CONTINUOUSWAVE

dtmackey

Bob is located in Haverhill MA and I drive through here several times a weeks and hope to visit his shop soon. I build all my own woodwork, but would be happy to validate his work.

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dtmackey

Operate like a car? I can think of several cars that have 1/2" or more play in the system, just drive any SUV with a recirculating ball steering box. Better yet, get into any car without the engine running and I'd bet there's not a car on the road that has less than 1/2 inch of play in the whee...

dtmackey

I used to work for BRANSON--a very well known brand for ultrasonic cleaners--but not in the division that made ultrasonic cleansers. Branson was started by Norm Branson way back in the 1960's in Connecticut. If you can buy other brands for such little cost, I am surprised they are able to stay in b...

dtmackey

I'm happy to hear you are satisfied with the ultrasonic cleaner. I purchased one several years ago and use it for everything. I now plan buy a large capacity unit. I've used the ultrasonic cleaner for carburetors, and it dislodges everything dirt-like and deposits. Parts come out clean and looking l...

dtmackey

Both fittings screw in the same depth into the bottom and I can understand the small bubbles, but since they rise to the top, simply add additional fluid to increase the level in the jug and the bubbles being returned are pushed to the top and bubble free fluid is fed to the helm pump unit. A power ...

dtmackey

Due to then hose routing in some boats with high and low points, it can be difficult to bleed a hydraulic steering system. On one of my boats, I experienced this problem. No matter how many times I used the setup from Teleflex with the two fluid containers and trying to bleed air, I could not get ou...

dtmackey

My son was moving the lawnmower in the garage and bumped the trailer light and cracked the lens. There's also been a concern of mine that when trailering the lights are very low and not within direct sight of following cars, so I decided that I'd install guide-ons and LED pole lights. https://i.imgu...

dtmackey

When fixing a hose to a barbed fitting, use only one hose clamp. Position the clamp so in presses the hose onto the clean portion of the fitting behind the barbs. Putting a clamp on a hose so it bears onto the barbed portion of the fitting tends to cut into the hose itself, which can lead to proble...

dtmackey

Not all gray fuel line is created the same and over the years its varied from manufacturers. I've been using the Shields gray fuel line in 2 boats with no problems at all. It's not the same as the junk that had the liner that collapsed and caused people to classify all gray fuel line as garbage. The...

dtmackey

Unless his Guinness World Record has been beat, Brad Rowland holds title to world's fastest pontoon boat at 114-MPH.

https://youtu.be/j136TTyG_E8

They do serve a purpose and some people seem to love them. Around here on the ocean, I never see them.

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dtmackey

The traditional pontoon boats always seem to have circular tubes for the pontoons. Is there some underlying reason for using circular floats? Are circular floats used because there is a standard aluminum large-diameter tubing being fabricated for some other purpose (such as transporting liquids) an...

dtmackey

DT- thanks for the illustrations. The carburetor I own for a 15-HP engine is presently on an engine so I could not show it. My 15-HP engine is a 1975 or 1976 model. I know it to be the last year of breaker [spark plug] ignition. Q1: Can the later model electronic ignition be swapped onto [engines w...

dtmackey

Thanks for the kind words Guitarfish. Steering is installed and took it for a ride today and this was a very worthwhile upgrade. The dead spot in the steering is gone and there is zero torque steer in the wheel with a noticeable reduction in steering input. Very pleased with the results. Steering wh...

dtmackey

Being on the ocean the idea of fixed docks is foreign to me, especially with a mean average tide of 9.6' and the occasional new new moon 11' tide swing. Nothing compared to the Bay of Fundy 40' tides.

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dtmackey

If the Racor filter uses the clear bowl or tinted blue bowl, be advised a product bulletin was released in 2016 to change these to the newer design that appears to have a yellow tint and it ethanol compliant. The old bowl will fail when E10 fuel is used over time. https://www.parker.com/literature/R...

dtmackey

I have a lot of experience with the OMC....OMC made it very easy to swap the parts around. I did a number of those over the years, and--aside from the difference between the early and late models--the carburetor swap is a good upgrade; but depending on what model year, there can be additional diffe...

dtmackey

Not a 9.9 to 15, but along the same line. Yamaha 60 to 70 conversion and this is a simple conversion since the motors both run the exact same CDI unit, exhuast downtube, intake and reed assemblies and the only difference is the carbs where the throat of the 70 carbs is noticeably larger than the 60 ...

