KDMatt
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2009
- Messages
- 33
Hello everyone,
My name is Matt, I'm 22 years old and I'm (obviously) a boating enthusiast.
I've joined your ranks today to get a little help with the family boat.
My grandparents have owned, since new a (very?) rare Deckboat Ski-Deck that was purchased in 1987, and that all of us in our family have enjoyed for years.
It's a freshwater rig, and it doesn't get much use these days, and that's something I want to change.
First of all, if anybody else has one of these things I would love to hear from you because in my entire life I've only ever seen one another one, and it was yellow two-tone (ours is maroon two-tone). This is such an unusual deck-boat because it has a rounded off/speedboat shape and form, sits really low in the water and has an open configuration inside (seats 9!) ... also more than fast enough to pull skiers, kneeboarders, or innertubes (for the kids).
It's got an outboard Johnson VRO GTO 150 (the original engine) that runs OK (on a scale of 1 to 10, around 8.5) ... Hard to start when cold, I'm assuming I should post more details on another thread in the Johnson forum?
Furthermore, I know this thing could be a real headturner on the lake and in the channels with a bit of TLC -- It was 'refreshed' about five years ago, so all of the seats/carpet still look fantastic, but the color on the body of the boat is beginning to fade/stain a bit, is there a detailed sticky thread somewhere that gives a good how-to for buffing/polishing?
All of the paint is peeling/fading on the outboard too. I know a bit about car bodywork (i.e. sanding/priming/painting/polishing) do the same rules apply to the motor since it's made of metal/plastic? ... or am I looking at a completely different kind of painting process because half of it has to sit in the water?
Also, wiring/electrical ... I know a lot about car engines, but little about boat engines (I mean, obviously they have similarities) ... so excuse the stupid question, but do most outboard engines have some kind of alternator? The gauge cluster on this boat has a voltometer, and it never rises above the bare minimum reading of 12, which, for a car, would signal a near death for the charging system... I would like to upgrade the audio system that was installed in the boat as it is, but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing so if the electrical system was unable to support more of a draw...
Also, the tachometer has never worked since I've been a passenger/operator of this boat (10+ years) ... Should I expect the wiring for this to be the same or similar as it would be on a car?
OK, sorry, lots of questions. I sincerely thank anyone who's taken the time to read this post and moreso to anyone who chooses to respond (I tried really hard not to ramble TOO much). I would like for my family and friends to get many more enjoyable years out of this boat and I appreciate any input anyone one of this forum has to help make this dream a reality.
It's such a wonderful machine, I hate seeing it out of the water.
My name is Matt, I'm 22 years old and I'm (obviously) a boating enthusiast.
I've joined your ranks today to get a little help with the family boat.
My grandparents have owned, since new a (very?) rare Deckboat Ski-Deck that was purchased in 1987, and that all of us in our family have enjoyed for years.
It's a freshwater rig, and it doesn't get much use these days, and that's something I want to change.
First of all, if anybody else has one of these things I would love to hear from you because in my entire life I've only ever seen one another one, and it was yellow two-tone (ours is maroon two-tone). This is such an unusual deck-boat because it has a rounded off/speedboat shape and form, sits really low in the water and has an open configuration inside (seats 9!) ... also more than fast enough to pull skiers, kneeboarders, or innertubes (for the kids).
It's got an outboard Johnson VRO GTO 150 (the original engine) that runs OK (on a scale of 1 to 10, around 8.5) ... Hard to start when cold, I'm assuming I should post more details on another thread in the Johnson forum?
Furthermore, I know this thing could be a real headturner on the lake and in the channels with a bit of TLC -- It was 'refreshed' about five years ago, so all of the seats/carpet still look fantastic, but the color on the body of the boat is beginning to fade/stain a bit, is there a detailed sticky thread somewhere that gives a good how-to for buffing/polishing?
All of the paint is peeling/fading on the outboard too. I know a bit about car bodywork (i.e. sanding/priming/painting/polishing) do the same rules apply to the motor since it's made of metal/plastic? ... or am I looking at a completely different kind of painting process because half of it has to sit in the water?
Also, wiring/electrical ... I know a lot about car engines, but little about boat engines (I mean, obviously they have similarities) ... so excuse the stupid question, but do most outboard engines have some kind of alternator? The gauge cluster on this boat has a voltometer, and it never rises above the bare minimum reading of 12, which, for a car, would signal a near death for the charging system... I would like to upgrade the audio system that was installed in the boat as it is, but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing so if the electrical system was unable to support more of a draw...
Also, the tachometer has never worked since I've been a passenger/operator of this boat (10+ years) ... Should I expect the wiring for this to be the same or similar as it would be on a car?
OK, sorry, lots of questions. I sincerely thank anyone who's taken the time to read this post and moreso to anyone who chooses to respond (I tried really hard not to ramble TOO much). I would like for my family and friends to get many more enjoyable years out of this boat and I appreciate any input anyone one of this forum has to help make this dream a reality.
It's such a wonderful machine, I hate seeing it out of the water.