What did you do to your boat today

69fastback

Trailer maintenece. Cleaned and repacked all the wheel bearings. I didn’t think my surge brakes were working and I’ve confirmed it. I suspect it’s the master cylinder and that sucks. Working on static surge brakes sucks in general. 

Aqua_Aura

Surge breaks suck, I have considered electric over hydraulic but I only use my trailer a few times a year and don't go far. 

69fastback

I agree. My boat stays in storage about 1.5 miles from the boat ramp now. I’m thinking brakes are overrated. 

aero3113

I took my shrink wrap off! I also re-sealed the canvas channel on both sides of the arch. It took one full tube of 3M 4000 UV to do everything.

PickleRick

PickleRick

Being that my tow rig is a near 8000 lbs diesel suv i wouldnt worry about brakes with a 1.5 mile tow.  

Surge brakes work terrific when kept in tip top condition.  Sadly, most of us are dudes with trailers, maybe we spend too much time on our boats????😆

69fastback

My truck does fine.  I’ve had this boat for 10 years now and the brakes have always worked. I mean, they’re drum brakes and not a lot that can go wrong with them. I could tell by how “soft” the hitch was when I started down the road, and how hard it pulled out when I took off after stopping, plus the whole not braking thing. I pulled everything apart to service the bearings and the nice rust layer on the inside of the drum confirmed m suspicions. Pretty certain the master cylinder gave up. At those bearings are nice and freshly greased! The brakes would be nice for when we decide to go to other lakes, but it still stops pretty well. Just have to use some caution. 

rasbury

Your trailer has drum brakes? Don't recall seeing one as small as ours are with drums but then I don't ask drums or discs! I would think the **** in the water a lot less maintenance...all that water trapped in there...

PickleRick

I put a new titan 10 or 20 master cylinder on my trailer last summer, was some 150 bucks. I tried to hone it out but it leaked down over a weeks period of time.  Then blew out a brake cylinder after the master was replaced.


This summer i plan on all new hoses/line, rollers and springs.  

69fastback

rasbury said:

Your trailer has drum brakes? Don't recall seeing one as small as ours are with drums but then I don't ask drums or discs! I would think the **** in the water a lot less maintenance...all that water trapped in there...

It does and it also has 14” wheels which are getting hard to find tires for. It’s a 2004 trail-rite. 

rasbury

I was really fighting my surge brakes (would not have mattered if electric) until I replaced my lines. Was like night and day. They really work pretty well now. I rebuilt the whole trailer but did not replace spindles...

69fastback

rasbury said:

I was really fighting my surge brakes (would not have mattered if electric) until I replaced my lines. Was like night and day. They really work pretty well now. I rebuilt the whole trailer but did not replace spindles...

I will probably let it slide this year, with my pending unemployment checks, and I’ll reevaluate next year if things are looking different. Hopefully I still have it!

rasbury

I'm right there brother..still working but who knows...

Willhound

rasbury said:

I'm right there brother..still working but who knows...

Hey Ras, Car dealerships opened in Ontario today, by appointment only. Come on up. It's only winter 8 months of the year! 

LaRea

davidbrooks said:

I had to evict a family that had decided to live in my boat. Then spent the rest of the day washing and waxing.

@davidbrooks I fight that fight every spring!  I have to leave my anchor locker open until the end of May.  Every time I take the boat out, I have to re-open the locker after I get back.  Otherwise, I'll have a bird nest in there within a couple days.  

I have yet to find any other practical solution for keeping birds out.  

Cableguy Greg

LaRea said:

davidbrooks said:

I had to evict a family that had decided to live in my boat. Then spent the rest of the day washing and waxing.

@davidbrooks I fight that fight every spring!  I have to leave my anchor locker open until the end of May.  Every time I take the boat out, I have to re-open the locker after I get back.  Otherwise, I'll have a bird nest in there within a couple days.  

I have yet to find any other practical solution for keeping birds out.  

I stuffed a yellow towel in the opening. It has worked well so far this spring. 

Cableguy Greg

Started the buff and wax of my boat. Trying a new process with a Flex buffer. This is just the first step. I still have some steps to do before I am finished. 

rasbury

time for me to get to work...again....

boatman37

Hey @Cableguy Greg ...went for a short road trip Sunday and stopped by Outboard Haven in Verona. Our sold Sea Ray was there at least the first year they had it. We were in that area so stopped by but didn't see it.

aero3113

Installed the LED bulb conversion for the spotlight, man it’s bright. I shined it at the house, when I went in I asked my wife if she saw the light turn on. She said she was walking through the kitchen and it shined right in her face and blinded her for a few seconds, LoL! Perfect timing   

Aqua_Aura

Hey @aero3113 (I think it was your post about bulbs) I got the LED bulbs for my interior cabin lights. Is there some trick to get the old lens off for bulb replacement. I have fiddled with them last year just out of curiosity and couldn't figure it out. Didn't go any further since I didn't have new bulbs then. 

aero3113

Yes, in this pic the lens is off obviously. You want to get something slim and just pry on the edge of the lens. Just a reminder, I think the bulbs are pole sensitive, if it doesn’t work one way, flip it around.

Ian

aero3113 said:

Installed the LED bulb conversion for the spotlight, man it’s bright. I shined it at the house, when I went in I asked my wife if she saw the light turn on. She said she was walking through the kitchen and it shined right in her face and blinded her for a few seconds, LoL! Perfect timing   

Which spotlight and do you have a part number/supplier for the LED? I have searched and not found anything.

aero3113

I have a Stryker Go light. The part number for the LED bulb is 15433 . I got it directly from Go Light. I guess I have an older model light assembly and the connector on the bulb wouldn’t work, they sent me the correct connector and I replaced it. Very simple to do.

https://golight.com/

Ian

Ahh, mine is the round cylinder type. Other threads I have read didn’t find an LED replacement.

YYZRC

Be careful when removing the lens. I dropped one and, well, you can find replacements on GLS

aero3113

Strange they don’t make one. That’s an expensive light you have, I was shocked when I was researching the LED bulb I came across it.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/jabsco--remote-control-searchlights--P006618276?recordNum=9

Aqua_Aura

I have the jabsco light as well. I have never researched an LED but I was always under the assumption you could probably find an "automotive"light  that would work. 

Aqua_Aura

Is the par36 LED maybe a bulb that would fit the round jabsco? I was juts searching Google and came across that. 

I guess the issue is having the spot and flood capabilities. 

Ian

I believe you are right, dual elements. the photometrics for LED over halogen are different too so effectiveness would be an issue not seen in simple deck and dome lights.

I learnt a lot about lights and LED’s when I worked in airfield lighting a few years ago. It’s ot as simple as changing a bulb.