dtmackey

Took the boat for a ride last week and the dead spot in the cable steering drove me nuts and motivated me to start installing the Baystar system. https://i.imgur.com/yaoMrhBl.jpg Fig. 1. Pulled the console and associated wiring and now able to clean up a few things I decided to change. https://i.img...

dtmackey

To increase HP from a motor that uses the same block as a higher powered motor, some people think its carburetor jetting, but jets only add more fuel with no additional air and you need to increase both air and fuel at the key stochiometric 14:1 ratio to make more power, jets alone just dump in more...

dtmackey

On my 15 Whaler with a carb motor I do not run a filter since a carb can take quite a bit of gunk with no problems. I also started with a fresh fuel system last year. On my Mako 21 with an E-TEC 250 I use a water-separator RACOR, and it is changed every other year. The filter on the engine is change...

dtmackey

Is the Mercury Bigfoot the 4 stroke model? If it is, I don't think you'll see much better performance since 4 stroke motors lack the down low torque of a 2 stroke to get the boat on plane and the engine to the upper RPM range where it makes power. I can tell you the difference between a 4 stroke 9.9...

dtmackey

Oldslowandugly wrote:Yes, I saw that Evinrude still offers [XD30 oil]. Perhaps my guy was reluctant to order another 100 gallon drum just for guys like me.

I can't image he's selling much XD30 at all, so not surprising he's no longer buying in bulk.

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dtmackey

I was at my local boatyard today making a work list for one of my boats, and the yard has a bunch of 13-foot Boston Whaler boats from various years scattered about. I checked and found three that had at least one compromised drain tube where the brass was corroded to the point of allowing saltwater ...

dtmackey

Check your bailing plug brass tube. Based on the pic you provided, it doesn't appear to be sitting square against the gelcoat and they are a point of failure in Whalers. They can be replaced and if your's is compromised, then it could allow water into the transom area foam and transom core. I've rep...

dtmackey

There is nothing wrong with a few inches of water sitting on the deck of the boat. I'm not sure I agree with you Phil. If I were to pull the plug on many of my previous Whalers and current (all self bailing) and leave on the mooring over the summer months I use it, algae and growth would occur insi...

dtmackey

dtmakey, where did you find stainless steal tools? I purchased them at a marine store that was going out of business years ago, so I got a great deal. I also have a set of bronze tools that my dad purchased as a kit back in the 70s, which has the common adjustable wrench, pliers, hammer, screw driv...

dtmackey

I grabbed a set of basic stainless tools years ago that were reasonable in price. They do discolor a little after use and getting salt water on them, but wipe clean with a rag. Look into buying some stainless tools and it won't be a problem.

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dtmackey

Whaler has made the self bailing claim for a long time and it will self bail after reaching an equilibrium between weight and buoyancy. The concern I have with this claim is self bailing to me means the scuppers are above the water and any water entering the deck area then exits through scuppers or ...

dtmackey

Have you considered getting the hull soda blasted to get a smooth surface and drop some of the extra paint? I blasted one of my boats and considering doing another since it makes painting so much easier on a smooth surface and I'm sure there's an added hydrodynamic benefit.

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dtmackey

Look around and you can save a bundle. In the past I've seen them for $5 - $10 per hinge in 316 stainless. Most stainless hardware comes out of China and the markup some companies put on it for the privilege of buying it in their spiffy packaging is insane.

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dtmackey

Maybe the iceberg was a conspiracy theory and it was the 4 bladed center prop that doomed the Titanic. https://i.imgur.com/uDLd0vVl.jpg On a more serious note, a 4 bladed prop is not ideal for every boat and functions better on certain applications. I would never even think of switching the bow thru...

dtmackey

What are “stickers”? I think he meant decal. Many people use the terms interchangeably. It's like people who refer to soft drinks as soda, tonic or pop. I know what they mean and there seems to be a generational and regional preferred name. I will say, if Whaler did use turquoise decals on any boat...

dtmackey

Haven't seen much Honda advertising in these parts and Honda is not a popular motor in these parts - probably due to local dealer support, or lack of dealers.

dtmackey

I dug back though my 3 to 4 blade notes and found some information that I will offer. I can attest that Ken at Prop Gods nailed it with the suggestion of a single prop being spot on. Boat is a 1990 Mako 21 with an Evinrude 250. Hull is a Florida Marine Patrol boat built to military and marine patrol...

