hi all,

Had an incident with my boat yesterday. A combination  of indecisiveness and early morning saw me scrap the paint off my gunwale - about 3 m long

I am looking at getting this fixed up plus a few other unsightly scratches on the boat. 

 Looking at repowering my trailcraft with a 150hp pretty soon, was hoping to get a 4 stroke Suzuki, Honda or yammy but the costs is above my budget. The etec's would probaly be the next best option. Im liking the lowrr servicing coas and te power of a 2 stroke but What are they like reliablity wise?

How about fuel consumption?

are they really quieter than most 2 strokes? 

 Hey everyone,

thought I'd see people's opinions about the explorer (bigger fishing deck) vs. outsider. Do both retain walkaround (albeit a small foot well). Any info on people's experiences with these Rigs would be appreciated.

HH580 breeze is the only rig tempting me otherwise atm

cheers 

adam

I finally got around to getting my clears and rear shade done, but it revealed a few issues with the existing canopy.

the previous canopy was fitted by the popular canopy mob in Balcatta and had fit, stitching & water pooling issues right from the start.
 

I basically accepted it as being standard quality, as I'd seen some of their existing work at the popular Wangara boat shop, who originally recommended them to me.

......... until I paid a visit to Mel Taylor Marine Trimmers in Wangara.

A quick comparison of their work to what was already on my boat left me feeling very disappointed - especially considering the price I paid for the initial canopy work.

So after talking options over with Gary & Travis at MTT, I decided to get the whole thing redone to avoid issues with matching everything up to the existing top cover

An expensive option, but well worth it - and all I can say is WOW, what a difference.

The quality of work is so far above the original installation it's not funny.
The stitching is Tailor quality (excuse the pun) and everything fits like a glove.

If you're needing some canopy work done I highly recommend them

Apparently the popular Wangara boat shop is now also using them too.

Here's a new pic of the boat - with some added photoshopping to get rid of the trailer & original boring background. :P
(700mm rear shade not shown)

Visually, the top is higher than I'd normally like, but it can't be helped when I'm nearly 6'5"

The tub has really come a long way since I started the refurb and I'm pretty stoked with how it's turned out.
(20ft / 6.1m Chivers Eagle 2000)
 

I'd need to be spending some big $$$ on a Edencraft 6m or Bass Strait 6m Offshore to get a comparable boat.
The recent addition of trim tabs has refined the ride very nicely too.

Any one know how to sync your waypoints to and from your lowrance to PC app without the waypoints duplicating?

I obviously add new markers while out with the boat and while I am away at work I plan trips, routes and if I am given a new mark for instance I want to sync all the marks with out loosing any but every time I transfer between the two the origional marks/ routes just keep multiplying..

Any Sugestions?

Cheers Winta...

Just after a good recommendation for a full service on an Evinrude ETEC, preferably North of river.

I have used search button, but am after someone with recommendation who has had a recent service.

Does anyone know where I can buy a frame or sections/fittings to fit a windscreen to my runabout. Can get the windscreen cut for about a $100 but need a frame mounted first for them to design to.

 Has anyone got one of these outboards if so wot r they like?

cheers

 Just wondering if anyone else has had trouble with there e-tec. A mates dad has a 2006 225hp e-tec with 100 hrs on it and pretty much has just blown it up has anybody else had the same trouble. 

Cheers

 Gents, found a 2003 5.3 trail craft for 12k...motor is a 2003 Yamaha 4 stroke with just over 600 hrs...last service 2010 July 40 running hours ago....mechanic report good motor...views on these motors good and bad....looked at it today...hull is very sound a bit of paint bubble in the usual places...trailer good nick...

 Hi guys,

Have a bit of prop damage thanks to a keen deckie and shallow unchartered rocks in Augusta.

Prop is bent on two blades and has gouges on the leading edges. Does not seem to be unbalanced as such but Ned's to be reset, leading edges smoothed and then rebalanced. Can anyone suggest where they would take it. Found a couple of sites in Perth but would prefer some references.

BTW it did not stop us catching Dues, black arse and the most amazing harlequin I Hev seen. Pics soon from the delinquent deckie!

Ross

All,

I have a windlass anchor winch from the US (US boat). It takes 7mm chain. I'm looking to replace the current chain with a longer length. I have been to a few specialist boating stores around Perth and had two mixed responses. Response (a) you can use 6mm chain, it is the closest fit and will work proprly on 7mm US anchor windlass systems. Response (b) 6mm will slip if you try to use it. You need a new windlass or replace the teeth to a smaller version.

Does anyone know the real answer, or specifically has experience with this themselves. Can I buy 7mm chain in Perth?

Cheers

Hi all, I lost a boat roller yesterday and would like to replace with same type.  Does anyone have a spare one or knows who sells this type?

Photo is attatched

Many thanks

I'm hoping I have not missed the answer to my question in any of the many threads on towing but here goes....

