Hey guys.

have been doin a bit of reading into maintenance of fibreglass hills as seem to have a lot of spare time at the moment.

have read some conflicting things about gelcoat chips/gouges and was after some clarification. 
If you have a chip which exposes the fibreglass, does this need to be fixed straight away, or can the boat still be used without creating lasting damage? Some things I have read say ok to leave and fix up in batches where others say need to be done ASAP or risk delamimation.

reason I ask, is I am sure I will be getting some Dings and chips along the way, just hoping to find out if it warrants sacrificing a day out fishing, or if can wait to another day?

any advice greatly appreciated!

cheers

goat.

 Does anyone know where I can get a stainless prop repaired in Bunbury. Cheers

Hi guys,

I have a small boat with only a starting battery which also runs the accessories.
I would like to add a 2nd battery (deep cycle) to power the accessories and keep the current starting battery for just that. Adding solar to keep both batteries charged is also something I would like to do. The motor in a Yamaha enduro with an aftermarket alternator fitted however I don't know how much charge it actually delivers and would like solar as well for piece of mind. 

What I am wondering is the wiring diagram I have drawn below correct? If someone could cast an eye over it and give some feedback it would be appreciated. 
Acc = Accessories
VSR = voltage sensitive relay
house/accessories battery = same thing (deep cycle battery).

Thanks in advance!!

Hi Guys, 

This may sound like a stupid question to some expereinced crew but I need to do some repairs on my boat and I have searched high and low and cant find a straight out answer. 

I have some small chips in my Pacemaker boat, nothing major just small 10c piece sizes. On some of them you can just see the fibreglass poking through. I've just finished building the trailer now concentrating on the hull. 

Question's are:

-Can I just use a gelcoat repair kit and if so do I need to sand it back then use Flowcoat over the top of it to match the colour? I assume the Gelcoat is the top coat over the glass and the flowcoat is the paint to cover it? 

-Some small chips on the Keel is it possible to do this or is it a pro job? As i mentioned the dings are not very big infact on the keel they are 5c piece size if that, I just don't like the idea of possibly having water creep into the hull. 

-Painting the deck - Do use flowcoat for this? I do have a Top end Industrial Spray gun and Pressure pot at work I can use. 

I basically need a simple explanation to know the difference between the 2 products and if they are easy enough to use. I have plenty of time on my hands with this Covid situation and I figured I'd give my boat a birthday. I am pretty handy and have spent a lot of time fabricating and painting some high end jobs on the steel side. Just don't have any experience with the Fibreglass side of things. 

Cheers Lads! 

Hi All,

Due to having some spare time on my hands (like a lot of people at the moment) I decided it was the perfect time to do some work on my boat. It started with a fuel sender unit that wasn't reading, after removing that and noticing the state of the fuel (and water) inside I decided to go one step further and remove the tank for cleaning.

What i didn't expect was to punch through the bottom of the tank with my silicone tube I was using to syphon the last bit of fuel out on my work bench, see pics below.

My question and concern is the type of corrosion. It appears to have developed externally and is very localised, I am concerned about electrolysis. The effected section is the bottom of the tank and it is not in contact with anything as it hangs from brackets above.

Any advice on repair (explosion hazards understood and accounted for), replace, what to do stop it happening, how to check for stray currents etc. etc. would be much appreciated.

I have also put up some pics of the pitting inside the hull, nothing too deep at this stage.

Trav

 Unfortunately I broke my steering helm last trip out when I smashed the teeth and lost steering.

I was just reading up on installing a new mechanical steering helm and I noticed it has a warning in the instruction manual that says "WARNING STEERING CABLE MUST NOT BE BUNDLED TOGETHER WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING".

I can only think that the metal steering cable may emit an electrical signal from the outboard that may interfere with any electronics connected the the electrical wiring that's bundled with the steering cable.

Can anyone think of any other reason for this warning?

 Has anyone got one of these trailers? and what do they think of them? 

Cheers

Does any where  in Perth RE spray outboards (the whole thing, not just cowling) ? Roughly how much would it cost and can you get the paint codes etc, looking to fix fading and get it back to original. Preferably NOR.

thanks

 Hi guys.

wondering if anyone can suggest some good transom tie down straps?   I have been looking but unsure which are most appropriate.

i have a set of 450kg lashing capacity, 0.5m length, but they are just too long. Seems 0.5m seem to be the shortest I can find.

not keen to have to resort to one that goes over the whole boat as will be a nuisance to put on each time.

any suggestions?

cheers!

goat.

