Whether you are out on the lake looking for fish or just having a relaxing vacation with the family, there is always the chance that your engine can come to a sudden stop. As the owner of the boat your passengers will likely look to you to solve the problem quickly so the fun can resume. But how can you quickly repair your boat's engine when you are out in the middle of nowhere on a lake?

The key to being able to perform quick boat engine repair while on the lake is to follow three basic rules. The first of these is to always make sure you carry any necessary spare parts you may require. Second you should have the appropriate tools on hand in order to install the parts you have on hand. Finally you should have researched the appropriate knowledge that you require in order to use both the spare parts and the tools correctly.

When it comes to the basics of boat engine repair consider the following tips for the most basic repairs you may be faced with when out on the lake. The most common problem you will face with a boat engine is overheating. First you should check to make sure there is nothing blocking the water intake. There is a number of things floating in the lake such as plastic bags that can obstruct the water intake. After removing the obstruction allow the engine to cool for a bit before you restart it.

Overheating can also be caused by a blown water pump impeller. The best solution is to repair the part with a spare if you have one on board. However, if you don't have the right parts then you can still use a drain plug in the water jacket of the engine so you can pour fresh water in using a funnel. Then you will have to move slowly towards the shore while keeping a close eye on your temperature gauge and shut down the engine whenever you notice it starting to overheat.

Another common problem you may be faced with is a leaking oil gasket. This problem can simply be fixed by replacing the leaking gasket with a new one. However, when you don't have spare gaskets on board then you can make a temporary gasket out of your marine chart. Just use the old gasket as a template and cut a new temporary gasket out of the marine chart. Use extra layers of chart for extra thickness if needed. Just make sure you don't cut out the part of marine chart that you actually need in order to get back to the dock.

Then there is a cracked spark plug wire. A cracked spark plug wire will short out when faced with moist air such as rainy or humid days. As a result the engine will stumble and often misfire. Duct tape is the best solution to the problem until you can replace all the spark plug wires. This helps to encase the entire wires and keep out any dampness. Even if there is only one small crack you should make sure you cover the entire cable since even the smallest crack in a wire can cause a short.

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