After selling the 26 striper at the start of the year. I wanted to get into beach launching and a more fishing friedly boat. I am currently having one built by Jim at Marine line.

I will be taking pics of the build along the way. Today was day 2 of construction. 

Specs will be

7.6M Hardtop with 2.7M beam

300 hp suzuki 4 stroke

Twin Simrad 12 inch NSS EVO2 screens

structure scan

auto pilot

Completion around september

Enjoy the pics

Week 3

boat is starting to take shape quickly. Only 3 weeks of contruction so far by 1 welder.

Boat has now completed construction. On its new trialer and off to paint this week.

JC

Hi guy's
I thought I would share a situation I was able to resolve.
Symptoms:
After a long run back into the South Passage just as we got to the passage my son slowed to line up the leads, when he accelerated the engine started to surge like it was starving for fuel
Drained the fuel filter to check for water - there was a little but not chock o block. Started engine and all was good. Problem fixed I thought. Next morning belted down to the South passage waiting for the opportunity to go through - went to accelerate after idling for a while, started to surge halfway up a swell. Turn the key off and start again full power again.
Changed fuel lines, replaced priming bulb - checked inline filter on engine which had a little water in it. As couldn't get a replacement primary water trap filter so just cleaned the one I had and reused it.
Put the boat in for a test run all good for an hour then slowed down to go through the 5 knots sign and decided to test again - engine started to surg.

With only 4 days to home time I decided to leave the fix for when I go home.

When I got back , I went looking on line and found a post on Hull Truth which had a guy with exactly the same symptoms as me. His fix was the Fuel Vapour Separating tank had a High Pressure Fuel pump screen clogged. He went on to say the you can actually take ther VST off without removing the intake manifold. So I had go and within an hour I had the vapour separating tank on the bench and stripped.

Below is what I found

Looks like a gel paste which must have formed in the High pressure pump suction cavity as it would never have got through the feed gallery

In the VST you have:
High Pressure Pump $500
Pressure Regulator $294
Needle and float
High pressure pump screen

Pressure tested the Pressure regulator with a floor bike pump and all good blew off 37psi and held that pressure for 10 mins - so refitted.
Reassembled VST
Drained fuel tank and replaced the existing lines
Replaced water trap filter
Awaiting for High Pressure filter to arrive to replace it.

Tools used:
75mm long Sidchrome 10mm Rachet spanner
10mm / 11mm Ring spanner which had the 10mm end bent in the vice to get at the single front bolt.
Pliers
Good fitting Phillips head screw drive to undo the 5 x VST bolts.

Took it for test run yesterday and appears to all good now.

Touch wood - fingers crossed

Gunner

 2006 verado with 1200 hours

Any problems with these engines when they have these hours, or any problems in general

Most hours have been at trolling speed

Does anyone know where i can buy just the aluminium  for a boat windows

Cheers Rob 

hey just want some feedback from anyone with older 4 strokes what brand how old an any thing you've had fixed on them how many hours , just want get an idea of reliability and which most cost effective , any info be appreciated as I've had only 2 strokes an my currant motors are coming up 35 yrs old pretty good really

ta nath 

What are you guys doing with your outboards on road trips. I have a Yamaha F60 on a quinny with maxitransom and propping it up on the lever doesnt seem like a good idea, the lever is flimsy and having the leg out adds leverage on the transom. So, leave it trimmed down and travel on the trim rams, put a rod through the holes in the motor mounting plate and rest the motor on that or someone has suggested a block of wood between the motor and the mounting plate. The ultimate would be a trailer to leg support, suggestions or pics of your set ups?

 Hi, I've got a 150HP Optimax and the other day the Trim on my Smart Gauge stopped working. Normally when I start to trim the motor the trim read out displays but now nothing. When I go thru the menu I can find the trim but it is reading way out and looks completely different to what I'm normally looking at. Anyone know what could have happened or who I could take it to to be repaired? I live SOR. Cheers

 Has anyone ever had there gel coat on there boat re done, my 235 Boston whaler is looking real dull, hoping somebody could give me a rough price To re gel coat a 23.5ft walk around, or any recommendations who to go to?? Cheers

Any recommendations for outboard servicing in Bunbury or surrounding areas? I have twin 90 Yammie 2 strokes

cheers

 Does anyone know the max rated HP for a 19ft Penguin Huntress runabout?  The current 120hp Johnson is running ok at the moment but will be looking at updating the motor at the end of year. Also, thoughts on running twin outboards on the Penguin? The way the transom is designed, fitting twins won't require major transom work, which is still very very solid!  I'll be considering twin 75HP outboards with seperate fuel tanks, batteries etc. If going single outboard, I'll be looking at a 150-175HP.

