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  1. JimS123

    What to do with my motor when towing?

    Forget to raise the outdrive when pulling the boat up the launch ramp can shear off a skeg. Forgetting to put in the drain plug can cause a boat to sink. Loosening a winch strap and removing the safety cable can cause a boat to fall off the trailer. Most boat related issues are due to not...
  2. JimS123

    I don't know anything about boat but I want one

    Its impossible to put a percentage on boat ownership because of all the variables involved. 40' or 14'? Dockage or garage storage? Do own maintenance or have a dealer do it? Road gas or marina gas? Etc. We bought a 19' I/O bowrider in 1984. Brand new and paid cash. Always trailered and...
  3. JimS123

    I don't know anything about boat but I want one

    We have one in my area too. They advertise stress-free boating. For me that would ADD stress. But that's just me. I want to be in MY boat, which is well maintained and clean. However, for your objective, it may be a good start. Just don't sign any long term contracts and read the fine...
  4. JimS123

    Why Oil Injection?

    I have motors in my collection going back to 1919. Back then you added oil to the tank. I have had oil injected motors as well. I can't say that any of them worked reliably year after year. Always something that needed repair in the system. I have never had an oil added motor that gave me...
  5. JimS123

    I don't know anything about boat but I want one

    After you take your boating safety course, grab a lawn chair and six pack and go hang out at a launch ramp. Then talk to other people that have boats that might interest you. First off, you'll get some ideas. Secondly, watch carefully because you'll also get edumacated on how to NOT launch a...
  6. JimS123

    Roller trailer OK for aluminum boat?

    My wooden boats have all had roller trailers. I don't see the issue. My last aluminum boat came with bunks and they were replaced with rollers before it was ever launched. Install full keel rollers and replace the bunks with roller bunks. It will launch like a dream. If you want wobble...
  7. JimS123

    What to do with my motor when towing?

    When I bought my first I/O in 1984 the dealer gave me a full box of goodies for free. Like lines, fenders, tie downs including a bow tie down, and....red plastic ram brackets (a transom saver of sorts). The Mercruiser Owner's Manual recommended them - it was a Merc accessory part. Our...
  8. JimS123

    What to do with my motor when towing?

    A transom saver goes without saying. No one should be without one. I have never trailed a boat with a motor that was not bolted on the transom. If the bracket has no bolt holes, it will require some careful engineering with u-bolts or the like.
  9. JimS123

    Bow Stopp Guidance

    Put a gallon paint can or size equivalent on the scale and then set the coupler on it. If you can merely hold it it's probably too light. Spare tire for sure, but how old are the one on the trailer now? Obviously, cracked sidewalls need to be replaced, but if they are ST tires the service...
  10. JimS123

    Boat with engine ($500 update)

    There are exceptions to every statement. Plus, I wouldn't consider a '96 "back in the day". By the 1990's most American cars had better steel treatment.
  11. JimS123

    Help with trailer rear bearing replacement

    Just as an aside, seals and bearings have part numbers. I don'y buy "kits", I simply replace what I had. Also, I always buy spring loaded double seals. They seem to hold up better.
  12. JimS123

    Help with trailer rear bearing replacement

    The bearings bottom out on the shoulder of the spindle. The seal should fit tightly on the rear part of the spindle. They both go in different places. If you have a 1/4" space, the seals probably aren't working. The proper seal is the one that fits.
  13. JimS123

    Boat with engine ($500 update)

    Back in the day, you needed to have a new car rust-proofed before you took it off the lot. Even the best jobs weren't the answer. If you got a car to last 7 years without rusting through you were lucky. Today, with some exceptions for poor care, I haven't had a car show ANY rust in many...
  14. JimS123

    Ethanol free gas age vs carb

    Dry gas wouldn't hurt, depends on the environmental conditions that the boat is stored in. Gas has a shelf life of only a few months. If you want to stabilize it, you must add the StaBil right away. Adding any now to already stale gas serves no purpose.
  15. JimS123

    planning first trip to thousand islands

    Never been there, but I'm sure it will be a wonderful vacation. Lake Champlain is a big water, so be careful with your "little boat". For your next vacation DO go to the 1000 Islands. I bet once you do, you'll go back again.
  16. JimS123

    Boat with engine ($500 update)

    My first car was a 1961 Ford - inline 6 and 3 on the tree. No air, no radio, drum brakes all around, points, plugs, crank windows, yada, yada. When you opened the hood there was a little motor and nothing else. Could not get any simpler. Now 57 years later I still own a Ford product, yet...
  17. JimS123

    70hp evinrude pitch size advice

    If you dial it in "just perfect" (for your tastes) it will torque slightly all the way in for the hole shot, and be neutral at your normal cruising trim.
  18. JimS123

    70hp evinrude pitch size advice

    Maybe someone already tried to adjust it but moved it too far.
  19. JimS123

    Boat with engine ($500 update)

    "dependable", what does it mean? I have been stranded with 2 strokes many times. That's why I carry a kicker. Never been stranded with a 4-stroke. After a long cold winter, my 4-strokes start up in a fraction of a second. No need to decarbon the cylinders, no points to adjust, etc, etc...
  20. JimS123

    70hp evinrude pitch size advice

    That's what I said, but yours was a better explanation.
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