Hurricane coming...

[Ralph Hewitt]

Need to move Ericson 38 with universal 40 that will not Crank/turnover. Must go to hurricane hole tomorrow.
I am in USA, my Sea Scouts went to move boat today and no Crank over.
Tested batteries good and ignition switch along with electric fuel pump... all good .

What say you, what wire, solenoid, starter?
They did what they could, will not turn over.
Mechanic coming tomorrow morning.
Any great ideas?
This engine always starts fast? Never fails.
Thanks

 

[Loren Beach]

Remove and reattach the high current wire ends, one at a time. Check the ground circuit with equal attention. The constant motion of living on a buoy might have loosened up a connection, or two. Often cleaning up the terminal parts with some 100 grit and wiping with some grease will do wonders.
Check on all of those connections at the back side of the engine cockpit panel.
Even under a layer of old tape, those OEM (Universal) wiring harness trailer plugs can be attacked by corrosion, too.

 

[bigd14]

You might try tapping the starter with a mallet or screwdriver handle. This happened to us during an ASA class in the San Juans. Boat wouldn't start, remote mechanic advised tapping, I got in there with a screwdriver and gave it a few whacks and off she went. The brushes in the starter can sometimes get stuck in a "dead" spot I guess.

 

[Stuphoto]

Bring along a test light or better yet a multi meter.
Plus a set of jumper cables.

Start with the basics, making sure it's in neutral. In a panic situation we often tend to forget such things.

Then start with what BigD said, then follow what Loren said.

If it still doesn't work, find a good ground, then start testing every wire from the battery to the starter.
Plus at the ignition switch, the starter button and so on.
If you have good contacts throughout, it could still be the ground cable not allowing enough current through.
Try running the jumper cables from the negative battery post to a clean ground on the engine block to remedy this.

Or the quick and easy solution could be just hook the battery directly to the ground and starter with the jumper cables.
Turn on the key.
Then jump the starter with a screw driver like you probably did with your car when you were young.

Good luck.