 Just a heads up to everyone that all penrite oil is on sale. 

Sale ends 11/4 so put in your click and collect asap.

Good time to service your outboard with this covid drama.

I did a bit of research and the 10w-40 engine oil is certified to nmma fc-w which is what you want (corrosion tested).

Also the gear oil is full synthetic and marine specific so it sounds pretty good to me.

Hi.

I was wondering if anyone out there has or has had a Freedom Elite 6.2m ?  I have a Yamaha 175 2 stroke on back and large hydrofoil but get significant bow rise and porpoising particularaly at just medium speed. I've considered trim tabe but am reluctant to outlay the money if there's no guarantee that it would fix my problem. I am considering a transom wedge and or adjusting the height of the motor. At the moment it's at it's lowest height and at lower speeds it almost looks like the motor is going to get swamped. I am chewing through the fuel due to this problem and it's severely affecting my range as well.

Any help or experience with this model boat would be greatly appreciated. The boat is mint, just the ride is causing alot of issues.

Thanks ! 

 Something to consider. Remember the thread that was locked in this forum recently? Looks like it's a problem with those Hondas if not correctly maintained, or done it by a DIY'er with a little knowledge ( but not enough). damage looks identical. 

www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/350262-things-not-miss-maintaining-your-honda-bf200-bf225s.html

Hi brains trust
I am looking to make some New access hatches - these are mounted vertically and i don’t know whether to use hpde, starboard or something else - I need 1 sqm of material to complete the 5 doors.
Looking for a white material - want to buy, cut and fit (ie not paint)
What would you use and why ? Starboard prob the stand out but do I need to spend the extra dollars over
Hpde or other materials for a small door?

Gday you blokes,

im a couple of months of purchasing my new boat. Buying brand new.

in the past 12 years I have had

voyogr LTD

Fraser Sportsfisherman 21

Sharkcat sports 560

 So I'm used to pretty good riding offshore boats.

My next one needs to be bigger, as we have 5 kids now. family will be inshore and estuary use.

want to fish 4-5 blokes offshore, and want to look at Abrolhos and other island trips for 3-4 blokes.

i want to head home in relative comfort in a strong SW wind from 50ks out if it blows up.

boats I've narrowed it down to

Carribean reef runner- may be a touch small though, haven't looked at one in the flesh

carribean 2300 offshore

Assisin dhufish 660 or 710

Bar Crusher 780ht

Northshore 760

im lookin at up to 150k, though obviously less is better, but I don't want to go cheap and be disappointed. This will be a long term boat.

Max hp in either mercury or Yamaha will be fitted. I want a fast economical cruise speed.

have a lc200, so tow up to 3.5t no problem

would like opinions on the above boats, or other opinions. Not stuck to glass or alloy.

cheers

 Hi guys could I get your advice on the below pictures?

was out fiddling with the boat today and noticed this underside of port transom. Has only really been out for the test drive. Inspected the boat pretty closely before it was launched and it wasn't there. Launch and retrieval was smooth, and jetty was on underside. Can't see how would have hit something without taking out the transducer. Could a rock do this while driving? Or gouged by the trailer?

is this something I need to be concerned about or get patched up?

im not sure what to look for with fibreglass so would appreciate any opinions greatly!

cherrs, goat.

Wondering if anyone has used this stuff as a replacement for XD100 in an evinrude etec. Both the manufacturers and the Aus distributor (BLA) claim it's fine and Sierra seems to be pretty proud to add it won't void manufacturers warranty and their warranty is able to back their product. While evinrude say only to use XD100from what research has shown is that chemically it's as close to XD100 as possible. I also found Amsoil HD used in an experiment for 500+  hours use in a marine towing application in one of two outboards. The second on XD100. After dismantling the engine the results were very promising. Wondering if anyone has tried it here?www.boathardware.com.au/sierra-full-synthetic-tc-w3-2-cycle-marine-engine

 Hi all any recommended member can help me to flash my ecu to higher HP ,I'm using a verado 250 L6 year14' hope can upgrade a bit for enjoying my boating experience

 Hey guys. New to fibreglass. Is it on to use the gurney car wash setting to give it a clean down? Or too powerful? Have found when cleaning with the hose an still getting some dried salt.

cheers!

