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.

Picked up my boat a week or so ago with a new Yammy 70 fitted by a large well know Adelaide dealership (not going to name them but they have lost my business - ps obviously not a site sponsor). booked it in for Tuesday/Wed but not ready till friday aft. Oh well I can wear that. Pick it up Friday into the water for a test run - no probs so far. Take it back to Wallaroo (150km trip). refit sounders, radios etc and all the gear. come home work for a week and back up there yesterday. Bit of an inspection found a small hole in the transom wall which they missed sealing, seal it. Check some more another hole on the inside of the transom not sealed properly - seal it. Out for a run start getting some rattle at 3500rpm back on shore locate lose hose rattling against the cowling - no real problem, washing down and note the engine well is filling up and not draining. check the drain hole and yep, they mounted the motor on a slab of plastic against the transom (no prob in itself) but did not drill a hole through it for the drain - it sits right under the motor and no access. Bloody useless. rang them and spat it, drag boat back to Adelaide and leave it with them to fix, will have to collect it tomorrow after work and drag it back up to Wallaroo. Why do you have to check the work of supposed professionals? What if I didn't know what to check for? What if I found this in two weeks 750km away in smoky bay? What if I found this when coping a wave over the back in 2m swells? Thanks for listening to my blowing off steam. Next (20hr) service is free, it will be the last time the boat goes there unless for a warranty problem.

Finally got around to getting a hardtop fitted to the good ship, Further North.

Jim and his team at Marineline did a great job, it's now currently with WA Boat Canopies awaiting the clears. Hopefully pick it up Friday week.

Here's a few pics of the job from go to whoa.

I am looking at a Diesel inboard for my next boat(Maybe but probably not)

The question i have is:Are there any sterndrive legs ( bravo, alpha, Yanmar 6LPA or any other) that have the ability to come right out of the water. Incase its a very shallow launch to drop the boat on the sand? Or to skim across that super shallow reef?

Add jets to that list!

Happy to hear anything else about Diesel inboards vs twin?

Cheers,

Vinnie

Wondering if anyone has a contact or a company they have used previously for Stainless bar work?

I'm looking to get the bow rail modified on the front of my Fury but struggling to find anyone who is available in the next few weeks.

Cheers
Bodie

 My FB boat is is starting to fade a bit and in need of a buff and polish. Any recommendations of someone  SOR that may be able to do this ?Cheers !

 Hi, just thought I would pass on a handy tip I got from my brother for changing tyres on a dual axle trailer should you get a flat. I had a piece of hard timber cut at an angle which I can drive up on. When the front or rear (if reversed) tyre goes up on the timber it allows the other tyre to get off the ground enabling the change. My trailer has torsion suspension and you can see in the photo that there is still enough height. Would just be a case of making the timber up to suit. It is cut at 2:1 as 1:1 just pushed it along rather than allowing the trailer to drive up. 

Much easier than jacking up. And I have another piece to go back to back with it if required. 

 Living up North for a few years I have lost contact with Perth somewhat. Can any recommend a business to make a custom 100l/120l aluminium fuel tank?

Cheers, Walloped

Just after opinions re wiring the bilge pumps for a trailer-boat. Off the shelf switch panels have "manual-off-auto". My thoughts are that it should be auto always on and manual override, I.e. the pumps are wired so that they are always on via the float switch, but the float switch can be over ridden either by a switch or via a normally on relay. Off course the master battery switch turns off everything.
Now a boat which has a mooring and stays on the water would be different.
It is that the manual-off-auto system could lead to the bilge pumps being off and unnoticed.

Saw this on another forum:

www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php

I am shocked!  I had always regarded Haines Hunter highly and would have seriously considered on when I'm ready to move on from my Haines Signature (completely different company)

 G'day again guys , just wanted some thoughts on prices for new boats. Got a quote for a 6.1 westy open hard top (150 honda) was right up there , around 87gs. Got one for the 610 and 670HT barcrusher (140 suz/175 suz ) and the westy was very close to what I was quoted for the 670HT which surprised me. Also one for a Mclay 610 HT was 57 with no motor. Any thoughts about which one you would get , friggin lot of money!!!!! Haha

 Hi, our 16 ft fibre glass boat is looking a bit tired and we want to replace the side rubber that goes around the whole of the boat to protect it from jetty poles but not sure where to purchase some. Any help would be greatly appreciated.