Boating Tips
I have a 2004 center console with a 225 hp outboard. Every time I accelerate the boat, I hear a loud snap from the transom area. I’ve inspected it closely, and I don’t see any cracks in the fiberglass, the transom is solid and the outboard looks fine, but
I’ve seen (or should I say heard?) a similar problem before, and since there don’t seem to be any transom problems with your boat, I’ll bet this is the same issue: One of the motor mount bolts has backed off half a turn or
Categories: Boating Tips
I’d like to install cleats on my sidedecks so I can use a spring line. What does this involve, and can you give me some installation tips?
Mounting a cleat in solid fiberglass is fairly straightforward; however, drilling into a cored deck requires additional steps to prevent damage to the coring (e.g., water intrusion and crushing).
If the coring is plywood, wet the raw edges of
Categories: Boating Tips
The economy has hit our household. I need to eliminate the middleman and start performing the service on my twin outboards. Is there any reason I shouldn’t?
There’s no reason you can’t. An intelligent dealer will understand your predicament (he’s been affected, too, remember) and should give you guidelines based on your specific situation, such as the easiest procedures to follow if
Categories: Boating Tips
I have the option of putting an external fuel tank on the upper deck of my houseboat and connecting it to a 1992 Johnson 200 hp. The tank would be about 6 feet above the engine. Do I have to worry about too much fuel getting to the engine and flooding it?
Actually, I had this idea myself, back in 1964. I got my first 1955 T-Bird and yanked the anemic 292 out of it, replaced it with a marvelously hot 390 with dual, dual-feed Holley carbs. Mileage was computed like boats: gallons per mile.
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My VHF radio stopped transmitting, so I replaced it. But the new one doesn’t work right, either. When I hold down the button to transmit, the screen goes blank, and no one can hear me. I figured the problem was a bad ground or power lead, so I replaced bo
You figured right. The screen blanking out tells you that it’s a ground or power issue. Since you already replaced the leads, I’d suspect the fuse. In some cases the fuses (especially the automotive types) from one manufacturer or
Categories: Boating Tips
I have a 26-foot SeaCat with twin 115 EFI Yamahas. As far as I knew, everything was fine when we packed up and went to Florida last fall. In the spring, I turned the ignitions on; the port engine started fine, but the starboard engine didn’t even activate
Many cats seem to have excessive spray around the engine while on plane. My guess is that the connector between the engine harness and the remote harness has gotten a good dose of salt water, and the connection — though supposedly waterproof
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I want to stay in touch with nearby buddies while we’re fishing, but if we talk on the VHF other anglers can listen in, and dialing a cellphone is cumbersome with a fishing pole in your hands. I was thinking about getting a couple of FRS radios. Would the
No, they shouldn’t interfere one bit. But be careful when you shop for them: Most FRS radios aren’t water-resistant much less waterproof, and they won’t last long in the marine environment. Uniden makes some models that are
Categories: Boating Tips
The hydraulic steering at my outboard seems to be leaking from both ends. What’s the cause? Any repair?
Two areas are generally suspect. The secondary one would be nicks or etchings in the chrome steering rams. Primarily found in saltwater areas, look for the “Z-bars” connecting the rams to the engine tilting at an angle when the engine is
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In your April issue, there was an excellent DIY column dealing with the repair and maintenance of marine canvas (p. 22). However, there was no mention of what to do with canvas that shrinks a little bit. You know — just enough to make getting the snaps on
Depending on the type of canvas, your problem may be related to a couple of things. First, wet-shrinkage could be occurring. Some types of canvas shrink when wet. If you leave the canvas exposed to dew and then try to snap it on first thing in the
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My Teleflex hydraulic steering helm is beginning to leak copiously behind the steering wheel. How can this be repaired?
Unfortunately, Teleflex won’t sell the little, simple seal behind the retainer cap behind the steering wheel. Somebody mentioned liability. I repaired it on mine with success, but I can’t do it for others. At this point, all you can do
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I recently purchased a used boat, and the surveyor pointed out that two of the plastic through-hulls (located above the waterline) were cracked. What causes this, and how can it be prevented?
Composite through-hull cracking is typically the result of UV damage, although the stress applied by a bouncing, unsupported hose while under way can also be a factor. Cracking typically occurs just inside the through-hull where the body of
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I’ve had a problem with gas in my boat’s bilge lately, and I suspect my fuel tank may have sprung a leak. Unfortunately, it’s foamed-in and there’s no way to definitively see if that’s the problem. Short of removing the tank from the boat, is there any wa
Assuming you’ve already checked the lines and filters thoroughly, you’ll need to pressure-test the tank. If you’re not familiar with the process, you should leave it to a professional, since over-pressurizing the tank could cause
Categories: Boating Tips