Hey crew, just a heads-up re the latest promo from Yamaha - Free rigging (controls/gauges/prop) on all FWD control 4-Strokes from 30 to 150HP.  Also factory rebates on tiller control models too!

Cheers!

http://www.jetpoweryamaha.com.au/promotions/marine-outboard/free-rigging-f30-f150-outboards

 Hi all I recently bought myself a Westerncraft plate ali 5.2m

Its says its an Ally Fisher. Its a 2000 model.

I cant find any info online about these boats or other western crafts. The closest looking hull design Ive managed to find is Koolyn crafts.

Anyway although I havnt taken it out yet (needs some small things done) Im very happy with it.

I'd just like to know more about the maker etc.

Thanks in advance.

 I need to buy some propylene glycol to install an M260 transducer. I was going to use a coolant, but everything seems to be ethylene glycol which isnt real good to use.

The last place i phoned wanted a doctors script.

Anyone know where i can buy some at a reasonable price?

I only need about 2 liters worth.

Thanks

Looking for some advice on this

I've got a GME GX600D which is having issues

It powers up but it's struggling to get any reception.
I've replaced the VHF antenna and ensured the connector is tightly secured and squelch is set correctly

Just past the heads I can barely get Sea rescue and last time while trying to communicate with them the unit powered off like it blew
Later when I was washing down the boat I tried the radio again and it powered up?

Seems dodgy to me but it's two years old and outside the GME 1 year warranty for it, plus i can't find the receipt

Anyone sent a Radio in for repair with GME before and rough costs?

 I know there are a couple of posts on this topic already but they are a few years old and perhaps now outdated.

Im in the market for a winch, thinking more so drum for my 6.6 trailcraft trailblazer as im sick of pulling the anchor everyday and it limits our fishing. There are so many options out theres which has made it bloody confusing. Free fall, fast fall, power up/down. Then theres the brands who all claim to be better than each other in some way or another. 

I did look at the lewmar windlass but im not sure if the trailcraft well is deep enough plus id have to get a plate welded for it to sit on.

I know stressfree is a top unit, but it is also the most expensive especially if going for the freefall.

Lone star has caught my eye as they seem to be reasonably priced, widely used, have a perth dealer and a new model has just come out.

Then theres micks winch, sav winch, muir, tuff winch, wolf winch and more.

What do you guys have on your boats? Did you self install? What were the costs, is free fall a must? and how is the winch going  now?

My tinny has a small amount of surface rust that arose after drilling in the boat but not cleaning up afterwards. I've tried a green scourer and am keen to hear any suggestions that may help to remove/treat the surface rust. Is a wire brush a bad idea? Many thanks

 've done a fair bit of research with the view to eventually fitting an electric anchor winch to my Swiftcraft Dominator. I currently use an ezi-lifter anchor clip under a polyform float setup, and have for many years now, not hard work at all. It was easier with the CC I had previously , as you just tied off to the bollard, and, when retrieving, just fed the rope directly into on of the two storage areas directly underfoot. The Dommie, being a cuddy, complicates matters, and to be honest, issues with that sort of thing are what kept me away from cuddies for a long time, as well as the reduced fishing area compared to a CC. I still reckon anything with any sort of superstructure forrard is an old man's boat, but that's what I am now  I have worked around this, and removed the need to access the front deck, by having a 16mm bow rope permanently attached to the front bollard, with an eye spliced in the free end, which is just long enough to not foul the prop . The anchor rope gets tied to to this when you have enough rope out, just not as easy to fine-tune your length as with the CC. This also doubles as a handling rope when launching/retrieving. I often fish alone locally. The rope coils into a fish bin which lives under the outboard well.
I fish two distinctly different areas over the course of a year, with differing requirements. Locally, I am usually anchoring between 8 and 14 fathoms, over either sand or reef, never mud, no strong tides, usually some swell, but never big ones. When I go north in winter, it is usually a bit deeper, pick going over between 12 and 22 fathoms over coral reef or rubble, often with a lot of tide and some swell. The float, in both scenarios, gets clipped on so it it usually 10-15 metres in front of the boat in its finally position. Having the float pre-positioned on the rope also allows you to drop the whole lot quickly if a fast-running fish is rapidly emptying the spool--usually a sailfish which has taken a floating gar meant for a spaniard. 
So, the options are either a gypsy-or drum-type reel. So much of the chat on these, I realised, comes from PPB snapper or SA whiting fishermen who are anchoring over mud/rubble/weed/sand bottoms, hence all the use of Sarca's or ploughs, and generally pretty shallow water as well. So not really relevant to my type of fishing, although it would be when I occasionally fish Shark Bay.

