bisso

Fusion CDC75 a/h AGM x 2. $209 ea and are starting and deep cycle. being AGM dont have spillage issues. rated for under bonnet use so no problem in my boat. always use a battery isolator switch and make sure you turn switch off are use else trickle drain will/can occur despite no electrics on or in use. also get a good charger like ctek brand. costly up front but chaeaper than replacing batteries.. just my thoughts... Cheers :biggrinthumb:

fillet the flatty, crack an egg in a bowl, dip the fillet in the egg, get a plastic bag and add some plain flour and 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder, add large spoonful of butter in a fry pan and cook on each side until golden brown. NB: the curry powder gives it the golden brown colour with little curry flavour. its a recipe from NT and it works a treat. even the fussiest kids will love it... :banana:

I sympathise with you having had a previously well documented issue with a Tohatsu 70hp engine that seized. i think they are a good simple motor but the dealer lack of support is the biggest downfall. i wont ellaborate further but if you pm me i can fill you in on my facts..

With all due respect. a few on this forum know i went down the same path with a new Tohatsu outboard! (re: Tohatsu seized) .Once sorted it never missed a beat and after some time, made me not so quick to dismiss the brand due to one bad experience. I sympathise with your plight as i did also once previously experience a similar bad experience however, i am the proud owner of a Volvo Penta powered boat and i am amazed how tough these engine and sterndrives are. They are very easy to service yourself, forgiving and reliable (most important!). Mine is a 96 model so i cant comment on the latest model engines but having only having outboards previously, i was apprehensive about sterndrive engines but as time goes on i am growing quite fond of these engines. Given my previous rotten run of luck, maybe it is karma! i hope you get it sorted painlessly and you get to experience boating without the woes.

Different size engine but i just went from a 3 to a 4 blade Solas aluminium prop. big difference in mid range but you loose some top end speed. boat will plane quicker with a 4 but you also need to make sure you reduce the prop pitch if going to a 4 blade. eg. if you have say a 15 pitch 3 blade the equivalent 4 blade would be a 13 pitch. props can be hit and miss so you might be best to try Huetts Marine so you can get the best solution for your boat.

If you are unsure as to the age or condition of your battery, replace it! its the important thing that not only starts your engine to get you out and home but runs all the ancillary devices too. piece of mind is better than a wild guess. generally, batteries if well cared for will last a couple of years before showing signs of tiring. unless you enjoy rowing occasionally, i would simply not bother trying to salvaging your current battery to last another year or so, which it possibly may well do and replace it with a new one. simple, no stress and no stressing about getting stuck on the water with a dead battery. happened to me once and wont happen again! lesson learnt for mine.

how often do you use it? gearbox oil change and impeller should be changed annually if reliability is your thing, lack of use can be the worst thing for outboards or any motor for that fact. plugs are cheap and a spare set should be carried on board. check your owners manual for maintenance intervals to guide you as regards your motor. Best to have it running sweetly with regular maintenance rather than leaving things till a problem arises.

Try a sterndrive vessel! your talking $1000's for annual engine and leg servicing including parts. These days, under a grand for me is a relief. not to mention the running costs! Thank goodness i have decent mechanical knowledge so i now do most of the work myself. i just buy the parts from the suppliers and save on the $110.00 + GST labour charges! doesnt take long on my boat to log up several hours labour! FYI manuals are handy but you still need to know and understand how things work and what you are doing. nothing like stripping the last bolt thread without a spare available or the tools to retrieve and fix it.

Too much oil is not good!!! your crank might be swimming which throws the oil internally. not to mention the extra work it has to do each time it passes through the oil... very important to get the level correct asap!

Whilst i agree its nice to keep warm, i dont like the idea of having an extremely flammable source for heating. fibreglass burns too fast!!! just put on more clothes! has anyone considered hexamine tablets for a fuel source for heat? we used to use these in the army to cook with and are quite safe from my experience. surely if gas was the best alternative we would have had mini cartridges to cook with and able to transport around safely with. seems to me the hex tablets were the better/safest option.. Just a thought! Cheers

Hi, Depending on your tank size, the fuel in it generally going off is dependant on the conditions and how full the tank is.. as previously described, an almost empty tank will be more succeptable to condensation than a full tank. Also the quality of the fuel is another factor to consider i.e premix or straight fuel.. E10 is a no no for boats as it contains ethanol which attracts moisture not to mention the perishing of your fuel lines etc. My understanding is that depending on your tank size which is 270 litres in my case, the fuel will generally deteriorate over time to a stage where it can be classed as off after some 4 months.. i haven't tried that theory nore do i wish too. i just run the motor at least once a month which i have always done whether its a 2hp outboard or a 300hp inboard.. lack of use is the worst enemy of an engine than lots of use... A motor with a few hours on it thats ten years old could possibly be in worse condition internally than a two year old motor with a lot of hours on in that has been used regularly. (with servicing at the required times of course)..

Thanks for the lead. can you give me their contact details please! Thanks Again.

