Anyone know where's a cheap place to buy 32mm Ali or SS tubing? Planing to do a diy hardtop for my Voyager. Haha

 hello just wondering if anyone has a swiftcraft viking that they could tell me some info about as im looking into getting one soon. everthing that i have read has been positive but just looking for some more info about them or any problems with them. 

Cheers David

 I've never used a reef anchor , but i am considering buying one. Are they any good ? Are there any special techinques to using one ? Any advice would be greatly bappreciated.

Been looking at these boats for quite a while and contemplating bringing one in from the US. The shipping side of it is easy got that all figured out as its what I do for work but im interested if anyone out there has any experiance with edgewater boats or in particular the 265 express.  I have seen one down at cockburn power boat club but cant track down the owners details.

Really keen to try and get out on one for a spin or at least talk to someone with experiance.  If anyone can help let us know

http://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/power-boats/2006-edgewater-express-265/128739

cheers

 Hi all 

  looking at fitting side pockets to the v berth of my boat as there isn't any for storage etc.. Can anyone tell me if they have done this or can recommend anyone to do this or better still if I can do this myself. Any help would be appreciated

Hi Guys, I'm new to the site but a long time watcher/guest, also a member of the NZ Fishing.net.nz [now living in Perth] My question is what is a good Boat Insurance to have, as I have ordered a new boat [Del. August] so need to have it insured. Any suggestions welcome. Many thanks. Deltadreams

I am looking at upgrading from a 5.2 Kevlacat to either a Kevlacat 2400 or a Leisurecat 7m and just wanted opinions/experiences on the good and bad for both boats.

 howdy all

the other day i logged on to rocky sea rescue but was not able to log off with them when i got back. my radio would not work. i still have power to it but i dont have any volume when i turn the squelch down or up  fully busy shows up on the radio but there is no noise at all comming from my unit, i had to ring them to log off, they told me they were trying to contact me because  i was 15 mins late getting back, i was  trying contact them to say i was on my way back. any thought to what could be wrong. the unit is a gme gx300

G'day all just wanted a bit of advice while shopping for my first proper boat.

Have had a tinnie with a 15 on the back previously but only used for crabbing in the river.

This time im looking for something a bit bigger for a bit of everything, crabbing, fishing and a bit of fun behind the boat.

Looking at something upwards of 4.4m, not sure if i should go fibreglass or ali.

Budget of about $12k

If anyone has got any advice it would be much appreciated.

Looks like previous owner took to this thing with a paint brush and a tin of paint. I want to strip it back to aluminium.

Any tips?

G'day, myself and my family have just purchased a business in Exmouth and will take over very soon, I have a Fraser 650 with a pod that I don't like and want it re modified, can anyone recommend a good aluminium fabricator with marine experience, I've had a quote from a company in Bunbury but was wondering if anyone has had a good job they can recommend either in perth or Exmouth. Cheers

 I have just bought a second hand boat fitted out with Raymarine gear - C120 display with 1kW transducer and radar. I had to buy a new card with charts, and thought I would upgrade the software at the same time. I backed up the old waypoints no problem, then shut down the plotter to insert the software upgrade card. The plotter wouldn't start up again, even when I put the original chart card back in, or used no card at all. 

When I hit the power button, it beeps like its about to turn on, but the screen stays black. Approx 3-5 seconds after the first beep to say its turning on, there is another beep and it dies altogether. 

I will check the voltage at the rear of the unit tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure that's not the issue. Any other suggestions of what could be going wrong? Anybody experienced a similar problem?

if I can't sort it out, I will need to take it for repair. Has anybody used a Marine Electronic Services in fremantle? Any reports, good or bad? Any other suggestions for who to see? 

Thanks jus for your help. 

Alex 

 Hi Guys,

Went to take the boat out on the weekend and realised I can no longer steer. Trying to work out if its the cable that has seized or something else.

Took steering arm off outboard motor and can move motor easily by hand so its not that.

Then unscrewed the streering cable from motor (see photo below)

Steering wheel now turns until nut on cable hits the motor.

Now I'm trying to move just the steering arm without the cable connected and it wont budge. Should it move freely once I've unscrewed that nut above? (The one with caution on it?

The bar I'm trying to move is this one:

Could it just be this bar that is jammed or is it weird the sterring cable is not moving either when screwed onto motor. Any help would be very much appreciated

Thanks

3/5/2014

Still trying, put up a few more photos to try and help

Hey guys! What 2 stroke oil do you use and are there much difference between the brands? My dad has always used Valvoline tcw3 and recommends it. However, the place where I got my Johnson Ocean Pro 150 recommends Quicksilver. I am very interested to hear peoples' thoughts on this, especially owners of 2 stroke Johnson/Evinrude outboards.

Thanks in advance!

 Hi All,

I own a Commodore 670 and I"m planning on having trim tabs installed. Does anybody know of someone who has added tabs to this model of boat? I've seen a few 670's around but haven't seen any with trim tabs on them.

Just wondering what type of tabs others may have used and also after comments on what performance improvements can be expected. 

Cheers

Hey guy's

Took my boat ou today for the first time, put it in the water and it kicks over but then suddenly conks out. It was either that or it would rev a little then as soon as I put it in gear, either forward or reverse, it would conk out instantly. I'm hoping this isn't a massive problem. I'm thinking it could be a compression issue?

Any help would be great.

Cheers.

