Got my boat back today

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I think "found the drain plug in the transom" sums it up. When I was around boats, especially in salt water (where I live), we spent the better part of a case of beer cleaning the boat once on the trailer.

The plug didn't end up underneath something. But it was left out for the boat to drain. The guy that owned the boat that I was most often skiing behind went on to off shore racing. He knew a few things about boats.

My bass boat plug lived in the transom and not in the plug hole holder either..... owned it for 27 years ... then sold it.... got a call the next day ... guy was at the dock....

"Where's the plug?"

[vash]

Originally Posted by KC911

Yep... makin' sure the plug is in ... and it's never happened to me ....

But I saw my buddy's maiden voyage/launch in his 22' center console back in the 80s ... like it was yesterday ...

It sinks in

Drain plugs stay out .... you want rain, etc. to have an exit if it's outside ... a plugged boat makes a nice big azz tub too!

Zackly! I always took advantage of the tow home to dump accumulated water. Plug comes out as I’m tying down the transom.

[unclebilly]

Who launched it?

Where I live, it is illegal to transport a boat with the plug in as any bilge water could allow an invasive species to stay alive in there and then be pumped out and subsequently infect the next lake…

Zebra mussels are the biggest concern right now.

[FA-18C]

Glad that crisis was avoided. We have a boatyard attached to our government contracting business and thankfully have avoided any near misses. BUT - we have completely refit several U-boats of customers with similar stories. On the ordinal scale of costs Porsches are cheaper than Boats are cheaper than Airplanes are cheaper than Hookers and Drugs...or something like that.

[TimT]

$55,000 for two boat motors?

You can easily pay 50K for a new 350 hp outboard...

Well some people do

[unclebilly]

My boat has these…





It’s a Seadoo so they make them extra dummy proof for 99% of their clientele…

[Baz]

Originally Posted by FA-18C

Glad that crisis was avoided. We have a boatyard attached to our government contracting business and thankfully have avoided any near misses. BUT - we have completely refit several U-boats of customers with similar stories. On the ordinal scale of costs Porsches are cheaper than Boats are cheaper than Airplanes are cheaper than Hookers and Drugs...or something like that.

You reminded me of this clip:

[dmcummins]

Here is a pic when it was in the shop, I plan on putting a few more hours on tommorow. The plug is back in.

I never thought to check the plug,I’ve had the boat 3 years and never removed it. I don’t have a trailer, it’s kept on a lift. I’ll definatly check it in the future if it’s pulled.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Boats are one of the hobbies that can easily be more expensive than an airplane. And there is no federal licensing of the mechanics or the boat drivers.

Just toys for big boys. Have fun with yours.

The boat has been less expensive than my plane. I put 800 hours on my plane, if I had kept it I would have been replacing the engine by now. The guy I sold it to did, probably ran him at least $60,000.

And I recently replaced the electronics on the boat, Chartplotter, auto pilot, radio, and radar. Cost me about $15,000 and a weekend to install. Couldn’t buy a radio for the plane for that.

But I did love my plane and if the wife wasn’t so scared of flying I’d still have it.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by vash

Awesome. Were the new Suzuki motors considered?

And bummer about the boat plug, but that’s on the captain, not the shop manager. It was always part of my pro-op walk around. I missed it on my maiden voyage. I was 18 and thought I knew everything. Nope.

I did consider new Suzuki’s. I would have had to replace all the rigging and guages which put the price about the same. And the suzukis would have been fly by wire, mine are mechanical. I talked with a few mechanics that worked and sold both and they weren’t convinced that fly by wire is a upgrade.

The big difference is the Suzuki’s weighed more than my old motors, the new Yamaha’s weighed less.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by TimT

You can easily pay 50K for a new 350 hp outboard...

Well some people do

I was quoted $90,000 for V-8 mercury’s. He had done some work for me in the past, and always busy.

