Thinking About a Boat

Don't make me start counting....
 
I'm embarrassed to admit to 45 cylinders - a month ago .... and somewhat startled to realize not a V-8 in the herd now ... altho just got rid of 2 vehicles and 1 more on the sell list.

oh wait ... I forgot to count 1/45th of the Saratoga, Bonanza and Dakota ... add another 4/10ths of a cylinder ... 45.4

updated count - 36.4
 
Hell, I'm already at 8 V8s, not counting lesser engines. I need to buy petroleum stocks.
 
lesser engines ... crap - now that made me recall 3 more ... edit 5 more ... stop!!!!!
 
I was surprised to be higher than Ben. Aided by the 310, boat, 2 chainsaws, and two riding mowers

Oh wait, I forgot to count one riding mower. 53. :D

Darn.....

I forgot my chainsaws.... And a few others too.....

Lemme see.

turbo pick up = 6 cyl
toyota daily driver =6
work van =6
N801BH = 8
Binford = 16
alky snowmobile = 2
mod stock snowm = 2
baby binford =2
mower =1
2 weedeaters =2
3 chainsaws =3
10hp generator =1
prototype alky sled= 2
58 total..

That is my final answer.... Looks like doc has us all beat....
 
..I must be out of my mind..

I just got rid of the only four banger econo-box we had. I take that back, I have a New Holland 55 tractor with a four banger turbo diesel. But it takes a long time to drive it to town. :D

If you count lawn mowers, tractors, roto-tillers, compressors, and irrigation motors, I quit counting at ...

149 :frown2: .. somebody shoot me...
 
Re: ..I must be out of my mind..

I just got rid of the only four banger econo-box we had. I take that back, I have a New Holland 55 tractor with a four banger turbo diesel. But it takes a long time to drive it to town. :D

If you count lawn mowers, tractors, roto-tillers, compressors, and irrigation motors, I quit counting at ...

149 :frown2: .. somebody shoot me...

Al Gore will be over first thing in the morning to have a talk with you....:D:D:rofl:
 
I should be drug out in the woods and shot ... :loco:


Lucky for you,, they can't kill with a AR-15.... BHO wants to ban that ammo...

Looks like you get to live for another day to pollute the air....:yesnod:.......:D
 
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counting farm equipment I can come up with 200 cylinders without trying too hard. Put another way that's a lot of fuel injectors waiting to fail
 
Darn.....

I forgot my chainsaws.... And a few others too.....

Lemme see.

turbo pick up = 6 cyl
toyota daily driver =6
work van =6
N801BH = 8
Binford = 16
alky snowmobile = 2
mod stock snowm = 2
baby binford =2
mower =1
2 weedeaters =2
3 chainsaws =3
10hp generator =1
prototype alky sled= 2
58 total..

That is my final answer.... Looks like doc has us all beat....

You should have bought my 310, that would have gave you 70
 
The baddest mamajamma on the water. :rockon:

SeaVee 390 with IPS drive.

seavee39_kimbuktu.jpg
 
The baddest mamajamma on the water. :rockon:

SeaVee 390 with IPS drive.

seavee39_kimbuktu.jpg

The IPS drives are slick. But not shallow water or trailer friendly. There is control technology that makes outboards into IPS drives.
 
Re: ..I must be out of my mind..

I just got rid of the only four banger econo-box we had. I take that back, I have a New Holland 55 tractor with a four banger turbo diesel. But it takes a long time to drive it to town. :D

If you count lawn mowers, tractors, roto-tillers, compressors, and irrigation motors, I quit counting at ...

149 :frown2: .. somebody shoot me...

Oh wait, we also get to count our commercial cyl too? Not just personal stuff? Well,,,,,,,
 
Commenced dewinterization this afternoon after work. Didn't do much, mostly pulled the boat out of its hibernation corner, put on the new license plate, and did a walk-around. A few things I found:

-One of the drain/vent holes in the side had two big f'in' buzzing insects in it. I killed them dead. Note to sell: seal those holes up for winterization. That should've been obvious.

