[Public-List] Hand starting A4 engine

[Gordon Laco]

Hello gang - 

In the eleven years we¹ve had SURPRISE, twice I have let her batteries
weaken while out sailing to the point where we couldn¹t start the engine.
The first time was the first year we had the boat... I didn¹t know that the
gas sniffer drew power even with the main battery switch on Œoff¹; the
second time was this summer when we did a night sail and the running lights
ran the system down (the batteries were already weakened by the ten day trip
we were just back from)   I have been carrying a portable booster but this
last time I had forgotten it at home.

I broke down and ordered a hand starting crank from Moyer and it arrived
yesterday.   I went to the boat after supper and tried it out.   My first
surprise was how easily the engine rolls by hand.  (low compression...)  It
didn¹t start, but I hadn¹t set the throttle and pulled the choke.  I did
that and tried again... I didn¹t get past about 1/4 of a circle, not
particularly vigorously, when the engine started and the handle sprang off
(as designed).  There I was kneeling in front of the running engine, utterly
amazed.  

The handles are cheap - $78 USD all in...money very well spent I think.

Gord #426 SURPRISE