Thanks huey, Can you PM or post their contact details please. Thanks

Hi all, i have a Regal 242 Commodore cruiser. I was hoping the knowledgeable folk might point me in the right direction to a good fibreglass manufacturer who can make me up a custom fibreglass swim platform to attach to the stern on my hull. the factory one is a little tight for space and would really like to utilise the space a platform provides. they are available from the US but i'd rather keep the dollars and jobs local... thanks in advance. pics attached showing before and after so you know what i am looking for..

I use the Century Marine Pro 720 batteries for my 350chev inboard cruiser. although it is a dual system, i havent had any problems running a 12v fridge, sounder, lights, toilet fushing, shower use and the stereo for a night with the battery going flat. (need a full battery for starting). any 80 - 100 ah battery should do the job for you. just be careful with deep cycle for starting applications as they are buggers to get fully charged. like the other brands members have posted, you wont go wrong with them either. it might be worth looking for a portable solar panel to give the battery a charge in the morning if you drain it too much... cheap insurance and has got me out of trouble before.. AGM's are best but expensive... you choice and you need to look at what devices you are running to determine the best power source for your particular needs. Cheers

Thats how i have always done it and never had any problems. i dont like running them dry!!! once you remove the fuel line it is usually sealed so no air should get in over a shortish timeframe to cause gumming... alternatively, start your engine on muffs once a month!!

I have a Haines V146c that had a 70hp 2 stroke. way too overpowered for the boat but geez it went. given the outboards these days, i would go for a 3cyl 50hp as the ideal size. i think even the 40hp are 3cyl so should have plenty of grunt for holeshot.

Good idea... a bit of lanox spray after each trip will help keep the rust at bay.. Cheap insurance.. Good luck with the trailer purchase.. Cheers

I'm Speachless.. Amazing fish... would love to hook one of those.. Fish of a lifetime that one... Cheers

Hi Zaki, Jusr remember, There are more boats than buyers!!! you can always negotiate on a price no matter what. if the owner needs to sell it and a potential buyer is interested, they might just take a silly offer as no one else may be looking at it.. remember, you have what they want, "CASH" and you have the bargaining power to get what you want. Like all boats, the missus usually nags hubby that it hasnt been used and its time to get rid of it.. of course, the bloke doesnt want to part with his pride and joy but!!! good luck and take you time, the one you miss wasnt meant for you so dont be disheartened, a better one will come along and will probably be cheaper, newer and a bargain! Cheers

It is funny how most non boaters have a false illusion that a cheap boat is a good buy!! sure its a cheap outlay but a few thousand dollars later on motor/hull repairs etc adds up to a bad experience.. like others have said buy the best you can within your budget. if that means starting with a tinny so be it. work your way up from there. it is a good way to get a handle on the boating way of life... My first boat was a crappy little 13ft glass runabout that just floated!! did the job for a year and then sold it and upgraded to a Haines Hunter V146C (lovely boat and still have it stored for my twilight years). next was a 18ft Caribbean which we recently sold and am now the owner of a 25ft sports cruiser.. Noting that, it has taken 12 odd years of boats to get to what we have now.. the moral to the story, make boating a good experience and you and your mates/family will love it.. it only takes one bad thing to make it a bad one and suddenly no one is interested... Good luck with the search, be patient and you will find the right boat for you.. Cheers

i wouldnt recommend deep cycle for that size motor as you would never charge it to full capacity... Marine batteries are named that for a reason. sure you might get by with a car battery to replace your existing one but they arent built for saltwater use, shock, vibration and importantly discharge from ancillary devices such as lights, fishfinders, bilge pumps. bait tanks etc.. A basic marine Battery is not much more than a car battery so for mine its a no brainer.. you choice for course though.. just remember to keep any battery fully charged when not using the boat so you dont kill it too early and have to row home after a day out...

My guess is that hull is rated up tp 85hp or thereabouts. a 60 or 70 should be fine.. while i understand you have a budget, unless you like the occasonal rowing for exercise you are looking at a very tired engine if you want a cheap one. hold off, save you cash and buy the best late model you can. you will thank yourself for the patience and not having to get a tow every other day. only my thoughts as i have seen too many others skimp on the motor which importantly is the thing that gets you from A to B....best of luck with the search.

No idea Sorry!!!! could be numerous things causing it. perhaps a workshop manual or engine manual might shed some light. you might like to see if there is a dedicated forum for your specific brand of engine somewhere on the world wide web which someone else has encounteed and resolved the same issue oyu are experiencing. Sorry but cant offer much else on this one... Godd luck

Your right... The modern diesel motor is designed for loads. Check the torque on the diesels v's most petrol engines and it will be plain as day... not only that, the economy towing is not much more than untowed which is completely different to a petrol engine.. We use Kia diesels for work trucks and are now 10 years old and literally cant kill them. sure they aren't a Patrol or a Pajero (eg) but we could buy two more just on the price difference alone.. only my thoughts but happy to say i would buy a Kia, although i would find it very hard to part with my AUIII XR8... Cheers