It ran fine last time. Now it won't even turn over.
A boat that sits for a month in Florida heat comes back with a weak battery, corroded terminals and fuel that has already started to go bad. Nine times out of ten the fix is one of a handful of things. Here is what to check before you call, and what we do when you do.
Nothing happens when you turn the key: the battery is flat, a terminal is corroded or loose, the battery switch is off, the kill-switch lanyard is out, or the engine is not fully in neutral. Outboards will not crank in gear, and a shift lever that looks centered often isn't.
It cranks but won't fire: stale or water-contaminated fuel is the number one cause in this climate. Ethanol gas pulls in moisture, separates, and gums up filters and injectors in a matter of weeks. A collapsed primer bulb, a clogged fuel filter or water separator, and fouled spark plugs are next in line.
It fires and dies: usually fuel delivery or a vent problem. A blocked tank vent, an anti-siphon valve stuck shut, or a failing low-pressure fuel pump will start an engine and then starve it.
Two things not to do: don't crank for more than ten seconds at a time (the starter needs to cool), and never jump a marine battery from a running car. It can cook the outboard's electronics.
If you smell raw gas, see fuel in the bilge, or the starter clicks once and goes silent, stop there. A fuel leak is a fire risk, and a starter that clicks and quits is pulling more current than the cables can deliver. Those are not driveway fixes. Leave the boat as it is and call; we bring the tools to test the whole system at your dock.
We test the battery under load, every connection from the battery to the starter, the safety switches, and fuel pressure and quality. Most no-starts are found and fixed on the same visit. If a part has to be ordered, you get the price before we order it.
Regular hours (6am–4pm): a $200 diagnostic visit. We come to the boat, find the actual cause, and quote parts and labor before any work starts. After hours, Sundays and holidays: a $295 call-out. Parts, labor and sales tax always show as separate lines on the invoice, so you can see exactly what you paid for.
Can old gas really stop a boat from starting?
Yes. Ethanol fuel absorbs water from the humid air. After a few months it separates into a layer of water and alcohol at the bottom of the tank, and that is what the fuel pickup grabs first.
My battery reads 12.6 volts but the engine still won't crank. Why?
Resting voltage tells you little. A battery can show 12.6 volts and collapse to 9 the moment the starter loads it, and a corroded cable end does the same thing. We test under load.
How long does a no-start visit take?
Usually one visit. Battery, connection and fuel-delivery problems are diagnosed and fixed on the spot in most cases.
Dock, lift, marina, driveway or storage lot — we come to the boat across Southwest Florida:
Text us the year, make and engine, plus where the boat sits. You will hear back fast, and you will get a straight answer about what it is and what it costs.
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