CONTINUOUSWAVE

dtmackey

Back in 2003 when I replaced my 1990 Johnson 225 with a 2003 Mercury Optimax 225 I asked the dealer about the color of decals on the 225s. He said the blue decals were for salt water and had more stainless steel in them, but seems after 17 years I forget where the extra stainless was located. I for...

dtmackey

Diagnosis by internet is amusing. Being there to hear, see and feel makes a big difference in narrowing it down quickly.

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dtmackey

In haphazardly read the thread and didn't see where there were any tests done on the gauge or sending units to verify they are registering correctly before throwing parts at the motors. Since the senders and guages are not calibrated, I've see difference in temps on motors. When ever I have a temp q...

dtmackey

I love the way many people think running an outboard in saltwater is like running it in acid. Back before flushing ports the engine got flushed when it was pulled for the season. We never had any corrosion problems. And when I pass through the harbor, I still see 1980's and older engines still in u...

dtmackey

You must have the "small block" 2.6L E-TEC which has a filter. It is important to note the the arrow on the filter is installed AGAINST the flow of oil otherwise it will develop vaccum bubbles and throw an alarm. This seems counterintuitive, but the Evrinde manual and service bullietins st...

dtmackey

I've found that I need to remove the bilge cover to access my plug, so I used a scotch plastic (Velcro like) material that uses little balls and sockets to secure it and it's still easy to remove. https://www.scotchbrand.com/3M/en_CA/scotch-brand-ca/all-products/products/~/Scotch-Extreme-Fasteners-R...

dtmackey

My [15-foot] Boston Whaler boat came from New Hampshire, which is also a non-title state. I had no problem registering in Massachusetts two years ago. I was able to pay the sale tax on-line. I visited the office in Boston to register with the required information—less title—and the process was painl...

dtmackey

Getting the hull weight down to only 167-lbs from the initial waterlogged weight of 484-lbs only took 18-years. The total weight loss was thus 317-lbs, for an average of about 18-lbs-per-year, but in truth, more weight loss per year in the first ten years. 18 years and still more to go. What I find...

dtmackey

No surprise with the move to brand Evinrude XD oils under the XPS line and use packaging that's already in use and in far greater demand than the previous Envinrude version. The streamline approach will save BRP money and should have been done years ago. XPS oil for SkiDoo is very different than for...

dtmackey

Arrived Mass General Boston May 5th and started the chemo regime the following Monday. The chemo wasn't that bad as each day it was building in my system. Yes, it did some funky things, but when I was taken off chemo, that's when it really took it's toll with all the unpleasent things. That lasted a...

dtmackey

As the happy owner of a 2006 Etec 250 that has been a rock solid performer, the decsion for Evinrude to stop production does not come as a surprise at all. The stigma of a "2 stroke" has been around since the late 90s and early 2000's where Merc, Yamaha and OMC pumped out countless direct ...

dtmackey

Over the past 2 months my energy/motivation level has been decreasing, but slow enough so I was able to make excuses and blame it on being shut in due to Covid-19. Well by Monday it was so low I knew I couldn't make anymore excused and visited the doctor. A quick chest X-ray showed a dark area, so t...

dtmackey

The bow area is slick when wet... I concur with your observations and think this was a big safety hazard failing in the 15-foot model. I found that front area to be like a big ice skating area when wet, no matter what boat shoe was worn and thought this back in the 1980's and also today. When I did...

dtmackey

Are you...countersinking the pan head screws? Pan head screws do not get countersunk. I've always found plenty of room between the black insert and the rail to run the wiring for the bow light. Inserting the black piece is muich easier when warm and best in direct sunlight. A rubber mallet makes qu...

dtmackey

If you go with the original style rub rail it loves to stay in the nice tight small coil and will fight you all the way. One way to make it easier and condition the rub rail is to grab two 2x4x12 at your local lumber yard and roll the rigid portion of the rub rail against that and clamp with hand ac...

dtmackey

What size and length screws do you use to install a new three-piece rubrail on a classic 13? The rub rail only comes in one size and fits 13 to 17' hulls. Plan for screws every 3 to 4-inches, and maybe a bit closer in the bow radius. If memory serves be correctly, I used stainless sheet metal, Phil...

