Buying a Boat?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks, I don't think that's the issue here.

After an evening of wrenching I've concluded that working on a boat is just like a car with really crappy access. I pulled my steering cable last night, the steering at the wheel is still difficult with the cable disconnected from the drive so I'm concluding that the cable is bad or the guide tube on the power steering assembly is dirty/corroded. I'm going to clean out the tube as well as do my best to lube the existing cable for use on Sunday, the new cable won't arrive until next week.

[Rot 911]

Matt does the lower unit turn smoothly from side to side with the steering cable detached?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I haven't messed with it yet Kurt. I have power steering and I have to disconnect the lower unit from the PS side before it will move freely. I'm going to check it out as well to see if I have multiple issues.

[Mo_Gearhead]

I’m also late to this thread. Nice boat Matt.

We have had four different boats over some 30 years - from an old 14 ft. closed-bow runabout, 18 and 19 ft. boats similar to yours (walk through windshield) and now a 21 ft. Sea Ray Sundeck type.

Some thoughts for new owners:

Since you will be working the front winch, and tie downs and in the water as you launch and (later) load the boat, and your wife will be operating the boat; give her careful instructions so she clearly understands what the shift lever/speed control, the trim/trailer button, and the bilge blower are doing.

I always ask her these questions (during launching);
“Blower (bilge) on?”
“Trim at half-way?” (on gauge)

Putting it on trailer at end of day, before I get back into the tow vehicle;
“Trim up?”
“Key off?” (she has turned it to ‘accessory’ and ran the battery down)

The “trim” (outdrive position) I mention because on some launch ramps you may be in shallow water or the ramp may be so steep the outdrive may hit bottom. Also, one should NEVER engage forward or reverse with the outdrive in the full out (up) position!

Also when loading on the trailer, she should ask all passengers to stay seated! Sometimes children (or unknowing adults) are up, moving about trying to gather belongings. Keep them seated till you have the boat secured in the trailer bunks and your safety chain (at the wench) is in place.

RE: the wandering at low/idle speed. EVERY boat I have owned did this at idle speeds. It’s a function of prop torque. As soon as you hit the throttle and the boat rises and planes, it should stop. If it continues - then you need to look for a problem. (My current boat has twin, counter-rotating props ...and it still does it.)

Over time my wife became a great boat captain, I learned to ski decades ago with her at the wheel. She can put in on the trailer even with a 15- 20 MPH cross-wind, usually on the first try.

Enjoy.

[Mo_Gearhead]

A couple more thoughts came to me.

When the boat is off the tow vehicle and setting (stored on the trailer or in a lift) you should run the trim all the way in (down). There is a flexible, rubber bellows that covers the u-joint (coupler) that will take a “set” (stretched out) if the outdrive is stored in the out (trailer) position; this can cause it to crack prematurely and may later allow water into that bearing. Not good.

You probably know that besides the water pump on the engine, the lower unit also has a water pump. You should never run the engine at home without “earmuffs” hooked to a water hose, with low pressure, to keep those impellers wet - or they can fail prematurely. If you are boating and you see your engine temperature rising when all else appears OK, the lower water pump impellers have probably failed. It will cause engine overheating - so stop!

Boats are like our autos. If you maintain them correctly- you can have minimal problems and few worries about being stranded. But there can be a learning curve. You (and your wife) should learn all you can about its safe operation.

[peppy]

Took the boat out for a sea trial yesterday and it passed with flying colors. Took it home last night.

I agree Matt, a boat can't be much harder to work on than a Porsche.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Just wanted to follow up on this thread, our boat has probably been the best family purchase that we've ever made. Everyone has the same enthusiasm that they did the first time we went out, we've used it nearly every Sunday as well as multiple times during the week. It has been a lot of fun and a fantastic investment. The plan right now is to use the Tahoe for the next summer, then look for something bigger at the end of the season. At that point it will be Cobalt time!

[peppy]

Matt that is great news. Did you do any skiing? The boat we bought won't pull my fat ass up.

[gprsh924]

Matt now that you're hooked, the next step is the lake house. Start planning/saving now.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by peppy

Matt that is great news. Did you do any skiing? The boat we bought won't pull my fat ass up.

Nope. I never learned as a kid, and I'm really not very inclined to now. We pulled one of my teenage sister in laws and her boyfriend on a wakeboard and it seemed to do fine, and we've pulled a variety of adults on tubes. Is yours a 4 or a 6 cylinder? Ours is a 190 HP 4.3 V6 and a pretty lightweight boat, it has more than enough performance for us. I dinged up the prop so I upgraded to a 4-blade, that made a bid difference as well.

Originally Posted by gprsh924

Matt now that you're hooked, the next step is the lake house. Start planning/saving now.

LOL. I'll start by saving for a bigger boat. Ours would get swamped on most big lakes like Lake of the Ozarks.