[quote=“"Bduck"”] Nice upgrade addition Forrest. Now you have to get it out on Willard to get it broke in so you can be ready for those ice off lakes coming.
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Yep. I am planning to get the boat all put back together (all the stuff put back in that I take out during the winter) today after work. Then hope to get it first of season wet on Saturday at Willard south and get some self guided OJT with the new motor. I figured I am retiring 30 June and the old motor provided 13 years of faithful service. Was time to invest in a new one before my income gets cut.
You will get used to the controls pretty quick. I bought a Merc last year and really like not haveing to shift the lever.
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With the wet weather most of the day today, I spent several hours in the boat shed. Installed my trolling plate on the new motor. Had to build up a new cable to deploy it. New motor bigger, needed longer cable. Rigged a new one with plastic coated wire rope. Should keep the cable from scratchin up the side of motor. Took me 2 trips to 2 different Lowes to get what I needed. But that job is done. More rain forecast for tomorrow, so will work on getting all the stuff I tote in the boat put back in. Sunday forecast is better, may get a chance to do a first run ops check at Willard. Might even take some fishing gear :)
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Fishing gear…never leave home without it!
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Was cold out this morning at Willard south. Air temp 33, water temp 42.7, very light breeze making small chop. Motor started right up, pretty quiet. Figured out the tiller controls prettyt quick. Got out in the main body of lake about 500 yards. Were 2 other boat trailers in the lot, but they were either way out at the edges or far enough north they were out of my sight. Throttled up the new motor, at about 50%, bow came way up. Hit the trim and it came down. Did a steady increase to full throttle, and trimed motor til it wouldn’t go any further down. Bow came up on plane almost perfectly. But with added weight of new motor and my 230 lbs. in the back of the boat, I’m glad I decided to leave the 120 lbs. of balast sand bags in the bow. Was just about a perfect balance.
Ran full throttle about half way to west wall with just a light breeze almost head on, little Tin-Can scooted along about 15 to 16 mph. Did a 180 and ran toward east wall (Freeway Bay) wind at my back. Got up to just over 19 mph. That’s about 2.5 times faster than the top speed of the old 15 hp.
Dropped back down to lowest throttle setting and can cruise / troll at 2.5 BEAUTIFUL :D
Put motor in N, deployed the trolling plate, went back into forward at "just in gear" throttle setting. Can troll down to .80 - .90 mph. That’s just about perfect. New motor at full throttle is quieter than the old 15 hp at low throttle.
I think the Tin-Can is ready, now for just a bit warmer weather…