-The bow area of the cover collected quite a bit of water, although it didn't leak. I need to put something there to aid natural run-off of water with the bow rail in place.

-Just peeking in, I see (and smell) moth balls, with no signs of critters. Hope that stays as such

Question: The vinyl racing stripes are in rotten shape and falling off. Is the best way to get them off pressure washer or are there other recommended ways?

What's the right grease to use on the zerk fittings?

Tomorrow or Sunday I'll pull the cover, vacuum out the mothballs, make some progress on the vinyl stripes (maybe), and throw the batteries in to see if everything works. Might even put it in the river for fun and see if it still works. And then I need to mess with the trailer some, figure I'll regrease the bearings and flush the brakes to see if I can make them work reasonably.

Anything else I'm missing? Oh, and the new license plate... :D
 

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Commenced dewinterization this afternoon after work. Didn't do much, mostly pulled the boat out of its hibernation corner, put on the new license plate, and did a walk-around. A few things I found:

-One of the drain/vent holes in the side had two big f'in' buzzing insects in it. I killed them dead. Note to sell: seal those holes up for winterization. That should've been obvious.

-The bow area of the cover collected quite a bit of water, although it didn't leak. I need to put something there to aid natural run-off of water with the bow rail in place.

-Just peeking in, I see (and smell) moth balls, with no signs of critters. Hope that stays as such

Question: The vinyl racing stripes are in rotten shape and falling off. Is the best way to get them off pressure washer or are there other recommended ways?

What's the right grease to use on the zerk fittings?

Tomorrow or Sunday I'll pull the cover, vacuum out the mothballs, make some progress on the vinyl stripes (maybe), and throw the batteries in to see if everything works. Might even put it in the river for fun and see if it still works. And then I need to mess with the trailer some, figure I'll regrease the bearings and flush the brakes to see if I can make them work reasonably.

Anything else I'm missing? Oh, and the new license plate... :D

Grab the wifes blow /hair dryer.. Find a spot where the wind isn't blowing and the vinyl racing strips will peel right off.....:yes::yes:
 
Dewinterization seems to be successful so far. There were no critters aside from two big ass bees I found, everything seems to work, engine starts and runs. Mothballs and peppermint oil seemed to do a good job of keeping the critters away. I'll go by the river and dip the back end in to run it. Vinyl stripes are coming off... slowly but surely.

I'll have some more questions I'm sure. I do have a few things I need to buy.
 
Put a couple of beach balls in the bow cockpit. Depending on width & depth, it may take sseveral to keep the center elevated higher than the edges.
 
Backed the boat into the river (1 mile away - too shallow to actually boat in but good for testing) and everything worked great. Engine got up to temperature and stayed there, outdrive worked in both directions, no leaks observed. A successful winterization! I was admittedly nervous about that.

Next weekend we'll plan on cleaning it, polishing up the teak, and I'll work more on the pinstripes to get rid of those. Also need to do some work on the trailer, figure I'll throw some grease in the bearing buddies and I need to try bleeding/flushing the surge brakes, because right now they don't do a damn thing.
 
Boat experts:

I have a 70s vintage fiberglass trihull with a 1977 75hp Johnson outboard that I bought last winter. It's had an issue that is progressively worse every time I take it on the water.

Basically, when you'd first take it onto the water it will start run and idle great. But any efforts to go above about 5mph yields no results. As you advance the throttle it keeps running but sounds incredibly bogged down. Usually after about 5 minutes it's like someone just hit a light switch and it suddenly produces full power and is good until you shut it down and let it cool for more than about 15 minutes at which point the problem comes back.

Now it's to the point that it doesn't run right for about 45 minutes of 5 mph operation. It's a ***** to put back on the trailer when it's doing this because it won't idle.

I was initially thinking it could be a carb issue and was planning on tearing them down but it doesn't feel like any carb issue I've ever had. You can be at full power doing 5 mph with it sounding very bogged down and suddenly bam it goes to full power and you about fall out of the boat.

