Port engine cranks but won’t start, starboard starts perfectly

[CaptRedbeard]

Had the family out with the new to us boat for the first time today. Dropped it in and both engines started perfectly at the ramp. Ran around the lake at cruising speed for 15-20 minutes then stopped (intentionally) at a sand bar for about an hour.

Went to pull away from the sand bar and starboard engine fired up but port didn’t start. Starter cranked good and strong for 5 seconds about a half dozen separate times. Tried with starboard motor running and also off.

No warning lights. A single beep (which I believe is normal) when turning the port key. Engine hatch was closed the whole time, no waves over the stern, mild amount of water from getting in/out of the boat at the sand bar. Cleanout port is clear.

First things to check? Spark? Fuel? Intake? Fuses? I’m somewhat familiar with engines but new to the Yamaha family. Thanks!

 

[haknslash]

I’d check the basics like spark plugs and oil level. If you have MR1 engines they are finicky about too much oil and all of these engines are picky about less than perfect plugs, so change them annually. Check air filter for oil soak. Also make sure you don’t have any exhaust leaks. Did your run the blower to see if that helped? A hard start can be common when we would wake surf on a twin engine Yamaha and as strange as it sounds running the blower seemed to help that. Did you beach at the sand bar with the stern in?

 

[CaptRedbeard]

Well this is embarrassing but I’ll keep this thread here just in case it helps anyone in the future.

As I was walking through the checklist again, I pulled the lanyard to reset it and make sure it was fully seated. I didn’t bother with this step my first time through the checklist because starboard started fine and I thought the kill switch would affect both engines the same. I noticed before I pulled the lanyard that it was only halfway under the button. Re-seated it and both engines fired up immediately. Big relief!

 

[haknslash]

Yup that’ll do it.

Don’t feel bad. When I first got my wake boat I didn’t realize the lanyard safety switch was also a push button in addition to the clip. So I would ride around and my knee would just barely touch the button killing the motor. Kept thinking something was wrong with my new boat until the 3rd time it did it and I realized it was me all along.

 

[My2ten]

I had a similar situation where my lanyard has three different thicknesses on it. Of course we all think the worse at the time. lucky for me it was only the wrong one i had at the time. I too was under the impression that the switch would have made them both not start but starboard started and port would crank no start. Thankful for a simple fix.