andy1canada
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2007
- Messages
- 107
Howdy!
Finally got the Zeta in the water to try out the new Merc/4.3/MPI.
I've waited 25/yrs to put a real-boat back in the water; that became evident when I launched her.
Long shallow slope on the ramp. Unhook everything/check that plug is in/back her in/watch in mirrors till she floats. 14/yr. old Daughter's watching from the wharf as Dad shows her - how it's done.
Got a long rope in the back of the van. It's not tied to the boat. Gonna' grab the rope and tie it on to the boat then push her off the trailer. I'm backing it in, slowly, watching to see if she's gonna' float. Still not floating. Back up more.
O-o-o-h-h ya! She's floating now! Better run buddy...
I jumps out of the van as remember my cell-phone is in my lower shorts pocket... too late. Water seems unseasonably warm though... lapping at my private parts.
Just managed to save the boat from floatin' away. She wants to get out there it seems.
Flash the blower/start-up... sounds cool. Reminds me why I love sterndrives.
Here's where I start makin' discoveries about the new/old set-up.
I think my tach is F*^%ED... it reads 400 @ idle? Don't know if it has a calibration adjustment on it.
Discover I got no reverse. ($15/K... and I got 'NO' reverse?) We take her out anyway. I lay into the throttle... take her up easy. I'm listening, listening more. She's startin' to roar now; 3200 and we're flyin! My Daughter looks at me, she's hangin' on and smiling. Big smile on me too.
Lake is too small. I feel like I'm in a bathtub going round and round.
The Zeta wants some Ocean in front of her.
Trimmed the bow up a little. Pushed the throttle ahead to see if she'll give us high-3's... she'll go no higher than 3500. Throttle's full-on. What gives?
Wrong prop? Maybe, but it should still rev higher. It's the same 4-blade that was on the original 305/Chevy that used to push her. We thought we'd try it out with the new engine to see where we stood.
I'm thinkin' the shift/throttle linkage isn't opening her all the way up. You'd think my mechanic would have checked that during set-up of the new mill.
My Temp/gauge says she's runnin' @ 180-ish. My mechanic says the new engines run hotter than they used to. Emission issues he says - burns the fuel more efficiently. Maybe my temp-gauge (also circa/1980) is suspect. Not sure how to test it, or if the gauge is correct, or if I should even be concerned about running this hot?
Back to the wharf. Blower quits working so I open the dog-house. Is that fuel I see in the bilge?
Getting her back on the trailer was a breeze; nailed her first time.
Talks to my mechanic on the way home. He thinks my remote control (1980/Merc/single lever/pull-out button in the middle) might not be compatable with the new 'Smart-craft' Alpha set-up. I was hoping it might be a simple linkage adjustment; it's not like I need to spend more money.
He suggests I get new remote with the trim-buttons on the lever. Says they're 'cool'... $500/bucks cool. Ouch!
Glad I finally got her wet.
Finally got the Zeta in the water to try out the new Merc/4.3/MPI.
I've waited 25/yrs to put a real-boat back in the water; that became evident when I launched her.
Long shallow slope on the ramp. Unhook everything/check that plug is in/back her in/watch in mirrors till she floats. 14/yr. old Daughter's watching from the wharf as Dad shows her - how it's done.
Got a long rope in the back of the van. It's not tied to the boat. Gonna' grab the rope and tie it on to the boat then push her off the trailer. I'm backing it in, slowly, watching to see if she's gonna' float. Still not floating. Back up more.
O-o-o-h-h ya! She's floating now! Better run buddy...
I jumps out of the van as remember my cell-phone is in my lower shorts pocket... too late. Water seems unseasonably warm though... lapping at my private parts.
Just managed to save the boat from floatin' away. She wants to get out there it seems.
Flash the blower/start-up... sounds cool. Reminds me why I love sterndrives.
Here's where I start makin' discoveries about the new/old set-up.
I think my tach is F*^%ED... it reads 400 @ idle? Don't know if it has a calibration adjustment on it.
Discover I got no reverse. ($15/K... and I got 'NO' reverse?) We take her out anyway. I lay into the throttle... take her up easy. I'm listening, listening more. She's startin' to roar now; 3200 and we're flyin! My Daughter looks at me, she's hangin' on and smiling. Big smile on me too.
Lake is too small. I feel like I'm in a bathtub going round and round.
The Zeta wants some Ocean in front of her.
Trimmed the bow up a little. Pushed the throttle ahead to see if she'll give us high-3's... she'll go no higher than 3500. Throttle's full-on. What gives?
Wrong prop? Maybe, but it should still rev higher. It's the same 4-blade that was on the original 305/Chevy that used to push her. We thought we'd try it out with the new engine to see where we stood.
I'm thinkin' the shift/throttle linkage isn't opening her all the way up. You'd think my mechanic would have checked that during set-up of the new mill.
My Temp/gauge says she's runnin' @ 180-ish. My mechanic says the new engines run hotter than they used to. Emission issues he says - burns the fuel more efficiently. Maybe my temp-gauge (also circa/1980) is suspect. Not sure how to test it, or if the gauge is correct, or if I should even be concerned about running this hot?
Back to the wharf. Blower quits working so I open the dog-house. Is that fuel I see in the bilge?
Getting her back on the trailer was a breeze; nailed her first time.
Talks to my mechanic on the way home. He thinks my remote control (1980/Merc/single lever/pull-out button in the middle) might not be compatable with the new 'Smart-craft' Alpha set-up. I was hoping it might be a simple linkage adjustment; it's not like I need to spend more money.
He suggests I get new remote with the trim-buttons on the lever. Says they're 'cool'... $500/bucks cool. Ouch!
Glad I finally got her wet.