dtmackey

Actually, the flag disposal at Fire Depts is already widespread, maybe not in your local region, but I've looked at hundreds of designs and think I'm going to come up with my own. https://i.imgur.com/sRcCTbyl.jpg Speaking more of flags and opening up on a little history, here's a few pics from when ...

dtmackey

ASIDE on heated garage: our house used to have a heated garage, although the garage was not really insulated at all. The heating cost was excessive, but in a Michigan winter, the heated garage was also a problem for older car engines, say c.1970. If you started the car on a cold winter morning in t...

dtmackey

L78steve wrote:Thank you for the advise. I have been waiting several days between coats due to slow drying and not being able to sand while sticky.

Sorry Steve, I omitted one small factor that affects my dry time. My garage is heated and I keep it at 75 degrees which gives me a 24 hour re-coat time window.

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dtmackey

If you go with the original style rub rail it loves to stay in the nice tight small coil and will fight you all the way. One way to make it easier and condition the rub rail is to grab two 2x4x12 at your local lumber yard and roll the rigid portion of the rub rail against that and clamp with hand ac...

dtmackey

I'm currently restoring my wood parts. How much dry time are you allowing for the Epifanes before you sand? And how much are you thinning the Epifanes for the foam brush app? first coat was thinned about 30% and I don't use the same thinner they recommend, instead I use an reducer from automotive p...

dtmackey

Out of the two ways to create non-skid that were presented, I prefer the sand, but with Awlgrip instead of gelcoat since it provides more options if customizing. You can add a flattening agent in the topcoats over the griptex sand mixture to "mute" the non-skid shine as done in these pics....

dtmackey

Phil T wrote:Between you and Bob,

He's buying paint this week. I may drive up there and shoot the primer for him and then he will roll and tip the topcoat.

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dtmackey

Taking advantage of the Corona virus lockdown and getting the varnishing done. 2 more coats of foam brush applied Epifanes (sanded 320 between coats) followed by 2 coats of sprayed urethane clear with a 10 min flash dry between coats. Clear is about 1 mil per coat and really brings out the gloss and...

dtmackey

No flange or insert, just the normin pin that screws together and makes contact with the gelcoat. Looks like someone made a modification in that pic.

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dtmackey

Whaler used Philippine Mahogany that was lighter in color (less red), but this species of wood is difficult to find due to all the regulation of deforestation and some debate if it's actually a true mahogany (see provided link below). Whaler did not apply any stain and it was varnish only. The more ...

dtmackey

Sounds about right Jim, I still have a 1990's vintage Tohatsu 5hp, purchased new and now sitting on an engine stand in the basement and it's a clone to the Merc 5hp 2 stroke and also built at the plant in Japan. The relationship you mention, I do not believe has a connection to the Merc plant in Chi...

dtmackey

Most of Mercury's smaller engines are made by Tohatsu. Yamaha used to make them up until early 90's. Clarification: Mercury outboard engines under 30-HP do share a relationship with Tohatsu. Mercury outboard 40, 50 and 60-HP are built in China at the Mercury manufacturing facility in Suzhou China w...

dtmackey

Mercury has been building outboards for years in China in the 60hp and below power ratings.

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dtmackey

[Strongly endorsed] Phil's advice: You need to weigh the hull before you do anything. The hull may have minimal water or be very staturated. By weighing it, you will get a better idea [of the weight gain that may be due to water ingress into the hull]. My guess: the brass drain tubes failed and wate...

dtmackey

Usually soft spots are on the deck. They are usually where the wood underneath was compromised and is soft from rot. Voids usually occur on the sides or bottom and are usually due to the foam shrinking and making a void between the outer hull and foam. I'm sure waterlogged foam does not hold up wel...

dtmackey

Ideally [an outboard engine] should be in the third hole for the most efficient mounting location. There is less gear case in the water , and that allows for better efficiency. [This mounting height] also prevents the bolts from being buried in the bottom of the motor well.[I believe here the intent...

dtmackey

All ramps in Gloucester MA have been closed to all non-emergency boating activities. The concern is surrounding cities and towns would follow suit in that decision process. Since most ramps have no gates, if they do close, I may be pulling a 2AM launching to get my center console on its seasonal moo...

dtmackey

biggiefl wrote:I did a 40, 70 and 115hp.

