While yachting last weekend the hatch lift on my 1998 Formula 280SS worked fine when I went to look at something out on the lake. One hour later, back at the dock, it wouldn't lift the engine hatch. Could hear the lift motor running but the hatch didn't budge. Any ideas? TIA

Getting it open is the problem right now. Some boats have screws into the hatch itself that hold the upper bracket on, so you can move the screws and the bracket comes loose and you open the hatch manually. Other have portal to reach in and pull a "pin" out of one end, and open manually. Some are just a FUBAR and and you have to disassemble the back seat to get to them.

Once that's done, assuming they're electric, there is a gear at the end of the electric motor that turns a worm gear assembly that raises and lowers the hatch. Generally there is a "safety" dowl in that gear that can shear to save the motor/gear assembly if something happens. I would check there first. Also gives you a chance to eyeball the gears, grease stuff, etc. Take out the bolts/pins that the top and bottom of the lift arm, unplug the electrics, take lift out of the boat. On the bench, there are some bolts/screws into a cover that protect the gearset. Remove cover to get to that gearset. Check there first.

Yachting in a 280SS??? LOL

Hey I was on the water getting frisky with the g/f and smoking a cigar, that's "yachting" in my book

Only if you have your pinky sticking up in the air.

I thought you were supposed to smoke a cigarette after that, not a cigar. Cigars are supposed to be reserved for 9 months in the future if your friskiness is, ahem, "productive".

Or a pinky sticking somewhere else!