 My yami 115 4 stroke tilt/trim is almost shot, have topped up hydraulics etc but last service it was mentioned it was on its way out due to wearing (cant remember exact terminology used as was a while back, but it does stop in place at times which is nerve wracking when trimming up at the islands and not going down!).

Didnt get a quote at the time, anyone got a rough idea of cost to replace?

Cheers

Adam

 Hi all,

I have just bought a brand new dual axle trailer from a "popular" Australian manufacturer.

Can you please check the rear of the hub in the attached pics.  This is from the non brake axle.  I was looking for the traditional rubber waterproof seal which sits outside the rear of the hub on the axle.  This trailer did not come with them.

Am I missing something or is this a new design of bearing protection?  The trailer has not seen water yet.

Thank you all in advance.

Chris

A heads up if you ever need a Suzuki IAC valve.

I had motor trouble over the weekend and took the donk (Suzuki 70 4stroke) in to my regular service centre. The problem was diagnosed as a faulty "Idle air control valve" and replaced at a cost of over $600 dollars. Part was $498 and labour $121.

A bit miffed at a $500 part I did some research to check pricing on the Suzuki part. I came acroos the ausfish thread - link below. Suzuki actually use a Mitsubishi part here (apparently quite common).  Same IAC valve used in some Outlanders, Lancers and other cars. Price? around $120. Further research showed "after market parts" available for under $50.

How do Suzuki justify rebadging a part and then chargeing 4 times the retail price for it? Daylight robbery. 

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/archive/index.php/t-198488.html

Hello all.

I'm looking for some guidance on the installation of the oil seal protector and propeller stopper on my 2009 Suzuki DF250, and hope there are some forum members familiar enough with Suzuki outboards who will be able to explain to me what i've found.  I live in a remote town and unfortuntely i can't simply take it to a marine mechanic, hence why i've learnt to do much of the mechanical work myself, and want to ensure i get it right first time.

While regreasing the prop shaft today as part of some annual maintenance, i spotted what looked like melted plastic or rubber behind the propeller stopper.  Fearing a damaged oil seal, i proceeded to remove the propeller stopper and i came across a loose set clip, a thin tapered ring (almost like some kind of bearing race), and a melted/damaged oil seal protector.  Luckily the oil seal looks completely undamaged, which is a win, but i'm very confused with the setup between the propeller stopper and and the oil seal.  Refer to the attached photos.

A few things do look very odd:

1) I would have expected the oil seal to be seated further into the bearing housing, exposing a groove for the set clip to lock in the oil seal protector within the bearing housing itself.

2) The thin tapered ring doesn't fit in with the overall scheme, and doesn't show up on any drawings (mostly use Browns Point).

3) There was another person who had a similar observation on their DF225 and posted this on a Suzuki outboard forum in Aug-19 wwith no responses (https://www.suzukioutboardforum.com/forum/general-discussion/suzuki-outboard-parts-forum/52866-prop-shaft-seal-replacement).

I've somehow managed to get the pieces to fit together if they are indeed all meant to be used, but even still the arrangement doesn't seem right because the new oil seal protector could potenitally rub on the raised 93J1 text on the propeller stopper (i know all these parts should be spinning in sync on the prop shaft, but there is the potential they could slip causing damage).

I will be ordering a new oil seal protector within the next couple of days, and hope my usual dealer will have some answers, but i'm not inspired with confidence given the online resources i've already been through.

Look forward to hearing back something.

Tom

Hey guys,

after a local fibreglass repairs for my boat. Im in Baldivis and looking for someone who knows what they are doing and are good at what they do.  

 Gday All,

I saw this morning, there are a gel crack along the side of the  hull ( I am not sure since when)

Is this need to be fix immidiately? i am bit tight on budget, planning to fix it next year.

how much do you think it will cost to fix it (rough estimate)?  have a lot of sentimental with the tub so not planning to sell it

Thanks

Bono

 HI all,

Looking for answers with a tilt and trim issue. 

