Short offshore trip 3/08/2022

capt louie

Gathered up forum member Alex (from Ga)  and went to meet JTS (John) for a sheep/snapper/grunt/whatever trip. Made the FIT beach ramp about 8am and headed south .

ready to go.


Ran 25 miles to a rock pile and Garmin showed decent display and dropped the hook.

Grunts were thick and some snapper showed. Reset and sheeps started biting but not quick enough. Tide was slowing and had more numbers to fish.

Got Some at first stop.  On way to spot # 2 Motor started loosing power and bogging. Checked the usual and it would run and start again . Eventually we decided to turn towards home and go at idle but the frequency even then was getting shorter and bulb pumping wasn't cutting it.

Had to make the call...



First run since the 100 hour prep had been done (JTS does it EVERY 100 hrs) We'll see ?
SeaTow was great and towed the Panga in at about 15 knots no problem.

We had a small box of eats in the box so not a total waste. Only burned 6 gals. LOL

Partial box shot.



Later , capt louie

Salty Dawg44

I had a similar problem after a PM years ago. The main gas filter wasn't tightened quite enough and it started sucking air in.

Quad32x

Good trip except the tow in.

capt louie

Salty Dawg44 said:

I had a similar problem after a PM years ago. The main gas filter wasn't tightened quite enough and it started sucking air in.

It's a fuel problem for sure. That may be it ?

Doc Stressor

You guys have all the fun!  Catch a few fish, save fuel with a tow in, and now you get to work on the engine. 

Alex from GA

Had fun and got some good eats, thanks John and Louis.

Debo

Nice mess of fish! Hope its an easy fix. 

Ruff One

Man, that's sucks! We also went out yesterday. Hit 23ft as the deepest. Caught 1 million grunts. Nice to run boat. It has been idle to long. Cobia are on the way. Water temp was 71 degrees. Mack's were attacking. It's coming.

capt louie

Yeah. Got in some Mac's and hooked a shark. Spring is here.

Jts

Called Apopka marine today and let them know what went wrong with the engine and that I had just been in for a 100 hr checkup on March 3.  Call didn’t go well.  They said they couldn’t get me in for 2 weeks.  I understand the engine problem may not be related to the 100 hr checkup but I did expect them to make room to get me in as soon as possible not two weeks out.
Anyone with suggestions for another Yamaha repair facility please let me know.

On the plus side the Garmin In Reach worked great.  Sent a txt to my wife and she called Sea Tow.  The Garmin txt showed her our GPS position, time, speed of drift and direction.  
Sea Tow was great also, got there in good time and before we ran out of beer.
And I have a bunch of grunts to clean.

capt louie

I was a little surprised (just a little) they didn't try to be more flexible in lieu of your meticulous patronage there. But not even a drop it off and we'll quick check it when we can.

I've not heard many good things about that shop.

Elapid

I'd bet Garrett at Crystal River marine would do you better than that. May want try them.

Quad32x

I have had my boat into Miller Marine in Ocala twice in the past several months and got it back both times in a couple of days. They are under new ownership and the new folks are big on quick service.

Jts

Elapid and Quad32x thanks for the recommendations.  I’ll let you know how I make out.

Jts

Called a guy Friday, Stacey, he came out Sunday and after checking different pressures found the primer bulb was bad.  Might stay with him, really like to see what is going on when someone is working on the engine.  Plus I can buy all the parts I need and make sure they are changed.
Message me if anyone wants his number.
Thanks for all the help.

capt louie

Good to know.

RayI

Didn't know Millers was under new management. Was that recent? Had my 20 hr done on new outboard I purchased from them in December and seemed like all the same faces?

Doc Stressor

Stacy Richardson?  He's a good mechanic. 

GatorCity

My buddy has had good things to say about Tailwinds in High Springs.  I bought my boat from  Apopka Marine and had a great transaction with Mike Cyr but that is concerning about their service.  It's a long trip from Gainesville so doubt I would use them for service anyway but still...

permit_me

went through similar problem last year. thought fuel, separator, filters...turned out to be 2 spark plug wires. could even be plugs??? Last 100 hr service i had done was double $$ and resulted in problems still fleshing out, incl. hydr. steering, filters, plugs, never changed, mounted new GPS has dropped out coming in from spoil banks. Same place used for 12 years, first real issue. 

