hi guys

iv been looking into buying a boat for a while now. i want it to be about 5.5-6 metres and centre console preferrably. i do have a budget (hahahaha) of around 35-40k. iv heard a few good reports on the polycraft as a good start out boat. ill be putting a lowrance hds7 or 10 on it when i do buy the beast. what do you fellas reckon? am i going in the right direction

Hi Guys,

Last week I found that my fuel tank had a leak in it, putting 60l into the bilge and 60l left in the tank.  Got the rest of the fuel out of the tank this morning (it is an inhull tank) but have found that it has been foam filled down the sides for insulation (I will be able to get this off with some hard work) 

The problem is that I have found the tank to be siliconed to the base and there isn't really much of a gap to get in there and leverage it out.  Just wondering if anyone knows of any chemicals which will break down the silicone without compromising the fibreglass?

Cheers,

Adam

Hi Guys,

looking at a 7m assassin for my first boat with twin 90hp mariners. Anyone had any experience with these boats there built in Bunbury. Thanks

 Guys, does anyone know of a boat detailer NOR around Wangara that will give the boat a birthday (polish gelcoat, barwork etc)

I've only found one previous topic in searches.

cheers

Kev

Hey guys just wondering if anyone here is or can recomend a mobile mechanic to service my 2003 4 stroke merc 60hp. Boat is in Sorrento and engine is in great condition, just needs a service and 1 small repair. It has one small problem with the throttle cable, needs either a replacement part to hold the cable or a decent fix with something else. I have a cable tie on it now that hasn't let me down....YET!!

Hi all,

I have just put in new discs, pads and bearings in my trailer.

There seems to be a fair bit of gap between the inner disc pad and calliper when brakes are off.  I cannot see this being adjusted.

Thank you

Chris

Im looking at buying a new mako truck 530, just wondering if anyone on here has one or been in one fitted with a centre console?

How did the boat handle?

Thanks Travis

Is there anyone here who has a Suzuki 140 on their Trailcraft, Id appreciate some figures.

Ive been thinking about replacing my Yam 115 4s with a Suz 140.

But at the show, I got the often heard story of how the 140 is really only 128hp and the 115 yam is 118. None of the salesmen were able to point to where this has been tested and documented.

The yam is a great motor, well proven but Id love a little more puff with a heavy load.

So Id love to get the figures from a few who have this combination, of the following;

1/ Speed and RPM at WOT

2/ also at (say) 4000 rpm?

thanks in advance!

Just thought I would ask the question as I bought a new transducer off this mob 2 weeks ago, still hasn't turned up so I emailed them and they recon they have a delay before they post the gear out so the bank can validate the credit card. Anyway emailed them back a couple of days ago to get an update and said if it's going to take much longer can I get a refund, haven't heard anything back.

Before I do a credit card charge back just wanted to know if anyone has bought anything from this mob and if they had to wait 2-3 who knows even more weeks before it got posted out?

Cheers,

Pete

I have decided to refurbish my boat trailer and my old man told me to spray it all with rust converter before painting it. Does anyone have advice on a good rust converter and where to get it? Also what type of paint should i use? (I've never done this before) Any advice would be appreciated. Also changing the springs and axle as well.

Hi there

This may be a ridiculously obvious question, but how do I check how many hours are on a Merc 125hp Saltwater Series engine circa 2002 model?

Is it possible? If so, do I need some sort of consult machine to plug in to it?

Cheers

Dan

Mandurah Boating show is on so thew Question is who is going to have a look at all the new bits of bling that floats and catches fish?

Hi all,

Just thought I would pop a comment out there for the guys that are running Furuno sounders and in particular those that have a FCV 620, 585, 295 or 1150.  Recently I have noticed comments and had quite a few phone calls about linking plotters to Furuno sounders so that a mark can be transferred from the sounder to the GPS.

Some of this information may already be known to you or you are using it, but bear with me so I can give some advice to others that are not aware.

When transferring a mark from a Furuno sounder it uses a NMEA 0183 sentence called TLL (Target Latitude, Longitude). The plotter that needs the mark popped on to it needs to be able to receive TLL.  Not all plotters have the ability to read this sentence even some Furuno ones don't do it.  So it pays to check if your plotter can do it first.

However for those of you that want to do this but the chart plotter/GPS is unable to recieve TLL and do have a Furuno sounder then all is not lost.  You can still join up your GPS and sounder with NMEA wiring to give the sounder GPS data.  This will allow you to use the mark function and stick a mark on a position that is of interest to you.  The mark will be held in your menu, data, waypoints area where you can view it at any stage.  This will mean that you will need to manually put the coordinates into your non TLL reciveing GPS.  But hey at least you can mark those fish or lumps and have the coordinates.

Off the top of my head I think most of the Furuno sounders can take 20 waypoints before you have to delete to put new ones in.

I spent some time up with site sponsor All Boat Business today sharing tips and they are ready for the Mandurah Boat Show.

Cheers all and if I bored you because you know all this, then my apologies.