dtmackey

I've used Garzon Studios on several outboard engine cowlings, and I been very pleased with the quality. He's also done custom work for me in the past. There others I've used and been happy with, but can't remember the names.

https://garzonstudio.com/outboard/johnson.html

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dtmackey

What seems most odd: all four Diesel engines turning the alternators lost oil simultaneously. You’d expect the engines would have separate oil reservoirs, and not to be supplied lubricating oil from a common reservoir. Or at least 2 systems, 1 for port and 1 for starboard engines. I would think red...

dtmackey

I removed a small piece of the deck from my 1989 Outrage 18' and had a quart of Dupont Imron (I believe it is now Axalta Imron) matched. It was pretty darn close. I can't guarantee my Desert Tan will match your Desert Tan, but I can upload a picture of the formula if you want it. Did the same thing...

dtmackey

Saltwater is said to not induce wood rot. Freshwater makes wood rot. A use history for saltwater is a plus in this case. Rot and soft, I have found the same over the years. But wet and soft wood is not a lot different then rotten wood. Salt water intrusion is still bad. Fully agree with salt or fre...

dtmackey

I have a 21 Mako that was a previous Florida Marine Patrol boat and Mako built them with bigger stringers and lots of extra glass adding lots of weight. After I restored the boat and mounted a 250-HP engine, I tested many three-bladed propellers. I was not happy with the performance, but once I trie...

dtmackey

How [will a 2019 Tohatsu 60-HP Model MFS60] perform on a classic Montauk? A MFS60 probably won't perform as well on a classic MONTAUK 17 as an Evinrude E-TEC 90. I'd agree with Jim on this and think he was being a little elusive in his response since a 90 Etec will trump a 60 Tohatsu. There is no w...

dtmackey

With prices like that it only lifts the prices of the used Whaler market as well. I really question the additional price of the classic Whaler gelcoat color since it doesn't cost them any more $$. When we had our Nordic Tug built, we specified a specific green they never used and it did not add any ...

dtmackey

dtmackey -- the OP never mentioned "homemade" in his post. He did ask for opinions on a few of his ideas which he listed. I gave him my opinion on the one idea of his involving obvious fraud. No "rush to judgement", and the law seems clear to me. Many stolen trailers come back t...

dtmackey

I use 303 Protective restorer for all the vinyl upholstery and the rub rail. Acetone attacks plastic, so it might be good for removal of the top layer that's damaged from the UV, but I would not use this as my go-to for annual maint. 303 ingredients are plastic safe and also contain UV protection t...

dtmackey

...I sold a boat and trailer years ago and forgot to give the buyer the title. I still have it. I would use this title to get a registration and plates . I should probably say that I'm a retired cop, and I never stopped a trailer in my entire career. But even if I did, I can't imagine I would have ...

dtmackey

I'm impressed because building a mold is no small task.I can appreciate the work and time you have into this. The boats look great and you will have a target audience that loves the classic Whalers. There is Metan Marine who builds reproduction Whalers (13, 17, and a larger model), but I believe the...

dtmackey

Great pic, observation. and explanation. I doubt you'd see Nissan outboards since they stopped selling outboards in 2014 and focused more in the smaller HP ranges. Nissan outboards were rebadged Tohatsu motors. Tohatsu now has an agreement with Honda and starting in 2014 all Tohatsu motors over 115 ...

dtmackey

The info I read came from Tom Clark and ToomanyBoats in the thread listed above. The E-TEC 30 has a displacement of 35.2 and a gear ratio of 2.15. Dry weight of 150. The E-TEC 40 has a displacement of 52.7 and a gear ratio of 2.9 . Dry weight of 232. Thanks Phil, but I'm confused on how is this rel...

dtmackey

I checked my prop sheet and I don't have a recommendation for an E-TEC 40 If not too late you may want to share with your friend there is a consensus recommendation to select the E-TEC 30 over the E-TEC 40 primarily because of the weight savings. The gearcase of the E-TEC 40 is the same size as is ...

dtmackey

I checked my prop sheet and I don't have a recommendation for an E-TEC 40. If not too late you may want to share with your friend there is a consensus recommendation to select the E-TEC 30 over the E-TEC 40 primarily because of the weight savings. The gearcase of the E-TEC 40 is the same size as is...

dtmackey

D - ....probably get an aluminum prop since it may also be used in the shallows and aluminum is easier on the gearcase internals if a rock is encountered. This thinking is outdated and is no longer applicable. I can't channel Tom Clark or other veterans so read what they say on the subject. http://...

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