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    Which battery is best?

    I've got a 2022 Sea Ray SDX 270 outboard, both batteries are dead and not holding charge and I'm going to replace them. Curious to hear thoughts on the best way to go about this. I've heard to get one deep cycle and one regular, although I thought all marine batteries are deep cycle so I'm not...
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    Shipping a Boat Across the Country

    I recently purchased a new boat and will be shopping it from California to South Carolina. The boat doesn't have a trailer and I'm trying to decide if it's better for the boat to be shipped on a trailer or if it's better to buy the trailer when it arrives in South Carolina. I'd have to assume...
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    Running a Twin Outboard on One Motor

    I'm looking at a boat with twin outboard engines. One side has about 70 hours, the other has 20. The seller chocked it up to operator error but I'm curious if running on only one side for that long has any adverse effects. I'll be getting a full survey next week, but curious if anyone has...
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    Looking for Opinions on Super Bowriders

    We are looking at replacing our 24 foot Sea Ray Cuddy Cabin with a super bowrider and I'm looking to get some insight from people who own them. The specific boat we are looking at is a Sea Ray 290 SDX w/ twin outboards, but I'm looking to get opinions on the boat style in general. For those who...
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    Small Repair in the engine bay

    I'm looking for a little direction on the right material to use for a small repair in my engine bay. The previous owner used what appear to be wood filler on a small piece inside the engine bay that appears to be wood with a resin coating on the top. I'm going to clean this all out, re-fill, and...
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    Alpha 1 gen 1 impeller question

    Trying to get a little education on a cooling issue I'm chasing. I'm getting water out of the prop but very little (like water fountain level of flow) is getting into the engine. I've replaced the manifolds/risers and had the heat exchanger rebuilt. Still overheating on the muffs and pulled the...
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    How to make sure its the manifolds and risers

    Been trying to diagnose a cooling issue on my Mercruiser 5.7L alpha 1 gen 1 closed cooling. Changed impeller and sea water pump, opened up all lines on the raw water and coolant sides to check for blockages, everything is fine. Had heat exchanger boiled/rebuilt at local radiator shop. Replaced...
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    Can't Figure out Overheating issue

    5.7L carbureted Mercruiser alpha 1 gen 1 in my 1989 SeaRay. I replaced my impeller, water pump, gaskets, etc. Also replaced thermostat and temp sensor. Boat is overheating on the muffs but I'm getting good water flow from the exhaust. Any suggestions? One item I did notice is that while water...
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    Scratching my head on running temperature

    I've got my boat on the trailer for a week or so before I put it back on the lift again. Every year about this time I notice that my engine runs a bit hotter, it's hot outside and the water temperature is 85 degrees. While it makes sense to me that this is why the engine is running a little...
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    Does Galvanized paint work?

    I'm doing some TLC on my EZ loader trailer while my boat is in the water. I have a few rust spots and I'm curious if the "do nothing option" is the best option or if I should remove the surface rust with a wire wheel and apply the galvanized spray paint. While I recognize that removing rust is...
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    Starboard riser a lot hotter but temp gauge reads normal

    Just did my annual preventative maintenance and also replaced my y-pipe. Boat is running great, temperature at the dash gauge is perfect at 145 degrees, and performance is excellent. Impeller is brand new. On the muffs, water comes out both sides of the transom exhaust, port side is almost like...
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    Oil Filter Question

    Doing an oil change on my 5.7L and was curious on thoughts around a standard vs high performance oil filter. Difference on price is only $10, but does the "high performance" filter do anything besides making my wallet a little lighter? Both are Quicksilver.
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    Headliner Replacement

    I need to replace the headliner in my Sea Ray cuddy cabin and am looking to understand if this is a DIY job and get some insight into lessons learned. I have most of the trim pieces off at the moment and it would appear that it's not a crazy difficult job. Has anyone done this? Also looking to...
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    Miami Boat Show

    Has anyone been to the Miami Boat show? Looking at doing a little father/son adventure, is it a good time? Was especially curious to see if you can walk through the big yachts like you can at other large boat shows. Any insight is greatly appreciated! I'm not in the market for a new boat just...
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    Things to do when engine is out of boat

    I have a Sea Ray 220DA Sundancer and the engine will be pulled out of the boat soon for a Y-Pipe replacement. My mechanic has agreed to let me take the boat home for a few days to clean out the bilge. Is there anything else that is worth doing while the engine is out? Any insight is greatly...
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    Water Leaking into Bilge from Port Exhaust

    I have a 1989 SeaRay Cuddy cabin with a 5.7L Alpha 1 gen 1. Freshwater cooled. I had the engine bellows, shift cable bellows and gimbal bearing replaced last week and picked it up from my mechanic on Friday. I ran the boat for about 4 hours on Saturday and had about 7 gallons of water in the...
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    How to be sure it's the starter -Mercruiser 5.7

    I have a 1989 searay 220da w/ 5.7L alpha 1. Yesterday I put the boat in the water and it wouldn't start. No click or anything...I just turn the key to start and get nothing. Took it home and have been diagnosing the issue. Batteries are both 12v, all other systems work fine. Gauges engage when I...
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    axle rating

    I have a 1991 EZ Loader tandem axle trailer and I am replacing the axles. I only have the VIN number on the title...no ID plate on the trailer or axles. Is there any way to determine what the proper axle rating is? The hubs are 5 lug, and the boat weighs about 5k pounds loaded + another 1200 for...
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    Outdrive oil leaking from "pee hole" in lower unit

    I changed my impeller and water pump about 4 weeks ago and ran the boat for about 50 miles with no problems. Today (after about 2 weeks of sitting), I noticed that there was a small amount of fluid that has leaked from the lower unit from the "pee hole." Is this indicative of a shift shaft seal...
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    Oil Filter Tricks

    Every year when I change my oil, the filter seems to get harder and harder to remove from the metal bracket that it sits on. I lube the ring on the filter with a little oil but it seems to be less and less effective. QUESTION: What is your trick for getting the filter off or preventing this...
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