What did you do to your boat today

PickleRick

Almost done with the upper.  

rasbury

sigh...i need to do mine...almost done with the buffing and waxing, next on my list...

PickleRick

I thought my anodes where shot on my trim cylinders, turns out my end caps are just that far gone.  Fingers crossed the space cylinders i have at home are alpha 1 and not pre alpha as they share the same end cap and are much nicer. I did at least get the housing cleaned and painted.

PickleRick

rasbury

that looks a mess!

PickleRick

I have no idea how they were not leaking.  They look awful.  Sadly the spare rams i have are pre alpha.  

aero3113

@PickleRick , luckily there’re one of the cheaper parts to buy on the transom.

PickleRick

They are. About 50 to 75 bucks a pop plus o ring kits.   I think ill be cleaning and tapping these for anodes and reusing for now.  2 new end caps plus o ring kits will have me about 200 bucks into pitted ugly trim cylinders.  Im going to keep an eye out for some used ones locally, being a fresh water area ill find some if im patient.  These dont look pretty but at least they are leak free and functional for now.

aero3113

These look to be in pretty good shape, offer him $100, see what happens. 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F193097407394

rasbury

Those are alpa one aero, will they work Rick? So new cylinders are 200 a piece? When I re did my transom asy, I found new ones with the cylinders for like 1200? Guess the major cost was the rams!

PickleRick

New cylinders are about 300+ each from SEI, i have not priced new.  I didn't relazie the spare gimball housing/rams on hand at the house was all pre alpha.  I kept it because it was clean and fresh water used, sadly its about useless.  


Thanks for the link, those appear to be my cylinders.  Im going to watch them and make an offer but i might wait a little closer til xmas to do so.  

aero3113

@rasbury , you have a Bravo 3? Your price seems high. This is an aftermarket cylinder and ram.

SEI MARINE PRODUCTS - Compatible with Mercruiser Bravo Stbd Trim Cylinder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FYZSL1Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_h6iXDbTP6YP9Y

PickleRick

I did save a little cash on new bushings.  The front and rear pivot rod bushings fit the same as one of the nylon bushings on a snapper rear engine rider.  5/8 id.  List price of 2.68 each.  

rasbury

No ihave no idea..thought Rick said they were 200 a piece..it is just a hydraulic cylinder..but put boat in front of it...

PickleRick

I can rebuild with new seals and end caps for about 100 each 200 total.  However casings look like a teen with bad acne

PickleRick

Got a chart/gps/sonar that will fit where my phone holder sits on the boat.  Will be nice to look for old trees before dropping anchor

trip_n

winterized and put in dry stack

rasbury

Nice...my chart ploter seems to be going out...was messing with this weekend and it was working but could not see anything...like it was on nite mode or something..Garmin 541s

aero3113

@rasbury , try holding down the power button. I think it will allow you to adjust the brightness. Hopefully that’s it.

Ian

Every now and then my Lowrance decides night mode is preferred and luckily I can just see the adjustment menu.

aero3113

I noticed a little bit of sludge in my starboard drive reservoir, drained and rinsed with mineral spirits. 

johnep

Mine got hauled out. Sad day.

PickleRick

Dam cat.  I accepted that i shut the cat in the cabin a few weeks ago but the cat is skiddish and wouldn't have been still lay low while i was in and out of the boat.  I took the blame because it made sense i closed her in.  

The boat was empty last night.  I put a heater in the bay just in case the hot water tank had any water left in it, i have not had time to reflush after finding a leak.  

Well the cat was mia tonight at feeding.  I checked the boat and she was in there again.  Tore up napkins this time.  She's going in through the lower cubby hole starboard of the seats in the cockpit.  She then falls through the bunny fir head liner in the aft cabin and cant get back out.  

I tucked 50 ft of rope in the cubby, if she gets in again shell have to work for it.  Saldy shes the best mouser and squirrel catcher we have.  This is becoming an issue.

Good news is i dont have a mysterious aft cabin leak.  The water i found in the aft cabin after a heavy wind and rain storm at the lake had come in from water blowing in and saturation the little cubby.  Guess i gotta get that sealed up to both be leak free when rain blows in and keep cats out.

PickleRick

mirror moved back approx 4 inches to give a larger step space for forward deck access and my chart plotter added.  All wiring run to for the transducer, just need the thickened resin to dry before mounting said transducer.  I drilled each hole out to 3/8, filled each hole with the thickened resin and then will install with 4200.  I will need to pre drill each hole before installing but the hard part is done.


Now i need to figure out how to fab up some mounting points for my gauge clusters.  Out of 8 mounts only 2 remain unbroken.  

PickleRick

dash reassembled. While it it was out i did some wiring work that was driving me nuts.  Im glad i did as i found a nice explosion hazard.  The wires feeding the rear bilge(2 in my engine bay) were just twisted together under weathering electrical tape.  Alsp, bilge only worked on auto.  This was an issue as only the front one has a float and it takes a lot of water to set it off.  Now i have a manual switch again!  Also wired in a horn.  Im legal on the lake with a whisrle, i also have an air horn(my son's favorite boat toy) but a horn is always a plus.  

I thought about vinyl wrap on inserts and new led switches but i plan on flipping the boat come spring so I'll save my bling bling for the next bigger boat.  Took forever to do the wiritng

PickleRick

Just in case anyone ever asks, the hot water heater in a rinker 235 fiesta vee will come out without removing the motor.  It's not easy getting behind it go loosen the screws.  

The wood under it was soft so I cut it all out today.  Once apart i inspected it, rinker did a fabulous job making each wood section encapsulated separately from the other so everything else is solid.  Was hoping to have it epoxied back together with new wood tomorrow but all the thickener i have is at work.

  Looks like tomorrow I'm removing carpet in the aft berth so I can cut out the fuel tank.   It might come out without removing the motor.  Removing the motor isn't usually a hassle but its poring rain today and my A frame is in weather.  So I'm going to give it try.  

Aluminum fuel tanks, especially ones with brass fittings on them really need to be easier accessed for regular inspection.

rasbury

Oh my, my worst fear...bad tank....good luck.

PickleRick

I'm pulling tank to inspect.  It's a 93 model.  If I'm going to sell in the spring a new tank will be a great selling point.  If i keep it a new tank will keep everyone on board safe.  Either way, the bottom of that tank needs examined. 

Boat was kept in salt water and an open slip in her past.  I know she was neglected.  I dont want to put my family at risk over a days worth of work.  

rasbury

Not to familiar with your boat but a 270 is not a day's work unless you use a chain saw...

PickleRick

A jig saw will do most of it. A sawzaw will do the 90 degree area where the back wall for the cabin meets the floor. 

I do keep an electric chainsaw on hand with a 10 inch .43 gauge 3/8 low profile picco chain on hand but i plan on reusing the part i cut out.  The chainsaw isn't exactly clean cutting.    I plan on inserting it back in once done.  Im not sure if I want to fiberglass the insert back in or if i want to make it removable so in the future all it takes is an impact driver and moving some wires/carpet to examine the fuel tank.  

When possible i use a multi tool to cut fiberglass, it really keeps the fiberglass dust down, it cuts through rotten wood like warm butter.  Luckily the wood is all solid so a saw is a must.  I really appreciate the rinkers construction. Its nice digging in and finding solid wood on a 26 year old boat.