Thanks in advance.

hi all.
Just recently bought a 4.8 mt boat.
Just wondering how far out people go in a boat this size and how safe they feel....I go out about 10nm but seems everyone goes out hell of a lot further.

Just wondering others experiences ect and thoughts

Cheers

I just can't decide she needs new seats the canvas ones look good as do the vinyl ones ... But vinyl is cheaper is canvas worth the extra went it comes to our pilot seats ? 8) what do u guys recon ?

thnxs 

getting the the vinyl better waterproof n cheaper ;)

 Does anyone know where I can get spare keys cut for my outboard ignition? Have tried a couple of key cutters in local shopping centre but they said they don't carry the correct blanks because there is little demand.

Thanks for any advice.

 Had the twin 60hp merc 2 strokes serviced today before the annual Ningaloo trip. Haven't had this boat long, it's a Swiftcraft Dominator Mk11, one owner since new, lived next door to me all its life. Really well looked after by a conscientious owner , repowered about 1995.  I've been catching up on small age related problems,such as wiring , canopy,  and upgrading the electronics in a modest way, as well as converting the trailer to tandem, it was well underweight for the boat. Anyway, went to pick the boat up, all done, yep she's good, good compression all round, everything healthy, mention I'll probably keep them for a few years before I upgrade to a (probably s/h) 4  stroke. Express a preference for 115Hp, Yamaha F115 seems like a good bet--" what about that one?" says the mechanic. I see one sitting on a stand, apparently just traded on a new Suzuki. 2007 model, 1300 hrs, just serviced, new injectors, all diagnostics good. Excellent trade offered on the Mercs (well, there were two of them), drive away price was just too good to pass up. peanuts. 

So I will have it fitted by the end of next week.

[IMG]http://ranmar.smugmug.com/Purely-fishing/i-27D3Ld9/0/XL/Ocean%20Reef%20Port-XL.jpg/[IMG]

Hi guys,

I have just picked up a 2nd hand 6m RIB with a 175hp Honda 4 stroke and 200L tank, weighs about 2T on trailer.

I was just wondering if the fuel consumption gauge is accurate, I cruise at about 3500rmp at 27kt and it reads about 40L/h. Is this reasonable?

I have been finding I have been using a little bit more so far by my calculations.

My concern is I keep the boat under a cover and when it has been sitting for a day or so I can smell fuel when I go under the cover. Is this normal or should I be worried there is a fuel leak somewhere?

Mark

I have a 4.2m forward console dinghy with a screen, I am looking to get a canopy made with front and side clears like the one in the photo.

does anyone know how much this will cost?

 Hey guys just wondering if there is a reason why there is a hole in my outboard well other than to drain, i have a 18ft baron ski runabout and if i have a bit of weight in the back when fishing it gets a bit of water and in some cases gets enough to drain into the deck from the engine hoses hole, do i need this hole or can i put a bung in it only reason i ask is i would like to put a bench in the back for skiing and river cruises and dont want too much weight in back if it cant take it 

Thanks guys another nube question haha

Hi fishos I'm nearing the end of fixing my centre console and am thinking of putting a new console on with a custom t-bar canopy. If anyone could recommended some numbers for either would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance

hi has anyone had expanding foam injection in the hull space? any problems/benefits

cheers jeff

hey guys im looking at getting a walk around boat around the 22ft mark from the states

has anyone done this recently? how expensive is shipping?

the only walkarounds in australia are around the $40k+ mark

thanks for your help :)

Hi Guys,
Wondering if anyone has any good ideas where I could get a stone protector to fit on my 4.5t Dumbier trailer.
I've been looking at a few on Ebay, but probably best to get one local....