GoldHunter

Miller's changed hands at the first of the year.  From what I heard a couple of brothers who own a motorcycle dealership from out of state, Arkansas I believe, decided they wanted to get into the boat business so they bought the place from from Jeff Miller.  Can't verify if that's true or not, but it's what I heard.  I do know for a fact that a number of the old sales personnel and inside employees have quit or were let go and there's all new faces inside.  So far it seems the service department pretty much has the same folks in there, I had an annual service done on one of my boats back in February and it was fine.  Time will tell if they can maintain the same high quality service they've had for the last several years.

Quad32x

GoldHunter said:

Miller's changed hands at the first of the year.  From what I heard a couple of brothers who own a motorcycle dealership from out of state, Arkansas I believe, decided they wanted to get into the boat business so they bought the place from from Jeff Miller.  Can't verify if that's true or not, but it's what I heard.  I do know for a fact that a number of the old sales personnel and inside employees have quit or were let go and there's all new faces inside.  So far it seems the service department pretty much has the same folks in there, I had an annual service done on one of my boats back in February and it was fine.  Time will tell if they can maintain the same high quality service they've had for the last several years.

Its true. Walter in sales is still there and the same girls are running the front. I was told the selling price was 35 million.

Jts

When Stacy came to the house and checked my boat out he did let me know of a fuel filter that should have been changed but wasn’t.  I think we are all facing the same repair problems, lack of trained employees and pressure to get boats out the door.  Always goes back to the integrity of both management and ownership.  As with most things the more you can do yourself the better it is.  I’m going to be more hands on.

Crkr23

Quad32x said:

GoldHunter said:

Miller's changed hands at the first of the year.  From what I heard a couple of brothers who own a motorcycle dealership from out of state, Arkansas I believe, decided they wanted to get into the boat business so they bought the place from from Jeff Miller.  Can't verify if that's true or not, but it's what I heard.  I do know for a fact that a number of the old sales personnel and inside employees have quit or were let go and there's all new faces inside.  So far it seems the service department pretty much has the same folks in there, I had an annual service done on one of my boats back in February and it was fine.  Time will tell if they can maintain the same high quality service they've had for the last several years.

Its true. Walter in sales is still there and the same girls are running the front. I was told the selling price was 35 million.

If all this is true, it's a great success story for the Miller family. I can remember when they started out as a small Bass Pro franchise in a strip mall across the street from Ocala Motors, nothing more than a glorified bait and tackle shop. Congratulations to Jeff and family.

MtgMama

Quad32x said:

GoldHunter said:

Miller's changed hands at the first of the year.  From what I heard a couple of brothers who own a motorcycle dealership from out of state, Arkansas I believe, decided they wanted to get into the boat business so they bought the place from from Jeff Miller.  Can't verify if that's true or not, but it's what I heard.  I do know for a fact that a number of the old sales personnel and inside employees have quit or were let go and there's all new faces inside.  So far it seems the service department pretty much has the same folks in there, I had an annual service done on one of my boats back in February and it was fine.  Time will tell if they can maintain the same high quality service they've had for the last several years.

Its true. Walter in sales is still there and the same girls are running the front. I was told the selling price was 35 million.

35 million? BS

Quad32x

MtgMama said:

Quad32x said:

GoldHunter said:

Miller's changed hands at the first of the year.  From what I heard a couple of brothers who own a motorcycle dealership from out of state, Arkansas I believe, decided they wanted to get into the boat business so they bought the place from from Jeff Miller.  Can't verify if that's true or not, but it's what I heard.  I do know for a fact that a number of the old sales personnel and inside employees have quit or were let go and there's all new faces inside.  So far it seems the service department pretty much has the same folks in there, I had an annual service done on one of my boats back in February and it was fine.  Time will tell if they can maintain the same high quality service they've had for the last several years.

Its true. Walter in sales is still there and the same girls are running the front. I was told the selling price was 35 million.

35 million? BS

Its what I was told.