First time boat owner need help

Hello,
I've bought a 94 Ebbtide 1900, the engine started fine, but I would like to change all the fluids and perform some tune up before attempt to take it out to the lake. I need your tips on what kind of gas to put in the engine, general maintenance etc. Please point me to the right resource to learn about boat. Also what is the right price to reupholster all the seats?
Also I live in Texas please point me to a "beginer friendly" boat ram for my first launch. your expertise is greatly appreciated.

Re: First time boat owner need help

Welcome to iBoats. Everything you are looking for can be found using the "search" or "advanced search" features. Adding a little more info about your boat helps too. Post some pics of the new boat!

Good Luck

Re: First time boat owner need help

Congratulations on the new to you boat.

Step one....... Get a manual for your engine - order one today

Read this section and read the top two posts that are sticky's http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=443

enjoy!

Re: First time boat owner need help

I agree get all the tech books you can find. Find ya a nice quiet boat ramp. I'm up near Lake Lavon in north Texas, there is a few good ones on Lavon. Just watch out for all the trees under the waterline. Have backups to backups such as oars a good trolling motor, backup battery, fire extingisher. Just make sure if something happens you can get back to dry land. When you get it registered with TPW make sure you have every detail correct on you apps. They are very picky and can be quiet rude if you are missing anything. Good luck bud!

Re: First time boat owner need help

Welcome! Texas is pretty big, whereabouts are you?

Re: First time boat owner need help

hi....welcome to iboats!

after receiving your manuals, the next thing is to take a safe boating course.

the beginner friendly boat ramps start at about 7 30 pm !
find any concrete boat ramp with a courtesy dock. go there in the early evening, and launch and retrieve your boat no less than 10 times a night.

this includes, backing into the water, launching or retrieving and pulling out. your target goal, is 90 seconds form when your vehicle leaves the untie (staging) area.
the 90 seconds is if you are doing it by your self, if you have someone to drive the boat or the tow vehicle. cut that time in half.
remember the clock starts ticking when your vehicle enters the area and leaves....not from wheels wet.

you are not going to get to the 90 second mark for a long time.....so just be patient. and practise.

as far as the upholstery.....count on 2k for a total. if you want to DIY...we have several threads in the restoration section that will show you how to do it.

Re: First time boat owner need help

banhtrang said:

Hello,
I've bought a 94 Ebbtide 1900, the engine started fine, but I would like to change all the fluids and perform some tune up before attempt to take it out to the lake. I need your tips on what kind of gas to put in the engine, general maintenance etc. Please point me to the right resource to learn about boat. Also what is the right price to reupholster all the seats?
Also I live in Texas please point me to a "beginer friendly" boat ram for my first launch. your expertise is greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Couldn't say on much of this without more info. I assume it is an outboard. What is the year, make model of the outboard? Unless it's a diesal, they ALL take Gasoline. However, is it a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke? If a 2 stroke, do you need to premix the oil, or is it oil injected? A 4 stroke takes straight pump gas and no oil, however a 2 stroke requies oil be mixed with the gas. If it's oil injected, there will be a resevoir that you need to keep an eye on. If pre-mixed, then you do it in a jeery can before you fill up.

Any marine canvas/upholstry shop can reupholster seats for you. Google "Marine Cavas" or "Marine Upholstry" in your area. Go down to a marina and talk to them about recommended canvas/upholstry businesses in the area.

This site has a thousands of boat ramp launch/retrieve threads. Particularly on ramp etiqutte. In the process you'll get a good list of how and what do. You Tube is agood source to learn what to do and not to do as well.

Re: First time boat owner need help

I have a 1993 Pro-Line 17' Center console. It doesn't have a windshield, and I'm having trouble locating one. Is there another Pro-line (or other) center console with the same dimensions? Searches don't come up with this combination.

Thank You!

Re: First time boat owner need help

Don't thread hijack.. start your own..

Welcome to iboats! I'm also a first time boat owner.. You will get a ton of information here, everyone is very helpful. Just wait till things start going wrong and you have to fix EVERYTHING! I got 95% of the info I needed here which kept the cost of repairs down a ton!

