Hot Foot Stop Screw - Lesson Learned

[TrepMan]

Here's the history:



Last few trips my motor seemed to be slowing down, not reving as high, and on Monday would only give me 1/2 throttle/RPMS, I could barely get it to plane Monday night. Feared the worst, bad cylinder or new Carbs or worse! Got to the shop thats been working on my Nitro since I bought it, at 9am when they opened Tuesday morning- 2 week backlog/wait! Dang!



Stopped at a shop 5 mins from the house, just to see what their timeline was, I had a tournament Wed night and wanted to Pre-fish Tuesday night, and my non-boater didn't have a working bassboat. That shop told me they also (and everyone else in town) has a 2 week wait minimum, but if i was willing to pay priority rates ($150/hour vs. $90/hour) they would bring it in right then and take 30-45 mins to check her out and give me an estimate. I gave them the OK, as I want to fish Tuesday and the tournament, and for an extra $60 i thought it was worth knowing how big of a bill I would get to repair it. They called me back 1 hour later!



Good news - Total bill $150 (1 hour of labor), everything is fixed/checked out, compression perfect, carb's great... they did a lake test and she runs great!



Bad news - Only problem with the boat was the Hot Foot stop screw had worked it was up so I was really ONLY getting 1/2 throttle! They fixed and i'll pick the boat up this afternoon.



I give them credit for being a profit based business and offering me the option to pay a bit more for quicker service, even better they did NOT try to make up a problem/fix when it was simple but I didn't even think to check!



So for all of you with a Hot Foot, when you start getting less power/speed/travel in the hot foot, one thing to check is the Stop Screw, I would NEVER had thought of that, especially since Rich installed the Hot foot before I bought the boat.



And that shop will now get my business going forward!

 

[JP Heintzman]

Can't believe they charged you the $150.00 for that. I know that's the "charge" for services, but seems they would have gained a lot more with a "long term" customer by giving you a break on the charges by at least cutting it in half. Glad to hear it was a simple fix though, happy fishin'



JP

 

[TrepMan]

JP - They were very up front about the 1 hour minimum, and they did do a full compression check, cables... and other mechanical inspections. And it I did thus cut in front of folks who's boats were there 1+ weeks waiting on service. Well worth it!

 

[Jim B]

Trep

if your feeling brave back that screw out a little, put a little blue loctite on the threads and then readjust it. The locktite will keep the bolt and the jam nut from wiggleing loose again.

 

[Steve Rizza]

" Stop screw, we don't need no stinking stop screw".

Take the sucker out and let her fly !!!!!!!



JK.



How did you do in the tourney ????? Or is it next Wed night ???

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Not a bad idea to check, my boat is running about 200 rpms below max, I just thought it was the pi$$ poor gas they sell in MD. I have a TX in the morning but I will check this Sunday. Thanks Trep.



BF

 

[Pierre Voisine]

So basically, if you have the extra cash you can have your boat serviced before others who were there first ?



Pierre

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Did you get a kiss with that?:lol:

 

[Jim B]

Yep Pierre, its all about $$$$ these days.

 

[TrepMan]

Pierre - Yup, its called private business and capitalism! Standard rate you get in line behind everyone else, you want to pay priority rates (more profit for the shop) you get first service in/out the door! No discrimination, everyone has the option to pay for better service. You don't like how that marina does business, take your boat somewhere else.



They have definetly earned my business again. Now unless its an emergency for a tourney like this time, i'll either A) find out when slow time is and get my boat in then, or B) expect to have it take 2 weeks and drop it off.



Trep

 

[Jim in VA]

Hey Trep - nice to have the option, isn't it? Glad you clarified too, because your original post looked like you were not going back! Couldn't figure out why given that they were up front about cost, did a thorough check of systems, and ended up correctly diagnosig and fixing the issue - even if it was a simple screw adjustment! Realized with your last post, you had a typo.

 

[TrepMan]

Jim - I just saw the typo - will NOT get my business vs. will NOW get my business! I fixed it!



And i gotta hit walmart today for loctite!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Can you use a nylock nut behind it to keep it from backing out?

 

[Bill McElroy]

Trep,....how much you wanna bet the next time they see you coming they're gonna BS you with the "we can get you in RIGHT NOW for $150/hour!!"......glad you got your screw tightened, but you might've just given them a blank check every time they see you coming!!



Naaaawww,.........they wouldn't do that!! WTF was I thinking??!!:blink:



Carry on!!..Good luck in your tourney!!

 

[Jim B]

Tee, good thought but you dont have any access to the backside of the bolt. Its threaded into the base of the assembly.



A little loctite will cure it for good.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Just don't use permanent if you want to adjust it

 

[TrepMan]

Mac - you are cynical dude!



On the tourney, we didn't win but we did weigh 5 keepers! It was a wierd day fishing wise, boat ran great, with the exception of listing to the left due to my partner for this one weighed more then twice what I do!! LOL On fishing, we caught a lot of short fish, but the keepers came: Deep diving crankbait on a mainlake point that drops quickly to 35ft so they were suspended, and then 4 on shakeyhead worms in 4ft of water on a secondary point stacked up like cord wood shallow. It was a true team effort of my partner and I with me with 3 keepers and him with 2.

