CONTINUOUSWAVE

GoldenDaze

Phil, I make 42-43 mph with my 115 4-stroke and a 17" Trophy Plus. My old 16" Vengeance gave 44-45 mph. I agree that Seamus' 35 mph seems too slow for a 115 2-stroke. From memory, that seems slow even for those 160 Dauntless owners with 90 HP engines. While I'm not specifically familiar wi...

GoldenDaze

I have the 115 4-stroke rather than the 2-stroke but I'd expect the four-blade 17-pitch Trophy Plus to be a good choice for you, too. The extra blade area is good for pushing the boat up on plane. I felt that my original Vengeance 16-pitch was more of a top-speed propeller, and that wasn't as import...

GoldenDaze

Jim, the standard console does not include a trim gauge. You have to eyeball it, which is not difficult as the engine is right there behind your, or with practice trim it by feel. Seamus, yes, trim the engine all the way down (lower unit tucked in close to the transom) to get started. After you get ...

GoldenDaze

Hi Seamus, glad you are enjoying the boat so far. As BECoyote suggested, under some circumstances the boat can be stern-heavy and slow to plane. And as he pointed out, I do have trim tabs on my boat and I love them. But that's all part of 17 years of ownership and gradual modifications. In the short...

GoldenDaze

Todd, if that's the dumbest thing you ever do with your boat, then you are a wise and lucky man. Older 160 Dauntless models had a fuel vent integrated into the fill port. Anecdotal reports were that the vent didn't work all that well and it could be a challenge to fill the tank without getting some ...

GoldenDaze

I agree that the 160 Dauntless is an excellent boat. I'm the original owner of my 2003. For the most part, it looks like new. Like any 16-footer, it's not especially comfortable when the chop builds much above 1 foot. On the other hand, I've been out in 5-6 foot conditions on the Chesapeake bay and,...

GoldenDaze

While not specifically for the Dauntless 14, the thread at http://continuouswave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2729&p=20876&hilit=dauntless+cockpit+drain#p20876 discusses cockpit drain replacement. My 2003 160 Dauntless had one plastic drain that was cracked through about half the circum...

GoldenDaze

Tonight I replaced the voltage regulator. I did purchase the same [jimh] pointed out on Amazon. It was significantly less expensive than other options, which normally would make me a little nervous about the quality. The regulator is no longer available as an OEM part, and I imagine that all availab...

GoldenDaze

Check the resources section on the Boston Whaler website at https://www.bostonwhaler.com/boat-ownership/resources/ Once you select the year, model type, and specific model, you will have a wealth of information at your fingertips. Like this diagram http://bostonwhaler.com.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/...

GoldenDaze

I have a new voltage regulator on order. If that doesn't fix the charging problem, then the stator coils will be next. I'm not particularly concerned about removing the flywheel, and it would be a good opportunity to replace the timing belt--which still looks perfect, but if I'm going in there, why ...

GoldenDaze

DId you observe any abnormal readings on the engine tachometer when this problem is occuring? The tachometer has been reading normally. I'm guessing that means the stator coils are good. As the regulator replacement is a lot easier than the stator, I'll start with that and move on to the stator if ...

GoldenDaze

biggiefl wrote:Does that engine have a belt driven alternator next to the flywheel?

No, it has a stator ring under the flywheel.

GoldenDaze

[This topic is moving to SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL for further discussion.--jimh] Hi all. I have a 2003 Mercury 115 FOURSTROKE EFI, one of the early Mercury four-stroke-power-cycle engines with a Yamaha powerhead. A few weeks ago I was surprised by the a low-voltage alarm (from a SONAR), and the console...

GoldenDaze

One thing I'd clarify here is that cavitation is not air bubbles, but rather water vapor caused by an extreme low-pressure area. The vapor bubbles then collapse very violently, and the resulting shockwave is what can eat away at the prop.

GoldenDaze

When I bought my 160 Dauntless in 2003, I asked the dealer for a sea trial and they looked at me like I had 3 heads. But they did eventually put one in the water for me. By contrast, last year I dropped in at the MarineMax in Clearwater FL to kick the tires on a 240 Dauntless, and the sales guy was ...

GoldenDaze

I'll take a measurement next week when I'm with the boat, but really it's no different than it was before. The mounting base is the same between the NFB and the Baystar and the tilt mechanism is virtually the same (but NOT interchangeable). Compare the image of the old tilt mechanism (either mine or...

