pull start a 90...

[raider]

just going through some stuff in the garage today and ran across my new boat packet... laughed when i saw the pull start rope and threw it away... ya right, pull start a 90 horse...

but, why do they put it in there??? can you really pull start a motor that big...:;:huh

 

[KDM]

Yep!! Watched a 100 lb man do it a couple dozen times on his "Rapido" while in Peru on the amazon river. A "Rapido" is a large 24 ft or so canoe with a flat transom. We were doing mosquito surveys and he was our transportation. He'd yank that rope and off we'd go. Some TOUGH folks on that river.

 

[Ericb]

I agree, I've always thought I should try using the one on my 135 just to know if I could in a emergency.

 

[johnr]

Yes I had a 75hp merc that the starter went out of, pull started rather easy actually.

 

[ndlongshot]

I know its much smaller, but my old 50hp johnson is a breeze to pull start.

 

[SDMF]

There's still only 1 piston firing at a time and it's still only ~10:1-10.5:1 compression. Much has to do with the gearing they can put on the pull start that'll allow enough travel of the crank to fire a few cylinders/pul.

 

[guywhofishes]

Big storm coming, battery dead. You'll be wanting that rope and you'll start it.

 

[raider]

thanks guys... would have never guessed... it will b going in the boat...

so, how big have you started with a rope???

 

[guywhofishes]

I have started no larger than a 40 manually. But I swear I could start a 300 by hand if I saw a classic black anvilhead bearing down on me on Devils Lake.

 

[ISELLGUNS]

I have a 150 hp but haven't tried it with the rope.

 

[bowcarp]

have pull started my older 70hp evinrude a few times

 

[shorthairsrus]

70hp

 

[Dad]

I tried pull start my 175 merc, and friend in boat tried as well (6'6' 325), not going to happen....not even close to being able to pull start it.

 

[Davy Crockett]

85 hp

- - - Updated - - -

85 HP

 

[Fishing701]

I've pull started my 90 merc a few times and thought it was pretty easy to do

 

[Allen]

Had a mid-80s 70 or 75 HP Mariner that pull started a HELL of a lot easier than my old 25 hp, mid 70s Johnson. The latter could wear you out in a hurry!

 

[Obi-Wan]

Had to pull start the 115 merc the first day I had it and used an old nylon stringer

 

[Farmer]

A lot of snowmobile engines are over 100 horse and they pull start easily. The scareder ya is the easier they pull!

 

[Fish whisperer]

Starter battery was bad and had to pull start my 150 merc 2 summers ago...not fun but got it to fire.

 

[SupressYourself]

I pulled a mid-80s 90HP Merc with a piece of anchor rope once. I believe that was only a 4 cyl though.
The 135 V6 Optimax may be a different story. I have a set of jumper cables that I have used to jump it from the trolling motor batteries when the starter battery was dead, but if the starter itself dies, I may be SOL...