Slingshots ain't what they used to be!

Looking around the internet yesterday I saw an ad for a slingshot that could snap a pencil in half at 30 feet. I thought, "Sure, if you could even hit the darn thing." Well, that's the point. In their video, they do that over and over. This amazing tool has both a laser and gun-style sights built into it to give it unheard-of accuracy. So, why should anyone care? Check out their site: http://www.catsdomain.com/ (hey, I didn't pick the name!) If you decide, like me, that you can't live without one, PLEASE tell them you heard about it from me!
I have an inexpensive slingshot I bought a wallyworld years ago. It has a folding wrist brace for improved accuracy and power. I have yet to kill anything with it, but I have a lot of fun scaring away possums, squirrels and starlings. I keep my shots close, but not close enough to hit anything, let alone kill it. That's why the accuracy of this slingshot is got me hot and bothered enough to buy one! If you think of it as a toy, it seems extravagant, around $50. But if you compare it to an adult air rifle, or air pistol, it looks VERY promising! The website has a LOT of good info, besides some really cool videos! Check it out for yourself.

And I'll let you know how it shoots when I get mine!

Darned old boats!

Yesterday I tried the engine on my boat again. She just won’t run. Mercury engines, especially an older one like mine, are known to be hard to get running if they sat for a while. Well, I can get her to start after a while, but it dies soon after. Sounds like a fuel problem, right?

Since it seems to get gas for a while, there must be a restriction or something between the engine and the tank. The primer bulb and the hose to the engine seem okay and are just a year old…not likely suspects. The fuel filter as my next likely suspect. I slipped on my filter wrench for tight spaces like this and pulled…and pulled, and pulled. At last I got the filter to budge I tiny bit when I heard the sound of a suction being broken. I’m pretty sure the filter element was clogged, or the filter housing, because it was trying to draw fuel from the filter, and had plenty of suction to that point, but the tank had no suction at all. So, I get my new filter, but its pretty big and I go to my gas can to put some gas into it so it won’t draw so much air through it, and…the gas can is empty. Last year, I remember cranking and pumping, cranking and pumping to get gas from the tank through an empty filter and fuel line before it could start.

But not today. The sun has set, it’s getting really dark and the forecast is for freezing rain for the next 24 hours.

The joys of older boats!

Boats are full of surprises!

Well, my boat has once again proved it is definitely a female. After I wrote about taking care of her and running the engine on a regular basis, she had to punish me for ignoring her. I had not run the engine in over a month and a half. I knew it would be a bitch to start, but I had no idea just how bitchy she would be…

I had treated the fuel with Seafoam, one of my favorite products for 2-cycle engines. I figured the fuel was fine and all she needed was some coaxing to come back to life. Well, I cranked and cranked, got a couple of sputters…then the battery was done. Nuts.

Okay, plug in the charger and let it rip overnight. The next morning I checked the battery but the charger was off. WTF??? The power cord had been pulled out of the socket by one of the dogs! Great, another day gone and a still-dead battery. This time I plugged in the charger AFTER the dogs went inside for the night and awoke to a fully charged battery and I looked forward to firing right up.

She had other plans.

Crank, crank, crank. Nothing; not even a cough. I checked the fuel; I could hear the gas going into the carbs as I squeezed the primer bulb. I opened the throttle wide open and choked her for all I was worth.

Nothing. But I did see a little gas dribble out of the lower carb…great, now it’s flooded. Okay, crank with the throttle at idle. A cough or two gave me hope, and I gave her some more gas and cranked…the engine roared to life, racing to 6,000 rpm until the limiter kicked in as I yanked back the throttle lever. Then, it was quiet again. Nuts!!

Back to square one – crank, crank, crank. Nothing. I am sure I could hear her giggling softly. Definitely a female.

So, I put the battery back on the charger and I’ll try to romance her today into running. I got her new spark plugs and a new fuel line. Maybe she will appreciate my gifts and reward me with normal operation.

Until she gets pissed at me again.