Marine: Boating, Sailing, PWC, GPS and Navigation - Motor starting problem

I have a inboard/outboard drive boat that just clicks when i tried to start it
the first time this year. I had the battery checked and it had a dead cell so i bought a new one,but the starter still justs clicks.
Any help here would be appreciated. Iv'e worked on cars and trucks but wonder if boat motors are different.
1989 16' fourwinns.
Thanks

I/O engines have the same basic starting system as your car/truck. Check all connections from batt ground cable attachment to engine,both connections to batt and positive connection to solenoid. Also check condition of batt cables where they attach to batt. Corrosion can work down under the insulation and erode the cable where you can't see it.
An easy way to check is to use one side of jumper cables to parallel each batt cable circuit. IE: make sure cable connections at batt are clean and secure, then run jumper from ground clamp on batt to engine block where ground attaches. If it still just clicks,then run the jumper from pos batt connection to solenoid where pos connects to it.If it still just clicks,run jumper from pos batt connection to other side of solenoid (cable going to starter). If it cranks then,you either have a bad solenoid or a bad ground on solenoid.
Hope this helps and isn't confusing,
Mike

Mike’s troubleshooting of the connections is right on and this is the first thing to check. If the external wiring all checks out then you likely have a corroded starter. A 1989 16’ FourWinns is probably equipped with a 3.0 GM which has a low mount starter. I don’t recall where the Ford 2.4 starter is located but odds are its is also down low. Any high bilge water or even rain water run-off from the engine cover can find its way into the starter. Since it is semi-sealed (for spark suppression) the water has a hard time draining out and corrosion results. If you’re hearing a click, it may indicate that that the solenoid is working but the starter motor itself is seized.

Some safety advice: if your running any type of electrical jumper test as Mike describes make sure that your have no fuel leaks and always run your bilge blower. Open sparks and gas fumes are a bad combination. On that same subject, if you replace any electrical parts, especially the starter, make sure they are suitable for marine use. If you wind up replacing the starter DON’T use an automotive starter even if it looks the same – it’s not.

Thanks mla2ofus and bingo757 for your fast reply.
Great help in troubleshooting.
I think the starter might have bought the farm as it is low in the bilge and worked fine last year,but in winter storage it may have seized as suggested.
The engine is a 4 cyl. GM. Maybe i can try the old trick of tapping on the starter a bit to free. I'll take a look at it this week-end. Thanks again

Looks like the starter is kaput. The motor is a 3.0 Gm.
next question is how much roughly, does it cost to have a marine mechanic
replace it? My arthritic body is not up to it.
Thanks

The starter should run you just under $200 - the labor will depend on the mechanic/local practice.... for a 2ish hour job...

Thanks for your reply.

Update:
You all were right with the bad electrical connections. It was a bad battery cable with corrosion. Sorry to take so long getting back, as i've had limited time to troubleshoot. Happy Father's day!!
daswede

Glad to help,Daswede. Hope you have lots of fun on the water,and Happy Father's Day too.
Mike