Top Speed Of Our Boat?

[tpenfield]

LuvBoating There are lots of folks here that are willing to help diagnose your engine woes. So, when you get to a point when you 'can do' the things suggested - either this year or next year - some progress should be made.

FWIW - there are some threads/posts here on iBoats and elsewhere talking about the top speed of similar 20 foot Celebrity boats in the 50+ range, and at 6,000 feet altitude (Utah). I also found a boat magazine article about a Celebrity 200 bowrider w/ a 5.0 engine (210 hp) that was tested at 48.5 mph. Another article stating 40 mph w/ a 160 hp 4.3 engine.

Seems like about 50 mph is about what you should expect. . . . so you are a long way from that. The fact that you got a new longblock in 2012(?) (I'm sure there is a story behind that) and have never run the boat at WOT is concerning. Not sure we want to open that can of worms just yet . . .

 

[LuvBoating]

LuvBoating There are lots of folks here that are willing to help diagnose your engine woes. So, when you get to a point when you 'can do' the things suggested - either this year or next year - some progress should be made.

FWIW - there are some threads/posts here on iBoats and elsewhere talking about the top speed of similar 20 foot Celebrity boats in the 50+ range, and at 6,000 feet altitude (Utah). I also found a boat magazine article about a Celebrity 200 bowrider w/ a 5.0 engine (210 hp) that was tested at 48.5 mph. Another article stating 40 mph w/ a 160 hp 4.3 engine.

Seems like about 50 mph is about what you should expect. . . . so you are a long way from that. The fact that you got a new longblock in 2012(?) (I'm sure there is a story behind that) and have never run the boat at WOT is concerning. Not sure we want to open that can of worms just yet . . .

I've looked it up and our block is a short block, not a long block. This is the second post where "long block" was stated. We got the new block due to a bent rod in the old block.

As far as not running the engine at WOT, believe it or not, not until this summer did we even give "prop pitch" or WOT a thought. When the prop needed to be changed on our boat, we just let a marine mechanic handle it and it was replaced with the same one that was on the boat.

Since our previous Florida marine mechanic doesn't know much about Colorado boating, he wouldn't have known either. Actually, nobody, with a boat, moves from Florida to Colorado, that we've ever known.

 

[LuvBoating]

The boat is 28 years old but the motor is only 8 years old.

Guess marine services here go by the year of the boat, not the year of the block.

 

[tpenfield]

OK - short block, which is just the engine block, crankshaft & pistons. The cylinder heads, and everything else would have been brought over from the original engine.

In terms of Colorado vs. Florida . . . altitude is the biggest factor.

In terms of local (Colorado) mechanics . . . are you saying that you have a mechanic that will winterize and do general maintenance (servicing) of your boat BUT will not do diagnosis and repairs?

Or is it that you have not found any mechanic that will even touch your boat?

 

[Scott Danforth]

here is a list of Boat mechanics in Loveland https://www.google.com/search?clien...Gp6BAhQEFI&biw=1384&bih=1107#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[40.66776306300195,-104.3638478580078],[39.65818843556041,-105.6877003970703],null,[40.16485249465566,-105.02577412753905],10]

 

[LuvBoating]

OK - short block, which is just the engine block, crankshaft & pistons. The cylinder heads, and everything else would have been brought over from the original engine.

In terms of Colorado vs. Florida . . . altitude is the biggest factor.

In terms of local (Colorado) mechanics . . . are you saying that you have a mechanic that will winterize and do general maintenance (servicing) of your boat BUT will not do diagnosis and repairs?

Or is it that you have not found any mechanic that will even touch your boat?

The marine service here we use, Island Marine Service, is the one we use to winterize and summerize. They also installed the cable and transducer for our new fish finder and fixed our trim motor that was leaking trim fluid. When asked about re-jetting, they said they don't due to a safety policy they have. They also don't do any modifications to a boat, like installing an electric fuel pump. Safety Policy again. The marine service south of them told us they will not work on any older boat, like ours. Another local marine service has closed.

Island Marine reviews are excellent with 4.8 stars out of 5 and they winterize/store many, many boats. The service even has it's own boat sales and boating accessories store. They are much bigger than the service we took our boat to in Florida.

 

[LuvBoating]

here is a list of Boat mechanics in Loveland https://www.google.com/search?clien...Gp6BAhQEFI&biw=1384&bih=1107#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[40.66776306300195,-104.3638478580078],[39.65818843556041,-105.6877003970703],null,[40.16485249465566,-105.02577412753905],10]

The one we use, that I just told about in my last post (#146) is the one we use. When I called Colorado Boat Center, which is 5 or so miles south of Island, about winterizing our boat, they said "we don't service old/older boats, like yours, however Island Marine does." There is also a listed marine, in your list, that has closed.

Bottom Line, we like Island Marine.

When we had the new block put in, in 2012, we had a private marine mechanic, not a Mercruiser Dealer, put it in. He was cheaper than the Mercruiser Dealer, and the new block looked fine, but would've rather had the Mercruiser Dealer do it that we had used before. The private marine mechanic's shop looked terrible and he didn't even put the deck cover on when it rained hard once. And, he had the deck cover and we ask him "please leave it on when not working on the boat".........and he didn't. The inside of our boat was soaking wet. The old saying "cheaper doesn't always mean better" really fit this dude.

 

[tpenfield]

This one says they do not service anything older than 1990 (so you made it by 2 years) :thumb:

https://liquidpowersports.com/

I wonder why age is such a thing with these shops?

 

[Scott Danforth]

This one says they do not service anything older than 1990 (so you made it by 2 years) :thumb:

https://liquidpowersports.com/

I wonder why age is such a thing with these shops?

maybe because the boat is older than the technician?

