new to boating
 

Hello am new to boating and ijust bought a 1991 mariah diablo with a 4.3 an mer. outdrive. Am so new to this can any tell me what to do. there toggle switches and stuff i dont know what they do. I understand the unloading of the boat onto the water. but from there am lost. I know its alot but any help i can get from my fellow boat owner would help a ton. Like primeing it is there a button on the throttle or do i just pusch it forward. just some pointers would be great ty. Tim

Re: new to boating
 

I'll take a first stab at answering some basic things.

There are some switches on your throttle lever:
1 - On your grasp to unlock it from neutral, allows the throttle lever to move forward or aft. This lever puts the drive in gear (forward or reverse)
2 - Rocker switch, trim up and trim down
3 - Trailer button, used to pick the drive all the way up when loading on a trailer
4 - Towards the bottom, out of the way, allows the throttle lever to move forward without putting the drive in gear

Before starting, run the blower for four minutes to remove any potentially explosive vapors in the engine compartment.

To prime the carb (when necessary), push the neutral button in then pump the throttle lever to fully forward three times or so before returning it to the middle and starting the engine.

When making slow maneuvers around docks, typically steer first then bump the drive in and back out of gear to manipulate the boat. Remember, it's being steered from the back rather than the front like a land vehicle. Rule number one is, never go any faster than you are willing to hit something.

When you're out of the no-wake area and ready to get up on plane, typically you trim all the way down/in and give it 3/4 or so throttle. After a few seconds you'll feel it get over the "hump" and start running on top of the water then you can usually back the throttle down some. When you're up on top of the water you can start to learn about using the trim to run more efficiently. Basically the point of power trim is to provide bow lift in order to get more of your hull out of the water to reduce drag. If you are trimmed down too far you'll feel like you're plowing along and if you're too high you'll feel a vibration in your butt or feet. It's kind of hard to explain with text but it's fairly easy to feel.

I'm sure others will add some more things or critique what I've said. Just start slow in calm water and it's not too difficult to figure out the basics of a small runabout. You're in for a fun Summer!

Re: new to boating
 

Tim,
I would recommend hiring a seasoned boater (maybe someone at your marina, if you're at one) to spend a half day going over the boat, especially safety stuff...docking etc.
Make sure that it's just you and the boating instructor (No kids, complaining wife in the background....)
I helped my brother-in-law a couple years ago and it made the boating experience so much more enjoyable for him.

Re: new to boating
 

Ty guys i cant wait to take it out.

Re: new to boating
 

I agree on having someone knowledgeable of boats take you out and show things to you. You not only endanger yourself but also your fellow boaters if you are unprepared. What are you going to do if the boat stalls and will not start out in the middle of the lake on a windy day?

Re: new to boating
 

I would recommend an online safety course. It has good information for a first timer.

Re: new to boating
 

I agree, you need to go out with a knowledgable boater.... It's usually not hard to find someone to go out on the lake.... especially if it's on your dime.

Re: new to boating
 

I guess I could have had a disclaimer in my reply... reading on the Interwebz isn't going to compare to first hand knowledge share... but that's kinda common sense. Having something to read is better than nothing at all, imo.

Per another thread, he ended up getting to take the first cruise in his boat with a Coast Guardsman.