New to me boat am having some concerns

[peties3]

Hello all, I recently purchased a boat, here are the specifics:
2000 Regal 2100 LSR W/ fast trac hull
305 merc V-8 with an alpha one Gen II 1.62 ratio
Merc Vengence S.S. prop 21p

My questions are:
This boat is not new and knowing full well that with a purchase of a used boat there may be some issues pop up that will require service.
1.My bellows are leaking and plan to get this fixed soon. But at the moment I am having trouble getting on plane. My boat that i owned several years ago more or less jumped out on plane pretty quickly and am a little disappointed in the lag this one has. It seams to pull hard but it is like I am dragging the bottom out of the lake!!!!
Is this normal for this boat???

2. Also, not real familiar with the alpha out drive as I had a volvo penta in my previous boat, but this one seeams to have a mild vibration after I throttle down and return to pick up the person left in the water after an exit from the tube. But then it would go away soon after I start idleing over to the person in the water. Normal????

3. I know, I think I may be asking too many questions but here is the last one.
I have no idea how much trim I have because I think the tab indicators are out of adjustment. This outdrive has 2 of the them mounted to the outside of the outdrive. The only way I truely know what position I am inis when I put the out drive all the way down listins to the pump change sounds when it hits the bottom of the rams. When I trim up, it doesnt go very far before it stops moving. I dont think I am trimming up far enough to get on plane which may be the issue with question one. Is there a way to adjust these indictors? I know they work because the trim needle on the guage will move when I trailer up.

 

[Rob_NC]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

View attachment 203268

Hello all, I recently purchased a boat, here are the specifics:
2000 Regal 2100 LSR W/ fast trac hull
305 merc V-8 with an alpha one Gen II 1.62 ratio
Merc Vengence S.S. prop 21p

My questions are:
This boat is not new and knowing full well that with a purchase of a used boat there may be some issues pop up that will require service.
1.My bellows are leaking and plan to get this fixed soon. But at the moment I am having trouble getting on plane. My boat that i owned several years ago more or less jumped out on plane pretty quickly and am a little disappointed in the lag this one has. It seams to pull hard but it is like I am dragging the bottom out of the lake!!!!
Is this normal for this boat???

2. Also, not real familiar with the alpha out drive as I had a volvo penta in my previous boat, but this one seeams to have a mild vibration after I throttle down and return to pick up the person left in the water after an exit from the tube. But then it would go away soon after I start idleing over to the person in the water. Normal????

3. I know, I think I may be asking too many questions but here is the last one.
I have no idea how much trim I have because I think the tab indicators are out of adjustment. This outdrive has 2 of the them mounted to the outside of the outdrive. The only way I truely know what position I am inis when I put the out drive all the way down listins to the pump change sounds when it hits the bottom of the rams. When I trim up, it doesnt go very far before it stops moving. I dont think I am trimming up far enough to get on plane which may be the issue with question one. Is there a way to adjust these indictors? I know they work because the trim needle on the guage will move when I trailer up.

..I`m can only venture a guess but you mentioned leaking bellows...so if the ujoints are getting any of this water....stop...many bad things can happen,coupler,bimbel bearing,upper unit.....you need to check...better safe than sorry...I am presently spending nearly 500 bucks on a coupler and a input shaft seal that a little spline grease might have prevented.....let alone that look on you know who`s face when we where stranded on the lake....small kids were onboard...no my friend check those ujoints and bimbel bearing....imhho, before you go back out...this too was a new boat for us...4th trip....save yourself the embarrassment of being towed in on a vey crowled lake..

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

#1 & #2 are related. . . looks like you will be getting u-joints and maybe a gimbal bearing with the new bellows.

#3 - there is a trim limit switch on the port side of the drive at the pivot point, and a trim sender on the starboard side. Both can be adjusted by loosening the screws that hold them in place (slotted) and rotating, then re-securing. there are spec's for how far the rRams should extend with using the regular trim button. You can adjust the trim sender so that the gauge is about 1/2 way once you hit the trim limit. I suspect that you may be trimmed too far up and that is effecting your ability to come onto plane.

 

[bonzoscott]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

21" pitch prop may be too much for that boat. Is the boat 21 foot? I would think 19" pitch would better suit it.

 

[peties3]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

..I`m can only venture a guess but you mentioned leaking bellows...so if the ujoints are getting any of this water....stop...many bad things can happen,coupler,bimbel bearing,upper unit.....you need to check...better safe than sorry...I am presently spending nearly 500 bucks on a coupler and a input shaft seal that a little spline grease might have prevented.....let alone that look on you know who`s face when we where stranded on the lake....small kids were onboard...no my friend check those ujoints and bimbel bearing....imhho, before you go back out...this too was a new boat for us...4th trip....save yourself the embarrassment of being towed in on a vey crowled lake..

LOL I know that feeling all too well!!! LOL Have not had the look recently but I have a very vivid image of it!!!! Yes, The boat will be going in to get this resolved before we go back out. I know some here is gonna say "why dont you take care of these issues your self?" The short answer is, time. I feel I could do this myself and that I should do this myself but my work schedule is not going to allow me to resolve these in a decent amount of time.

 

[peties3]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

#1 & #2 are related. . . looks like you will be getting u-joints and maybe a gimbal bearing with the new bellows.

I was afraid of that. Well, as I said before, new to me used. I don't feel to bad because I did not neglect the boat but I feel as though I will be a little ( a lot) lighter in the wallet.

 

[peties3]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

21" pitch prop may be too much for that boat. Is the boat 21 foot? I would think 19" pitch would better suit it.

I will have to agree with you on this as well. Where can a person rent or borrow a 19p prop to give that a try. Sure would hate to buy one only to find that it is too little or too much.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New to me boat am having some concerns

I will have to agree with you on this as well. Where can a person rent or borrow a 19p prop to give that a try. Sure would hate to buy one only to find that it is too little or too much.

There are some propeller retail outlets that have 'demo' props that you can try for a reasonable fee. Maybe call around to some places and see what you can find.

Also you could buy a used prop off of eBay and then if you don't want to keep it, just re-sell it to re-coup the $$$.

Don't be concerned about buying a used boat; most people buy used.