Seppo BNE
04-12-2016, 01:02 AM
Went out for a beautiful weekend camping trip at Somerset Dam, first launch with a new trailer went great!
I love Hydraulic brakes on the trailer, towing is a dream compared to the mechanical ones :)
Got about 500m away from the ramp and the engine cutout (Etec 200) - crap. Try a few more times, and, no life !
Cycled the key and heard the fuel pump running and stopping like it normally does pre-start as the system pressurises.
Pulled the cowls off and have a look for anything obvious, check the crank sensor wires, percussive maintenance on a few bits and pieces, still no life.
Bugger - drop the anchor and get the kids for a swim while the "Adults think about the world" for a bit :)..
Figured that will wave down one of the boats towing tubes/skis around in an hour after kids have knackered themselves swimming around.
Bit of googling while waiting "Etec wont start".. all kinds of weird things that I can't do much about on the water.
Then, came across a post with re-priming and giving it a go. - Checked out the primer bulb - soft as. - Hmmm, prime it bit a bit, till it's rock hard, and give a crank a go.
Short fire, then stop. - Prime some more and give another go - fires up ok !, didn't think to try as I had never had to re-prime an engine once it was already going.
It was a super hot day, maybe 40 deg or so.. Think it was vapour lock in the fuel system somewhere. Anyway, no issues boating after that!, great fun.
First time towing a tube/biscuit thing around too - great stuff.
Had enough of that, then back to the campsite, thinking about dinner and the evening when looking towards the horizon - hm, that looks nasty.
In the space of 15 mins, the nastiest storm I had seen for a while arrived.
Running around strapping things down as much as possible, getting eyes and ears dirtblasted. Boats camper covers were on all secure too.
Then the rain came. Hopped into the car to sit it out.
Most tents lasted a 2-3 mins, then they were flat, ours too.
Looking out the window - hey, that looks like the side clear from our boat !, crap. It is !!
Jump out on the lee side of the car/boat, hop in the boat and hold down the remaining covers till the storm passes.
Tents can get damaged, but, when the boat is suffering, things get serious :)
Felt like forever, but, was about 20 mins of wind/rain, (luckily no hail).
Our tent was a pancake, had about 15cm of water in it, everything wet.
Friends tent was built like a fortress, but bigass aluminium poles were tied like a ribbon.
His dome shelter thing was shredded into 1" wide strips.
Figured it wasn't worth staying the night with wet everything and no shelter.
Packed up the bits and headed home.
On the way out of the campgrounds, saw a Caravan upside down, some guys said three boats were "lost" - not sure how, blown off trailers, or across the lake?
The upside down van landed on a tent!, luckily the people inside didn't get hurt much from what I heard.
There were fallen trees across the road and flattened tents everywhere. What a night!
Drove home and unpacked most of the wet stuff with a hot shower.
Happy to be home :), tomorrow is a fixup/cleanup day - Zips/clips/eyelets on the covers copped some punishment.
Figured I would write about a very different day camping and boating while I remember.
I love Hydraulic brakes on the trailer, towing is a dream compared to the mechanical ones :)
Got about 500m away from the ramp and the engine cutout (Etec 200) - crap. Try a few more times, and, no life !
Cycled the key and heard the fuel pump running and stopping like it normally does pre-start as the system pressurises.
Pulled the cowls off and have a look for anything obvious, check the crank sensor wires, percussive maintenance on a few bits and pieces, still no life.
Bugger - drop the anchor and get the kids for a swim while the "Adults think about the world" for a bit :)..
Figured that will wave down one of the boats towing tubes/skis around in an hour after kids have knackered themselves swimming around.
Bit of googling while waiting "Etec wont start".. all kinds of weird things that I can't do much about on the water.
Then, came across a post with re-priming and giving it a go. - Checked out the primer bulb - soft as. - Hmmm, prime it bit a bit, till it's rock hard, and give a crank a go.
Short fire, then stop. - Prime some more and give another go - fires up ok !, didn't think to try as I had never had to re-prime an engine once it was already going.
It was a super hot day, maybe 40 deg or so.. Think it was vapour lock in the fuel system somewhere. Anyway, no issues boating after that!, great fun.
First time towing a tube/biscuit thing around too - great stuff.
Had enough of that, then back to the campsite, thinking about dinner and the evening when looking towards the horizon - hm, that looks nasty.
In the space of 15 mins, the nastiest storm I had seen for a while arrived.
Running around strapping things down as much as possible, getting eyes and ears dirtblasted. Boats camper covers were on all secure too.
Then the rain came. Hopped into the car to sit it out.
Most tents lasted a 2-3 mins, then they were flat, ours too.
Looking out the window - hey, that looks like the side clear from our boat !, crap. It is !!
Jump out on the lee side of the car/boat, hop in the boat and hold down the remaining covers till the storm passes.
Tents can get damaged, but, when the boat is suffering, things get serious :)
Felt like forever, but, was about 20 mins of wind/rain, (luckily no hail).
Our tent was a pancake, had about 15cm of water in it, everything wet.
Friends tent was built like a fortress, but bigass aluminium poles were tied like a ribbon.
His dome shelter thing was shredded into 1" wide strips.
Figured it wasn't worth staying the night with wet everything and no shelter.
Packed up the bits and headed home.
On the way out of the campgrounds, saw a Caravan upside down, some guys said three boats were "lost" - not sure how, blown off trailers, or across the lake?
The upside down van landed on a tent!, luckily the people inside didn't get hurt much from what I heard.
There were fallen trees across the road and flattened tents everywhere. What a night!
Drove home and unpacked most of the wet stuff with a hot shower.
Happy to be home :), tomorrow is a fixup/cleanup day - Zips/clips/eyelets on the covers copped some punishment.
Figured I would write about a very different day camping and boating while I remember.