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    Rusty u joints bravo 3

    I have a 97 rinker 232 with a 7.4 bravo 3 merc. I bought it late in the season last year and being honest I was lazy and didn't pull the drive last year during winterizing. I only put about 10 hours on it this year. I had intermittent growling with sharp turns under heavy load a few times when...
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    Trailer tires lean

    Recently purchased a boat with a tandem axle shorelandr trailer. The back wheels lean when driving. They favor one side when going straight but will lean to either side (I.e. Camber in and out) when turning. I replaced the wheel bearings, but they still lean and cause a lot of tire wear. Fairly...
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    Gas leaking from tank inlet

    New to me boat. 1997 232 captiva with a (I believe) gen VI 454 carbed motor. Got it home and it has sat for a few days and when I came home from work this morning I smelled gas as I walked past it then I saw this (see pictures). There are gas stains running down the boat and a dried pool on the...
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    Rinker 7.4 b3 performance expectations

    Going to look at a boat tomorrow and wondered what kind of performance should be normal for a 1997 rinker 232 with a carbed 7.4 and b3 outdrive? I have the new boat checklist I will go over as well. Just looking for input from people with experience.
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    Baja boat identification

    Came across a listing for a "1993 Baja 24.5", but looking online, it didn't look like any 1993 baja boats I saw. Having trouble finding anything with the two windows that looks like this one. I was wondering if anyone here could help identify this boat. Maybe the owner doesn't know what he has...
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    23-24 foot vs 26-28 foot pros and cons?

    Upgrading from a 1987 sundowner 195 Cuddy with a 4.3 merc and 20° dead rise at the transom. Initially we were looking at something like the rinker captiva 232 or sundowner 225 (in the year 2000 range) with the wrap around seating. We went and looked at a crownline 266 ccr, and I really liked the...
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    Prop diameter effect and planing trouble

    So I've been having trouble with planing since I bought my 1987 four winns 195 with a 4.3L. It had a 23 pitch prop when I bought it, which was way too high, so I bought a 4 blade 14x19, which was better (33mph wot with 2 adults and full tank of gas @4600 rpm), but with a loaded boat (5 or 6...
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    4.3 motor swap with truck engine

    I'm planning on swapping my knocking 1987 4.3L merc (s/n 0B459735) engine with a truck donor. Everything I've found is late 90s and later (vortec). What accessories can I keep from my old motor, and what won't fit? I know the intake manifold is different, but is there anything else? As far as...
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    Craigslist /marketplace or junkyard for donor motor?

    Looking for a "new" 4.3 vortec to replace my current non vortec with a knock. I can get one from a pull apart for around $200 with a 30 day warranty that I have to pull myself. Or I can get one already pulled from a variety of private sellers for around $350-400. I'm not going to pretend I'm...
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    1987 Merc 4.3 Rebuild or replace?

    Long story short, my 1987 Four Winns Sundowner 195 developed a knock/rattle this summer when it ran low on oil (for more on that, see my other thread). My wife and I are contemplating cutting our losses as we were considering buying something a bit newer and more in the 23 foot range (really...
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    Broken coupling release lever

    Long story short, I tried to put a double hitch on my vehicle to have a bone rack as well as tow my boat. Being the dummy I am, I got it to fit just barely with the clearance. Clearance was done for driving straight, but not for turning. The rack caught the release lever on turns and broke it...
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    Boat winterized and summarized each year but not used in 5 years

    Looking at a boat that has been unused for 5 years. Owner has owned for 16 years. 5 years ago his wife had an accident and is no longer able to use the boat. He has been winterizing and summerizing the boat every year through a mechanic but the boat hasn't been in the water or used in 5 years...
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    Dead rise question

    I currently have a 1987 sundowner 195 4.3 merc with a self measured dead rise around 20 degrees. LOA is 18'8". Beam is 7'7". Looking to upgrade to slightly bigger and slightly newer and faster. Looking at a 1994 sea ray overnighter 200 signature series with a 5.0 merc. Dead rise is only 15...
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    Knocking 4.3 merc

    Got a knock in my 1987 4.3 mercruiser at around 2000 rpms. I noticed it the first time while out on the lake one day after towing tubes, skis, and kneeboards. The noise is absent at idle and presents only around 2000 rpms and then seems to disappear again after 2500 or so. It is quite loud...
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    Marada boats and 5.8L vp fl

    I have come across a listing for a 1994 marada 2100mvb with a 5.8L VP FL motor asking price is $7k. Post says transom, floors, stringer, and carpet were replaced last year as well as the carb rebuilt, "boots and bearing and seal and bellows", gas tank out and cleaned and various other things...
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    Trailer brake system opinions

    I have had my boat (4100 lbs w/ trailer) for a few years now and have been towing without major issues (8700 lbs towing capacity). I just learned that in Michigan, any trailer over 3000 lbs is required to have brakes. Now that I know the laws I can't pretend to be ignorant, but I have been...
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    Loose wire identification and nav light help

    My nav lights and blower are not working, so I went under the dash to investigate. Traced the blower to a bad motor, but I found the attached wire hanging. It is hot all the time, so I don't think it's related to the lights. I'm not sure what it is for. It's connected to the two larger red...
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    Buy a boat with a bad starter?

    Not sure if this is in the right place, but I just saw a listing for a boat in what appears to be great cosmetic condition for a good price. The listing says "starter is bad". Is there a way to check it out with no starter? I know you could throw it in the water and check for leaks, but you...
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    Fluid in the bilge

    Just got my boat out of storage, and this is in my bilge. The color looks strange to me. Power steering?
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    Steering cable part number

    Looking for help finding a steering cable part for my 1987 for winns sundowner 195 4.3l mercruiser. Not sure if this is the right forum, but I need a new steering cable. Disconnected the cable from the outdrive and the drive moved easily and smoothly. Then I disconnected the cable at the helm...
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