Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Hey guys,

So, my maiden voyage on the boat I bought was today, everything went pretty well in the begining. I turned her over, she started up right away, then I cruised a bit, tested out the handleing and what not, then suddenlly I noticed my trim wasn't working (the button on my throttle) but the throttle itself was working fine, sped up, slowed down. So, i then wanted to test my trolling motor, so turned the boat off and dunked my TM. Ok...now is where it goes south.

I go to start the boat again, and nothing. I turn the key, not a sound. It's completely dead. I go through the things that in my novice mind might be the problem, nada. The motor itself moves, up down using the (not sure what you call it, but the trim that isn't on the throttle, which brings the motor up and down from the front of the boat and the back) so power is getting to the motor itself.

So..batteries seemed to be charged, as the boat which I was able to flag down that came to my rescue tried to jump me, but that had no effect on the starter..still no sound or any power to the trim on the throttle.....all around a miserable experience, followed up with me like a moron putting my transom saver in teh bed of my truck and someone walking off with it, then having to put my boat in dry storage at Comanche (thankfully for no charge) while I raced to get a new one and back. Not a good day...

So i need some ideas as to what might be the culprit...bad wire, bad throttle, bad starter, fuse? I just dont' know where to start HELP!

Did you check the kill switch ? or the circuit breakers ?

Sounds like some loose or disconnected wires. I would check the back of your ignition for the problem with your boat not starting, look for a loose wire. As far as the trim not working from the throttle,probably another loose wire. Since your trim is working from the front you know its not the motor itself. Do you have an ohm meter to check the switches?

Skunkedagain wrote:I go to start the boat again, and nothing. I turn the key, not a sound. It's completely dead.

"not a sound"
Did you leave it in gear?

Play with the shifter to make sure it is in neutral and check the kill switch to make sure the tab is all the way in at the key. Check wiring from the ignition back. Your trim switch is bad on the throttle/shifter for sure. I would have a mechanic check it out after you try the simple stuff. Good luck.

Hopefully, it is something as simple as the motor not being in neutral as Billy mentioned.
You didn't mention the type of boat, motor, year, etc...if you have a blinker style trim switch on the steering column, the trim on the throttle won't work. Both of these are easy to miss on a new to you boat if you are not familiar with the features.

Next there should be a fuse box near the console. If the above does not solve the problem, you can check them.

Did you do a check out run with the former owner? Can you contact the former owner for some steps you might be missing? If you had the boat checked by a mechanic prior to purchase, you should take it to the same mechanic for follow up.

It may be just a step you are missing in start up.

I would start with the kill switch. When you turn your key on you should get a warning signal. If you get nothing it means the kill swith has been removed. Jim

Thanks guys for the many replies. I tried the kill switch, that was my very first thought. I also made sure the throttle was in nuetral. For the record its a 1987 Champion with a mariner 175 on it.

I will be pulling it out of my gaurage today to mess with it. I'll look for a fuse box and try to open up the throttle and look for a loose wire. Before I start on all this I will definately give the former owner a call to see if he has any insight.

sounds like your starter stuck. try jumping across the starter silenoild, touch a screw driver accross the two big poles on the silenoild and the starter will engauge then try the key to start it. This happened to my friends boat last weekend.

In behind the shifter, between the the gunnel and the shifter wall itself, look for some wires that may have been disconnected. I don't think any of us can tell you what it is for sure from our computer terminals, but that's a good place to start. That would explain why the trim doesn't work in that location. The electric to the shifter may have come disconnected.
You may have to look into making friends at your local Mercury shop.
Good luck,
James