Newby Boater / 1966 Texas Maid Fiesta

[imgoinmad]

Hey all, stumbled on what looks like a great forum here. My wife and I live on the Puget Sound and have finally decided to get my feet 'wet' and buy a little boat to see how I like it...and to be able to do some cruising, crabbing, shrimping, and fishing. I was a bit worried about the large body of water and finding a 'safe' boat...at the same time I didn't want to spend too much in case i just wasn't in to it

Anyway long story short we found a small 16' boat...a 1966 Texas Maid...Fiesta. It 's got a little 35hp Johnson and I'd like to do some upgrades, personalize, etc. Not sure which forum is best to post in for various things...like where to ask about finding authentic vintage parts...where to find reproductions...where to find aftermarket parts that will work, etc etc. I'm sure I'll figure my way around fairly quick...just wanted to say hi and thank you all in advance for any knowledge you might be willing to lend.

 

[Silvertip]

Stuff related to the motor you'll find in the Johnson/Evinrude section. Trailer stuff in the Trailer section. Boat stuff (not engine) in this forum. Electrical (for the boat) in the Electrical section. Engine electrical is best discussed in the Johnson/Evinrude section. If your boat is a "V-Hull", 35 HP sounds a little small. Boats typically have a MAX HP and weight capacity tag somewhere in the boat. When it comes to HP and performance, you generally want no less than 70% of the max rated HP to have reasonable performance. You don't often hear folks say they wish they had less HP but there are a bunch who say that wish they had more. A bigger engine "loafing" will be nearly as economical and will likely last longer than one that has to run nearly wide open all the time just to get anywhere. So -- have fun, be safe and know the water you intend to boat on.