 Hi Guys, anyone know where I can buy Plex. When I got my new clears put on the guy gave me a can of it, but it's run out and I don't know where yo get it from.

I found it to be really good as it makes the water bead off.

Cheers

Anybody have any ideas on how to clear boat clears that have been in the sun for a long time?

Bubbled and burnt around some edges,  and can no longer see through them?

Not looking to get them perfect but a bit of vision through them would be great?

Or is it a case of replacing them?

Thanks - Mick

I pulled up the carpet the other day and noticed a number of rivets have broken off around the panel in the middle.

Is this a problem? Any ideas on what I should do?

Cheers

Hi there as title says need help with this clips name or a place we could source them from as wanting to use them on our t top canopy and just need something to lock it in place while out on the water but easily enough to put in and out  when traveling by road or for storage in the shed. So looking for somethen to fit thru 32mm pipe here's a pic off wat were sorta chasing that me dad has found along his journeys working on construction sites around the place

I have Lowrance LCX-110C sounder and are still learning how to interpret it. Trying to work out how to distinguish sand from a flat piece of coral area that has the potential to catch fish.

Anyone prepared to share a couple of pictures and point out how to ID it on a lowrance sounder. I have been using Bottom colour tracking and white mode plus playing with the sensitivity and colorline but not sure what I am fully looking for as yet.

Any help appreciated.

 Went to go fishing today and found both batteries dead. Went to charge them up one at a time and the alarm came up on my charger saying the battery was defective. I was going to change them for a couple of Deep Cycle Batteries that are reasonably new BUT there is a label next to my isolator switch saying

"DO NOT USE DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES!".

DTS (Digital Throttle and Shift) applications and Optimax engines must use a marine starting battery with 1000 MCA or 800 CCA or 180 Ah rating.

This is also found in the Mercury Optimax maintenance manual.

What do other Optimax owners use and recommend?

Hi guys had a look through search all posts seem to be quite old. I live near canning vale, but can take it any were for service not fussed if its mobile or shop just want a good honest job with reasonable price and warranty cover (someone you can have piece of mind knowing they've done the work)and provide info on what I can do to look after my motor.if you have any suggestions I would appreciate it. thankyou

 Hey fellas as the heading states a mate and i are looking at combining funds and getting a bigger boat we have around 90 grand and like the look of the Kev Cats up to 24ft,any bigger and we couldnt tow it,am open to any suggestions tho.We mainly fish out of Bunno so will have to do some miles to get to deep drop grounds which is something we both want to get into. What do you guys reckon?

 Recently purchased all new hydrastar electric over hydraulic brake system.

Prior to purchasing the boat the trailer had the accuator stolen.

Being the way I am im replacing the lot with new breakaway system and in cab controller.

Done a bit of searching on the forums and from what I gather the installation in pretty straight forward.

Does anyone have any experience fitting/wiring up the same system.

In cab controller is a teckonsha P3.

Instructions for fittment look straight forward however just chasing advice and if anyone has had previous experience installing the same equipment.

 Hi -----  Just bought another  boat with a 90 hp 2 stroke Optimax  and I have been told a few ways I should flush or run the engine after I get back home.

 I always used a set of muffs with my old boats but they did not have a special port fitted like the Optimax has.

 Some people have told me to just use the flushing port and others have said just use the muffs.    Can I use both ???

 I want to check the engine is running ok before I cover the boat again and want to know what is best, proper or the safest way to flush and test run the engine after I return----any help would be appreciated.

 dragrush

Ok so with the paint on some parts of my outboard cowling (Honda 225 hp) starting to flake off im wondering if anyone has been down the path of sanding and repainting?  Im wondering the best primer to spray on the plastic and what is the right way to go about it. Any tips /info appreciated

 Here's a question thats as long as a piece of string.... 

Max pressure on the boat trailer tyres is 65 psi.   When we drive to monkey mia soon we will load the boat up reasonably, but not over the trailer weighting.  I have set the tyre pressure to 55 psi.  Is this enough?  Should I go to 65 psi or should I check the pressure one hour into the journey?

 Does anyone have any experience with early model Yamaha 4 strokes. In particular a 2000 model 90hp. I believe they ran carby's and from the bit of reading I've just done they were prone to fouling/gumming up. I've found alot of info on the Mercury motors (rebadged Yamahas) that had the same issue but not sure if they were running a different carby.

Getting near to the world longest and most frustrating anchor winch installation. Got me thinking that the cost of the Delta anchor, swivel and the small dia. hi tensile rope is beginning to add up, so don't want to loose it.
So what to do if the anchor gets stuck, I've read some previous threads on this, diving to free it, diving is out for me.
The idea of using the plastic tie sounds quite good, however now the chain and anchor must go through a bow sprit, and I do not want loops of chain etc. that might foul there.
Two ideas I have are to run a length of 30 x 3mm stainless up each side of the anchor, bolted via the front hole on the anchor, to protrude just out from the rear of the anchor shaft, where the swivel is bolted, clamping the two strips together.
Another hole is drilled in the strips where you would normally attach the swivel to the anchor and a heavy plastic tie or a nylon bolt is fastened here.
The other idea is to get made up a sort halter, or a "Y", out of stainless cable, each end has a thimble, the swivel is swaged in place at the centre of the "Y", and the chain attached.
The halter is attached to the front of the anchor with a thimble on each side of the anchor, with a bolt through all, and the plastic tie fastened as above.
Anyone else done anything like this, or have any other ideas, thoughts about it.