Happy days

Rhyss

 hey

i bought a new fish finder gps combo (garmin 451s) and installed it yesterday but the transducer isnt working properly if i unplug it and plug it in it works for about 5 seconds till we start moving and it stuffs up. its mounted on the transom and was in the water at all times... any suggestions?

cheers

Hi guys,

Been browsing here for a while and now I need some help lol.  Having drama's with my Garmin GPSMap not picking up satelites with a couple of antenna's now.   Does anyone know any places that can test it out for me so I know that it is 100% stuffed and just becomes a dedicated sounder and start saving for a another one.  It is an older model but been rarely used.

Thanks

P.S.   If you ever see me out and about come say hi and point me where the fish are, I never have any luck lol.

Hi all, does anyone know of the general price for the above unit or anywhere cheap I can pick one up from?

Or does anyone have one which has been tossed in the corner due to an upgrade and wants some coin for it?

Thanks in advance

Chris

 hey,

i need a new perspex windscreen for my boat and i am unsure of any place that does. 

any help would be appreciated cheers

greatrex

Guys, can anyone help me here. I am struggling to find out what the max rated weight/ HP is for my 16 ft Pacemaker. It has an old Johnson 140 2 stroke on at the moment which is fine but I am going to re power after the summer when I finish the CC conversion. I would like to know the basic stats and a bit of build information if anybody knows or can tell me where to look as I have googled it a fair bit and all I really get is car extractors and heart pacemakers.... As I look around at the different boats there are for sale, many of them claim to be very different lengths, I bought mine under the impression it was a 17'6 which I never thought to question but when I took it home and started planning my build I put the tape down it, it measures 16 foot. Are there as many different lengths of hull or are these people just guessing and / or measuring the motor as well? I was under the impression there was an 18ft and a 21ft only....

Hey all,

Just after some advice regarding location of trim tabs.

Ideally, it's best to mount the tabs as far from the engine as possible to give the most L/R lean control.

But the outer strakes on my hull extend all the way to the transom, and is right in the middle of what I'd reckon to be  the best location for the tabs.

I'd reckon this must have some sort of effect on the flow under the tabs, possibly affecting performance ?

The tabs are 12" wide, so I've put some tape in 4 different locations to show you what I'm on about - see below.

Option 1 is probably too far out, making the tabs vulnerable to damage when out of the water.

Option 2. Without any strakes, this would be the best spot, but on my hull there'd be a strake right in the guts of each tabs.

Option 3 is probably the best compromise.

Option 4 is nice & clear, but way inside where you'd normally want them to be.

If anyone's had some experience installing the tabs in a case like mine it'd be great to get some feedback / advice.

Thanks,

Dizz.

 Hi Guys,

I Just bought a second hand 50hp E-tec and rekon I should get it serviced before I start putting it through its paces so I know where it is at, I am looking for recomendations of mechanics who can service it and get the computer printout so I can have some idea of the history of what it has done.

Any advice would be great, this it the first boat, hopefully not the last!

Josh

 Hi Guys,

I Just purchased a second hand 50hp Etec and the lower engine covers are cracked, some with missing bits of plastic,

Wondering about a couple of things:

1: What outboard wreckers are there in wa? I know of Ace in Belmont, and there is one in rockingham, are there any other wreckers?

2: We tried to get the bits in from the US but the shop said they were to big to ship, has anybody had this problem, and found a way around it? ( they were about $300 each from the US, instead of $1250 each from my local evinrude dealer)

3: What is the deal with the oil? I read that there are two types of oil, one which is supposed to be better, but it doesnt use as much good oil as regular oil?

4: lastly, as I do not know the full condition of the insides of the outboard I thought it would be a good idea to get it serviced by a professional, so I can get the computer printout, does anybody know of any good, in terms of service and price, places which would service it?

Cheers,

Josh

As I mentioned in another post I am going to do a centre console conversion on a recently purchased Pacemaker. It came with an eagle something sounder which I have no intention of using and I was wanting to get everyones/ anyones oppinion on what GPS/ Sounder to get.. Now I have done the search option to death before anyone replys with that... It is a 17ft ish fiberglass and I will have to transom mount the transducer as the floor is solid. I mainly fish upto 50-70 meters  but usualy only 20-30 metres looking for dive locations around Rotto. I would also like it to be capable of showing me the sambos on the containers if I went that far out. My plan was to go the HDS10 and just have the 1 screen dash mounted in the console but after searching around I get the impression thers is better options like a HDS 5 or 7 and then runing a Furuno 620 or 585 along side. I don't know if it would be necesary to have a 1kw tranny over a 600kw for what I need but then again I see there is mixed arguments on that too.... also are you able to run the two units from the same transducer?

So Mandurah Boat show is on in 2 weeks and i was hoping to go there and buy my shiny new toys hopefully cheaper for cash.... I have about 3000 in mind, do you think that is a fair amount for the set up (GPS/ plotter, sounder, transducer and chart card) or should I be spending more bearing in mind I have a lot more to spend money on before the conversion is complete and eventualy bolting on a new motor...

