I'm Thinking Of Buying This Boat.....advice Please?

[Dreamtime]

Sarcasm aside, it will be, probably already is, your pride and joy.

You and the will have many hours of pleasure from your rig.

Take it step by step, as the purse strings allow. There is no need to rush these refurbishments. Go out a few times first and note down what changes, if any, that are required.

Personally, I would remove the ply floor and put all my bits and pieces in these Nally 60litre type bins. Go out a few times more to ascertain what "add ons" you would like. You may then find you can add a "compartment", or storage area, or live bait tank, or underfloor fuel tank / esky, then put flooring to the area left. This may also provide a little more balance / balast, and improve the handling given the weight is more evenly distributed and the centre of balance becomes lower. Some marine carpet would go nicely on the floor also.

A bit of a sand, prime and a nice 2K finish. Your boat will look a million bucks for a bit of well spent "petty cash"

Good luck

Cheers

Mariner

[Guest Aussie007]

check the hitch is the right size for the tow ball mate

Edited December 9, 2008 by gazza

[wonniefisho]

Mariner 31, yes you are right, they are just a few frustrating teething problems. Even if I have to use an angle grinder on the bolts to get the 30 yr old hitch off, I'll get there! Thats the first thing I want to do as its still usable from day 1, which is the advantage of it, so with the towball stuck in the old hitch, its a bit of a pain!!

Gazz, yes, the old one is still a 50mm, otherwise I would have had problems getting it home in the first place.

I rang the previous owner (his name was on the old rego papers) and his story matches with the boat dealer - he was an old bloke and it just got a bit beyond him so he's bought a tinny. He mentioned he's had 3 services on the motor in 5 years he had it. The trailer he said some of the gal was getting a bit iffy so he had it sandblasted, then some rust inhibiting paint, then marine paint.

He did mention although it had been alright and pumping oil, occasionally he's had the oil alarm go off with no help on why from the places he had it serviced. Without getting howled down by the VRO lovers , I think I'd feel a lot better with premix, preferally changing the fuel pump to a standard pump - trouble is finding out exactly what pump (part number) I need to get, and how to disable the VRO oil alarm. I assume changing it is pretty simple.

Need a new winch - its not bad, but a bit rusty and difficult - think it might be a bit beyond a spray of lanox, and I'm a firm believer in making the launch/retrieve as easy as possible.

Thanks all.

[Robbielites]

Welcome to the world of boating

I haven't had a boat that was new or second hand that didn't need some thing done to it..

But that's half of the fun, it's a hobby.

[Guest Aussie007]

did u think of letting the tires down to get it under the car port?

[wonniefisho]

did u think of letting the tires down to get it under the car port?

Not really that practical. I tried to undo the front roller bracket after noticing there was a cm or so to give, however I still don't think its quite enough, plus the god damn bolt head broke in the socket. ARRRGGGG! I thought birthdays were supposed to be happy days!! The rollers are staying where they are obviously!

[jewgaffer]

Hi wonniefisho. I think the way to fit the Brooker with its high cuddy cab into your garage is to buy a couple of second hand 9" wheels and a spare, and then it would also be easier to get onto the boat while it's still on the trailer at the boat ramp if necessary and pariculary when you have someone else with you to park the trailer.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[wonniefisho]

also if u do block it off the fuel pump will fail shortly after

Could you explain why you say this is the case? I'm under the impression the VRO unit simply mixes the oil with the fuel and it goes into the carby as it would if it was premix. Blocking off the oil inlet, disabling the alarm and using premix on the fuel side shouldn't cause issues surely?

Is there some thought that having oil in the area of the VRO unit that would usually only contain straight fuel is likely to cause failure after time??

[wonniefisho]

buy a couple of second hand 9" wheels and a spare,

They are already 9's. Next bright idea?

The wheel nuts and thread are a bit old and rusty looking so I want to take them off, do the bearings, clean it all up and replace the nuts. Can someone confirm they are holden - they are 5 stud marked as AWLCO 4.50ex9.

EDIT: From a bit of googling I'm pretty sure they are HT Holden.

I'm also out of Inox (first stop this morning is to get a few bits and pieces) but I have found automotive 'carby and throttle body cleaner' to be fantastic to clean up the nuts and things - it seems to disolve the rustyness quite well.

Edited December 9, 2008 by wonniefisho

[Juggs]

They are already 9's. Next bright idea?

The wheel nuts and thread are a bit old and rusty looking so I want to take them off, do the bearings, clean it all up and replace the nuts. Can someone confirm they are holden - they are 5 stud marked as AWLCO 4.50ex9.

EDIT: From a bit of googling I'm pretty sure they are HT Holden.

I'm also out of Inox (first stop this morning is to get a few bits and pieces) but I have found automotive 'carby and throttle body cleaner' to be fantastic to clean up the nuts and things - it seems to disolve the rustyness quite well.

is the axel under or over the spring?

