I'm hoping someone on here has an older boat, or some knowledge on them!  I have an older Evinrude (25 I think?) with push button start and stops on it.  However, they are on the engine, so I have to climb back there, push them, then come back up to the steering wheel to drive, then back there again to stop the motor.  

 

Is there any way to add a cable system or some type of conversion to make the engine start and stop from the cockpit rather than physically on the motor?  

 

I was thinking of something similar to a camera's plunger type shutter release made to thread over each button, and then having the controls on the dash.  I'm not sure if they make something like that or if it's up to me to engineer!

 

Thanks in advance, Zach

Thinking in regular small engine terms, as I'm not very familiar with outboards, so forgive me if this isn't even a viable option.

 

Would it be easier to change the starter solenoid to not use the push buttons on the motor, but to wire them directly to a momentary switch on the dash? 

Thinking in regular small engine terms, as I'm not very familiar with outboards, so forgive me if this isn't even a viable option.

 

Would it be easier to change the starter solenoid to not use the push buttons on the motor, but to wire them directly to a momentary switch on the dash? 

Pretty much answered your own question. That's the right way to do it. 

Easy enough!  I'll pull the cover and start looking into it tonight.  

Easy enough!  I'll pull the cover and start looking into it tonight.  

Just make sure that you use heavy enough gauge wire. You could easily rig an ignition switch with key since you're already in there, as opposed to just a start button/switch.

 

Any chance you can post pics of the OB and controls? I'm a bit confused as to what you have.

Not a bad idea for a key!  I'll get some pics tonight when I get home.

Here's a few photos of it!  I'm not sure what do do about the whole steering/controls area.  I'm kind of tempted to move that elsewhere so my front deck can be a little bigger.  Some of the front deck is going to be lost to the trolling motor mounting surface, but I'll do a battery bank underneath there for my 3 batteries.  I want to get some weight up front since it's kind of back end heavy now.

 

Here's a few photos of it!  I'm not sure what do do about the whole steering/controls area.  I'm kind of tempted to move that elsewhere so my front deck can be a little bigger.  Some of the front deck is going to be lost to the trolling motor mounting surface, but I'll do a battery bank underneath there for my 3 batteries.  I want to get some weight up front since it's kind of back end heavy now.

 

 

It's hard to see what kind of controls you have in those pics. Does it look like this?

 

 

If so, there's already an ignition switch that you'll just have to wire up. Otherwise you'll have to get a little bit more creative. 

 

Simply put, it's only a matter of moving the wires from the start button on the engine up to the console and installing a switch of some sort. There may be a few more wires for coils and electric choke as well. 

 

Be careful about how tall you build that deck on a V hull. You want the lowest center of gravity possible for stability's sake. Nice ride, btw.

It looks like a simplified version of that, minus the key!  I was thinking I could stick with a smaller gauge wire, and just run relay switch so that it only required a small amount of current to actuate the relay, completing the circuit on the starter.  Sound like a decent plan?  I've also joined tinboats and learned a lot from reading those forums!!

Totally missed that last post. That sounds like a good plan, as long as you are certain of the current load that the wire will carry and use the correct gauge for the length of the run. Make sure you have a good ABC fire extinguisher on board regardless.

 

Tinboats is a good site. Lots of inspirational builds on there too.