 

[LuvBoating]

This one says they do not service anything older than 1990 (so you made it by 2 years) :thumb:

https://liquidpowersports.com/

I wonder why age is such a thing with these shops?

I called them and they are no longer take any boats for repair or winterizing.

 

[LuvBoating]

Since Island Marine has done a good job for us, so far, we will continue using them for whatever we need, including any products we may need from their store.

Have no idea about the "year" thing with these other marine service centers, but do know that we were very happy with the work our last marine service, in northeastern Florida, done for us. We had a number of things done by them from the time we bought the boat, in April 2009, thru February 2019. We did have two other marine places in Jacksonville do work on our boat, but the one we really, really liked was the Mercruiser Dealer/Repair. Got to know the Head Mechanic, Office Manager and even the owner. All three treated us terrific!

 

[LuvBoating]

We have decided to run as much of the 3-year old fuel out of the boat as possible..........as long as the weather stays decent. Won't add the Mercury Quickleen Engine & Fuel System Cleaner to the gas until next Spring after it's summerized (hose clamps/block plugs put back in) and a possible new prop put on.

But, will, after the next time or two on the lake, fill the tank with unleaded gas, plus add a bottle of ethanol treatment, before having it winterized.

BTW, what is the best brand of gas (ethanol, in it) to put into a boat? Wish we had someplace to get "ethanol free" gas, but don't. Before our last dry storage/marina fill-up of "ethanol free" gas, we used BP unleaded in the boat. We know want to use Sinclair.

 

[JASinIL2006]

You might consider waiting until the Spring to fill up. Many places are already switching to winter gas, and you'll run better next summer with summer gas. On top of that, you won't be starting out with gas that's already 6 months old.

 

[tpenfield]

I called them and they are no longer take any boats for repair or winterizing.

Interesting . . . it might be that since everyone and their brother went out and bought boats, RV's, etc. this year the shops are now inundated with work.

 

[Scott Danforth]

as stated prior, no reason to fill the tank. an empty tank with open vent does not have condensation

 

[LuvBoating]

as stated prior, no reason to fill the tank. an empty tank with open vent does not have condensation

As recommended on marine websites (like Mercruiser), by many boaters (even on here) and marine mechanics............a full tank of gas for winter storage. Some boaters don't and many boaters swear by it. We have never had a partial tank of gas for winterizing. Never. And, 6 month old gas is much, much better than 3-year old gas.

Actually, I have found threads on this forum where boaters have said they always store their boat for the winter with a full tank of gas.

 

[JimS123]

All of these trials and tribulations with marine mechanics just further affirms why I do 95% of my own work, arthritis and all. After a sixpack I don't feel a thing. Just have seen too many times that the job was not done to my satisfaction.

Nevertheless......about every 5 years I have a guy come to the house just for a simple impeller change or whatnot, just in case I missed something. Another pair of eyes as they say. He has a shop on his front lawn, or he'll work at the marina or launch ramp, or in the park with the boat on his articulating trailer. In my case he works in my garage. He's not cheap, but he's very meticulous.

So, for the OP, here's your task for the week...
Google, look up in the phone book, Craigslist, whatever for a "Mobile Marine Mechanic". They work freelance. We have 4 or 5 in my 3 local counties. Maybe you do too.

If that don't work, put a wanted add on Craigslist...."Wanted mechanic to rejet a boat for high altitude".

 

[JimS123]

As recommended on marine websites (like Mercruiser), by many boaters (even on here) and marine mechanics............a full tank of gas for winter storage. Some boaters don't and many boaters swear by it. We have never had a partial tank of gas for winterizing. Never. And, 6 month old gas is much, much better than 3-year old gas.

Actually, I have found threads on this forum where boaters have said they always store their boat for the winter with a full tank of gas.

Some people go full, others empty. Some refuse to use E10, others swear how good it is. Some people jack up their trailer to take weight off the tires, some say that's silly. Some people don't care about storing a boat outside in the snow, others would never subject their beloved baby to that kind of abuse.

My point is that whatever you talk about, people will have success not matter what they do.

A full tank of stabilized fresh gas sitting for 6 months will be no problem at all. Putting good gas on top of old gas and letting it sit...well, you tell us next June....LOL.

Mercury Marine's web site has several white papers about the myths of alcohol and what should / shouldn't be done for winter storage. If you are guided by what others SAY, even if he's a marine mechanic, then god help you. If you follow Mercury Marine's recommendations, then how can you go wrong?

 

[tpenfield]

Yup . . . the empty vs. full tank debate. . . or even partially filled . . . for winter storage.

They both work fine because the vapor pressure of gasoline keeps the tank full of fumes, which are heavier than air. So the outside air, that contains moisture, is not able the enter the tank.

I'm an empty tank guy, been that way for 15 years. Each year, I plan to be low on fuel towards the end of the season, so I don't have a lot of gas to pump out . . . 30-40 gallons usually. This year, things did not work out so well because one of my engines crapped out over Labor Day weekend and we weren't able to use the boat. So, I got lots of fuel left (80 gallons). I treated it with a double-dose of stabilzer during my last run with the boat, and will run as much out of it as I can during both the winter and summer prep rituals.

This year will be partially filled, about 1/2 a tank. . . but I'm not sure if it is half full or half empty :noidea:

 

[roffey]

I fill it only because its easer to fill it than empty it and... you have a full tank to start the boasting season. At the end of the day its what ever works for you.

This thread has gone on and on, lol. The OP's question was is my boat running to slow. Short answer is yes but don't ask the question if your not ready for the answers, lol.