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Larry

wrote in news:1184210395.926558.114530
@w3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:

big snip

Hey Larry,
Pardon the threadjack for a moment please. After reading the archives
for a few weeks, it's become apparent to me that you are the worlds
expert on Sea Rayders with the 175 sportjet. I'm looking at buying
one and have a few quick questions if you don't mind. I've got AIM, e-
mail, telephone - whatever works for you.
------------------
Brad

Sorry I missed your post until nearly 2AM, Brad. Get me on

organs at myrealbox dot com

Make your Subject read BRAD FROM REC.BOATS.CRUISING in all caps so I
don't inadvertently delete it with the 480 spams I get in a day.

I had a 1997 Rayder F16X with the 175hp naturally-aspirated, carb'd sport
jet.

Have your seats mildewed yet?

Has brown goo run out from the portside padded trim panel crate wood?

Have YOU taken your OWN rear pump bearing apart to make SURE the idiots
at your Merc dealer, who haven't a clue on Sportjets, didn't put the
seals in backwards...or not at all?

Take the fuel hose off the hosebarb on the engine's electric primer pump.
Notice the hose barb is a 5/16" barb. Notice the hose says 3/8", the
WRONG SIZE held on with two hose clamps. Notice the HUGE hose clamps
made for 2" hose holding the 3/8" fuel line against the engine
compartment bulkhead. WHEN, not if, that hose comes loose, it falls out
of the hose clamps and into the bottom of the bilge...OVERCOMING THE
ANTI-SIPHON valve in the tank...FILLING YOUR BILGE WITH GAS! Mine
did....and didn't explode!

PLEASE add a gas fuel filter/water separator mounted on the port bulkhead
in the middle of that hose! Make the INLET 3/8" to fit the hose. Make
the OUTLET 5/16" and use 5/16" fuel hose to the 5/16" engine BEFORE it
happens to YOU!

Another thing I want you to take a serious look at is the PLASTIC angle
pieces wearing a hole into the aft end of your soft poly 25 gallon fuel
tank....the ONLY SUPPORT IT HAS going aft! The plastic angle pieces are
sheet-metal-screwed into the fore/aft stringers on the sides of the tank
The weight of ALL THAT GAS presses back on those little brackets, every
time you take off...pressing the plastic brackets right INTO the tank
poly! PLEASE put a 2X6 cut to just fit across the back of the gas tank
to replace those crappy cheap plastic brackets...before they wear a hole
in your gas tank! Inspect that tank for damage at those brackets. God
help you if the tank needs replacing OR THE INLET HOSE OR VENT NEEDS
REPLACING! To get to them, you need to take the whole top off the boat!
There's NO ACCESS TO THE INLET OR VENT fittings under the cockpit deck!

Well, that'll get you started to happier, safer boating. The seats
mildew inside the cotton-backed cheap vinyl cover because some halfassed
furniture company in TN made them out of cheap vinyl and OPEN CELL CHEAP
FOAM...which sucks up water from the seat depressions in back with only a
1/4" hole dripping water into the storage compartment for a
drain....right on your stuff!

Ah, another thought! The two halfassed twist locks made of plastic that
hold the big engine compartment cover closed, BREAK OFF, creating a real
hazard that will destroy the stern! If those latches EVER fail...OR IF
YOU FAIL TO LOCK THE TRUNK WHEN IT'S ON THE TRAILER...The air rushing
over this fiberglass "wing" pulls the lid open, catches the air as it
opens, ripping the gas lifts off. The lid continues back, unstoppable,
ripping the piano hinge out of the boat, breaking the stern off above the
swim platform....on the road, into the car behind it! REPLACE these
latches with METAL ONES THAT LOCK! The latest models Sea Rayders had
SELF LATCHING lid locks after several accidents...but they sucked awful,
too.

Why does everything that costs SO MUCH have to be made SO CHEAP?!

Larry
--
Email me...I got more stories....(c;
It's fun when it runs.....