I'm starting to think I may have an ignition issue that clears up once the engine gets hot. Thoughts?

What is your prop pitch? What does the boat weigh, (run the rig across a set of scales, launch the boat and reweigh). First thing I would suspect if you have an issue making power like that is you have a problem with your reed valves.

Simple test to start with would be to take a pair of plastic pliers (fuse pliers from home depot) and remove the spark plug wires one at a time with the engine running in its 5mph max mode. If you pull a wire and nothing changes that cylinder isn't running. Be very aware of the big "meat grinder" mounted on top of that engine when running with the cowling off.

So...the reed valves look absolutely perfect. I pulled the carbs and disassembled them and they look brand new.

I pulled the coils and tested them with a multi meter for resistance. 3 are about 1300 ohms and the 4th is about 1800 ohms. I can't find any sort of spec for what it should be.

I did discover one fuel line leaks before the fuel pump. Maybe that was causing random fuel starvation as it sucked air?
 
That fuel line issue seems probable for an issue, Jesse. I'd fix that first and see what happens.
 
Also need to do some work on the trailer, figure I'll throw some grease in the bearing buddies and I need to try bleeding/flushing the surge brakes, because right now they don't do a damn thing.

Post 687 is the primer on bleeding the trailer brakes. However, that assumes all the brake bits are serviceable.
 
Post 687 is the primer on bleeding the trailer brakes. However, that assumes all the brake bits are serviceable.

That's the plan for the weekend, and then I'll determine if everything else is serviceable. Also going to throw in the air springs on the truck, which I'm expecting to make a real improvement.
 
Go out now and spray PB-blaster, or your favorite elixir for rusty stuff on the bleed nipples. Do it every evening until weekend. If you have a small Bernzomatic torch, maybe heat the brake cyl right around the nipple first.

I got good odds at Vegas at least one will be stuck beyond hope. If you can get the part number or Mfg off the brake drum backing plate, you might consider pre-ordering a new wheel cyl here. http://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/it...r+Wheel+Cylinders+-+Shoes&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=
 
That fuel line issue seems probable for an issue, Jesse. I'd fix that first and see what happens.

Yeah, will order new gaskets for the carbs tonight, and replace all the fuel hoses and fittings. After that I'll see where I stand. Doubt I'll have that done by this weekend...so I guess I'll take the jet ski out this weekend. Going to be *COLD* water still though.
 
Propeller question: The propeller got banged up on the last trip out, so I want to buy a replacement that we can bang up again. Do I need to buy the "hub kit" hardware? I put a prop that is appropriate for my boat in my cart on one website and the website flagged it for not having the hub kit. I don't know if that's something you normally change at the same time or not.

Also, we're thinking of redoing the cushions in the cabin area. Anyone have a recommendation for a place that sells those pre-made vs. having something custom made?
 
As long as you are buying a prop compatible with your existing hub, it'll work. However, some brands/styles aren't cross-compatible and it can be a pain to have a hub stuck in the prop or a spun hub when it comes time to change them out. The hub kits are inexpensive, I'd personally just buy a second hub with the new prop.
 
Propeller question: The propeller got banged up on the last trip out, so I want to buy a replacement that we can bang up again. Do I need to buy the "hub kit" hardware? I put a prop that is appropriate for my boat in my cart on one website and the website flagged it for not having the hub kit. I don't know if that's something you normally change at the same time or not.

Also, we're thinking of redoing the cushions in the cabin area. Anyone have a recommendation for a place that sells those pre-made vs. having something custom made?

IS your old prop new enough to have a removable hub? If your old prop has a removable hub that is in good condition and the new prop is the same brand you can probably get away without it. If your old prop is old enough it will have a pressed in rubber hub, that is not compatible with the new style hubs.
 
Yes, you need a prop, and a hub with it. Most cases the two are sold together with the hub and damper already fitted to the cone of the prop. It's nearly impossible to replace just the prop on an existing hub in the field. Pretty much requires a press, or many bangs with a BFH, thus reducing the prop to shards of useless aluminum.

