Geoff

I have a small collection of luers & thinking of purchasing one or two blade luers . Are they worth it or just a variation or option to other hard body styles. Has any one done a result comparision between blades & other designs. Are they better to other hard bodies ?. What are the best colours for flathead or bream ? Geoff

Is it aluminium or fiberglass ?? Geoff

From time to time members ask the question regarding fuel age & is it still safe to use. According to the fuel companies , fuel stored in a fully sealed container can still be OK for 9 months or more , conversely in a an open container may only last a few days. For boats , there are many variables in between , mainly depending on the type & size or the fuel tank breather. To answer the octane question I thought somewhere in the world there would be an inexpensive tester , ie on with a probe & digital read out , similar to those one can purchase from garden centers to test the amount of moisture in soil. Searching the web I was unable to find such a device. Other than expensive Auto Analysers , has any member seen or know of an inexpensive octane tester?? The other thought I had was a valve device inserted into the breather line that opened when the motor was running but closed when the motor was off. This would prevent or at least reduce evaporation occurring therefore extending the life of the fuel. This could be as simple as a neoprene rubber flap or a rubber disc mounted on a light spring holding it against a seat. However , there may be an issue with the fuel expanding on a hot day & the fumes not being able to vent off Would be interested in members thoughts , perhaps a project that "hiles" may like to look at. Geoff

There is normally several good displays of this gear at the Sydney boat show. Perhaps worth a visit to check out & dicuss the the pro's & cons of both systems & have a play with the demo,s on display Geoff

One thing I forgot to mention . There should be a least one , if not two fuel filters , one between the tank & the motor , the other , just prior the the fuel pump. ( Huey may confirm) If there is one prior to the fuel pump , these are normally servicable by removing & cleaning the filter. The one between the tank & motor should be replaced. In rereading your post , I suspect the primer bulb has been pumped until hard thereby pressuring the system. Once the motor has started the pressure drops & a blockage somewhere in the fuel prevents sufficent fuel reaching the cylinders. As mentioned previously , pumping the bulb when the engine begins to fade will confirm this one way or the other. The other aspect to check is the fuel lines connections & clamps to ensure the system is not sucking air. Geoff

Taking it to a mechinic & saying we have a problem , please identify & fix if possible can cost a lot of $$$$ whilst he goes through the basic checks to isolate the problem. A number of these checks are not difficult & can be done at home If the motor has been standing for a long period , runs for a short period then stops I suspect it is fuel. Start with a compression test , the difference between cylinders should not be more than 10 psi. Even if it is , it's unlikely this will be cause of the problem. The test is mainly to check the general condition of the motor On the basis it actually fires up & runs for a short period then the spark & plugs could , at this point be considered OK. However , depending on how long the motor ran , a component may be breaking down when becoming hot If the fuel is more than 4 - 6 months old replace with new fuel. Do not use E10 Drain the carby bowls checking for water & flush through with the fresh fuel. Try to start the motor, if the problem remains then the problem could be in the jets. They need to be removed & cleaned. However , before doing so , when the motor starts to fade pump the primer bulb forcing fuel through the system . If the motor picks up then it's a fuel problem either in the pump or carby's If servicing the carby's is not something you wish to tackle then have a chat to the local mechinics , there are several if I recall correctly in the Nowra area , & obtain a price to service the carby's / fuel system. Geoff

Paikea Huey raises an inportant point, The drain hole you have added closer to the keel will be into a different area under the floor and water from there would come from the centre cavity of the hull. Either side of this are sealed (or at least should be sealed) cavities that do not want water in them If the water entered via the screw holes & those holes have a stinger between the holes & the new drain plug then the water is retained in the "screw hole" section & not migrate to the drain plug. In respect to your question , I wondered whether the water may have got in through the screw holes but if it did why did it not drain out during storage? My boat is a twin hull with the sponsons fully sealed (air tight) . Each has a bung & regardless of sealing washers or the use of plumbers tape around the thread , a small amount of water is sucked in due to the temp variations, ie on a hot day with the boat on the trailer the hull is hotter than the water. Launch the boat into cold water & the contraction of the air inside the sponson sucks water in via the bungs. When back on the trailer the temp change is insufficent to force the water back through the bung holes. I'm not suggesting your boat has a similar situation (air tight) but when in the water , the pressure is sufficent for water to migrate via the screw holes but insufficent to drain out when on the trailer. Geoff