[wonniefisho]

is the axel under or over the spring?

Over

Well, I'm a little bit happier today - just!

Getting 30 yr old rusty siezed bolts off is a nightmare. I've spent all day doing the winch and the tow coupling. Brute force with a couple of spanners got 2 of the 3 winch bolts off - pulling and pushing the winch with all my might was the only way to get the third off - by braking it! A nice new Jarret 3:1 'webbing' (which I prefer) winch is now on.

The coupling bolts were a nightmare. One was not too bad, the other refused to stop the nut turning - degreaser, rust converter, inox, 'freeze' spray, then the opposite - heat from a butane torch - nup, nothing would unseize them. Eventually using my foot on one socket wrench and all my might on the other at the top, saw it come free - but not by getting the nut to turn, the bolt broke off half way down! You can imagine how buggered I am right now. I need a

Will tackle the bearings tomorrow. 2 bolts came off one of the wheels easy so hopefully its a bit easier than today.

Question 1: The new coupling is odd - the rear bolt is fine. The front bolt needs to be a certain length to get through the drawbar channel and stick out the bottom for the nut - but the design of the coupling theres a piece stopping the bolt from being put down the hole directly from above, and its too much of an angle to get the bolt down through it - so just for that one I put it through from below, used Loctite on the thread and a nyloc nut - and did it all up TIGHT. Will that be ok? Alternatively I can use a shorter bolt and just put a nut on the inside top of the channel.

Question 2 (maybe for Huey?): I have a Clymers 2-70hp manual that covers to 98 (and was printed in 98). Is my 99 likely to be the same?

Edited December 10, 2008 by wonniefisho

[Juggs]

Over

Well, I'm a little bit happier today - just!

Getting 30 yr old rusty siezed bolts off is a nightmare. I've spent all day doing the winch and the tow coupling. Brute force with a couple of spanners got 2 of the 3 winch bolts off - pulling and pushing the winch with all my might was the only way to get the third off - by braking it! A nice new Jarret 3:1 'webbing' (which I prefer) winch is now on.

The coupling bolts were a nightmare. One was not too bad, the other refused to stop the nut turning - degreaser, rust converter, inox, 'freeze' spray, then the opposite - heat from a butane torch - nup, nothing would unseize them. Eventually using my foot on one socket wrench and all my might on the other at the top, saw it come free - but not by getting the nut to turn, the bolt broke off half way down! You can imagine how buggered I am right now. I need a

Will tackle the bearings tomorrow. 2 bolts came off one of the wheels easy so hopefully its a bit easier than today.

Question 1: The new coupling is odd - the rear bolt is fine. The front bolt needs to be a certain length to get through the drawbar channel and stick out the bottom for the nut - but the design of the coupling theres a piece stopping the bolt from being put down the hole directly from above, and its too much of an angle to get the bolt down through it - so just for that one I put it through from below, used Loctite on the thread and a nyloc nut - and did it all up TIGHT. Will that be ok? Alternatively I can use a shorter bolt and just put a nut on the inside top of the channel.

Question 2 (maybe for Huey?): I have a Clymers 2-70hp manual that covers to 98 (and was printed in 98). Is my 99 likely to be the same?

my new dunbier has the front bolt with the nut on top

but it has hollow spacers in side the drawbar to stop it collapsing when you tighten it up

[wonniefisho]

but it has hollow spacers in side the drawbar to stop it collapsing when you tighten it up

Sorry, I'm not sure I know what you mean.

[Juggs]

Sorry, I'm not sure I know what you mean.

my draw bar is 75mm square tube

the shackle sits on top with two bolts that go all the way through and have a washer and nut underneath

well one underneathand one on top to get through that clearance issue.

the spacers fit in the square tube and the bolts run through them

if you didnt have a spacer you could crush the 75mm tube by over tightening or due to the forces of a collision

[wonniefisho]

I'm with you now.

I went to do the bearings and the hubs were a bit iffy so replaced the hubs (well, ony side anyway as thats all that auto accessories place had in stock, typical). Galvanised hubs, new bearings, nuts etc. Nice and messy job indeed. The other one I'll do next week and I'll be happy knowing thw towing part is under control and all nice and new.

Thanks.

[a boat]

Hi, if you are going to do any work on the outboard, i would not rely on that manual. There are too general and often get you in more trouble than they help you. I would look at buying a genuine service manual, about $60 and that way you know you are getting the right info.

If you are wanting to disconnet the VRO and pre-mix, your call and as I said B4, no problem just discconecting the oil side hose and plugging and discconnecting the warning horn. You will need to do a fair bit to it to fit an older pre oil injectin fuel pump, like fuel lines and the like-not a simple off with VRO on with old style pump.

Cheers,

Huey.