Frustration with my boat and my learning curve

[FZ1]

The boating season is moving along while I am still on for screwing with my boat.

In 2021 the VP outdrive was completely rebuilt and reinstalled but not tested at end of the season

In 2022 got boat in the water and it would not shift. Got a mobile marine mechanic (mistake) who said it first was the shift cable then the shift control. He wanted to get a used shift control off eBay. I got a new shift control and brought it to a boat repair shop. He installed it and adjusted the shift.

Next the boat still on a work rack the boat would sound a warning alarm. Ordered a Diacom to read the codes. Overheating. Ordered a cooling system test kit. Then a second. Cooling system would hold pressure for 20 min. Then wiped off the dirt on a sticker on the cooling system reservoir so I could read it which said to fill the reservoir with coolant and run at 1500 RPM to remove trapped air. Did that and no more overheating. Never used it, only tested at dock.

This year got it ready to go and won't shift. Decided to do more of my own work. Pulled outdrive cover and popped off shift cable and shifted the outdrive with fingers and shifted OK. Shift control would shift fine. Reattached the shift cable and the outdrive would shift fine from the shift control.

Now ready to take it out for a test.

I am thinking I never needed to replace the shift cable or shift control and the problem all along was it was stiff from a rebuild and not being used all winter.

And for the overheating, had I read the label, filled the reservoir and run at 1500 RPM to remove the trapped air I would not have spent time messing with things related to possible overheating.

This is a new boat to me with more engine electronics.

Frustrated it's taking so long for me to figure things out. Local boat shops mainly want to work on outboards. I don't mind doing the work but each day working on the boat is a day I am not using the boat.

Next time, Get an Outboard Rig.

 

[Donald]

Next time, Get an Outboard Rig.

While I hear the new outboards are more reliable than the two cycle Johnson 115HP outboard I had a few decades ago I have feeling that when they do break it's a real cramp to repair. And you almost certainly need a laptop with adapters and software to read codes.

And I like the open swim platform an I/O allows.

 

[Donald]

My attempt at a test run did not go well. The boat was in the water tied to the dock warming up the engine and a cooling hose blew off the heat exchanger. The next day when everything was cool I reattached the cooling hose (it was my fault, I had reattached the hose but did not tighten the clamp). Then filled the reservoir with coolant, ran at 1500 RPM to get rid of air pockets. Let it cool. Filled the reservoir again and brought it up to operating temp. It should now be ready for a test run.

 

[AZjeff]

Have you used this boat yet?

 

[Gillsy]

Have you ever felt you could watch a youtube video and do a better job than the "pro"?

I feel your pain.

Much can be gleaned from youtube!

 

[Slick3914]

Next time, Get an Outboard Rig.

Absolutely 10000%!

 

[nomas]

I've always found that it's easier to find a friend with a boat and kick in a few bucks for gas when you go out .

 

[mk378]

The learning curve ends when you realize it's a lot more fun with someone else's boat. Boats are one of the 3 F's of things that you should always rent or borrow, not own.

 

[Big E]

I've always found that it's easier to find a friend with a boat and kick in a few bucks for gas when you go out .

That's the suggestion I make to people when they say they would like to have a boat.

I'm one of the schmucks with the boat.

 

[Donald]

I will keep plugging along. Fixing problems that I find and learning along the way. Hoping that with excellent maintenance I can provide things will not reoccur once fixed.

 

[Donald]

Today was my initial trial run in the Delaware Bay. Went around the Slaughter Beach area for maybe 90 min then headed back in. Nothing wrong noticed, no alarm. The Delaware Bay is larger than I expected. Cannot see NJ even after going across the bay for a few miles.

I need to go back during the week when the engine cold and check the coolant reservoir and make sure there was no loss of coolant.

 

[ls1mike]

I only have campers and they are also expensive toys and money pits also. Hope you get to enjoy it now.

I have both, I will take the camper EVERYTIME, it has been hassle free. The boat if I could give if a Viking funeral....well you get the idea.

 

[ls1mike]

Bust Out Another Thousand.

After I got mine. I told my wife it stood for something else...she laughed only a little.

 

[ls1mike]

I will keep plugging along. Fixing problems that I find and learning along the way. Hoping that with excellent maintenance I can provide things will not reoccur once fixed.

Yep, I just replaced the lower unit on my outboard. It works...this week.