GoldenDaze

I can't comment specifically on the 160 Ventura console dash space, but here's my article on replacing the Teleflex no-feedback steering with a Baystar hydraulic system on my 160 Dauntless: http://continuouswave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3456&p=20810 The helm pump mounts inside the conso...

GoldenDaze

I'd say you're dialed in just about right. I generally get a 41-42 MPH top speed. The original 3-blade Vengeance 16" prop was a few MPH faster but the Trophy Plus gave much better overall performance. Enjoy!

GoldenDaze

perhaps the Command Thrust gear case has a larger propeller aperture and a larger diameter gear case bullet

Hmm, good point, I hadn't thought about that.

GoldenDaze

Ultimately I don't know that [choice of standard gear case or Command Thrust gear case on a 115-HP Mercury FOURSTROKE engine is] going to matter. I have never really understood the point of the "Command Thrust" gearing anyway; you can accomplish the same thing by reducing propeller pitch b...

GoldenDaze

For a quick history of the few changes made to the Dauntless 160 over its production lifetime, see http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum8/HTML/002732.html. As far as I know there were no subsequent factory changes over the rest of the production run, although the mix of available outboards changed som...

GoldenDaze

I tried small vents, medium vents, and no vents. Medium was best, it didn't spin up fast enough with small vents and it ventilated too much with no plugs.

-Bob

GoldenDaze

[Referring to the now lost illustrations that were linked above] Installation looks great.

GoldenDaze

Seems like a safe and reasonable thing to do!

GoldenDaze

Looks like you got yourself a really nice boat, she looks like she's in nearly perfect condition. Congratulations! As a long-time 160 Dauntless owner, I wouldn't hesitate to go a longer distance, but I'd keep an eye on the weather forecast. I've been out in as much as 4-5 foot breaking chop, and whi...

GoldenDaze

The "BILGE" breaker, as you would expect, powers only the bilge pump. The 30A "MAIN" breaker powers everything else EXCEPT the engine, which has a heavy-gauge cable direct from the battery with no circuit breaker. In my 2003, like your 2000 and Ralph's 2001, the "MAIN" ...

GoldenDaze

I am running a Mercury Trophy Plus 13-3/4x17 prop on a 2003 Mercury 115 4-stroke (the Yamaha powerhead version) with a 2.07:1 lower unit gear ratio. It's not as fast as the original Mercury Vengeance 13-1/8x16 (even though on paper the Trophy Plus has more pitch, in practice it does not) but it plan...

GoldenDaze

Both those speeds seem a bit low. Historically 160 Dauntless owners with 90 HP engines tended to report top speeds around 38-39 MPH. With my 115 HP, I used to get 44-45 with the original stainless prop, and 42-43 MPH with the 4-blade Trophy Plus that I'm using now. It's slower but accelerates much b...

GoldenDaze

I'm sticking with recommending the trim tabs. The lower unit hydrofoil just can't compare. This weekend I was boating on Smith Mountain Lake as hurricane Dorian blew past along the coast. We were far enough inland to only get clouds and some gusty wind, raising about 1-foot whitecaps. Not a big deal...

GoldenDaze

I agree, you are fine. My boat sits about the same in salt water, maybe slightly higher. In fresh water she sits perhaps just slightly lower than where you are. Certainly there's no major difference.

-Bob

GoldenDaze

The 160 Dauntless is a great little boat, I've had mine for 16 years. I think that 90 HP is marginal, but at least the classic 90 2-stroke has more torque than the 90 4-stroke which I really wouldn't recommend. As Phil and others mentioned, trim tabs make a huge difference on this boat. It is a bit ...

GoldenDaze

I laughed out loud because of how brilliant this idea is! What a time-saver. My only concern would be that when I installed my hydraulic steering and bled it, I had millions of tiny bubbles in the bleed output that took quite a few minutes to separate out. I'd be a little concerned about re-introduc...

GoldenDaze

That is perfectly normal. As Butch said, the fuel tank is poly(ethylene?) and it allows a bit of odor to pass through. Since you're storing the boat indoors, I'd suggest leaving the center console door open and removing the motor well access hatch to minimize odor buildup. As a 2003 model, you shoul...

GoldenDaze

Millie, my support bracket installation looks exactly like yours. It's been a few years now and I don't recall how easily the brackets went into the tilt tube, but I think it should be able to rotate. However, when I tilt my motor the whole tilt tube assembly turns in the mounting bracket so it does...