I've done plenty over the years and have local dealers that would probably sell me a crate motor to me without question if I went back to have them look at the install and activate the warranty, but that's not he norm, rather the exception.

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dtmackey

In the past, I've used the downloadable templates at the Teleflex website. That'd be a great place to look. Google also will return a number of templates as well.

http://www.seastarsolutions.com

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dtmackey

With constant water in the motorwell area, make sure all holes previously drilled in that area are sealed extremely well. I see 2 holes by the battery box and would imagine there are more. The last thing you want is water getting into any core material of the foam of the Unibond hull. Based on the a...

dtmackey

Have never been a fan of the chrome plated hardware from Whaler as the chrome does not last. Any type of metal clip or hardware would damage the chrome finish and the metal underneath is soft and does not standup well to repeated wear applications as witnessed in your pics. I've converted some of my...

dtmackey

Seems like the threshold on crate engine or cash and carry sales is in the 30 to 40-HP bracket where one can purchase and install on the boat yourself. Even then, if remote controls and rigging are involved, then you may be stuck going to the dealer for install.

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dtmackey

Good effort to clear out the product pipeline. I don't foresee boat sales rebounding quickly once the summer months roll around.

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dtmackey

All good questions. Here is what I was faced with, similar in nature to what you have, but I think mine was far more extensive with cracks. https://i.imgur.com/a7DAwHYl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/3jc3b24l.jpg Q1: For refinishing cracks and other damage to the gel coat, what are the best methods? I foun...

dtmackey

Jim is right on color match, camera capture and how color is displayed on a computer can vary. The ideal way to match paint is by going to a supply house that has the color analyzer. In this pic, I cut a piece of the inner hull liner out and cleaned it up and then had the exact color matched by usin...

dtmackey

I beleive the TOPSIDE brand paint is a one-part moisture cure, meaning there is no activator or catalyst that starts a chemical reaction which would result in a more robust painted surface. TOPSIDE may be decent stuff if the boat will see light use, but I'd still lean toward and IMRON, AWLGRIP, ALEX...

dtmackey

Hatch and thwart seats are no brainers and you can just measure and duplicate. I used the old interior as the starting point for my interior build, but I didn't like several things that Whaler designed in. I wanted a 15-gallon tank, the battery, and all wiring and storage to be under andbehind the h...

dtmackey

A little off topic, but an interesting read on Yamaha development and failures as they targeted the U.S. market for V6 production and sales. Some may find this interesting. https://global.yamaha-motor.com/about/technology/daysgoneby/010/ It goes on for several pages and you can tab forward at the bo...

dtmackey

A 14-gallon tank on an 11-footer'? I run a three-gallon tank, and it sits in front of the thwart. Agreed and in his opening paragraph he mentioned not needing to carry that much fuel onboard. I'd think 3 gals or if needed, 6 gals is more than plenty. Some engines will run all day with that much fue...

dtmackey

Frank, your post made me chuckle since I find all sorts of excuses to use the Kubota to do boat work and make it an easier task.

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dtmackey

A comparison among the Yamaha to Evinrude/Johnson 70 in the 2 stroke offerings: Yamaha 70 72mm X 69.5mm Bore and stroke 850cc Early Johnson/Evinrude 70 76.2mm X 59.5mm Bore and stroke 803cc displacement (approx) Later (post 86 I believe) Johnson/Evinruide 70 80.9mm X 59.54mm Bore and stroke 918cc di...

dtmackey

I lean toward the cause of the unusual tire wear being due to a bent axle more than an axle that shifted on the trailer. This link details how to identify the [unusual tire wear caused by axle misalignment]. https://www.centrevilletrailer.com/how-tos/trailer-axle-alignment-trailer-tire-wear/ I've ha...

dtmackey

a good friend of mine just purchased the new G2 140hp and will be mounting it on 80s vintage 18 Outrage. I think it will be a great motor for that boat.

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dtmackey

Anyone can overpower a boat without any concern until there is an accident or boarding where someone wants to nitpick. If you so choose to overpower, it would be in your best interest to apply decals to the motor that fall inline with the capacity rating the boat carries if 20' or under in length. B...

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