View Full Version : Scratched Merc cover with kicker
Have a new 225 optimax, got a scratch in it from rubbing up against the 9.9 kicker. Any Ideas? Can it be touched up somehow?
Don't worry about that, now that you'll be fishin with Vince just worry about how you will get the chew tobbacco spit out of your carpet.
No chew tabackee in my boat sorry Vince.
SVaerst
04-18-2001, 11:40 AM
Couple of questions for you: First, were you using the big motor or were you using the kicker?
If using the big motor, a kicker has a tendency to fall to one side when tilted up (as if turning). What I have done is tighten up the turn screw (usually just below the engine housing) on the kicker so that it cannot turn without me turning it with the handle. Some people like a nice loose turning motor. I like a motor that if I let go of the tiller handle, it is not going to turn...I want it to continue straight. It will also not tip to one side while I am underway with the big motor, thus saving any scratching that could potentially take place.
If you were using the kicker, the only thing I can think of is to move the kicker farther away from the big motor. I had to do this (in order to turn the big motor...not a lot of transom space and I have a console model) by putting a 3/4 inch spacer under the kicker to move it over another 3 inches. This made more room on the transom for me so that both motors could turn easier.
Hope this gives you a start..
Steve
JimStolpa
04-19-2001, 05:09 AM
Same thing happened to me my fisrt year. I forgot to tighten the Steering Assist Nut that steve is mentioning and the scratch happened while manuvering in a tight marina. I have heard that Mercury sells touch up paint, but I haven't found it anywhere. I e-mailed merc. once, but never heard back. Go figure. Let me know if you find something. I tried black finger nail polish, but didn't turn out well.
Your dealer should be able to get you the Merc black. We used it on our last motor and it touched up very nicely. Our new motor... hehe... needs some touching up but so far it remains "with ding" :) That's what happens when the garage is too short and 'just' fits, and you hang shovels behind the motor. Not good idea, we found out... drat...
Oh well, now we don't look like we just stepped out of the sporting goods door! ha! We always say new stuff looks like "a new decoy"..:)
Box in MN
rngrfshm
04-19-2001, 07:27 PM
I bought a can of the paint and just sprayed some in a plastic cup and used a small hobby paint brush to touch it up. They have the phantom black at most merc marine dealers. Overtons carrys it also the touch up paint. go to http://www.overtons.com/ and click on quicksilver parts and then on paint. all of them are listed.
Mr. Walleye
04-20-2001, 02:31 PM
Had the same accident on my 225 Optimax and had a scratch about 5in. long. Had a friend at a body shop repaint the entire motor cover for about $50. The real expense was the new decals. I believe the entire set for the whole cover was approximately $140 to $150, Ouch! Good luck and let me know how you decided to fix it in case I run into this problem again.