Wayne. I so appreciate that you are willing to show the mistakes and goof-ups. It makes me feel a lot better when I do something dumb. Because I'm still learning, I do dumb stuff a lot....
Hey Wayne. Nice boat, man! I got one just like it a month ago! Mine is a 1965 SmokerCraft and it looks like it was never put in the water!! Kept in the garage it's whole life. Sanded it down, primered and painted it. Its beautiful. After that I asked ChatGPT what size motor to put on it and it suggested a Mercury 9.9. The next day I took it's advice and bought one. Lemme tell you something, @7:27 you say it'll get up to 8 mph. With a 9.9, it'll PLAIN at 8mph! When you're REALLY hauling ass, the bottom of the boat flexes. I have a few clips at full speed if you want to see. It gets pretty sketchy, NGL. I also have a Minn Kota Power Drive with 55ft thrust. I'm planning on mounting it on the front with the Optima yellow top battery. Later today I plan to cut the plywood to make a small deck/platform that will cover the front seat. I've had it out once. I made ALL your mistakes. I thought I understood oars too....don't feel bad one bit hahaa. I actually got mad at myself for not being able to row. It took 20 minutes but I got the hang of it. I needed to watch your videos first. Everyone wants their videos to only show the best parts but you show pointers and things that you mess up. I appreciate that because when I do it on the lake...I don't feel like the only guy who's done this. I love your videos and I hope you continue to find boats you love and make videos about them!
Thanks for sharing. Im doing the same thing. Obtained a 70's vintage Sears 12'. Freshening a 50's era Evinrude 7.5hp. Dont know a thing about boats, but I'm learning. I hope to be making all of the same mistakes in a month or so.
Im not gonna lie I laughed wayyyy to hard at this! Especially the part when you first start the motor and start running into things. We've all done it, it nice though that you admit your mistakes, most guys would never say they messed up. Great video
I need a video of someone explaining the very basics of a Mercury 2.2 engine. Like, starting with filling it with gas ( I got a mix of fuel and oil in one- expensive but much better for the engine, right? ) and explain the choke and all the other dials- just a quick walk through. (How many times do you press the choke? Do you open something to let the gas mixture "breathe"? If you fill the tank how far will you get / or approximately how long will it run at a medium speed? How do you winterize it?
I do have a video about starting this engine which might answer some of your questions - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EDIBSDMN2Ns.html
I have a little pelican intruder I put some seats in with my 2.6 Coleman outboard and let me tell you it’s a joy having a plastic Jon because when I slip up like this I don’t have to worry about any real damage other then some side scratches 😂 but man I had every problem under the sun my first time launching
you should steer the boat with your left hand, becuase is you ever decide to upgrade your motor the shifter could be on the starboard side of the motor
How did this little boat hold up near the mouth of the river? Found a good deal on a 12 footer just like this, would like to set it up for fishing the South/ Severn rivers in MD, and shoreline structure on the bay at the river mouths. Calm days of course. Kayaks hold up just fine out there, just wondering how this would compare
I think it be totally OK to put that 7.5 hp motor on that boat a friend of mine has a 12 footer just like that and he has a 9,9 on it and he still has a lot of free board two people and a bunch of fishing gear as long as your transom is structurally sound it would be fine
The problem with my old 7.5 on this boat is the weight of that particular engine and the length of the shaft. This boat wouldn't like that heavy old thing on the back!
For launching by myself, I like to tie a line that is about 20 feet long to the bow and the other end to the winch area of the trailer. The line is coiled neatly in the bow. Back up the trailer and then tap the brakes to dislodge the boat and get it out into the water. The line will stop it from floating away. Then slowly pull forward until the trailer is mostly out of the water, but the boat is still floating free. Then I get out of the truck, untie the line from the trailer and then walk the boat over to a cleat and tie it off. Then park the truck and go fishing.
To launch solo, disconnect boat from winch, using separate 20' rope, tie bow of boat to back of trailer. coil up rope so it can deploy freely without getting snagged, set coiled rope on boat seat, back trailer into water until boat floats off trailer. Boat keeps moving backwards, uncoiling the rope and paying it out until it becomes taut. Once the rope is taut, drive truck slowly forward, pulling boat back to shore. Disconnect rope, park truck and trailer, and go boating!
Nice little Motor, if u cant get used to the no Neutral, then u schould prefer the Tohatsu 3,5, it has neutral. The Yamaha Malta also is a very good 3hp engine.
As a brand new boating enthusiast, I literally got my first boat last week, I'm 44, I'm learning as I go and I really appreciate the balls it takes for someone to post a video that shows the mistakes one could make first times out. Really appreciate it. Thank you Wayne, and thanks for the giggles too. Happy boating!
