Rick Stephens
Admiral
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2013
- Messages
- 6,118
Hi all,
After a 35 year boating hiatus, I bought a boat. '90 Bluewater, 3L Gen 1 Alpha 1. A nice light 17 foot ski/runabout to turn into a fishing boat. I pulled the interior out of it, sold the ski boat seats and redid with those nicely priced iBoat Tempress Helm seats, and added one moveable matching fishing chair. Then pulled the padding/seating out of the front end and decked it with several hatches for storage and a live well. Lots and lots of little things as well. 17 foot is HUGE when you pull all the seats! Having a great time making it as I want it.
At time of purchase I went through the engine and outdrive as best I could before taking it out for a test drive and paying for it. And then did a couple one day fishing trips to figure out my interior changes. I am WAY too old to sit on, let alone spend all day getting in and out of, 12 inch high ski boat seats. So that is how that came to be the first project. But I already knew that when I bought the boat. I picked this boat for the obvious care the owner had for details. And for the perfect condition of what I could see of the hull, motor and especially outdrive.
Now I am coming up on wanting to make sure there isn't something just waiting to fail in the outdrive. Whether because it never got properly maintained, or it got installed wrong, or whatever. I am not worried about the motor. It has a tiny rear seal oil leak, I will pull it and replace when it annoys me enough and I have time. Working on a Chevy 4 cyl engine is a piece of cake. The sterndrive though, that is new territory for me.
My questions are, how far in do I need to go to be certain?
Pull lower, of course. Inspect impeller, or just plan on replacing? According to seller just replaced this summer at dealer, for what that is worth. Bellows looks great. Soft and perfect - from outside. Inspect gimbal bearing. Replace u-joints?
Just kind of wondering how deep I need to plan to go or if I can inspect everything I need from that point. Purchase an alignment gauge and check that?
Thanks for all the great links and pages. Been reading for a few weeks. Lots more to read up on.
Rick
After a 35 year boating hiatus, I bought a boat. '90 Bluewater, 3L Gen 1 Alpha 1. A nice light 17 foot ski/runabout to turn into a fishing boat. I pulled the interior out of it, sold the ski boat seats and redid with those nicely priced iBoat Tempress Helm seats, and added one moveable matching fishing chair. Then pulled the padding/seating out of the front end and decked it with several hatches for storage and a live well. Lots and lots of little things as well. 17 foot is HUGE when you pull all the seats! Having a great time making it as I want it.
At time of purchase I went through the engine and outdrive as best I could before taking it out for a test drive and paying for it. And then did a couple one day fishing trips to figure out my interior changes. I am WAY too old to sit on, let alone spend all day getting in and out of, 12 inch high ski boat seats. So that is how that came to be the first project. But I already knew that when I bought the boat. I picked this boat for the obvious care the owner had for details. And for the perfect condition of what I could see of the hull, motor and especially outdrive.
Now I am coming up on wanting to make sure there isn't something just waiting to fail in the outdrive. Whether because it never got properly maintained, or it got installed wrong, or whatever. I am not worried about the motor. It has a tiny rear seal oil leak, I will pull it and replace when it annoys me enough and I have time. Working on a Chevy 4 cyl engine is a piece of cake. The sterndrive though, that is new territory for me.
My questions are, how far in do I need to go to be certain?
Pull lower, of course. Inspect impeller, or just plan on replacing? According to seller just replaced this summer at dealer, for what that is worth. Bellows looks great. Soft and perfect - from outside. Inspect gimbal bearing. Replace u-joints?
Just kind of wondering how deep I need to plan to go or if I can inspect everything I need from that point. Purchase an alignment gauge and check that?
Thanks for all the great links and pages. Been reading for a few weeks. Lots more to read up on.
Rick
