Maybe someone has some ideas (I did a search and found one thread on topic but need more ideas).
Used the boat quite a bit the past two weekends. Heading back to the marina and in a no wake, engine suddenly dies. Turn the key, nothing happens. Hit the blower accessory and it comes on. Figure ok, battery is working. Look under helm and the ignition fuse (15a) is blown. Pull it out and stick another in. Turn the key the engine starts and then dies. Same fuse blows. Check the safety cut off and all wires on the ignition module. All seems tight, no corrosion or worn wires. Another fuse, engine starts and then cuts off. So I lay under there with the boat in neutral and a new fuse and turn the key. Engine starts and I see the little spark as the fuse blows. This was fuse 5 or 6 and a little puff of smoke. So I stop and get a fisherman to tow me to the nearest dock. Once at the dock (maybe half hour or so),I check the engine, batteries, wiring, etc and see nothing. I put another fuse in and the engine fires and runs perfect. Drive back to the marina (15 min some idle some at 25mph or so) and put it on the trailer. After dinner, I go clean it up and hook up the hose and flush the engine and fire it up with the hose running. Let it run for a while and again, works fine.
I checked the ground to the engine (per a post) and it feels tight. I could not see it, but will investigate some more tonight. I looked at all the wiring that I could see and nothing appears burnt, or rubbing on a screw or anything. All spade wiring connectors on ignition look ok and are tight. This happened once before when my starter went bad, and I have a brand new starter and ran for months without the issue.
Anyone have any ideas on what to look at? Could the ignition module (correct term?) (where the key goes) have a short?
Thanks