hard starting?

[sampson]

I bought Dan's Ericson 30+ last July. Starting problem continued intermittently. Our wind at Lanier is fluky at best. A reliable engine to return to the marina is a must. The solenoid Dan added pulls 7.5 amps to close and send power to the starter solenoid which also pulls about 8 amps. A voltage drop test revealed a 5.0 (yes) 5.0 voltage drop between the starter solenoid and starter. This indicates a bad spot in the contact disc within the starter solenoid. In a perfect world this disc should rotate slightly each time the starter is used to prevent a burnt contact surface. Starter solenoids are cheap and easy to replace (does require starter removal). The solenoid Dan added was not needed it just added higher amp load when starting. I know intermittent electrical problems will drive you to drink. Proper diagnosis can be cheaper than throwing parts at a problem. I have learned the hard way also. (Retired Mercedes Benz Tech)