Great tip I don’t think it was a mistake necessarily just a good wake up call before hitting the water especially with the dangers that can occur that are unsceen
Thanks for being honest and showing what a lot of beginners go through especially when launching a boat solo with a new motor. I've watched several videos on different model 2.5 hp gas motors and I noticed several have some automatic clutch without an actual gear actuator (like you'd find on gas scooters). I am thinking I'd appreciate the control of the gear actuator when close to docks or shore. How do you like the your motor a couple of years later? Don't worry most of us could simply paste our face on your video and it would all be true! :) Thanks
The biggest drawback with this particular engine is the 'no neutral' aspect. It makes it impossible to manage my speed when I am in a marina etc. These days I usually shut this down and paddle or use electric motors. If I were shopping for a small gas engine again, I would only get one that could shift into neutral.
Was thinking of buying this engine was afraid it wouldn't push thru stronger current down here on the California delta i also have a 12ft aluminum boat and those were my concerns on not enough power from the 2.5 hp .
Awesome video. I have the same outboard, but mine has a "neutral" and a "foward" position. I think it is due to the fact that i live in Brazil and probably mercury has this especific version avaliable here.
Man, I would have payed good money to be sitting on that dock that morning 😂 thanks for sharing man. Trial and error. I don't know that I've ever seen an outboard without neutral.
OMG THANK YOU! I'm trying to figure out how to launch and use a boat for the first time and seeing all the oopsies was soooo very helpful. Thanks for being man enough to educate people!
I’ve seen many of your videos but this is the first time this one popped up on my RU-vid Home Screen. Having only a canoe for many years the first time I launched my 1960 Sears 12 foot v hull aluminum boat, I forgot to put the drain plug in. Having no trailer for that boat,my 8yr old son and I carried it to the edge of the lake then loaded it up with fishing gear, safety gear, trolling motor,battery and anchor. The boat came with full sized oars so I used one to shove off hard from the shore. It was a good push and by the time I stowed the oar sat down we were about 20 ft out when my sons said, “hey dad why is there water coming in the boat?” As quick as I could, I got to the middle seat, pulled out the oars and started rowing but wasn’t going anywhere. My son again, “Uh dad, your new battery is sinking!” So I jumped in chest high and dragged the boat back to shore. I know it would have been smarter to put the plug in before I tried to row back to sure but that’s difficult to do when it’s on the front seat of the pick up truck. As soon as I goy home I permanently attached the plug to the boat with a stainless steel cable. Year later we took the boat out on its first run in the great South Bay with a 1852 3hp Evinrude Lightwin that my son and I had just freshened up and got running. Made the same mistake you did. Motor is forward only and I started it facing land. Took off like a jackrabbit but reacted a little too slow and as I made the turn the motor bottomed out and spun the prop. Momentum carried us quite always out but at least this time I was able to row back to shore. You’ve been a good (or bad, if you ask my wife) influence and we’ve recently upgraded to a 1961 StarCraft 14foot aluminum V with a few leaky rivets and a trailer. My buddy gave me his dad’s 1976 Johnson seahorse 15 which hasn’t run in 30 yrs. So let the learning curve continue.
I got a 4hp mariner that feels like a snail on a 12ft fibreglass crealcraft that motor seems like it does very well I'm trying to upgrade to a 15hp johnson
Hi Wayne, Thanks for the videos, many were very helpful for me and my power boat (specially useful) the one showing how to remove the steering control. I had galvanized the pin and it took me days!!!. The reason I'm commenting is because I got a 2005 mercury 2.5 M (with ignition problems). I figure it out what happens. An screw somehow got inside the flywheel and broke the cable from the coil exciter (bad new but good that did not continue running). But my question is does this mercury 2.5 M have pulse trigger? It has CD and Ignition coil but I can't find the pulse trigger. Do you know if the coil exciter is doing the job of a pulse trigger also in this model. I would appreciate is you can help me with this question. Thanks. Best Leo
@@WayneTheBoatGuy Thanks. I'm wondering if I should upgrade my Honda 2.3 HP on a 10 footer to 5 HP, any thoughts? Do you know how fast a 5 HP can go with the small boat?
Oh! Geez! ..8 miles an hour! lol I could run faster than that! Lol GREAT Video! I'm pretty well about to do the same thing! I've just purchased a 12' boat with a 6 HP motor! I'm pumped for the ADVENTURE! ...and maybe I'll find a TREASURE! Lol If I ever see you on the water, I'll challenge you to a boat race! My 6HP is a pretty formidable foe though! lol
@@WayneTheBoatGuy Yes! I will 'seriously' be careful out there! I will be mindful of that whorly thing at the back of my boat! Too bad you've already lost the competition with your little put put! lol If you throw the anchor overboard, it may give you an edge on speed! lol Last Friday, I drove into town for licence plates! Wouldn't you know! The Easter Bunny had claimed all days until Tuesday! The Easter Bunny is torturing me! *%# Well, I guess the kids need some Easter egg fun.
Looks like fun! Thank you for sharing-your channel is refreshing. I’m a new boater as well, doing the same stuff. I’ve learned so much and look forward to more videos and more boating! Looking into a trailer and 2.5 gas motor for my West Marine dinghy-I’m encouraged to get beyond my little lake by my house. Your videos are great and really help. Keep it up and be safe!
