave your boat at anchor and get to shore, do you not have oars for your dinghy? Are you too far from shore to row? If so, are there any other boats anchored near you that you can hail on the VHF and ask for a dinghy ride?

As far as getting your boat to a marina, do you have Sea Tow coverage or towing coverage through BoatUS? Some of their towing packages include towing to a "repair facility". Does your prop diver make house calls?

Bob

[jkishel]

Does the coil should look like this?

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...._AC_US40_.jpg

[skipmac]

Currents in Charleston are very strong so caution in this is wise. But there are slack times. I would watch for slack water and row the dinghy, assuming you aren't anchored too far out in the harbor.

[JebLostInSpace]

I'm local to Charleston and may be able to advise a little...

If you do try to move to a marina, the easiest dock to approach with the current is the Safe Harbor downtown's mega-dock. It's a pricey marina and I normally wouldn't ever recommend a Safe Harbor property, but their dock is well aligned to the current and it's one gigantic face dock. This makes it really easy to approach even with the current. I wouldn't think it would be a problem on one engine in your boat. Just put your bow into the current and set throttle to balance the current, then slight rudder adjustments will allow you to transit almost directly sideways into the dock. It's actually easier in some ways to go when there's lots of current vs. at slack. Just request that they put you on the outside of the mega-dock. That's where they usually put transients anyway, but good to let them know you're down an engine and need an easy-access spot.

If you don't want to dock, I can recommend that instead of anchoring across from the Safe Harbor where most people go, you can anchor right next to the aircraft carrier at Patriot's Point. I spent last weekend there, and other than the rolling from the wakes, it's a nice spot. Unfortunately there are a couple days of Southerlies coming, but not too strong. If you are confident in your ground tackle, the holding is great there. The real advantage is you can anchor about 20 yards from the Charleston Harbor Marina's outer docks. Even with the current ripping through you can likely row in and out.

I can't rightly advise you on your outboard troubles. I recently started a thread here asking for help with mine, and by the sound of it you're already well beyond what I had to do in terms of troubleshooting.

If you get desperate, shoot me a PM. I keep my boat on the other side of Elliot's cut, so not a super quick trip out to you, but I may be able to lend a hand.

[ebisucapt]

Bobby mostly just has to do with coil and getting the dinghy going. I will deal with the docking. Have no choice just a bit nerve wracking. Picked a marina here with a long empty face dock.

[ebisucapt]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

I'm local to Charleston and may be able to advise a little...

If you do try to move to a marina, the easiest dock to approach with the current is the Safe Harbor downtown's mega-dock. It's a pricey marina and I normally wouldn't ever recommend a Safe Harbor property, but their dock is well aligned to the current and it's one gigantic face dock. This makes it really easy to approach even with the current. I wouldn't think it would be a problem on one engine in your boat. Just put your bow into the current and set throttle to balance the current, then slight rudder adjustments will allow you to transit almost directly sideways into the dock. It's actually easier in some ways to go when there's lots of current vs. at slack. Just request that they put you on the outside of the mega-dock. That's where they usually put transients anyway, but good to let them know you're down an engine and need an easy-access spot.

If you don't want to dock, I can recommend that instead of anchoring across from the Safe Harbor where most people go, you can anchor right next to the aircraft carrier at Patriot's Point. I spent last weekend there, and other than the rolling from the wakes, it's a nice spot. Unfortunately there are a couple days of Southerlies coming, but not too strong. If you are confident in your ground tackle, the holding is great there. The real advantage is you can anchor about 20 yards from the Charleston Harbor Marina's outer docks. Even with the current ripping through you can likely row in and out.

I can't rightly advise you on your outboard troubles. I recently started a thread here asking for help with mine, and by the sound of it you're already well beyond what I had to do in terms of troubleshooting.

If you get desperate, shoot me a PM. I keep my boat on the other side of Elliot's cut, so not a super quick trip out to you, but I may be able to lend a hand.

Yes going to Charleston harbor at Patriates point. Charleston city is always full it seems. And yes I know how to crab into a dock in the current. It is quite easy really. Anchored up the Wando River right now. Have early appointment with diver at Marina in morning and then hopefully all will be well there. Getting up and thru wappoo bridge was a lot of fun. Lost control got sides ways to the current missed hitting a private dock by less then a foot. Luckily it happened at the widest spot south of the bridge. Had lot of room to get straight and wait for the opening. They wouldn’t give me a special opening. I was only a half hour from slack tide but it was still ripping thru there. And thanks for the offer of help.

[ebisucapt]

Originally Posted by jkishel

Does the coil should look like this?

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...._AC_US40_.jpg

No looks like this. The tab is for the kill switch. And the only wire besides the plug. I am beginning to think it is the coil. Messed with it more today. It starts right up and idles but at higher rpms it is missing real bad. Then ss it warms up it wants to die. And the resistance from ground to plug does seem really high.

[srbaum]

Your Mercury 3.5 four stroke is really a Tohatsu, with a Mercury decal. Buy Tohatsu parts for your outboard for less, then paying for Mercury parts, purchased though Tohatsu and labeled as Mercury. Go to boats.net and look up your outboard under Tohatsu. You can direct compare the parts to your Mercury. Just ensure that you are comparing the same year and hp, when looking up the parts.

[elcappytan]

Do you have BOATUS unlimited towing. There's a Tow Boat just sitting there waiting to tow you to your Marina. Hundred's of boat run on one engine everyday. That's why we have a spare.

[PanamaJim]

Buy the Seatow like the guys said. It's only $160. a year. It really pays to have it. Tell them that the motor broke down 2 days after you buy the service. Read the rules. They wont give you service for 2 days after you start, and other stipulations. The captains are really nice. Tip em'.

Try replacing the fuel filter on the outboard. doesnt sound like a filter problem. but its a huge source of most problems with an outboard. The filter may be $10 But dont avoid Seatow just because youre trying to save money,

If youre broke, email me at jdeslondes@gmail.com. I may gift you via Venmo or Zelle. I've been in a similar situation before. Time to pay it forward

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by PanamaJim

Buy the Seatow like the guys said. It's only $160. a year. It really pays to have it.

[clip]

If youre broke, email me at jdeslondes@gmail.com. I may gift you via Venmo or Zelle. I've been in a similar situation before. Time to pay it forward

Well done.

Agreed. Paying it forward and back all the time was the norm for us while cruising...

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by ebisucapt

So in the ICW I managed somehow to find the only rock in a cut. Well I bent/broke a prop. Waiting for new one. Well previously to this the out board on my dingy quit working. It has a bad misfire and tends to stall and when given gas wants to die. 3.5 HP Merc 4 stroke.

It has a new carb and I have removed it and cleaned it three times. With no difference. I disconnected the kill wire. checked the valve adjustment. (Sorta don't have feeler gauges with me). I am thinking a coil but not sure. And for some odd reason the coils for this motor are nearly $300 a bit much to buy to experiment with. I am anchored out in Charleston and can't get out to get anything.

Really scared to go to a marina with one engine on Monday with the currents around here but have no choice as My prop came in and having a diver change it.

Just wondering if anybody else thinks a coil can cause this problem in my outboard?

Everything you describe sounds like water in the fuel.