I.m not familiar with this type of boat but a few comments that may be of assistance. Did you taste the water , fresh or salt?? I suspect from the colour it is fresh which means the water entered during the previous ownership. There appears to be no sealant around the tranducer bracket holes. Is it possible the water seaped over a period of time when the boat was just sitting in the water. I assume all the water has now drained out . Perhaps take it for a run , say for half an hour or so on the plane . Some times cracks not visable when on the trailer will open up when under pressure on the water. Trailer the boat & check for water. If nothing then the hull is OK. Relaunch & let the boat sit near the ramp for a period then retrailer & check for water. If there is water then it's entering around the transom. The question is then where. Geoff

Paddy , Did you see this post?? http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=69258&h Geoff

Jackets will attack anything that remotely looks like food inc sinkers & brass swivels. The rig I use is the black wire traces & swivels with the sinker attached between two traces. Geoff

Should the primer bulb be before or after the water seperator filter? Does it matter? Should the bulb remain hard once primed with the engine off? I don't think the position makes a lot of difference but normally the bulb is after the filter. As the name suggest it's there to prime or fill the fuel system manually. Once filled & the motor is running the pressure is released & the bulb becomes softer. On a days outing , once the motor has been running then stopped for a short period , it should not be necessary to prime the system again. If this is not the case , then one of the connections is "loose" & allowing air to be sucked into the system. Geoff

Last cast has covered the two most common options , using a noodle for heavy rigs & plastic bags for lighter rigs. A few additional comments , for heavy rigs or ones with luers tackle shops sell plastic rings like the yellow ones in this photo. As I mainly fish light , the majority of my rigs are in plastic bags then in a container. This one can store up to 20 packets , easy to identify , access & take up a minium of space. Geoff

When you say , was not showing detail , what detail is missing. It's showing land , water depths , drop off's etc. What card do you have , silver or gold? Geoff

Plastie bond is another option. It's a 2 part mix & can be sanded. Small tubes are available from most hardware stores Geoff

ALI-G In addition to MV Sunray's comment to install a in line flow control tap which you will need , ensure the pump bracket is installed as per this photo with the pick up pipe just below the bottom of the boat . This will avoid damage to the pipe / bracket should the transom hit bottom at any time. Unless your planning to empty the tank water into the bottom of the boat at days end then drain through the bung holes , the tank drain & outlet pipe can be combined there by avoiding drilling two holes in the transom The orange pipe is a piece of electrical condute , tapered at the end to provide a press fit into the skin fitting. Geoff

Bias have a large range .Google Bias & have a look at Cat No. 6446. This should do the job. Other options , Cat No. 6447 & 6440. Geoff

The tank you have is not designed or intended to be installed in the rear deck. If that is your preffered location then the tank needs to be one with a lip & fitted as shown in MV Sunray photo. Installing it over the batteries is OK provided there is sufficent space under the tank , after the bottom drain is installed , to access the batteries. The other consideration is weight , batteries plus a tank full of water may cause the boat to lean to one side which can be rather annoying. How was the pump size determined ? Unless you have a huge outlet pipe 800gph will cause overflow into the boat. An inline control flow tap will most likely be required or exchange for a 500gph pump. Geoff

Depending on the position , it's not all that difficult. Can you post some photos of the preffered position? Where are you located? Is this what you thinking or something else? Geoff

Agree. 2 people plus gear & a 15hp on a 14' boat will be working hard be it inside or outside. Go for the 25hp. If , when you decide to sell the boat a 25hp motor will be far more saleable boat than one fitted with a 15hp Geoff

Depending on how you set up the tank , the floor layout etc , when back at the ramp , it would be OK to drain onto the floor then out the bung hole. The other option is to have the drain plug in the bottom of the tank with a hose feeding out through the lower part of the transom. These photo's may be of interest however they do not actually show the drain. The other option is to combine the drain with the outlet The orange pipe simply pulls out to allow the water to drain. The advantage of this system is , only one hole is required in the transom Geoff

Question: can you have that tube pointing up and then down into the water? No. The outlet is gravity feed , not pressure. As Boattart indicated , the hose must be lower than the outlet point in the tank. Geoff

Is it an inboard / outboard , if so , have you considered fitting a Permatrim to the cavatation plate. This would most likely do a similar job , they are a lot easier to fit at less cost. Geoff.

A further thought , if concerned about leakes , fit a float switch to the bilge pump so if a leak does occur the pump will start up allerting you to a problem prior to the water comming up over the floor boards. Geoff

If I understand the situation correctly , the pump is relying on water being around the transom to work effectivly & once you start moving the water reduces from around the pick up. I suspect the noise you are hearing is the pump running dry which is not good. Fitting a scoop will fix the water flow issue provided it is installed correctly to avoid any leaks into the bilge. Geoff

Perhaps start with a good set of mud flaps. I assume you would prefer something that can be folded up when not in use , call a few marine trimmers they may have a suitable material. Another option , try caravan accessories stores , they should have something for vans which you may be adaptable to a boat. Geoff