A few questions from a learner

[Lou C]

SEM sells paint that can be used to rejuvenate vinyl seats you might check out their website.
That alu prop I’d probable replace but get that one fixed & keep for a spare.
I’m more concerned about the fuel tank than anything else. I can’t imagine that the boat was built that way, it looks like someone had to replace the tank and used one that was too large & “made it work”. While expensive I’d look into replacing that with a tank that fits properly. Nothing to take chances with!

 

[kylef]

SEM sells paint that can be used to rejuvenate vinyl seats you might check out their website.
That alu prop I’d probable replace but get that one fixed & keep for a spare.
I’m more concerned about the fuel tank than anything else. I can’t imagine that the boat was built that way, it looks like someone had to replace the tank and used one that was too large & “made it work”. While expensive I’d look into replacing that with a tank that fits properly. Nothing to take chances with!

Are you referring to the fact that it is so close to the engine?

 

[Lou C]

Are you referring to the fact that it is so close to the engine?

yes, I can't imagine that a boat company would install a gas tank that extends UNDER the engine pulleys. If an engine mount failed with the engine running that would put the pulley right into the top of the gas tank which is plastic with disastrous consequences! If the Coast Guard inspected your boat I think for sure they would have concerns about that. I would contact Stingray and see what the standard tank set up looked like. The cut out around the tank suggests to me that this was some previous owner "modification"....

 

[kylef]

yes, I can't imagine that a boat company would install a gas tank that extends UNDER the engine pulleys. If an engine mount failed with the engine running that would put the pulley right into the top of the gas tank which is plastic with disastrous consequences! If the Coast Guard inspected your boat I think for sure they would have concerns about that. I would contact Stingray and see what the standard tank set up looked like. The cut out around the tank suggests to me that this was some previous owner "modification"....

Thanks for the guidance, I would never have thought anything of it. I did think 37 gallons / 140 litres was a big fuel tank but didn't think it could have been an addition. I'll get some more photos and add them so you can see.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Thank you all for the replies

With regards to the propeller, besides for opening up a can of worms due to my lack of knowledge around propellers and how they perform, I am simply wondering if a propeller with more blades would yield any different results in getting a skier or wakeboarder up. The one that is on the boat at the moment works well enough to get my overweight butt up on a wakeboard with 4 on the boat but due to this one looking like it has been used in a rock pool, I'd like to replace it. If the advise I am being given is that this one is fine, I'd prefer to get the same one new as opposed to having it repaired.

I have pushed the speed sensor pickup device to the power position, hoping this works.

I will take the fuel sender wiring off and give it a bit of a clean up and tidy it all up, hope it fixes the situation.

With regards to the vinyl upholstery, a few hours ago somebody asked me why I don't just dye the vinyl - I didn't even know that that was a possibility. Has anybody done this before? I will put a post in the restoration section around this but thought I'd ask anyway. I am considering putting a grey 3M wrap on the hull of the boat so if dyeing the vinyl would work, I'd simply dye the maroon parts grey to match the boat.

Thank you again for all of your replies, much appreciated.

I found that replacing my aluminum, 3 blade prop with a stainless steel 4 blade prop gave me much better holeshot at the expense of a few MPH of WOT speed. You'd need to adjust some prop parameters (esp. pitch) to account for using a 4 bladed prop, but a good prop shop (or the fellas in the Propeller forum here) should be able to help you.

It does help to have good numbers (e.g., RPM and top speed at WOT) for your current prop, but if it's damaged badly and you don't already know those numbers, I don't know how you'd reliably get them unless you first get it repaired or replaced with a prop that has identical parameters.

 

[JimS123]

With regards to the propeller, besides for opening up a can of worms due to my lack of knowledge around propellers and how they perform, I am simply wondering if a propeller with more blades would yield any different results in getting a skier or wakeboarder up. The one that is on the boat at the moment works well enough to get my overweight butt up on a wakeboard with 4 on the boat but due to this one looking like it has been used in a rock pool, I'd like to replace it. If the advise I am being given is that this one is fine, I'd prefer to get the same one new as opposed to having it repaired.

I have pushed the speed sensor pickup device to the power position, hoping this works.

Stingrays are propped from the factory for maximum speed with a light load. Your prop is not factory, so someone made a change for their own needs.

You say the prop works well enough. Does it meet your expectations? Does it meet your needs? Wakeboarding with 4 aboard ain't too shabby. From the factory it certainly would not provide that performance.