GoldenDaze

Phil, it took me a couple of years but after I replaced the fuel lines this year I added the split loom covering. Looks good! I was going to move the primer bulb under the rear seat, but then I decided that having the bulb and extra fuel line connections in the bilge seemed like A Bad Idea. -Bob Pic...

GoldenDaze

Let me clarify. The boat's electrical system originally had an 8ga wire from the positive battery terminal to a 30A circuit breaker. From there, a wire (10ga I believe) ran up to the instrument panel and jumped across all the panel breakers. I originally pulled off the accessory breaker to feed the ...

GoldenDaze

Yes, run the cables through the starboard rigging tunnel with the steering lines and the battery cables. I also recently rewired my 12V accessories; I had previously pulled a +12V supply from the gauge cluster, but now I ran a dedicated wire from the main 30A breaker to power the trim tabs, GPS/fish...

GoldenDaze

It's pretty simple as you only need two things. The trim tabs come as a set and include the mounting hardware and the cables. You have the choice of electro-polished or not Here's an example (I tend to get a lot of my boating supplies from defender.com but there are plenty of suppliers). https://www...

GoldenDaze

There's certainly been plenty written about the evils of gray fuel line, how it disintegrates, and how it causes all sorts of problems. Some say that's still the case, while others contend that modern gray fuel line doesn't have these problems. Here's a look from my own experience with my 2003 160 D...

GoldenDaze

I find that horsepower curve very interesting. First, let's assume it's accurate. Horsepower is defined as (torque * RPM)/5252. At 4500 RPM the engine is making 124 HP, thus the torque is 124 * 5252 / 4500 = 144.7 foot pounds. When the RPM increases to 5000, horsepower output increases only very sli...

GoldenDaze

I also had very good success going from a 3-blade to a 4-blade propeller on my 160 Dauntless. In short, she accelerates much more quickly, gets on plane faster, and has a smoother ride in chop. It cost me 2 MPH that I've never missed. Details at http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/004868.html ...

GoldenDaze

Well, I guess it's nice to catch one's own mistakes before somebody else does. :-/ My post above would be accurate if I bought my boat in 1993. But since it was 2003 (duh!), that $23,725 is equivalent to only $32,682 in 2019 dollars. So that new 170 Dauntless is actually 24% more expensive in real d...

GoldenDaze

We all think that the prices of new boats are outrageous. Well, Jim's link to the inflation tool prompted me to look at the cost of my 2003 160 Dauntless vs. a new 2019 170 Dauntless. The boats aren't exactly comparable but they are pretty close. In 2003, I paid $22,925 for my boat with a 115 4-stro...

GoldenDaze

Regarding getting and keeping the 160 Dauntless on plane, consider putting on a set of trim tabs. I added the Lenco limited-space tabs to my 160 last year and the results were really great, much better than with a hydrofoil on the lower unit. See http://continuouswave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&...

GoldenDaze

Early each summer, 40 or so moderately crazy swimmers make a 7.5 mile crossing of the mouth of the Potomac River, from the Northern Neck of Virginia to Point Lookout State Park in Maryland. The swimmers are escorted by kayaks, and the kayaks in turn are escorted by Whalers (and sometimes some non-Wh...

GoldenDaze

Regarding open- and closed-cell foam, here's a quote from the Wikipedia article on "foam" at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foam : "Solid foams can be closed-cell or open-cell. In closed-cell foam, the gas forms discrete pockets, each completely surrounded by the solid material. In ope...

GoldenDaze

Thank you Jim! Just trying to give back a little for all that I've learned here over the past 15 years.

GoldenDaze

Hey Bryan--if that's the propeller you have, then I'd certainly give it a go first. On the hydraulic steering, I posted an article about my upgrade at http://continuouswave.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3456&p=20810 . Now I have a new favorite upgrade, replacing the hydrofoil with trim tabs....

GoldenDaze

Haha, 130, 160, whatever! It's all just numbers! Corrected previous post.

GoldenDaze

I have a 2003 Dauntless 160 with the original 2003 115 four-stroke-power-cycle engine. My engine has the same 2.07:1 gear ratio as the current 2019 Mercury 115 FOURSTROKE, and a reasonably similar RPM limit. (I believe mine is 6200, while the web page for the current engine says "5000-6000"...

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