So my questions

• Drum type winches need to either be mounted in the well or cabin. The Dommie has a capacious well under the foredeck, but access for mounting inside it would be limited. I have seen them mounted in these boats forward in the cabin, which involves having a hawsepipe running from the foredeck, surely this would bring a lot of water in as you retrieve, messy. Drum winches would also need to have the rope end fixed to the drum, no option of dropping the whole thing if you need to, short of cutting. Also more expensive. Does anyone have any pictures of mounting these on this hull that aren't already on the net? I've seen quite a few.
• Gypsy type--the South Pacific 710 with a stainless gypsy, free fall and the appropriate rope and chain seems to be the choice--many "issues" with these turn out to be incorrect mounting(not enough space below) use of incorrect rope or chain. End does not need to be secured, although I'd have the last 10 metres clearly marked Normally have 110 m of rope , would need to replace the 12mm silver rope with a nylon rope for consistent results. Anyone used on of these on this hull?

Most manufacturers seem to specify the use of a snubber to take the load off the winch when anchored, I certainly wouldn't be climbing out through the foredeck access to do this every time I anchor. Anything else to consider?
Thanks in advance

So as part of the winter maintenance regime, I thought I would lift the rivets and have a look at the fuel tank. I mainly wanted to see what size it was as I found conflicting information regarding size and the previous owner said he upgraded to a larger tank when it was built but couldn't remember the size.

So... I measured it and it looks like its 200L however every time I fill up I can only ever put 80 or so litres in it until it start to come out of the breather? Any ideas? 

I also had a look at the fuel sender unit and it's different to the ones I've seen around. It has two red wires leading down a piece of aluminium channel. The black "float" I'm presuming floats up and down the aluminium U channel. Anyway, I'm thinking of replacing it. What's a good accurate unit to replace it with?

goign to replace the various hoses and have a look at the unused thru-hull transducer etc anything else I should have a look at while the floor is out?

cheers

Hi , does anyone know of someone that can rebuild jetski motors ( 2001 seadoo gtx di ) ?

Cheers Paul

 Hey fellas need to get a couple of ally rod holders welded to the rocket launcher. Was hoping it could be done at my place, without removing the rocket launcher as its through bolted to the hardtop and I wanted to maintain factory seal if possible. 

Would it be possible to protect fibreglass hardtop and deck from damage with welding mats etc or should I just remove it and take to a fabrication shop? 

Any mobile ally welders NOR ocean reef area? 

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 hi guys , girls iam very new to this site hey lol , So be nice hahaha !

been looking at a second hand tinny for around 3 months now found a 2008 660 melcom douglas sportscab good boat got a few extras hey as the standard 660 sportscab , been used a bit still looks ok trailer good , electrics are basic navman gps an sounder , vhf , stereo etc the thing is it has a 175 optimax 279 hours on metre wich to me dosnt sound alot ..

Not more than 60 kms away there is a 660 trailblazer looks like brand new me mate tells me 2005 year, all the fruit better electronic gear as well as trim tabs etc its got a 175 suzuki 4 stroke 900 hrs on it . 

This is whats doin me head in 2 stroke  or 4 the end of the day same hull sportscap v berth , trailblazer not , both do same job I recon both boats rough around same price

Cant deside on motors .. help lol

 Hi All, 

Last winter we rebuilt a 24ft Savage Hardtop in to a budget Centre console rig,smashed the full rebuild in the backyard  over a few months ready for Summer. So after using her for a period and realising what works ,what didn't and what we still had to do Winter is upon us. We thought it was a good time to get busy and still be able to use the boat while the majority of the work is being completed.First job was to remove the forward cabin, when we rebuilt her last Winter we decided it would be a good idea for the sleep overs at Rotto or Abrolhos islands and storage, wrong didn't use it once pissed me off if I had to anchor in shallow water as we couldn't use the Buoy retrieval system and just ended up with gear thrown every where in the cabin so the rest is History, now replaced with two insulated ice boxes either side and a infill for the centre to make one large bed.

