It’s early morning, the marina is quiet, the boat is covered in dew and the clients are on their way. The ritual of prepping the boat for a day of fishing begins. The clients step on board. The key is turned and the engine starts, every time…
Then begins the hunt. Find the “spot”, find the fish, drift the flat… each time the engine is turned off as the anglers toss casts in every direction.
It’s that one time, the key turns, the engine sounds almost right except that it just doesn’t turn over. Squeeze the bulb, open the fuel cap, add choke, wait to make sure it’s not flooded, remove the cowling and look at stuff (don’t touch unless you are the one that knows what they are doing – not me) and finally flag down a friend for a tow back to the dock.
Fortunately, especially in July, personally knowing your mechanic and confident that not only have you paid your last bill but also that you always pay in a timely fashion; you walk over to his shop and explain that your outboard is on the fritz.
Today is Monday, I’ve got trips booked this week and I cross my fingers that Yamaha has sent the part for arrival today and that my good mechanic can put the parts in and back together by day’s end…
We shall see if the engine gods want Salty Fly Charters to fish tomorrow…