Hello! New guy with "new" boat - '89 Arriva 2050

[Crazy_Pilot]

Good afternoon all,

My name is Chris. My wife and I recently took the plunge and bought our first boat, a nearly immaculate 1989 Arriva 2050 with a 5.0L. We're third generation cottage owners (originally built by my grandfather in 1964) so are no strangers to boats but this is the first we've bought ourselves. The purchase wasn't the smoothest (boat died on the first test run), but the seller was an honest guy and sorted everything out for us on his dime. And then as soon as we got it home and tried to winterize it it wouldn't start... (starter solenoid crumbled when I took it off). The only outstanding problem now is a cracked power steering cooler, so that will be the first job in the spring.

The boat is all wrapped up for the winter but I brought all the seat cushions inside for cleaning and to keep them dry. Very minor mildew stains and dirt in the vinyl that came clean with some StarBrite and a Mr Clean Magic Eraser (those things are pure sorcery... I can't believe how effective they are).

Just before we picked the boat up it was left uncovered in a heavy rainfall. No harm done but the seats were pretty waterlogged. In particular the two bucket seats. Even after a few weeks drying out indoors there's still some dampness around the bottom seams. One thing I've noticed about these seats (besides the fact that they weight at least 50 lbs apiece) is that there is no exit for any water that falls into them. The base is solid plywood and everything is wrapped tight in vinyl.

Would it be possible to drill some drain holes through the seat bases? Perhaps with some sort of grommet to help secure the open edges of the vinyl?

The forum won't let me post pictures yet so here's a link to the Google photos album of the boat: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XFQrlMnrov4HuIB43

 

[Scott Danforth]

welcome aboard.

the rules you agreed to when you signed up state no pics until you have at least 3 or 4 posts under your belt.

see the rules and guidelines forum for tips and tutorials

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Welcome aboard. You will not find a better source for good solid information. I wouldn't think drilling a few drain holes will do any harm. The best thing is to keep the water on the outside of the hull. I have to question as to why that boat was left open to the elements. Was it the first time? I hope so. Make sure that boat is dry inside before wrapping it up for the winter. I would be running a dehumidifier in her until she's dry as a bone. I am somewhat anal about keeping the interior dry in my boat.

I don't know about Starbright but those Magic erasers magically made my money disappear from my Jeans. They didn't work for me. The best cleaning product I have ever used is Spray 9 cleaner. It beats those erasers hands down, no contest. A warning though do not use it where there is lettering as on the dash or any Latex paint. It will take it off and never use it on clear plastics like instrument clusters. Try it, you will thank me.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Nice looking and great condition for a almost 30 year old boat. Have fun!

Rick

 

[Crazy_Pilot]

welcome aboard.

the rules you agreed to when you signed up state no pics until you have at least 3 or 4 posts under your belt.

see the rules and guidelines forum for tips and tutorials

Hi Scott,

Roger that, I'm on a few car and plane forums and the no pictures for new members rule is a common one. That's why I included the link to the photo album, should anyone be interested in more boat pictures.

Cheers!

Welcome aboard. You will not find a better source for good solid information. I wouldn't think drilling a few drain holes will do any harm. The best thing is to keep the water on the outside of the hull. I have to question as to why that boat was left open to the elements. Was it the first time? I hope so. Make sure that boat is dry inside before wrapping it up for the winter. I would be running a dehumidifier in her until she's dry as a bone. I am somewhat anal about keeping the interior dry in my boat.

I don't know about Starbright but those Magic erasers magically made my money disappear from my Jeans. They didn't work for me. The best cleaning product I have ever used is Spray 9 cleaner. It beats those erasers hands down, no contest. A warning though do not use it where there is lettering as on the dash or any Latex paint. It will take it off and never use it on clear plastics like instrument clusters. Try it, you will thank me.

The boat was at the shop for some of the pre-sale repairs and was in their lot uncovered when a fast moving storm rolled in. The shop was full of boats being winterized and for whatever reason they didn't exactly spring into action to get the Arriva covered up. By the time they got to it a good 2+ inches of rain had fallen. Fortunately when we got her home we had a beautiful week so I took all the cushions off, opened up the engine cover and ski locker and left it to air out all week, in addition to taking the shop vac to the carpet anywhere that was a little more damp (ski locker mostly). Everything is nice and dry now, except those two bucket seats that really live up to their name. Any water that falls on them it totally trapped and has nowhere to go except into the cushions.

The bow cover on the boat is actually a pretty bad design. The horn is located in front of the windshield sits in a spot that slopes down into the bow and the cover curves around it and leaves it open so any water that runs down in that direction is free to fall into the boat. I'm planning to replace the horn with one that actually makes a reasonable sound and relocate it somewhere inside the bow seat boxes and then have a new cover made that will wrap the bow up properly. I'd actually like to have a one-piece cover instead of the two piece it has now, so we'll see what I can do to make that happen.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I took a look at the pics, you have a very nice boat there and one would never know it is 29 years old, someone took care of it. Congrats. I may be wrong but I am going to guess you are Canadian, just a wild guess based on a few things.

 

[tpenfield]

:welcome:

A far as the question about the seat bases and providing some drainage . . . sure, and a grommet would help. You will want to find a good place to drill into the base. You also might want to put a bit of adhesive under the vinyl where you drill the holes.

Many boat companies drill holes in the seat base for drainage . . . so don't.

 

[Crazy_Pilot]

Nice looking and great condition for a almost 30 year old boat. Have fun!

Rick

I took a look at the pics, you have a very nice boat there and one would never know it is 29 years old, someone took care of it. Congrats. I may be wrong but I am going to guess you are Canadian, just a wild guess based on a few things.

Thanks gents. The condition of the boat was one of the reasons we were willing to give the seller a few chances to make things right - didn't want to pass up a gem like this just because there were a couple fixable issues.

You're correct, we live a bit north of Toronto. The cottage is up in Quebec though so this spring the boat will be moving up there for the family to enjoy.

 

[mattsimon]

Nice pics!!