Ran out of time last Winter  to build a bait board and refused to spend $350 on a stainless board or buy a cheap plastic one so cutting bait and prepping fish on top of a esky was just not fun. Made a Malamine mould and laminated this glass box and board on top for a custom bait station with a storage shelf for tackle bags and room to store a 80 litre esky or Waeco/ engel under neath. I was going to put doors and draws on the back side though this is a budget rig and simplistic so I decided to keep her that way.

The trailer we bought with the hull had seen better days, Gumtree provided a good c section trailer that has been regalvanised, put new bearings and brake discs on her and the old which post from the other trailer and was good to go.Might do some checker plate alloy guards though I think! The frame is a little narrower than I hoped as it was built for a Jenks craft 25 though cheaper than making a custom alloy frame so win,win for the bank account.

Last job this Winter will be to build a Foam Core Hardtop and do away with the ugly square canopy! Hey it was free so it did the job. Summer will be here before we know it all that is left will be outriggers on the hardtop a rocket launcher  maybe two one the back of the hardtop and one in front of the console that is removable and some more rod holders in the deck, a hatch on the anchor well and new floor hatch in front of the console. I think that will be it for Refit 2 following winter will be reflow coat the deck and do some fairing and gelcoat repairs on the outside click on question marks for other pics sorry I'm useless on computers.

 I've got a 6hp and when I got the 3 month service done he said it was still not completely broken in. My next service is due in November and I am keen to have the timing looked at in the meantime so is it easy enough to do yourself with a timing light?

the dinghy deck needs a new bit of carpet. just standard blue, non-ribbed, marine carpet has always done me well.

just seeing where peoples best prices have come from?

Can anyone give me an idea whether a 90hp 4 stroke on a 5m glass boat (600kg) would be fine for pulling a wakeboarder out of the water and pulling 1-2 biscuits behind?

hi can someone please give me advice on my outboard position

 It is currently spraying up the sides of the outboard when travelling

and sprays higher the faster I go, do I need to lift it a court of holes?

the cavitation plate is just below the bottom of the hull

I have modified the trim switch on our inboard Volvo Penta. In the past I have replaced these switches with the genuine item but they are super expensive and only seem to last a few years. In addition I don't really like the genuine switch, as to lift the leg above a certain point you need to simultaneously press two buttons. From the photo you can see that joining the white and grey wires will make the motor go down, joining the white and brown wires will make the motor go up (to a point), after this point you need to join the white and brown together and then also the green and yellow together (Beach mode). The wiring is fairly simple the white (power) and the grey (down) and Brown (up) all go directly to the trim pump. The yellow and green however go to a series of relays.

What I have done is simply permanently joined the yellow and green wires. This has allowed me to use a simple toggle switch and the white, grey and brown wires to operate the trim. What I would like to know is does anyone know if joining these yellow and green wires permanently might cause an issue? When they are joined it activates both the relays that they are connected to. Im unsure if having them activated 100% of the time is likely to cause any problems? Would they be using power to stay open or closed or crossed over or whatever they do? Do you think they could be eliminated from the system altogether?

 Hi Guys

as the title says, im looking for some information from anyone with knowledge in marine electrics

I will have a Single motor

with 3 batteries - one for start, one for electronics only and another spare start-up or  maybe just running 2 batteries

solar panel charging

c-tek 240v charging at home

looking for wiring diagrams and the best way to hook it all up.

Hopefully someone on here can point me in the right direction..

Cheers

JC

Was just wondering do people store there outboards tilted up or down between uses and for what reasons

Thanks

 Hi lads 

I have a fish finder issue, when ever tinnie goes over say 7 knots the finder (can't remember brand) goes out of range and will read 100-200m, not sure if anyone has encountered this same issue but any tips would be helpful!

cheers

 Genuine Bearing Buddies where to buy in Perth ?????

