After discovering that we've paid already 18 months rent over the sailboat without ever being able to use it, I realize we're in for almost the same amount we paid for the ship. I'm about ready, btw, to just go out and sail her, without ever after being forced to pay rent to a bunch of ultra rich mofo's (i still don't understand why we let this all happen; well, it went day-by-day, each day a little more, exactly how frogs let themselves be cooked).
First I hoped to get her inboard motor running, the previous owner thought that the problem was in the transmission. Well, when I finally got the guts to get in there, I found out that the prop shaft wouldn't allow me to take the tranny out anyway. After disconnecting it from the tranny I discovered that the prop shaft didn't like to turn except with brute force.
So I guess that must be the cutlass bearing just in front of the prop. Which also is rusty, and has 3 blades, but not folding ones like in the Albin O22-R. We just have a normal O22. Ilene, 50% owner of the ship, won't allow me to try to do the work when she's in the water (i've seen excellent examples in where just a plug was just to plug up the prop shaft opening, and the rudder I can take off easily; I'll do it all by myself, and plug it in myself, however it would be a lot easier if someone could help me).
So I had to go find an outboard, which my wife found first, and bought from what at the time said to be a friend, an old Evinrude, that her ex-mechanic husband 'always had kept in good condition', well, when I brought that engine to a local repair shop, they didn't call me back in half a year. Only to tell me eventually the entire engine was shot, not worth putting more money in. At that time I'd already installed new reed valves, and a complete new CDI and impellor. Checking the engine however would've cost me more then the total value of these new parts, so I simply decided to let the motor go.
Then I bought a Johnson 9.9hp from 1975. Actually, the same engine, so that I could take parts from one and build up the other. It ran when I bought her, had electric start, so I worked hard on getting a fitting mount and installed an on and off switch, that operated a solenoid, that connected to the outboard wires.
A dude who said he was an 'outboard specialist' helped me a little bit, he even gave me a grinder, etc, then took off the hose connection which he dropped in the water (I went back in and found it), after which he disappeared again. He was with a small woman painter, but slept with another woman (the crazy one who sold her houseboat to the girl I worked with in the shop) and as soon as the new owner of the Tollycraft discovered they actually were staying on his ship without being allowed he kicked out him and her. I must say, these crack meth heads are pretty good liars!! They believe in their own lies...
Anyway, this Johnson worked fine in 2020, but in 2021 it decided not to spark anymore, ever after, so I've thrown away more months again, trying to get it to work, then in the hottest July and August ever, didn't even go to Talisman, for which I found guilty. Now that it is September again, I'm not going to wait any longer, I'm just going to buy a BRAND NEW OUTBOARD!
Reliability also is important, and money in my bank account is depreciating as we speak anyway.
