Boat won't start ???

[ssmith]

OK, here's the problem. I had a dual battery setup with VSR added over the winter, just in time for spring. The boat now has a 1 yr old battery and a new battery. Jim at Viper Customs did the install. Since day 1 of getting the boat back, the engine has been slow starting. Initially, you would have to hold the key over for a second or two longer than usual and it would start. It has slowly progressed to turning the key and nothing happens. You can hear it click in the engine compartment and nothing. Usually after a 3 or 4 attempts, the engine would start right up. After starting, if you ever cut the engine...it may fire right back up or do the same thing again. However, it has always started and I haven't found it to be that big of a deal until today. It did it today after being out for a while and we actually starting swimming the boat in. However, it finally started and we surfed the rest of the day, not turning the engine off. After putting it on the trailer, I cut the engine and tried to restart it (still in the water) without success. So, now what??

Thoughts....

Viper Customs did "hot wire" it to check the VSR. Maybe they didn't get something connected back correctly? If so, what?

Vapor Lock? I don't think so though.

Bad starter?

Bad Battery (even though I have 2 now with the VSR)?

Bad Alternator?



Any help would be appreciated.