Recent content by dorsett59

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    Fiberglass repair shop near Milwaukee, WI?

    Hey, all. So, I was stupid and put a hole in the bottom of my '59 Dorsett Catalina (17 ft fiberglass hull cuddy cabin with a 70hp Merc outboard). I decided to do the repair right, and get at the top of the hole, and fiberglass it in properly. As I took out the interior, I also figured it...
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    Best marine epoxy?

    My 1959 Dorsett Catalina has some wood rot. All six wood stringers are showing moderate to bad rot, and the transom is also getting soft. I was hoping this would not be a major project, but it sure is one, now. So, after I cut out the old stringers and transom, I will need to lay in new...
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    Two primer bulbs a year?!?

    Hey, all I'm getting my boat ready for the spring (it's Wisconsin, it hasn't quite come yet), and the fuel primer bulb has hardened to the point it takes a pliers to make it do anything. It's not the cold, as I usually have to replace a bulb near the end of summer, too. This happens...
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    Ultima Switches? How reliable? How effective?

    Hello I just bought a Johnson 1000GPH bilge pump with an attached Ultima switch. Pump works fine, but the switch does not work out of the box. Before I consider getting a new Ultima switch, I was wondering if other people were having trouble with this kind of solid-state bilge sensor/switch...
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    NEGATIVE voltage off stator?!? 1979 70hp 3 cyl 2 stroke

    Hey, all I've been chasing down this problem for a while now. Out of ideas. Engine runs fine. Produces good power up to 3000 rpm. Then, nothing. Used to pull strong up to 5200 last year. Checked fuel, air, timing. All good. Checked the voltages and resistances off the stator. All...
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    1979 70 hp 3 cyl- no voltage high speed stator

    Thanks everyone, for your help up to this point. The story so far- 1979 Mercury Mariner 70hp 3 cyl 2 cycle. Runs fine at spring test. Take it out on the water, and the engine does not get over 3000 rpm. Bring it back in. Replaced carb needle and seat (was leaking gas when priming)...
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    Switchbox test?

    Hello I have a 1979 Merc/Mariner 70 hp 3 cyl 2 stroke 700 with the Thunderbolt ignition. The engine runs well, but does not go above 3100 rpm. So far, I've ruled out the compression, carbs, fuel pump, bad fuel, stator, coils, trigger, spark plugs, spark plug wires, etc. The only thing I...
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    Missing 2000 rpm -79 Mariner 70hp 3 cyl

    Hello So, here's the breakdown. I took the boat and motor into a shop to have the lower unit sealed properly, and to get a new water pump impeller installed. I figured that was a reasonable investment, as the lower unit has 20-some seals. The first time I took it out, I had motor issues...
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    Fuel starvation problems, 79 Merc 70 hp

    I was having some issues last year with water getting into the lower unit. It's a complicated fix (20-something seals and gaskets), so I took it to a shop for them to do the work this spring. Well, I got it back, they told me they did the work, and "pressure tested it." Since then, the...
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    Fuel starvation problems, 79 Merc 70 hp

    I was having some issues last year with water getting into the lower unit. It's a complicated fix (20-something seals and gaskets), so I took it to a shop for them to do the work this spring. Well, I got it back, they told me they did the work, and "pressure tested it." Since then, the...
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    Electric fuel pump instead of primer bulb on outboard

    Just running this up the flagpole to see what happens. I had the thought of using a low pressure (2psi) electric fuel pump in place of the primer bulb on an outboard. I have a long-ish fuel line (5 ft) from the fuel tank to the engine. There's not a lot of elevation change, but the engine...
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    Wall mount, fold-down seat?

    Hey, all. I have a seat for my control console on my cuddy cabin Dorsett that works really well for what I do. It's got two brackets screwed into the wall on the right hand side, and a post that drops from the left side of the seat into a bracket on the floor. When I need the extra space, it...
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    trailer tie-down tension?

    Hey, all. How much do you tighten your boat-to-trailer tie down straps? Thanks!
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    Winterizing a trailered boat?

    Hey, all. Now that the snow is starting to fly in my latitude, I'm wondering what steps everyone takes to winterize their trailered motor boats. Thanks for the advice!
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    Car stereo/cd versus marine stereo/cd?

    Hey, all Is there any difference between a car radio versus a marine specific radio? No, I do not mean a marine VHF communications radio. I mean something to listen to the local radio stations while out on the water.
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