24/11/2025
It is very important to take care of your outboard, at least on a yearly basis!
Listen here my boyโฆ
We need to chat.
Because some of you are out here treating your boats like theyโre unbreakable Marvel superheroes, meanwhile theyโre holding on with cable ties, duct tape, and 200 hours of overdue tears.
Youโll service your R1,000,000 car the MOMENT it makes a sound you donโt recognise.
โAg no, babe, the Audi made a tick noise, Iโm booking it in immediately.โ
But your outboard?
Nah.
Your outboard must just โmake a plan.โ
Your outboard must just vibe through life like a student with no budget.
Budโฆ ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ธ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ป?
The thing LIVES in water.
It drinks fuel that half the time has been sitting in Jerry cans since 2021.
It works at 5,000 RPM all day like itโs trying to flap the boat into low earth orbit.
Meanwhile youโre like:
โEish, Iโll service it next month.โ
NEXT MONTH?!
This thing is screaming for help TODAY.
I promise you now, every dam in SA has that same oke.
We all know him.
The guy who bought a boat 4 years ago, used it twice, then parked it under a tree like itโs a bonsai project.
Then one long weekend he decides:
โYoh, letโs hit the water gents!โ
He rocks up with confidence.
Cooler box packed.
Chommies looking excited.
Wife already annoyed.
Kids screaming.
Vibes... ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
He reverses the boat in.
Turns the keyโฆ
๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐งโ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก.
Coughing.
Spluttering.
Choking like itโs inhaling pepper spray.
You start panicking.
Your chommies are pretending not to judge you.
People on the shore are watching you like youโre filming a documentary called:
โ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐ง๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐: ๐ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ๐.โ
Then you go:
โHah, must be old fuel hey.โ
NO BUD.
Itโs not the fuel.
Itโs YOU.
YOU didnโt service it.
๐ข๐ถ๐น?
Older than your matric certificate.
๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ?
Looks like a chew toy from the SPCA.
๐๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฟ?
Full of hopes, dreams and sand from Bronkies.
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ถ๐น?
Looking like cappuccino foam from Mugg & Bean.
But you wanna complain the boat wonโt start.
My guyโฆ at this point the motor is doing its BEST.
Itโs performing MIRACLES.
It deserves a medal.
It deserves counselling.
The rule is simple:
๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ.
Whichever comes first.
If youโre a weekend dam-goer... YOU ARE NOT DOING 100 HOURS.
Youโre doing 20, maybe 30 if youโre enthusiastic.
So guess what?
YOU SERVICE ONCE A YEAR.
EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR.
Itโs the cheapest thing youโll ever do in boating.
Skip it?
And youโre one start-up away from turning your outboard into a R150,000 paperweight.
Boating is not complicated:
Service it.
Flush it.
Use fresh fuel.
Stop treating it like a disposable Bic lighter.
Because the day it leaves you stranded on the dam while your family stares at you like youโve just ruined Christmas?
Thatโs on YOU bru.
Not the boat.