He owns the same boat as mine, only newer. And also has a twin engine plane. Boat mechanics must be doing alright . He said they were game changers. That seems to be a common phrase when I’m looking at improvements on the boat.

[herr_oberst]

How much did you get for the old engines? One was good, right?

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

how much did you get for the old engines? One was good, right?

$8,500

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

I never thought to check the plug,I’ve had the boat 3 years and never removed it.

Other than when I did extensive floor/stringer/bulkhead repairs on my 21' boat, I never pull my drain plug. Boat lives in my shop on trailer. My bilge is always bone dry.

[KFC911]

^^^^ Wow... someone prolly just $tole 1 great motor....

Outboard motors/boats have always been $$$ my old high performance 150 hp Mariner (Mercury) was probababy a $12K motor 4 decades ago. Last time I went fishin' out of St. Augustine, stayin' in the shallows .... our charter's boat owner had a Yamaha 300 that year... a marvel to see.....

My boat would do 70+ .... then I got askeered..

I can't imagine 300 hp .... and forget about two of 'em!

Nice !

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Other than when I did extensive floor/stringer/bulkhead repairs on my 21' boat, I never pull my drain plug. Boat lives in my shop on trailer. My bilge is always bone dry.

For trailered boats, even pampered ones (mine), the plug goes in before the first strap is unhooked and is removed before the first strap is hooked.... right there on the ramp (drainage) and left on an incline for a few minutes too.

But launching a boat without checking the plug after it's been in someone else's possession is like picking up a gun someone gave ya....

You just gotta check....

Bet it never happens again !

[FA-18C]

We are a Suzuki repower center, but have a mix of motors in the shop. Yamahas are great, we ran them on some security boats for the Navy and with regular servicing were in the 9000 hour service life - which is remarkable.

We just installed 4 MERC 300's on a fountain, but most of the offshore center consoles have twin 250-300's on them at a minimum. Like any repair shop, you don't have 100% utilization rate on techs, and have an uneven production year. We do a lot of custom and major alterations in the soft season, and usually have a couple that we work through the high season. A lot of repowers.

There are a lot of repowers due to just lack of care for the motors. Owners fail to flush the motors and do basic service. We have them come in caked in salt and corrosion and a variety of very creative modifications including exterior wiring for below the water line lighting :/

[dmcummins]

Well the plug is back in, I had to borrow a friends floating platform he had.


And the engines are humming away. I’ve got about 5 hours on them, so except for no WOT for more than 5 minutes, I should be good to go.



I can definitely feel the difference with the new motors. I can get a little over 2 mpg low 30’s. Around 1.6 low 40’s, and around 1.2 at 50 or so. And I didn’t fool much with the trim, just out running at various rpm to get the rings seated and motor broken in.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by KC911

^^^^ Wow... someone prolly just $tole 1 great motor....

Outboard motors/boats have always been $$$ my old high performance 150 hp Mariner (Mercury) was probababy a $12K motor 4 decades ago. Last time I went fishin' out of St. Augustine, stayin' in the shallows .... our charter's boat owner had a Yamaha 300 that year... a marvel to see.....

My boat would do 70+ .... then I got askeered..

I can't imagine 300 hp .... and forget about two of 'em!

Nice !

Ya just never know, the engine was a 2006 with only around 600 hours on it. But I only owned it the last 3 years so I have no idea on how it was taken care of. Since the one left me stranded I didn’t trust the other one. And it’s pretty obvious when I’m selling the other engine was bad.

A local business bought it to push their work barge around. They repair the sea walls for the city. I may have been able to get a little more, but it’s also harder when the engine was already pulled off the boat. So they never even heard it run, just went on my word on it. I havnt heard anything from them so I guess it worked out.

[KFC911]

I remember when you bought her, and don't blame you..... you make some long.... lóooong runs. How much gas do ya burn on a typical trip.... these will do better in every way !

See.... yer actually saving money this way too...

Tell her...

Enjoy!