The other day I was out with my son fishing and I noticed that my tilt up was working but I was a little intermediately, I'd press the up button on my outboard throttle and it wouldn't go up straight away, I'd have to press/tap it a few times. By the time I got back to the ramp it wasn't working at all via the forward control and even on the outboard switch on the side. The whole time though the tilt down was working perfectly normal. When I got home and washed the boat I decided to check if it was the relay that was the issue so I swapped over the relay that was working with the one that wasn't and it didn't still work, but the weird thing is as soon as I put the relay that was working back on it was now not working! Thinking maybe it was on its way out too I bought a brand new one today and put it on and it still isn't working. 

Could someone please tell me if there is a fuse for this part somewhere? I do notice however that when I press on the button even before, it is making a clicking noise which I assume is the circuit opening but it is just dead with no movement almost like when a car has a flat battery, it makes that clicking noise but there's nothing. When I turn the button to start the outboard there is no dramas at all, I'm really perplexed with this one. 

Any help would be much appreciated as I really want to get it sorted so I can hit the water again this weekend. 

Thanks 

Geoff 

 I'm looking to swap my 27mhz radio out for a VHF system. I have a GME base and aerial:-

https://www.gme.net.au/catalogue/antennas/antenna-mounting-hardware/abl014b.aspx

The base has 27mhz stamped on it, but it looks like I can just buy a new Aerial and reuse this base which will save a whole load of work - does anyone know a reason that won't work? 

Thanks!

Daryn

 Hi all, 

Just wondering if any of you members have a new Mercury 75HP 4 stroke, and if so give some feedback on them please. I am close to purchasing a new boat and it has a Merc 4 stroke so would just like to know how they perform and what they are like with fuel economy etc. It would be pushing a 484 Alloy Side Console. 

Any feedback would be appreciated. 

Thanks

Geoff 

 Hi, my old boat had a 4s but the new one has a Carburetor'd Yamaha salt water series 2 V6 200 2 stroke.

my questions is for anyone with the same/similar 2s motor, if trolling for periods off time are the plugs likely to foul up (like on a dirt bike) or is this a non issue on these motors?

also what could I expect my fuel economy trolling around 7knots.

cheers 

 I've had my Sea Rider for about 10 years now, and the only real dollars spent on her was a new 250 Zuke back in 2012.

I thought it time to spend some coin and give the ole girl some attention.

First was taking the deck off, and removing both tanks. Rewelded one small crack in front tank, cleaned and pressure tested both to make sure they are ok.

Pressure cleaned the inside of the hull, and replaced all the hoses.

Gives me confidence when seeing solid welds along the hull reinforcing too!

Next was a colour upgrade: The old purple colour was significantly faded (Any red based colour fades faster than others!), so decided on a deep grey.

OLD: 

During Painting: 

New Paint Completed:

 (Also had the painter apply a coat of black anti-fouling on hull.)

Next was something I'd been thinking about for years but never got around to: A shade canopy over the deck.

Took it to an aluminium welder in Mandurah: PJ's and he welded it all up for me.

I didn't want corner posts, as they get in the way whilst fishing, so  decided on 2 rear uprights as shown to give it stability.

Also used 38mm pipe for greater rigidity to frame.

I made the cover up at work, and saved a few shekkels! 

Incorporated in the framework was a new bait board between the rear uprights.

Next on the list was grinding off all the old rivets, bubbled ali rust spots etc, then a bit of bog, and a buff and touchup respray where required.

Also welded on a 25x25mm angle to the front dash so the sunnies and gear stopped falling to the deck every time we went ovewr a decent swell.

Only a little modification, but a bloody frustration every trip when it wasnt done!

I still have to get the stickers done for the sides with the name etc, but that'll happen in a few months.

I intend to reproduce the Original SEA RIDER stickers for both sides to keep that original integrity look.

I'll add the name and image to the front on both Port and Starboad sides.

She's not yet completed, but I'm happy with progress.

I reckon she's got some great lines, and as I've always been happy with the way she performs on the water, its good to see her look good out of the water too!

 I re-launched her on the weekend just to get her wet again - now cant wait for a fishing trip!

Cheers.

Browny.

Hey guy

I had a look at my motor today and noticed some salt build up. I don't know much about motors, is this a problem? should I be washing out the base of the motor?

The pics are taken from the right had side of the motor.

Cheers