Dire warning-Outboard covers.

Nos4r2 · 02 January 2009, 20:38

Dire warning time...

I have one of the supposedly 'breathable' covers from ebay over my outboard cowl. It's been on there about a month at the moment. Search ebay for 'outboard cover' and you'll find it-it's the blue cowl only cover. It's blatantly not breathable enough given what I've just found.

I just popped out to winterise the engine. When I pulled the cowl off and the plugs out it's been VERY damp in there. So much that there was a LOT of condensation inside the cylinders to the point that there was 2 stroke oil/water emulsion on the plugs and water droplets bridging the electrode gaps.
The entire powerhead was covered in spots of water from condensation. Luckily I caught it in time before any serious damage occurred-but had I winterised it and left it then I doubt I'd have been so lucky.

If you've got one of those covers, get it off ASAP or get some way of letting air circulate properly under there. Either way, check your plugs.

Top banana · 02 January 2009, 22:32

give it a good spraying with corrosion guard aswell

Nos4r2 · 03 January 2009, 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top banana

give it a good spraying with corrosion guard aswell

Already done last time I used it-and part of winterising is redoing it.

Hightower · 03 January 2009, 01:03

Never winterised any of my motors. It's just a good excuse to fire it up every 4 weeks or so on a Sunday morning and wake the Natives

codprawn · 03 January 2009, 02:46

Good point - I was always dubious about those covers. Looking at some seriously ancient outboards around our harbour they seem to manage well enough on their own!!!

alystra · 03 January 2009, 18:34

That's a bummer. I guess you have to leave the cowl vents unobstructed to stop the condensation. Pair of scissors may improve things.

At least the cover will protect the paint on the cowl - unless it freezes to it or any flapping in the breeze doesn't wear it away.

PeterM · 03 January 2009, 19:16

Just checked mine - bone dry inside the cowel. BUT ,my cover is also covered by a flap of the main boat cover & is also in a quite breezy site .

There was however a nice few litres water around the skeg (a swift fix for the knife)- so agree clearly not breathable.

bedajim · 04 January 2009, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Dire warning time...

I have one of the supposedly 'breathable' covers from ebay over my outboard cowl. It's been on there about a month at the moment. Search ebay for 'outboard cover' and you'll find it-it's the blue cowl only cover. It's blatantly not breathable enough given what I've just found.

I just popped out to winterise the engine. When I pulled the cowl off and the plugs out it's been VERY damp in there. So much that there was a LOT of condensation inside the cylinders to the point that there was 2 stroke oil/water emulsion on the plugs and water droplets bridging the electrode gaps.
The entire powerhead was covered in spots of water from condensation. Luckily I caught it in time before any serious damage occurred-but had I winterised it and left it then I doubt I'd have been so lucky.

If you've got one of those covers, get it off ASAP or get some way of letting air circulate properly under there. Either way, check your plugs.

Do you not think it is a question of you get what you pay for, a cheap ebay piece of crap will always be a cheap piece of crap

PeterM · 04 January 2009, 12:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Do you not think it is a question of you get what you pay for, a cheap ebay piece of crap will always be a cheap piece of crap

Sometimes nowadays the cheap stuff can be very nearly as good as the expensive stuff. Maybe a few years ago it was very true & in some stuff (I find less & less) its still true.

For the money I tend to think I'll try the cheap crap first - if it works great - if not I then buy more expensive.

Looking at it I think I've got the full cover & not the cowl only version . Based on that I'd expect mine to be worse, maybe there is something else going on with either mine or Nos' to make the differance ?

Nos4r2 · 04 January 2009, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Do you not think it is a question of you get what you pay for, a cheap ebay piece of crap will always be a cheap piece of crap

It's exactly the same material as the rather good boat covers from ebay-and while cheap, there's not any other storage alternatives (Open to ideas though for a decent breathable cover for the engine!). It just seems to need quite a bit more ventilation to keep moisture out than it gets when drawstringed onto the engine.

PeterM · 04 January 2009, 14:09

Hi Nos - is a possible solution to just leave the engine uncovered & down - the cowl stops the rain getting in & it will 'breath' as it would do normally.

Or can you cut the cover ( slits or remove areas to suit) where the air inlets are as this should allow the same ventilation as normal.

Possibly (although it'd be tricky) rig somehting to hold the cover off the cowl for better airflow.(maybe foam pipelagging ?) I've used an exercise ball -

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...RCISE+BALL.htm

in the bow of the boat , under the ebay cover , to stop water collecting / let air move around & left the area within the Aframe open- along the same lines ? ( can be passed to wife/girlfriend in the summer , however this carries a high risk of divorce/ seperation if not done very very carefully ! )

I'm sure most outboard cowls keep 99% of the water out - its hopefully what they are there for , but maybe like you it just feels better having every thing covered up in bad weather.

Hightower · 04 January 2009, 14:17

Do you really need a dedicated engine cover. Surely it's only to keep the engine from getting scratched and rain off. A good fitting boat cover should be good at that.

PeterM · 04 January 2009, 14:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Do you really need a dedicated engine cover. Surely it's only to keep the engine from getting scratched and rain off. A good fitting boat cover should be good at that.

Good fitting & ebay dont generally go together , but the ebay ones aren't too bad for the cost. I've got a spare cover in the garage for 7-7.5 if anyone wants one. I'll stickit up for sale in a min .

bedajim · 04 January 2009, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

It's exactly the same material as the rather good boat covers from ebay-and while cheap, there's not any other storage alternatives (Open to ideas though for a decent breathable cover for the engine!). It just seems to need quite a bit more ventilation to keep moisture out than it gets when drawstringed onto the engine.

Others use something like this

http://www.dry-it-out.com/dio-mini-dehumidifier

or this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARAVAN-CAMPER...QQcmdZViewItem

Nos4r2 · 04 January 2009, 17:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Others use something like this

http://www.dry-it-out.com/dio-mini-dehumidifier

or this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARAVAN-CAMPER...QQcmdZViewItem

I've already got 2 of the disposable dry bags under there since finding the damp problems. Odd that none of my boats have ever needed it before though.

CJL · 04 January 2009, 20:03

Get yourself down your local B&Q Extra and buy a £10 builder tarp.

Tie a rope from the A frame to the bow, pull the cover over the boat and the rope and bob's your uncle, you've got a tent on your boat.

Then at the A frame gather the back edges together and tie it together.

The air can then move around under the cover, the engine is 80% covered and it's protected.

If it comes apart after the winter ..... so what you paid a tenner for the tarp!!

Works well for me. The only thing I'd recommend is to use bungy cords on the sheet so the energy of the wind is spread to the bungies not the sheet.

Chris

Tim M · 04 January 2009, 20:57

Nos4r2 · 04 January 2009, 22:40

Already like this:-

There's a large air gap round the transom and plenty of air circulation.

Hightower · 05 January 2009, 00:24

Well providing the Tarp provides cover for the engine that's all that's needed really. Ditch or sell on the engine cover.

Nos4r2 · 05 January 2009, 01:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Well providing the Tarp provides cover for the engine that's all that's needed really. Ditch or sell on the engine cover.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. The cowl cover was removed as soon as I found the condensation.
It was only on there to stop the boat cover wearing the paint on the cowl as it moves slightly across the outboard in high winds, but to be honest I'd rather have to touch up the engine!