Re: First time boat owner need help

Sorry, this my first time, and I wasnt sure how to start a new thread?

Re: First time boat owner need help

lthsgrl515 said:

Sorry, this my first time, and I wasnt sure how to start a new thread?

Click to expand...

LTHSGRL515:

Welcome, no worries at least you got the first 'forum faux pas' out of the way. At the top of hte scren 'click' FORUM, then choose the category "General Boating/Outdoors Activities", then select the sub-forum "Boat Topics and Questions (not engine topics)". There you will see a list of the most recent threads. 'Click' the "+POST NEW THREAD".

Choose a title that is within the character limitation and accurately describes the problem. Since ALL posts are to ask a question or solve a problem, titles like "Problem", "Question", "Help" are somewhat obvious. I could wallpaper every room in my house with all the threads titled like this one, for example.

Re: First time boat owner need help

shrew said:

Couldn't say on much of this without more info. I assume it is an outboard. What is the year, make model of the outboard? Unless it's a diesal, they ALL take Gasoline. However, is it a 2 stroke or a 4 stroke? If a 2 stroke, do you need to premix the oil, or is it oil injected? A 4 stroke takes straight pump gas and no oil, however a 2 stroke requies oil be mixed with the gas. If it's oil injected, there will be a resevoir that you need to keep an eye on. If pre-mixed, then you do it in a jeery can before you fill up.

Any marine canvas/upholstry shop can reupholster seats for you. Google "Marine Cavas" or "Marine Upholstry" in your area. Go down to a marina and talk to them about recommended canvas/upholstry businesses in the area.

This site has a thousands of boat ramp launch/retrieve threads. Particularly on ramp etiqutte. In the process you'll get a good list of how and what do. You Tube is agood source to learn what to do and not to do as well.

Click to expand...

Thank you for all your help, I 've just ordered a service manual for the engine, and have been reading it. But I would love to get a manual for the particular boat model. The boat has an inboard/outboard mercruiser 5.0 V8. AlphaOne.
I want to take it out on the lake, but it's a little intimidating I know it take regular gas, but should I put in premium gas or regular? do I need to put in any gas treatment? I have watched many videos on you tube on how to launch, but I also see many accidents video also. I live in Houston downtown area so lake Livingston would be the farthest lake I would go. Lake summerville woulld be the closest lake to my house, but I dont know if they have enough water yet. Last year we went there for picnic and the water was real real low. I have a Nissan frontier truck I don't want to get to a steep Ram that I would not be able to pull my boat up.

If my boat can start fine, do I need to go ahead and change all the spark plugs and all the fluid?

thanks

Re: First time boat owner need help

Yes change the fluids. If your lake is a corps of engineer ran lake the ramps will be closed when the waterline is to low. We had that issue up in north texas. Lake lavon looked like a dry field. I'm not sure which gas to use w your model outboard. Check the manual to see what octane to use, there should be a maintence guide for fluid changes,plugs ect.

Re: First time boat owner need help

I can tell from your comments that you should not attempt a first or even second launch by yourself. Find a friend with some boating experience to go with you. I suspect you also have never operated a boat which makes this suggestion even more important. Yes you need to add a fuel system treatment like Sea Foam or Stabil to the fuel. Follow the directions on the container. You use regular grade (87 octane) fuel. Anything more is a waste of money. Before you launch make sure every accessory on the boat works. If not, fix it as that accessory may save your life. Understand the gauges and what they mean. With an I/O they mean the same thing as they do in a car. Low oil pressure = bad, high water temp = bad. Low fuel = swim. Boat owners manuals are almost useless. They contain nothing but safety information. Engine starting and operation is in the OUTDRIVE (Mercruiser) manual. Radio, instruments, etc, are covered in the brochures suppied by the instrument manufacturer. The service manual for your drive system is the one you will spend most of yoru time in. The "Boat" related electrics can be learned in the Electrical forum.

Re: First time boat owner need help

Read..... Read...... and do more reading on iboats.

Go to your local lake ramp one day and watch other poeple launch and retreive their boats. This will be the best hands on experience you can get.

You do have an I/O boat ther is alot of info you need to know and perform before your first lanch!

Happy Boating and enjoy your new boat!