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    Cable steering, Why?

    I mounted a motor this past week on a boat I am restoring. I finally connected the cables to the motor and the motor turns to the right but binds steering to the left. I must have crossed a cable on the steering drum when I put the cables back in place. My question is why do they have a few...
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    Step and trim trim tab location

    Finally got the motor back and mounted so it is time to mount the trim tabs, couple questions about proper placement. Looking that the back of the boat what is the best location? The pitot tube on the back kinda complicates it.
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    Soda blasting

    I have a blasting pot that has been used with standard blasting material, if I soda blast do I have to change out anything out of the pot? Can I use the same nozzle? Where do you purchase the soda?
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    1968 or 69 55 Selectric starting issue.

    I have a question about starting the motor, it turns over but doesn't really fire. The prop is spinning when I crank the motor over so based on the little reading I have done I suspect the solenoid is not working properly and the motor is engaged in gear. My question is that enough of a drag...
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    Vintage outboard mechanics

    So I need a new drive shaft in my 1960 Mercury 400. I have the driveshaft but after looking at the manual and the probability of me getting it right I would rather pay an experienced individual to do it correctly. Problem is no modern shop will touch a motor from 1960. I am willing and able to...
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    Mercury water pump impact tool

    Had a heck of a time getting the cover off my 1960 400 water pump, so I made a tool to go over the drive shaft and allow an impact wrench to get the cover off without damaging it.
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    Mercury 400 water pump

    Currently trying to get the water pump cover off, I made a tool to insert and pull the cover off and the cover will not turn not even with a cheater on the handle. My question is how could this cover get so tight? It isn't a left handed thread is it? Just wanted to check before I break something.
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    So I bought a starcraft

    I couldn't resist it found it super cheap and it seemed interesting. I can make out the year it was made by the serial number it is a 1958 just not sure of the model. I will post up some pics.
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    1968 or 69 55 Selectric

    So I picked up a 55hp Johnson Selectric. I don't really know anything about the motor any experts that can tell me some areas of concern with this motor?
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    Dropping the lower unit on a 1961 Mercury 400

    Did my research to change out the impeller and started in what I found was different than what I have seen diagrammed. There were two nuts of the sides and a bolt going up the middle. I discovered another fluted bolt up in the exhaust. Weird thing is it isn't a normal bolt it has some kind of...
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    Boat Landing watching as a way to pass time

    I work fire in the spring for the Department of Forestry responding to wildfires. We stage staffed engines and we patrol enforcing burning restrictions etc. A big part of the job is being in the general area when a fire starts and respond so we leave our fire base and stage in different parts of...
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    Inaccurate boat listings

    I will admit I may have an issue I am always scanning and checking online websites for old boats. I noticed that evidently people do not know the names called certain styles of boats. One I notice on a too regular basis is a boat called a jon boat, a jon boat is not pointed in front, other small...
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    Amp draw on DC lights

    I am running new wiring on my old tin Deep C, up front I have a bow light, spot light, and a 12v power point. I decided to run 1 heavy set of jacketed wires up front and put together a power distribution strip up there so to only run 1 set of wires under the floor. I was thinking of 12 gauge, is...
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    E-Bay listings

    Most of us that tinker in old boats and motors spend some time at E-bay sorting thru and searching sometimes just out of curiosity. I use the search function and get frustrated when I do a search on vintage aluminum boats and I get 2 pages of gravy bowls. I was weeding thru a search for vintage...
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    A little help here on a Mercontrol

    So in swapping motors with different controls I wanted to see if I could swap out the wire and key from one control to the other. I aborted the attempt and even figured out how to get the control box back together. The problem is after I cursed and fought and got it back together I discovered a...
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    Suggestions for seating

    I am currently reassembling my old alumacraft deep C It has the classic flat bench boat seats. I want to add a backrest and cushion to the back seat, a flat pad on the middle seat, and split seat with backrests up front. I do not want modern looking boat seats, and would prefer a canvas...
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    Flooring choice

    I was going to put a wood floor in my Deep C but as I am reassembling the steering and getting ready to run new wires I decided that a carpeted floor will make it easy to hide wire and cables. I have heard that green treated plywood and aluminum do not mix does this hold true if the plywood is...
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    Don't you hate it when ?????

    I hate it when you look and search for just the perfect part you need for a restoration, you order the port and the seller did a crap job of packaging and the part arrives broken. I purchased an airguide barometer to fill a hole in the dash of my Deep C, I was giddy it even matched the tach and...
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    Getting close to firing the engine.

    So I have the 1959 Mark 400 on the rack, I just installed the starter that needed replacement it had melted down. I picked this motor up last fall from a guy who had it restored and then it sat in storage for 10 years. It is clean except the fried starter and a few wires that got hot when the...
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    Nautical Terms- When is it proper use?

    I have been thinking about this lately not sure why my brain revisits it but I guess I am curious. I don't use terms like port or starboard or any other nautical terms when talking about boating. Most don't but I have spend a fair amount of time aboard larger craft 35-60 footers moving them from...
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