Fuel pump?

The first thing to look at is your safety shut-off lanyard. It typically a red clip with a coiled lanyard located near the base of the throttle control. It is designed to shut the engine off in the event that you are thrown overboard....assuming that the other end of the lanyard is attached to you!

Three things to check: Fuel, spark and air

1. FUEL. Is there fuel in the carb? You can check this by removing the flame arrestor and depressing the throttle all the way while looking into the throat of the carb. If you can see fuel squirting from the accelerator pump nozzles, then you know that fuel is in the carb bowl. If there is no fuel coming out of the accelerator circuit, then you start to look at things like fuel pump, fuel filter, the anti-siphon valve at fuel tank and fuel tank vent.

2. SPARK. Any loose wires? Is there a solid wire connection at the coil? Coil wire secure to distributor cap? Open the distributor cap and examine the cap and rotor. If you have an older style distributor with points/condenser, you should look at those. A great inexpensive tool to carry in the boat is a spark tester. Lisle makes an in-line spark tester for under $10. I also carry an inexpensive volt meter (multi-meter) in the glove box. That way you can check for power at the coil.

3. AIR. This is typically not the problem, but look at the flame/spark arrestor. Is it clogged?

That is my quick go-to list when this happens.

I was out with another CCF member last week in his 1984 SN. Right in the middle of a ski run, the engine simply shut down...just like flipping a switch. We had to get towed in as my buddy didn't carry the tools in his boat that I have in my boat. There was fuel in the carb, so I immediately looked for a spark problem. Bingo. His "Flamethrower II" coil was smoking hot and had completely shut down. No spark.

JQ