Well I ended up selling my Ramco as my mate who owned half never used it and as i work away so much I could not justify spending the money to buy him out so we sold it... I sold it on the Monday and after 4-5 days of being misrable I decided I had to get another boat even if it was just a cheap old one.... I had a look at a few and I ended up getting a great little Pacemaker for what I considered not a lot of money and it has a new trailer and the motor is old but runs like a new one.... I bought it with the intention of doing a centre console conversion simmilar to one I read about on bluewaterfreediversofwa  http://www.bluewaterfreediversofwa.com/files/bluewaterboatrebuild.htm.  I am fairly sure many will of read this before.

So I will keep a photo diary of the build and try to show my build in simmilar stages. I would be greatfull of any advice from guys who have attempted this before and/or links to web pages that show other similar conversions. I have been looking at T-tops and they don't seem to be cheap! I was thinking about making one with stainless tube but after buying the pipe and hiring the gear to bend the tubing, hiring or buying a notcher, tig welder and argon, canvas top..... it will be almost worth just buying a ready made ally one. I have seen one on ebay Witness T-top, does anyone have any experience with this brand??? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WITNESS-Premuim-Boat-CENTRE-CONSOLE-T-TOP-Bimini-Cover-/330540041947?pt=AU_Boat_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4cf5b8c6db there are a few others from the US but I would rather get one localy if there is a company that makes or supplies them?

I will have heaps more quetions as i go but that is a start for now....

Ok guys, I managed to talk my sister and her bf into going halves with me in a boat.

Found what we thought was a bargain, a 2009 Polycraft Warrior 5.3m Front Runner with a 2006 115hp Suzuki 4stroke (~140hrs per tacho) on a 2009 dunbier trailer. Drove down to Bunbury, checked it out. Two things that caught my eye was a quite large chip missing from the cavitation plate (bigger than a 50 cent piece) and the motor was not directly bolted to the transom, was bolted to an adapter which was bolted to the transom (looks like to suit a longer shaft motor).

Anyway, negotiated a good price subject to a test spin and test spin went well (other than wet). Unfortuantely due to the conditions, me not knowing the recommended rev range and the GPS being set to km/h I didnt notice at the time that it appears to be substantially under propped. (First trip out it was doing ~6200rpm at WOT for ~28knts, max should be 6,000rpm).

Now just had a call from the mobile mechanic who is doing a service on it and who thinks it has seriously hit some reef. The skeg is slightly bent and on closer inspection can see evidence of repair/welding and the propellor shaft is bent $$. Looks like the previous owner has repaired the skeg and stuck on a replacement prop (the wrong size).

Ohwell, welcome to boat ownership I suppose. Time to Bust Out Another Thousand.

Any ideas who can replace the propellor shaft? Mechanic reckons All Boats is the go being the Suzuki dealer.

Aaron

Have just put a 150efi on my  6m f/g c/c.

Like to know what prop other users are running.

The prop I have is s/s 19p.Max revs 5200.I know  I should be getting up to 5600.

Also like to know what fuel usage you are getting. Atm I'm using over 2litres/pnm. My 98 carb 130hp Johnno only used 1.5 p/nm.

I've talked already talked to Just props but would like to hear from owner/users of this motor.Especially in regards to fuel.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Regards Wrighty

<p>Hi everyone,</p><p>Hope someone can advise me what could be wrong with my 150hp johnson 1993 2 stroke. Starts fine at home, runs ok until warm and then starts overoiling out thru the prop. Yes it is a VRO and no I dont want to disconnect it. Any help would be appreciated. Ta</p>

After cleaning the boat on saturday, noticed that there is a loose earth wire which has detached from somewhere. Any idea's of where it should earth to as i cant see where it was once connected to? I guess i just go out and buy/make a new one?

cheers

 Heres a question guys. I'm banging my noggin against a wall about this.

I have a Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI Horizon (2002 model) with a Bravo 3 leg. I am running smartcraft instruments (systems monitor & systems link gauges)

I have just put a new Computer (ECM) on the engine.

Now the trim display wont work. The leg trims in and out fine, but i have no response on the systems monitor or link gauge, even after I calibrate the trim.

Any ideas ?

Could it be that the new computer hasnt been programmed for smartcraft trim, even though I gave the serial/model numbers off the old one to match a new one to it ?

Or am i missing something else completely ?

FYI, i have switched between the two computers on the water and the trim display works fine with the old ECM ?

cheers

Kev

Our team of 4 swimmers is looking for a 6m boat with a skipper who knows how to use GPS coordinates and is keen on being part of next year's Rotto swim on Sat 25 Feb. We tried this year and missed the cutoff by minutes as we drifted way off course  .... can anyone help us achieve our goal? 

Hi Guys.

Is Woodmans Point ramp still a bad spot for theft????

Are week days this time of the year fairly high risk???

What about Point Peron,or a better place to be able to come back to a vehicle and trailer as it was left???

Thanks

Andrew