Any pictures or ideas?

It's to go on this:

My fuel filter setup had been annoying me so decided to make it a bit more user friendly and neat.
Little point in having glass bowls if

a/ you cant see into them easily

b/ cant drain them easily

also the housings were steel and rusty, got some alloy heads from BLA $20 each.

Note that (in last pic) electrical wiring should NEVER be bundled with fuel lines, as a short circuit can then become a large barbecue.
This will be setup properly when I get a mounting clamp.

Got some alloy angle and knocked up a bracket

Mounted under the outboard well

Just need some hydraulic clamps to secure hoses properly and done.

maybe of interest to those guys new to fiddling with their outboards

dropped the legs off my outboards to check the impellors, these pics show what I consider about the point they should be replaced-note the curve on the blades.

An outboard that has sat for a number of years without running could get this without any hours.

These impellors have about 250hrs but Ive dropped them every 100 to check.
It is such a simple job that everyone should know how to do it, like changing a tyre.
45 minutes a side.

The bottom plate and impellor housing look in perfect condition so only swapped the impellor.

If you run in shallow sandy water, mud, or if you see stirred up bottom alot where you fish (from propwash) it certainly can wear ALOT faster!

So, one of the biggest (can i call it commodity) used is foam, we have it in our lounge suites, matress, dining charis, cars......its also used in packing protection, foam.

foam is used for so much, yet it is so hard to find, and if you find a shop like clarke  its so bloody expensive!

i have to re upholster my seats on my boat, and the majority of the foam is well worn, has anyone else had to re do thiers? where did you get it from, was it expensive?

we have pretty much got to re vamp the interior of the boat due to age, sun damage and neglect and trying to source some hardware, dressings etc at a reasonable affordable price here in aus is harder than i imagined. I have frequented whitworths, but it would be nice to look at what else is out there other than what they offer, though so far i find the prices they have to be pretty darn reasonable.

im interested to know where others shop.

Hoping someone can help me. I have a sender unit in my fuel tank, however, i have a pos and neg wire just sitting on the tank not connected to anything. now i am assuming, that he sender unit should have some elec box attached to the top for the wiresto connect to. can someone advise if i am correct, and if not, what i do with regards to connecting

.

Hi,

Just wondering if there is anyone in or around karratha on here and has a good knowledge of boats (esp DIY) that may be able to look at my cabin.

i have an area in my cabin that was used as a toilet (its in the middle of the cabin!) , however we dont have a toilet, and wont be getting one, but would like to look at moving the fibreglass recess area the toilet sat in to allow for the floor to be able to walk on. I dont want to go in gung-ho with a saw until i know that by removing the walls of this i am not causing any structural damage to the actual boat.

Hi all
Am slowly doing up my Baron Sportsman and am up to the trailer. Trailer is used for solo launching and retrieval and under current setup is difficult to drive the boat on as I have only 8” to aim at with the two rear rollers.

I was looking at cutting approx. 300 mm from the back of trailer, removing rear black bottom and side rollers and fitting a set of six roller, pivoting wobble brackets
Then moving the winch post/ bow roller back 200 mm to allow the addition of a 4th set of keel rollers. (the keel stops approx. 500 mm from the transom.) If need be I can move the suspension back 200mm if required to maintain sufficient tow ball load.

The outcome should look like this:

So am I heading in the right direction to achieve the end result of adequately supporting the boat and being able to drive on/drive off?

Thanks

Bob

Hi Guys,

Looking at a boat with a fairly new (2013) 250 Verado on the back and was hoping to get advice and opinions from those that have had these motors with any problems etc that they have encountered and is there anything that I should look out for.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

x 

After looking at all commercial options I reverted to fishwrecked.....Drillzy87.
Custom made in a week to precise measurements and twice as strong as the old one.....all at a great price......brilliant thanks mate

 I just finished putting put $7 worth of parts into my bimini to get it back into service and it got me thinking about how the simple things seem to make me happy when working on the boat. One of the main pole ends snapped on my second last trip out last wednesday night. Lucky we left while it was still light and could secure the folded bimini and not lose the trip out.

Maybe you have a story of a cheap or simple fix that made a big difference to your boat?