Personally, I always upgrade to high performance SS. That might give you better performance, but only you can decide whether the improvement was worth the $700. Its not cost effective for me either, but I'm just a boat nut.

Eons ago until recent years I always kept a spare prop aboard. Not any more. The one time I needed to replace it, the water was too cold to get in and I couldn't reach it from inside the boat.

Your prop is not beyond repair. A simple refurbish by a prop shop will cost a lot less than a new prop. It will be as good as new.

Pitot tube speedometers are quite reliable if maintained. And that's a big if. They usually fail because the hose gets cracked from sun exposure, or the head freezes and breaks because of water intrusion. Note that they do not register at all below about 8 mph, but at planing speeds they should be good for +-1 mph. My woodie has a unit from 1952 and it works as good as new. All I needed to do was replace the rubber hose and seal both ends tight on the hose barbs.

 

[Roadking57]

Here is what I have not seen posted about the prop debate. If you do not run your engine within the recommended rpm range when at full throttle then you will cause excessive wear on your engine period. Either it will lug too much or the rpm will be too high. Most have a 1000 rpm range that is rec.( ex. 5000-6000) when set to this at full throttle, by using the right pitch, then all other throttle settings will be correct for the engine, and it will be happy.

 

[Lou C]

Agreed I like to prop mine to the upper end of the range given, esp in my boat with the little 4.3.
I'm a lot more worried about that gas tank, however!
The water pressure speedo needs the tube cleaned out every now and then. I took mine off blew it out with compressed air and it started working fine again and is consistent with GPS.

 

[KJM]

The prop can definitely be fixed cheaper then buying a new one, been there done that. But unless you got lots of money to spare, I'd leave it as is, I doubt very much you would even notice a difference after fixing it. A four blade prop probably would make a difference, its up to you if its worth the money, considering you seem pleased with her now.

 

[flip&dip]

Here is a question for you guys. I bought a boat that came with spare props (dual props) but the boat has ss and the ones that were in the boat are aluminum and have a yellow sticker that says "spare do not go over 25mph". Why? The boat is used so I'm assuming the prior owner purchased them? Any thoughts? My guess is that they are not balance?! But then why purchase something that cant be use regularly? The boat has a volvo penta 5.7 with dual prop and is a Regal Commodore 242

 

[Sea Rider]

Here is what I have not seen posted about the prop debate. If you do not run your engine within the recommended rpm range when at full throttle then you will cause excessive wear on your engine period. Either it will lug too much or the rpm will be too high.

Runing any motor around the min lugging side of the wot rpm range is like going up hill from a dead stop on third gear, too much stress on piston's rods that could break and pass thru the block. The issue is that's very difficult to prop spot on any given combo as the wot rpm reacts upon load which it's a RPM killer. It's much easier propping a fixed or near a fixed load than a variable one if wanting the motor to run towards its max wot rpm range factory stated...

Happy Boating​

 

[Sea Rider]

Here is a question for you guys. I bought a boat that came with spare props (dual props) but the boat has ss and the ones that were in the boat are aluminum and have a yellow sticker that says "spare do not go over 25mph".

Those are surely emergency props not intended for top speed, like emergency car tires...

Happy Boating​

 

[JimS123]

Its really funny. I was sitting here watching the snow come down, wishing Spring was not too far off. But then I remembered the olden days, and that's what made me laugh.

If a guy in high school wanted to be really cool he put a tach in a chrome plated bullet mount on the steering column of his rat rod and he thought he was quite fancy. But the few of us that had boats never even thought putting a tach ON A BOAT????......LOL.

When I built my first boat, and added a brand spanking new Evinrude, the dealer suggested that it might be wise to swap the std. prop for a higher pitch. So I did it and it worked fine. Never tached it out. Most of my buddies simply hung a motor and we all did fine.

Boy, how far we have come. I wonder how many outboards were ruined in the old days because they lugged or over-revved.

Gotta love science and technology....

 

[Sea Rider]

I've tached several portable to meduim range motors with factory delivered props and all revved slight over their min wot rpm range while powering small to medium length hulls with light loads, never tached one that over revved. It's a day/night water performance difference running a standard prop powering a combo to run Fine and a correct one dialed with a tach to run Top...

Happy Boating​

 

[racerone]

Have to agree with Jim here.-----Outboards rarely get a chance to wear out.-----They are well built but ruined by folks.----Every day folks come up with a new method of breaking them.