The best of times, the worst of times

[Deleted User]

2015 started badly. The expense of a new outdrive for my 250FV, then a leaky fuel tank that really tested my commitment to boating and hit my wallet hard. By May the boat was fully sorted, and the summer was just great, no issues. Here in So. California. Fall provided summer like weather well into December. All the while she purred like a kitten and performed like a new boat. Right before Christmas I took her out in some chop and she handled it well no problems at all. I love my Rinker.

So the year in boating has been one of contrast, a mix of good and bad, like much of life itself.

Happy New Year to my fellow Rinker skippers! How was your year in retrospect?

Andy

Black_Diamond

That's a lot to go thru, I can sympathise doing 2 outdrives a few years ago. Glad it all worked out for you!

I'm fighting an overheat issue on one engine. Pulling the outdrives in Jan to see if it is a blockage there, then a new water pump. Already a new thermostat (old one worked too) and new exhaust shutters and exhaust bellows off the manifold done too (shutters were good). Only so much it can be!

Michael T

@BD, yes, you have ticked all of the boxes I can think of except for a water supply hose that has lost its integrity and is collapsing under draw from the sea pump.

No offense meant to someone of your capability, but you have checked the gauge to make sure the engine is actually overheating or is it obviously overheating via the "touch test"? We went through this with a friends boat. It was an melted exhaust flapper restricting out flow. On another boat it was inlet water supply collapsing. On my boats it has been faulty primary temperature sender and/or the secondary gauge.

Just last summer with my new 8.2s it was water pressure and BOTH senders were off. Very frustrating and expensive to chase these things. In my case it was really aggravating as the engine guardian was restricting power (for no reason) to my Port engine which then eliminated Axius. Really maddening! Thank goodness for warranty!

On a complete '"ay out there question" ...is there any way that you were anchored close to a beach or sand bar and ran your engines. I have seen several cases where water supply systems ingested sand and caused overheating until they were flushed - which was quite a process.

LaRea

A year of contrasts?  Oh yeah.  

I had a great summer of boating, and spent a better-than-average number of hours on the boat.  But despite my best intentions, I never made it out of the Potomac River.  That hasn't happened in at least 15 years.  

Then I winterized the boat at the usual time in mid-November, and missed out on six weeks of great boating weather.  Now, I've already finished most of my spring commissioning work -- and it's still December.  So, yeah -- unusual year.

Black_Diamond

@MT:  both shutters were in great shape. The rubber boots connecting the exhaust to the y-pipe were discolored to an orange/rust tint...like they got hot. I suspect the guage is right as it alarms and will cool down at idle. Just over temps under load (fine in neutral at high rpm). Once the drive is off I can check the water inlet. If ok then onto the water pump. The hoses look to be ok, I'll pull a vacuum on them with a shop vac to check.  Should not be a sand issue, I always anchor in at least 5' deep (actually closer to 7' really) plus it ran fine all season until the week before haulout. Put in a new impeller and same issue right before haulout too. Always something to chase!  

Michael T

BD, please let bus know what you find. It's always great to hear how a problem chase turned-out for edification.

halifax212

My season started out repairing the water leak which I noticed a couple years back. $2500 later plus another $1000 for complete trailer brake set up my entire boating budget was blown and then some(had not even hit the water!) I too began to question my boating hobbie and told myself it may be time to let her go at the end of the season. Funny thing about boating is once you get out there it makes that decision a lot harder. A car would be gone in a minute!  The season ended up being one of the best, since I towed it to 2 different areas and really got us fired up again. The old 212 worked great the entire season and the new brakes on the trailer made for best towing since I owned the boat!.  Well it sits in storage now with no plans to sell in the Spring and no major issues to deal with as far as I can tell. The steel trailer which came with the boat from Ohio is pretty rough looking due to the salt in my home waters. Going to get it sandblasted and painted in the Spring and should be good. 4 months to go.

Brian

Michael T

@halifax212. How true! Sometimes we curse them then we spend a nice day out on the water and it all makes sense. I really like our EC 360 and the Admiral loves it but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I miss our 2011 226XL. I miss being able to trailer the boat anywhere. The trailer from Rinker was dual axle with brakes and towed like it was on rails. I had a house battery in that boat for the stereo and through hulls with a 350 mag B lll. It was a nice ride! What you can do with your 212 certainly resonates with me.

halifax212

cool MT, I have the same set up but the Alpha drive. Easy to get around for sure and the change of scenery was nice this year for sure.

[Deleted User]

I was just down at my boat "battening down the hatches" also known as stowing cockpit carpet in the dock box and making sure all the snaps on the canvas are nice and snug. At least four inches of rain are coming, three storms back to back for close to a week. Yes, El Nino looks like its finally here! It could be Club Mud here in a week or two. Fortunately both my dock and my Rinker are floating nicely.

Andy

Michael T

@Andy, does this help the "drought" situation in California or is it too much water all at once and just runs-off?

[Deleted User]

Michael, the thickness of the snow pack in the Sierras will have the biggest impact on drought conditions. There is some optimism this storm system will help, if not fully cure the drought. Sadly, the rainfall in the south of the state mostly flows into the Pacific, one example being the Santa Margarita river that crosses USMC Camp Pendleton dumping billions of gallons of fresh water into the sea at Oceanside.

As damming rivers is no longer an option due to environmental laws, there are plans afoot to store the water in underground aquifers east of the base. Ironically, there is also a controversial desalination plant just south of Oceanside in Carlsbad that just opened. It is the biggest desal plant in the Western Hemisphere, cost a billion bucks, and produces 50 million gallons of expensive fresh water per day.

Bottom line, we live in a desert. Floods and droughts are typical here, not unusual at all. This one has been severe, but certainly not unprecedented.

Andy