Your prop and hub design are pretty standard, so you have a lot to choose from. I am a big believer in stainless steel props, with at least one spare on board which can be Al. Go ahead and use a body hammer to fix the beat up parts of your current prop as best you can, and that will be your spare this season. Then you get to write a check! won't that be fun!

http://boatpropellers.iboats.com/Me...-148-18_Propeller/771/9516/?cart_id=126480592

This model is what I use on my 7.4L cruiser, but fitted for your outdrive. Of course, you will need to select your pitch appropriately. General guidance is you can up your pitch from 1-2" over what the Al prop is running. So, if you currently have a 17" pitch, you can go to an 18 or 19" when using stainless steel. This is only an estimate, and YMMV but it's been used for many years. This is also a 'cupped' prop which helps reduce trailing blade swirling at higher planing speeds. Some Al props are also cupped, but it's a serious improvement with the thin cross section of new SS props.

<edit; in retrospect, if you are going into places where prop damage is common like shoals, or rock bars, etc - maybe stick with Al, and carry 2 spares. No reason to go with SS if you are going gunk-holing with the fam for that perfect fishing, camping spot. >
 
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So if I can jump on in here, this boat has piqued my curiosity.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/boa/5001787732.html

I just got to wonder about the price tag. Friend on mine is a charter/ferry captain said it should be an ok buy if it's advertised somewhat truthfully. I think the trailer and fish finder alone is around $300.
 
Thanks, that answers my question. Prop with hub kit on the way.

Doc, your edit is my reason for wanting to stick with aluminum. We aren't in a particularly hazardous area for props per se, but we are inexperienced boaters and expect we'll bang up another prop or two just as part of learning.
 
So if I can jump on in here, this boat has piqued my curiosity.

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/boa/5001787732.html

I just got to wonder about the price tag. Friend on mine is a charter/ferry captain said it should be an ok buy if it's advertised somewhat truthfully. I think the trailer and fish finder alone is around $300.

If it's as clean as it looks, that is the deal of the century. The little Volvo is a wonderful sport boat engine, and the Penta outdrive are very reliable. Ask if the water pump problem is the raw water pump in the drive, or the engine water pump. Even with that, if the hull is sound, and the interior is in decent shape fixing the water leak isn't a big job.

Easy tow, easy launch, easy drive, easy recovery. Not fancy, but a good stable chine hull and plenty of fun on the water for a small fam. Low fuel use too. Jump on it.
 
If it's as clean as it looks, that is the deal of the century. The little Volvo is a wonderful sport boat engine, and the Penta outdrive are very reliable. Ask if the water pump problem is the raw water pump in the drive, or the engine water pump. Even with that, if the hull is sound, and the interior is in decent shape fixing the water leak isn't a big job.

Easy tow, easy launch, easy drive, easy recovery. Not fancy, but a good stable chine hull and plenty of fun on the water for a small fam. Low fuel use too. Jump on it.

If the guy gets back to me today, I'm going to go take a look at it tomorrow.
 
If it's as clean as it looks, that is the deal of the century. The little Volvo is a wonderful sport boat engine, and the Penta outdrive are very reliable. Ask if the water pump problem is the raw water pump in the drive, or the engine water pump. Even with that, if the hull is sound, and the interior is in decent shape fixing the water leak isn't a big job.

Easy tow, easy launch, easy drive, easy recovery. Not fancy, but a good stable chine hull and plenty of fun on the water for a small fam. Low fuel use too. Jump on it.

It's the old AQ drive, so I don't consider it any better/worse than the Merc units. At least it's not the dreaded L-drive that Bayliner shoved in a lot of those boats. It's not a terrible boat, but I bet the thing has rotted transom/floors. Can't do too much bad for only $500, but I'd definitely water test the thing to uncover any "gotchas". As with most things, you get what you pay for, and $500 isn't paying for much in the boating world. I'd go in expecting it to be worth nothing but the trailer and move on from there.
 
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