Getting the doggone outboard motor started.

I was thinking the other day about my first encounters with outboards, back in the 50's. In case you don't remember, that was in a Previous Century.

The biggest issue was getting the doggone thing started, the throttle, the choke, winding the starter cord around the flywheel. Yanking it good without falling out of the boat. Those were the days.

So, I just saw 22 guys start their outboards at the same time, and leave the dock, and I got this photo:



They're working a lot better now...

 

Terry
You remind me of an instance long past.

I got an almost-new Bultaco motor bike free simply because the owner could not start it. It predated electronic ignition and everything had to be just so for it to start. It was a B...H.

It was once stolen from me and I was able to track it through some bushy parkland where I found it on its side with drips of blood on the engine case. We later learnt it was stolen by a teenager in bare feet and short pants. The blood was from a gash on the knee when it kicked back and wedged his knee between the (left foot) kick starter and a bolt in a bracket on the handle bar. It caught me a few times before I learnt to swing the bar out of the way when I kicked.

I am a bit off topic but the point is that the tiniest of scooter motors now have in-built electric starters. So electronic ignition and electric starters have made even little engines easy to live with. The one on this link has a tiny starter motor installed between the pull cord and the flywheel:
http://www.atvchopperscooters.com/electric-gas-scooters/product_info.php?products_id=1460#3

By the way I have enjoyed your photos. The racing is clearly very professional and a lot of thought has gone into the rescue boats.

Rick W.

 

Looks like one guy didn't start