The max width is 2.50m and the max permissable weight (boat a& trailer) is determined by the tow vehicle? i.e: Land Cruiser / Patrol = 3.5t? I'm looking at an importedrig that weighs well under the 3.5t BUT the beam is 3m! Can I get away with simply displaying oversize signs on rear or do I need to go the whole hog, amber lights, permit, daylight hours only? It's not a long boat, (22ft) so do I just ignore and tow like it's 2.5m width

anywon who has shipped boats from the states , can i pick ur brain on a few things? please pm me

thanks guys

Dropping anchor and tying to bow with a fixed windscreen - This may sound like a stupid question, but.... I'm keen to hear if there is a secret to dropping anchor and tying up to the bow with a fixed windscreen?

It would be near on impossible to do so without climing over the windscreen which is hard enough to do on land, let alone on water.

I've got a 4.3m fibreglass dinghy with fwd controls that came with a windscreen that isn't attached.

Cheers.

I'm trying to track down a rod holder adaptor for my boat. The boat currently has inbuilt port and starboard gunnel rod holders that are fixed & angled towards the back of the boat for trolling purposes. However, I want to be able to use these rod holders for drift fishing and bottom bouncing. For this purpose I need the rod holders angled to the sides of the boat (not towards the back). I suspect this can be done by a rod holder adaptor of some sort. Specific purpose is for my rod/electric reel combo's when bottom fishing in 300+m of water. I don't wish to hold the rod all the time & want to place it in a holder.

I don't want to change out my existing rod holders as i do alot of trolling also, hence the need for an adaptor.

Any links to this product or where i can get it would be appreciated. I suspect they are relatively common?

A quick pictorial of the install of the Furuno FCV587 to compliment the Aimar SS264 1kW trannies I installed over the weekend. I have been at it for the past few nights, finished last night around midnight. 

Here is the dash as delivered from the states. Pretty neat, Garmin 740S (I actually really like the Garmin touch screen interface....very surprised as I thought I would hate it), Vesselview (colour, much nicer than the earlier LCD screens) and Standard Horizon VHF (with funky AIS and DSC). A good start. 

First job, pull the tranny cable from the back of the boat to the dash....thank the Yanks for installing dedicated conduit and pull cables at the factory.

Then up through the side. Whaler is build very tough, with excellent thought put into all the wiring and fittings.

Got the cable to the dash....now what.....

Time to hack into the dash. I wanted the Furuno 587 near the centre of the boat so you could easily see it while jigging, which meant re-arranging the radio and Garmin GPS.

OK, what about the wires.......hmmm, these look interesting.

Whilst the standard  fittment of the sounder was very easy, with just the power source and tranny cable, the interaction of the GPS, radio and sounder proved to be much more interesting with NMEA 0183 communications. After much research, with The Hull Truth being a great resource, it was apparent that the yanks had not got it all right, and whilst the VHF radio recieved GPS and speed data from the GPS, the VHF was not talking back to the GPS to send AIS and DSC data, and the Vesselview not getting GPS co-coords, resulting in the dodgy pitot tube alarms that most Vesselview users get, as it was using the standard pitot speed sensor on the motor plus the paddle wheel on the transom (the Vesselview has a dedicated 235 kHz transom mount tranny so it does not interfere with standard 200 kHz frequency used in sounders, paddle wheel and temp).

So, being an engineer, I needed a diagram.......

Right, time to wire it up....decided to use a busbar with soldered lug fittings that allows wired to be easily changed. I am glad I did as there were some very interesting interactions with the radio, as it transmits high speed 38400 Hz data that requires a dedicated high speed NMEA channel to be used, which required some rewiring of the NMEA wires. Easy peasy to change with the busbar set-up.

Now I have GPS data going to:

- the VHF (for emergency DSC)

- the Furuno sounder (so I can mark waypoints on the sounder screen)

- vessel view (which provides all sorts of accurate travel data, fuel economy etc as well as removing the pitot alarms). 

Also, there is data going back to the Garmin GPS:

 - VHF AIS (ship tracking data)

- VHF DSC (safety data)

- FCV 587 depth (cant send back waypoints unfortunately, thanks to Furunos dodgy TLL language....a Furuno ploy to get you to buy their horrible GPS's.

Plan to give the electronics and Whaler a good workout on Friday......................

Guys

Thought some of you may be interested in the tranny install I did on Sunday on my new Boston Whaler 235. Not the easiest of jobs but well within the capability of anyone with a reasoable tool arsenal.

These are the 1kW HD bad boys that have to go in, 200kHz and 50 kHz. Bloody huge! They have 20 degree tilted elements so can be flush mounted in the BW 20 degree dead ris section.

The boat unexpectectly came with a B744 thru hull and performance fairing on the starboard side which works very well..........this is where the 200 kHz was to go...I decided to just for the 50 kHz on the starboard side to start with as I will need to remove the B744 and glass up the holes before putting the 200 in.....

Measured once, twice, three times, fours times...............

Pilot hole drilled....freaking out a bit.

95 mm hole saw did not quite reach all the way through the hull......63 mm thick solid....this baby aint falling apart.......phaaaarrrkkkkkkkkkk, freeking out a lot about  now! Had to attach it from inside as well......not perfect but no going back now!