 

[Pierre Voisine]

I see....so it's not about charging what the service/parts are worth anymore, it's about highest bidder gets the service.



I must be Canadian....

 

[TrepMan]

I hope you are Canadian Pierre, you always have been!



the US has always been about "charging what the service/parts are worth ", in this case it's "worth" more $$ to me to get my service done quickly in this case, then wait. So who determines what each server/part is worth? Its the consumer! If no one ever took advantage of this extra priced service, they wouldn't offer it. If their rates of $90/hour were higher then the other marinas and their service/quality wasen't any better, they'd go out of business or have to lower their rates, thats how a free market economy works.



Its like when I buy beer (and it kills me because my home brew supplier went belly up while I was in China, maybe i was too good of a customer!! LOL) I can go to the closest liquor store and pay $7/six pack for my beer or drive 1 mile to a Kroger to buy it for $6/six pack. Now I make the choice depending on time/effort. If were going to Kroger for groceries I buy my beer there, if i'm out and want it quick before dinner, I pay more for the availability of closer store.





Another Example: Tuesday noon a pipe bursts at your house, you call the plumber, he's booked all week with existing customers to do their water heaters, dishwashers... and tells you sorry you'll have to wait till Monday when he has a free day on his schedule. Or he says, I can have the plumber work overtime tonight and be at your house at 6pm (when he's usualy having a beer at Hooter with Mini), but it will cost you more as its outside the service window and hours. Your choice.



Same here, this marina (I went back and dropped off some stickers for a local fishing club they were asking about and checked) has a sign with service rates - $90/hour standard service, $150/hour priority service. So, you know up front if you wait in the queue its $90/hour, if you are in a hurry pay more (they make more $$, which is good for the economy) they keep their existing customers on schedule, probably make a mechanic work some Overtime to keep on schedule, so maybe some of the profit margin on the $150/hour is out the door to an employee, or maybe they plan / schedule a 7 hour work day expecting a certain % of customers to pay the premium fee so they always have contingency in their plans (good business and good project management).



Guess I don't see the issue or concern, its a choice for the boat owner and business is in business to make $$, thats why anyone works.

 

[eric nichols]

My local, and only, bass boat dealer within 75 miles deals only with Triton. Any other brand he will "get to it if a spot clears on the schedule."



Eric

 

[Bass Tracker]

Money Talks. Cant blame the marina.



Question, Would you put a hot foot on a 115HP outboard? Do you have to keep pressure applried to the hot foot the whole time you are using it?



never had one., just wondering. Thanks

 

[TrepMan]

Basstrackerma - I am very glad I have it, especialy with the Pro Trim (Column mounted), on a small boat that runs over 50mph, when the lake gets rough with wakes/waves, it is GREAT to just keep 2 hands on the wheel and modulate the gas/throttle and trim.



Yes you have to keep pressure on the hot foot the whole time, its a spring loaded peddle. No cruise control. I've had the boat 3 years and once I got used to it I don't even know its there.



Trep

 

[Bass Tracker]

Does sound very cool. So you just keep the "hand control" all the way down all the time? I beilive the Nitro X-5 with a 115HP will go approx. 47MPH. Wondering if I would add that to the package..



It does give an option for "wheel trim lever" i am assuming this is what you mean? Controlling the trim for outboard on the steering wheel?

 

[Tony Payne]

basstrackerma - the hand control is no longer connected to the throttle - it only engages/disengages the gears once you have a hotFoot.



I think Hotfoots should be mandatory on all boats - obviously there are some exceptions - but the safety feature far outweighs the cost.



If you should be ejected from the boat (and by some chance you were not wearing your kill switch) - the boat will immediately go back to idle - which is much better than it maintaining whatever speed you had with the hand control.



So - get it - you won't regret it.



Wheel trim lever - yes - controls the trim from a "blinker" style arm on the steering column.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Cool. Will Do. Thanks All

 

[TrepMan]

Another benefit, my kids can NOT drive my Nitro, neither is tall enough to reach the hotfoot!! As Sim said - Get it!

 

[Mini]

There was a foot throttle on the market that would allow the full use of the throttle at the shifter. I dont know if it is still made/available though

 

[TrepMan]

Mini - I think that was the Land and Sea one, I don't think its made/sold new anymore.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Another benefit, my kids can NOT drive my Nitro, neither is tall enough to reach the hotfoot!! As Sim said - Get it!

That sure isn't going to last much longer Michael!:lol::lol:



Tell Becca & the boys hi for me will ya,??



Uncle Billy

 

[TrepMan]

Hey Uncle Billy! Yup, the boys are growing like weeds!



I'll tell them all Hi from ya! Drop me an email when ya get a chance and we'll catch up.



Trep

 

[Mini]

I think you are right Trep. I do remember that the throttle cable at the shifter would bind alot and need to be replaced almost every year.