Fridays Sea Trials

[Super Sportster]

We put the boat in about 7:00am, fired off the Bearcat and had to adjust the idle. Backed away from the dock, spun it around threw it in fwd and idled away for three hrs. This is the best idling/troller yet. Caught our limit of fish then tried some high speed runs. I was running a 12 pitch prop, top speed was 26mph, rpm topped out at 5200. Changed to an 11 pitch, 24mph at 5200 rpm. During both runs it just didn't sound right, and then it went south in a hurry, I barely made it back to the dock. My first thought was of Tim and the distributor key, I brought a spare! I tinkered with it at the dock for a spell and came to the conclusion it was carburation. Another problem developed too, my choke was not working.
Last night carbs were removed and cleaned, springs for the accelerator check valves were tossed, reinstalled them and fired it off again, much better now, rev's freely, before it seemed labored.
Today I'll remove the ignition switch, clean it, and that should take care of the choke problem, I also want to check the lower unit for water as it was apart to change out the gear case to replace the broken skeg. The only parts not disassembled in this teardown were the valves as they did not leak so I saw no need. I plan on taking it back out on Sunday.
Overall I'm pleased with it, no strange noises, very smooth idle at 500 rpm.

[Helmar]

Well, it goes to show you. This is Not a Hot Rod motor but if your just cruising or fishing, pretty hard to beat :cool1:

Glad it was a success !!!VeryBigSmile

[Super Sportster]

It may not be a Hotrod but...............................

It may not be a Hotrod but it's certainly respectable. Two of my co-workers were out there fishing too and were simply amazed at the trolling capability of 55 hp. I was idling along slower than their 5.5hp Evinrude. Fuel consumption is also amazing, it hardly used any in the four hrs of running.
Just cleaned the ignition switch and we have a working choke again. Removed the lower gearcase plug and nothing but oil came out. Sunday we will take it out again for another shakedown, I'm pretty confidant we should have no issues now.

[Tim McCrain]

Awesome

Congratulations Dick, sounds like she's going to work out real well for you. They sure are great motors for trolling.

[Super Sportster]

Thanks Tim! We had it back out today and it ran out flawlessly from idle to WOT. Was on the lake at 6:30 and pulled out around noon. By that time the lake and ramp were a zoo.

So how's the Merc working out for you? I really like the 85hp Bearcat for it's top end speed, but the 55 works best for what I use the boat for.

[Tim McCrain]

The Merc is working out great. Starts great, runs great, has been completely dependable and is waayy faster than I really need. And, although I'm sure some may find this hard to believe, it's quieter than the Homelite was at rpm. We can cruise at 25-30 and have a conversation without shouting, which was not the case with the Homelite. Cindy is now a Merc fan!

Yardman is going to take me for a ride in his Bell Boy so I can see what a Homelite is supposed to run and sound like, since evidently mine had a problem from the get-go that I didn't pick up on. Maybe since I hadn't run any others I didn't realize that mine needed internal work from the beginning and that was why it broke drive keys, vibrated and made too much noise. It would have been nice to have someone with your experience with them check mine out. Oh well.

I'm glad yours is working out for you!

Tim

[Skagitguy]

Tim, My 115hp Mercury is working out very well AND helping my lungs out too.lol ! A lot quieter than the "Black Max" 150hp Merc 2 stroke i had on the Farallon and as you a person can carry on a conversation without yelling. I have only had it out three times , up the Snohomish river in March with you guys ,Lake Union and Opening day.I have had her up to 25-27 as it was rough ( That foam really helps ) going back to the ramp on Lake Washington/Montlake cut ,but it did gave me the idea what to expect. Now it will be interesting this coming Sat going out on the "High Seas" ( the Sound ). Chuck

How's the "20" coming. Did you pick it up yet ?

[Tim McCrain]

Tim, My 115hp Mercury is working out very well AND helping my lungs out too.lol ! A lot quieter than the "Black Max" 150hp Merc 2 stroke i had on the Farallon and can carry on a conversation without yelling as well. I have only had it out three times , up the Snohomish river in March with but that foam really help ) was going to and from the ramp on Lake Washington/Montlake cut ,but it gave me the idea what to expect. Now it will be interesting this coming Sat going out on the "High Seas" ( the Sound ). Chuck

How's the "20" coming. Did you pick it up yet ?

No, Marty is being very patient with me as I haven't been able to get over there yet. I had to free up a large enough trailer, which meant coordinating with Slo-mo (who is just as busy at work as I am) to swap his 90 Merc onto another boat, stripping the good bits off the Bryant, finding an entire day free to go over to Martys, etc. etc. Everything had to happen in order. Finally got the Bryant ready to go to the big marina in the sky this weekend, hopefully I'll have time to haul it off this week and will be ready to pick up the Skagit after the Blake Island trip.

Tim

[Dave C]

The Big Marina in the Sky ?

Finally got the Bryant ready to go to the big marina in the sky this weekend, hopefully I'll have time to haul it off this week.. Tim

Does this mean what I think it means ? Was it too far gone to save ?
Care to elaborate ?
Dave

[Tim McCrain]

Does this mean what I think it means ? Was it too far gone to save ?
Care to elaborate ?
Dave

Dave,

The Bryant had a really awful fiberglass over plywood hull, a deck / cabin with deteriorating gel coat so thick in places that the cracks in it were 1/2" deep, rot in the chine logs, rot in the frames, previously patched rot in the bottom and a soft transom. Other than that it was fine. Oh, and the hatch cover looked a lot a seat lid from a pit toilet.

The other day, when the sun came out after it had rained pretty good, I noticed spots on the hull that I hadn't seen before. When I examined them closely I could see that they were moisture blooms, where moisture from the ply was seeping out through pinholes in the fiberglass. I imagined that the old girl was crying, hoping to be put out of her misery. So we're going to tow her down to the dump, back up fast and hit the brakes. Better to just get it over with than to watch her linger on out behind the shop.

All in all a good deal, for the very little we paid for her we got a nice '95 9.9 horse kicker, a functioning non-obsolete Lowrance, an EZ loader trailer with title, a six gallon gas can, two bilge pumps, a downrigger, two folding seats, four pole holders, a bunch of aluminum trim, some nice brass and chrome cabinet hardware, two good switches, one empty fire extinguisher and a roll of toilet paper in a ziploc bag. :GoodJob:

Tim

[Andy E.]

I love it. Such a deal. Andy

[Helmar]

I didn't see the drain plug.....Did you miss the drain plug ??:Police1:

[Dave C]

Does this mean what I think it means ? Was it too far gone to save ?
Care to elaborate ?
Dave

WOW ! So I guess the answers would be Yes. Yes. And I'm sorry I asked

I've always had a soft spot for those old Bryants since my neighbor had one when I was a kid. Sorry to see another one go.

Dave