I am a recreation area supervisor in California with limited background
in boat engine repair. We have a fleet of 60 rental boats for fishing
and cruising. They all have 4-cycle Mercury 6hp or 15hp motors. The
concessionaire, who runs the rental business for us, sent me a list of
problems - they conclude that all seem to be related to the operator
running the boat on shore, causing damage...OR, is this due to poor
maintenance?

Does anyone out there have advice for me...Please!!! Here are some
examples of the problems the mechanic has reported. THANKS!!!

#1 - Problem, frozen power head, broken pull cord assy. Lower unit
maybe good. Stiff when try to turn. Cause, impact damage from running
the boat to shore repeatedly. Need new power head. And pull cord assy.
And water pump rebuild kit.

#2 - Needs new pull cord assy. cause, worn out from constant use.
Broken carburetor. Plastic part on carb. broken off cannot be repaired
need new carb. Motor turns (not frozen) needs pull cord assy.

#3 - Problem, Lower unit bad. Cause, most likely repeated impact from
landing on shore. Pull cord assy. broken Need lower unit and pull cord
assy.

On 5 Jul 2006 10:39:40 -0700, wrote:

Does anyone out there have advice for me...Please!!!

Yes. Require a stiff damage deposit and inspect the boat, motor,
prop, etc. very carefully when they come back in. Make sure your
rental manager understands that the repair cost comes out of *his* pay
if he misses it on the inspection.

wrote in message
ups.com...

#1 - Problem, frozen power head, broken pull cord assy. Lower unit
maybe good. Stiff when try to turn. Cause, impact damage from running
the boat to shore repeatedly. Need new power head. And pull cord assy.
And water pump rebuild kit.

Perhaps impact damage.... powerheads DO fail... it's an imperfect world.



#2 - Needs new pull cord assy. cause, worn out from constant use.
Broken carburetor. Plastic part on carb. broken off cannot be repaired
need new carb. Motor turns (not frozen) needs pull cord assy.

Pull cords break.... shore has nothing to do with this one.


#3 - Problem, Lower unit bad. Cause, most likely repeated impact from
landing on shore. Pull cord assy. broken Need lower unit and pull cord
assy.

Again... who knows??? Could be shore, could be a failed lower unit. With
THAT many rental boats, I'd expect a powerhead and/or a lower unit to fail
here and there.

-W

Sounds like someone should break out an owners manual and build a maitanence
schedule for the motors. Things like checking the oil whenever the boat is
fueled and a regularly change of the lower unit oil will help a lot.
MMC
wrote in message
ups.com...

I am a recreation area supervisor in California with limited background
in boat engine repair. We have a fleet of 60 rental boats for fishing
and cruising. They all have 4-cycle Mercury 6hp or 15hp motors. The
concessionaire, who runs the rental business for us, sent me a list of
problems - they conclude that all seem to be related to the operator
running the boat on shore, causing damage...OR, is this due to poor
maintenance?

Does anyone out there have advice for me...Please!!! Here are some
examples of the problems the mechanic has reported. THANKS!!!

#1 - Problem, frozen power head, broken pull cord assy. Lower unit
maybe good. Stiff when try to turn. Cause, impact damage from running
the boat to shore repeatedly. Need new power head. And pull cord assy.
And water pump rebuild kit.

#2 - Needs new pull cord assy. cause, worn out from constant use.
Broken carburetor. Plastic part on carb. broken off cannot be repaired
need new carb. Motor turns (not frozen) needs pull cord assy.

#3 - Problem, Lower unit bad. Cause, most likely repeated impact from
landing on shore. Pull cord assy. broken Need lower unit and pull cord
assy.