  Anyone know who sells Genuine ones , i need part No 1980 To suit A USA Trailer

   Not interested in any other Brands

    Cheers For Reading

     Paul

 Hey all, looking for plans and cnc files for a ~6.5m hard top. The only company that I can find that will supply plans plus cutting files is cncmarine.com. I'm pretty set on their new 6.5m design but want to make sure I have looked at all avenues before I hand over the cash. Someone told me there are quite a few people on here that have built there own boats? Would be good to know what you guys have built?

Also for the guys that have built before, did you keep track of hours spent for the different stages?

I'm thinking around 400 hours for the hull fabrication then another 250 for paint and fitout for a 6.5 ht?

 Hey guys,

I've got two  batteries on my boat with a switch to have power to battery 1 , battery 2 , or both.

My question is how is the best way to run them ie; both at the same time ,or battery 1 going out , battery 2 coming back in ?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers Paul

Hey Guys

Looking for someome who can test my VHF. Have had a problem for some time and have replaced my antenna with a new Shakespeare (US) but still seems to be a problem. Can anyone recommend someone who can test the output and receiving on a VHF so I can work out if I need to get a newbie. I am located near the hills but work in Kewdale so if anyone knows of a business within 20 minutes or so who could do the test for me and could pass their name on to me it would be a great help.

cheers

Hello all

Over years of use winching etc with my quintrex 6.1 m boat the aluminium bow eye is worn to a point where I should get it re welded. Any experience or recommendations for this kind of repair and who do you recommend. I live in Perth north of the river?

trueblue

 Can anyone advise me what is the engineering standard is for the construction of aluminium boats in Australia (7m)?

Better yet if anyone has it and could email it to me that would be awesome...

Cheers...

 Hey all! So after building boats for other people for 10 years Its time to build one for myself. I've never owned a boat and have very little boating experience so looking to you guys for some opinions on which design to go for.

Thinking of something around the 6m mark with a 150hp four stroke. Like the idea of having a small cabin I could sleep in every now and again but not sure how useable it would be on a ~6m boat? Although it would be good to have a small cabin the boat will be mainly used for fishing so thinking a centre console or a walkabout could be the way forward? Must be annoying being on a boat fishing and not being able to move to the front of the boat if thats where the fish wants to take you. 

Would be good to get some input from people that have spent time on different designs who know the pro's and cons pretty well!

G'day everyone,

Recently I lashed out and bought a little 5.2m tinny with a 60hp Mariner 2-stroke on the back that was sitting on a John Papas trailer.

Whilst not a particularly nice looking rig, she's a tough old girl with the entire hull made of 5mm aluminum. I have been told that it was an ex sea rescue boat out of Geraldton. I can't confirm that but did find an old advert for it from years ago when it was fitted with a jet engine (since replaced with a little pod on the back). It has a self draining deck and a dual battery setup for the radios and HDS5x sounder.

The hull is a '99 model, the trailer is an '05 modelas is the Mariner. I can't find anything about the manufacturer of the hull but it does seem to be a custom build.

So far the list of work to be done includes:

- removal of the little aux Yammie

- installation of a new sounder

- inspect and repair the electrics and wiring

- start saving for a replacement donk... I can't see a 60 pushing this around too well.

On the whole it appears to be in good shape. As always with older boats there's some quirks... It only has a 30odd litre fuel tank which is situated on (not under) the floor in the center console. The primer has been placed before the in line fuel filter 3 inches from the tank and a couple of meters before the engine. I might be wrong but I have always had the primer just before the engine, after the filter/water separator?

Any thoughts on the project are welcome.

Cheers

I'm looking to prolong the life of my back by getting a smoother ride in my 6.5 m ali.

Has anyone put one of these Kab seat in their boat?

http://www.kabseating.com.au/Category/truck-seats

I was recommended the 414. It come in at $2k

Any other suggestions appreciated

Hello just wondering if someone could maybe help me, just recently i noticed my yamaha fuel gauge was reading empty when i know i got half a tank still available. I thought maybe my float was stuck but after removing it and cleaning the sensors im still not able to get a reading.
Any info on this would be great.
cheers