Boating BS thread

It's definitely a pressure issue, manually raised the motor and the two little helper rods will push out when I try to trim the motor up, and they hold my weight when I push against them with the pump running, but less than 20 seconds after I release the trim button I can manually push the little rods back in so I'm loosing pressure somewhere.

I think i'm loosing pressure at the manual release for the hydraulics but I loosened the screw and ran the trim to clear any trash from around it and still losing pressure.

 

Yeah something definitely sounds like its leaking.. Seal, hose etc..

 

Yeah, gonna ask around and see what's common on that motor, but I don't see any fluid leaking on the exterior.

 

Couldn't find much online, I think it's in the valve box under the motor so instead of me tearing it apart (new one is $400) we decided to let the local boat shop handle it, we should know by Tuesday what the issue is.

 

Ok guys, so plan is to sell the proline after we get it back from the shop and put some hours on it to make sure everything runs like it's supposed to.

Looking for a used 23-28 ft center console boat to replace it, budget will be about 12k
Top picks are a catamaran with 2 115's or 125's, Standard fiberglass monohull with a single 200 or 250 outboard (I like the looks of the MAKO boats).
Not likely to find a cat in our budget though.

But my Dad (Buyer) wants to look for a center console with the inboard outdrive, thoughts?
It doesn't make sense to me because he lives on a canal that at low tide can drop to 18" deep and an outdrive just wouldn't do well with that or the shallow water we have everywhere in the gulf, but he wants something like a 350 in it for ease of parts and working on it.

 

Inboard outboards are fast and more fuel efficient but I wouldn't if I lived in that canal

 

We had an old well craft with a volvo/penta unit in it and i think a 350 when I was a kid and it was fast (We took it out on lake mead when we lived in So-Cal) but I just don't think an I/O setup would work well out here.

I really like the idea of the monohull with a single outboard for simplicity, but I would like to ride in a cat just to see how much better they ride.

 

I realized the other day that I know where the perfect boat for my dad is, he wants a 20-25 ft and would prefer a 23, inboard-outdrive (Preferably a 350) and either a cuddy cabin or walk in center console all for less than $9K.

I was up at my grandparents and was looking at a boat that he retired in the early 2000's because he got a 28 ft shrimp boat and he has run that boat since then.
It's a 23 ft cuddy cabin, inboard-outdrive with a 350, it ran when he retired it, the only issue he had from the boat was it wouldn't go into reverse because he could never get the cables adjusted right.
I figure $4K will easily cover tires, wheel bearings, and any other issues with the engine and outdrive sitting for 16 years, and most likely my grandpa would give it to us just so we could make it seaworthy again and he could go out on it with us.

 

Thats a steal right there

 

Yep, I need to go up one day when i have time (2 hour drive one way) and see what everything looks like.
I also found out it's a 292 in it, not a 350 but for where we go the only difference that makes is fuel economy.

 

My folks are making the final preparations for the their loop trip. leaving in a couple weeks for the first leg.

 

awe dude thats gonna be awesome!

 

Any update on this boat? Only reason I ask is I've been looking for another 16' Vee nosed Jon boat for a year or so. Pretty rare size around here.

 

Nothing yet, It's registered but I haven't done anything with it yet.
I have some ideas from the county emergency managements boats, they have very similar boat with a 40 horse, custom center console, and fence boards for the flooring.

 

I want the console to be something like this.

 

Well i found another project for after I finish the 16' boat.
http://www.specmar.com/aluminum-boat-plans/monohull-boats/21-ft-sportfisher-1633

Something like this, but with a sterndrive and maybe a little bit longer.
I'd also really like diesel power with a turbo (Water cooled of course)

 

Trying to figure out the floor in my bass tracker, I'm thinking foam pieces in between the ribs and then using something like Trex as the actual flooring material.
Should I mount the console directly to the ribs for extra strength?
I'm thinking a 40 or 50 horse outboard with hydraulic steering so I can route the lines better.

 

Nice project.
I would make one suggestion. After you gut and clean it out, fill it with water. Check your rivets. These boats have been known to leak. Much easier to repair now before you spend lots of time and material just to have it leaking.

 

I was just researching that today, it's got 2 holes in the sides (intakes for bait tanks) that I need to get the thru hull pieces and just run a hose between them for now, and fill it up with water and check the water tightness.
After that we are gonna find a trailer that should work for the boat then start working on the rest.

 

Oh the trailer. Single axle bunk trailer.