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    I/O Characteristics

    Not much love for I/O's here, but I still prefer them! I've owned various outboards, including a new EFI 4 stroke, and still like I/O's. Maintenance isn't that bad, it takes me all of 3 minutes to pull the plugs. Changing the oil is really easy, remote drain just pulls out of the bilge drain...
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    FUTURE of TWIN Gas / diesel engines in boat , who can afford fill ups

    Gas isn't THAT bad. It is on par or less than inflation adjusted peaks in 2008 and 2012. And no one was forecasting the end of boating then. It's all relative, as others have mentioned gas is often the cheaper part of boating.
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    Winterizing Question

    The shutters won't die that fast. It takes at least 15 seconds or longer for water to start coming out of the exhaust when I start it on the hose in the spring. The entire system holds over 2 or 3 gallons.
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    Which deckboat 17-19 foot

    I'm on my 3rd deckboat so lots of experience. Current one is a Hurricane Fundeck I/O, but almost all newer hurricanes are outboard. Highly recommend Hurricane's, they are surprisingly heavy and ride quite well even in decent chop. They have massive freeboard also.
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    Air Don't Freeze Winterization

    So the stuff out of the drains was entirely sand and tiny chunks of rock. It looks IDENTICAL to the beach that I boat off of. (my lake is fairly silty, can't see more than a foot deep usually) 100% non-metallic. Again, I've never had to replace an engine or manifold, oldest being 33 years...
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    Air Don't Freeze Winterization

    Winter storage means 2 things, cold and dry air, both of which are ideal conditions to inhibit rust, not encourage it. Previous boat was a 33 year old 4.3l when I traded it off, current is only 20 years old. Engine looks like new with all original parts yet, including manifolds. My routine...
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    Antifreeze circulation through engine

    How cold does it get? It obviously works for you, but there is a couple gallons of water that you need to displace first, and even then you are still mixing/diluting your antifreeze down. -40 isn't unusual for my winters, so mixing with any remaining water will be a problem.
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    Antifreeze circulation through engine

    I like that idea, hard to forget them in the spring! Replacements are really cheap and having one snap isn't fun, so I usually replacement mine every 3 years or so. I keep a full spare set in the tool box on the boat.
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    Opinions on winter storage?

    Not a question, if I had access to a garage the boat would be in it. Even being covered but outside is hard on a boat.
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    Boat storage

    Was about to add that same thing. Unless you are in an area that will NEVER get to 20's or lower, I would always drain. Doesn't take long. One expected power outage will get very expensive. I'm at the time of the year where I pull the drain plugs after every use, even if it isn't scheduled...
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    Need a noise diagnosed…

    Sounds a lot like a drive accessory. As other mentioned disconnect the belt(s) and briefly start it.
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    Running new speaker wire

    Nothing that you would want or would last. You still need to run a power wire. Running a speaker wire is cheap and easy.
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    Changing engine oil filter same time as oil?

    Although I like to change every time, I admit I haven't always. Filters work BETTER as they are used, right up to the point it is too plugged and starts going into bypass. Marine engines run pretty clean, not much dirt, and the amount of contaminates coming from the engine itself will never...
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    Speedometer Connected to GPS Device?

    Why Why even bother with the NMEA connection? There are plenty of GPS based speedo's, and using NMEA doesn't save you any cost, just added complexity/wiring.
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    Towing with/without Overdrive

    Yeah yours trans isn't happy doing that. If you still have overdrive on, that increase in RPM is the unlocked torque converter. Really bad to run down the highway like that. I'm guessing if you turned off OD you would end up in the 2800 rpm range, basically your trans is shifting down on its...
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    Trailer brake system opinions

    Surge brakes in freshwater work well. Very little maintenance, and they just work. With electrics, you have a battery to replace every couple of years (if you actually want to remain legal), as well as somewhat fragile wiring. I don't think I've gone longer than 5 years without some wiring...
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    So... I want to buy a boat, but I know nothing about them.

    First piece of advice is look at what all your neighbors have. Chances are many of them have had the same plans, made the same mistakes, and what they have now is the result of years of lessons. Don't buy new, or at least don't buy something with a 10 year note on it. Don't get underwater on...
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    Whats the best hydrofoil

    My current boat, a 2011 19' Hurricane deck boat with a merc 4.3, came with a fin from the previous owner. It performed OK, not great. I tried seeing what it was like without the fin, and a relatively short and heavy boat with a 4.3 and 52 gallons of fuel made for a very slow pig to get moving...
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    Trailer balance questimate?

    You also want to be careful with too much tongue weight. Many trailer mfg's have a max of 10%, higher than that you could be asking for trouble. (voiding warranty &/or safety issues) Overloading the rear of a tow vehicle will also cause all kinds of fun handling issues. Lower drag/low center...
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    Looking at 1990 Bayliner, need advice

    Forgot one positive... I can replace the 4.3l inboard in my boat with a $2100 reman longblock, and will take maybe a weekend at worst to do it. (or even way cheaper if I go to a junkyard and find a trailblazer, lots of them out there) Refreshing a 4 stroke 200hp outboard will add a digit to...
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