From inside the bilge area. The raw water intake thru hull pipe is parrallel  to the tranny (so not in the water flow tothe tranny), closer than I wanted but I could not move the tranny any further forward or in as the Whaler has a dedicated thru hull section with solid core that limits space a bit. Hoping there will be no turbulence from the raw water intake.....If there is, it will go!

Cleaned up the antifoul and feathered all edges, then prepped with 80 grit for Sikaflex to grab.

After lots of research, sealed the unit in with Sikaflex 291. Nifty trick of masking off the whole area including tranny first, then cutting around the tranny with a stanly knife, then applying sealant to the tranny, then installing and squeezing the tranny up. Results in almost no cleanup....a good thing with Sikaflex!

Pull off the masking tape and hey presto, clean as a whistle! Just needs a bit of antifould touch up.

Had to make a special tool to tighten the nut on the tranny as it is massive......if anyone wants to borrow it, your welcolme to.

Final product inside. Went in the next morning to tighten the nut a bit more....no chnace, the sika has locked everything in place tight! I hope I done need to pull it out anytime soon!!

Currently installing a new FCV587 and moving he other electronics about in the dash, will post a few piccies of that once complete.

Giving her a run on Friday assuming everything works........

Cheers

John 

I've owned my 599 poly frontier for 18 months now, been out probably 40 times since then.

Boat is great, I've gone on about it before a few times how good it is.

I am however, getting tired of how big it is. I have always had dinghies (4.1, 4.35, 4.6) and really miss the light weight, frugal running, and ability to beach launch easily.

My local beach is 15k's away, used to whip over and launch in no time, with the big boat I am travelling 35km's to either Bunbury or Busselton.

The big boat has served an important purpose, and that has been to take my young bloke out with plenty of protection and safety.

His confidence and ability has grown exponentially, he's now past that stage where discomfort is an issue, he's happy to get a bit cold, or sit for hours, he knows there's a payoff!

What I find the biggest minus to the big boat is, is having to take my 4.2 tinny to Ningaloo stn because the soft sand (towing) and fuel useage up there when theres no servo.

So.... I am seriously considering a return to a 4.6 dory with a side console. 

To hear from anybody who has done a similar change would be great, both sides of the story too. I'm very hesitant as I have been spoilt by how good the poly handles, and how quiet it is.

Cheers, Craig.

I quite like the seafoam green hull "look"

Painting is expensive and irreversible -have been looking at vinyl, looks and sounds fairly straight forward and just wondering if anyone done this before or thougths from anyone ?

link below of some automotive film on ebay -...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ALL-COLOURS-Bubble-Free-Premium-GLOSS-Car-Vinyl-Wrap-1-52M-x-30M-ROLL-Detailing-/350742423569?pt=AU_Clothing_Merchandise_Media&var=&hash=item9061045f63

cheers
Clint

Hoping some one can help in identifying my boat, approximately a 1989 build, 22 feet in length, was fitted originally with a 5 liter mercuiser.

Thanks,

Hi

After a quick bit of advice. I am about to buy a sea anchor for the new tub. This is my first boat and know very little about sea anchors. Any advice is welcome.

Boat is a Whitley 2100 walkaround.

Cheers fellas.

Alex

 just bought a new project and after a hull id pretty sure I think I know what it is but just making sure its a 17.5 footer cheers

Hole saw about to get a workout on Sunday........

Hi All,

Have recently bought a trailer and the wheel bearing are oil filled not Grease.

Has anyone ever had these type of bearings before that could give me some advice on the type of oil required and what there opions are of this set up.

Picture below shows the set up, there is a hose connected top and bottom which come to  a central join where I was told you top up the oil.

my concern is not knowing what levels they are at.

Opions and advice will be greatly apreciated.

cheers.

 Okay I have a 4.5m cc alicraft with a 60 Etec pushing it along...problem it gets bogged in the hole when taking off with two blokes...1st step I shifted weight forward and put a fin on the motor...all helped but still digs in...latest I have fitted a recommended 4blade prop which has help but when trimmed up under steam and doing tight turns I get a lot of capitation unless I trim right down for the turn....thinking take the fin off for a test and then maybe lower the motor...with prop motor is running right revs top end and pushes boat along okay....am I on the right track guys?

Have been having some sounder issues in my new boat. Recently went to exmouth but previously was working all the time. It's is s 24' glass yank boat with a thru hull airmar 600w tranny. It works intermittently normally at 20knots but not at rest or trolling speed. I have no idea about boat electronics but hoping it might just be a loose connection or something. Any ideas??

Cheers Sammy

Hi I have been looking for a good secondhand outboard 100-130hp to fit to

an older boat . I have had a look at a couple of motors but not found anything

so thought I would post to see if there was anyone who was re-powering and looking

for a quick sale on their outboard.

I am looking for a 20inch leg, preferably 100-130hp but may cosider a 90hp,

prefer anything newer then 2002 with lower hours, 2 or 4 stroke.

I have a reasonable budget and are willing to pay for a good motor.

If you have something you want to sell please let me know.

Thanks

Just thought I would post a picture of our new Seacat 636 fc

WATERWORLDwa