A very useful day yesterday spent at Stormforce Coaching at Kemps Quay in Southampton where I had enrolled to do a BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) Outboard Maintenance Course.I guess like a number of other people I have very little or no knowledge of what happens under the bonnet of my car, or under the cowl of my outboard - the principle of suck, blow and bang are about as obvious to me as the theory of relativity. My outboard is 20+ years old though, and there's always a fear in the back of your mind that it may well conk out one day when you really need it so the course was an attempt to get to grips with something I really do need to know about it...
Happy to say it fulfilled the requirement more than admirably.. a very knowledgeable instructor, myself, and two other guys had a day of taking outboards apart and doing diagnosis on common faults.. I feel much more comfortable with doing some of the basic jobs/checks now that I've seen it done, tried it myself, and put it back together..
Next job is to get some basic repair items - I've got shear and split pins (propeller), but certainly time to get a spare spark plug and socket. If needs must, and it's really bad, I have enough knowledge to have a go at stripping and cleaning the carb & jets as well..
Money extremely well spent - Stormforce wholly recommended - I could have been sailing I suppose, but this was a good investment in time...
