Hi

I just bought a (slightly) used boat. It is a 19' fiberglass hull, has
a small cuddy cabin, and looks like it seated 6 or so before the 2nd
owner insallted alternate seating. the windshield has a walk through,
but no seating on the bow; that is covered by the roof of the cabin. it
has an air vent in the cabin that it is in the middle of the roof.

The boat was purchased from Seger Marine in naples New York (the
fingerlakes area of central new york state) and has always been in
fresh water according to the former owner.

It was made in 1986 according to the registration and says SportCraft
on the side of the boat.

I have original manuals for the engine and the stern drive, but am
looking for any info on the boat.

After seacrhing the internet a while i found several references to boat
builders using the name SportCraft, notably one in florida, and one in
canada - but neither seem to have much info, or really match the kind
of boat i have.
I've lived on or near the water for my entire 47 years but have never
actually owned a boat, so this is a first for me. I've already ordered
what books i can find on the mercruiser drives systems but I expect
that they willbe very generalized / multi year reference books and am
looking for speficic info.

After chatting with some boat savhy friends they warn me to ensure that
the cooling system pumps are serviced, but cannot really give and
speficic info other than that. This seems good advise, but leads to
more questions:

Is this a fresh water cooling system or a raw water cooling system?
Is there a water pump in the stern drive or not?

I've found some mercruiser dealers nearby but except for rebuilding
automatic transmissions, I've always maintained every other vehicle
that i have ever owned and would like to at least try to do the same
with the boat. I know when to leave it to a pro - just would like to
get some more info.

Are there any other lurking gotcha's that I should tend to before going
out for my first ride?

How about any special needs for conversion / extra maintanance for
using a fresh water boat in salt water? (chesapeake bay)

While i do have a few hundered hours on the water in other folks boats,
I'll be taking a boater saftey course, and making sure that everything
is up to code and them some so hopefully no worries there - just hoping
for some specific info and any general info from the collective wisdom
of those that have bobbed on the waves before me

Thanks in advance

e

On 16 Jul 2005 09:57:04 -0700, wrote:


Hi

I just bought a (slightly) used boat. It is a 19' fiberglass hull, has
a small cuddy cabin, and looks like it seated 6 or so before the 2nd
owner insallted alternate seating. the windshield has a walk through,
but no seating on the bow; that is covered by the roof of the cabin. it
has an air vent in the cabin that it is in the middle of the roof.

The boat was purchased from Seger Marine in naples New York (the
fingerlakes area of central new york state) and has always been in
fresh water according to the former owner.

It was made in 1986 according to the registration and says SportCraft
on the side of the boat.

I have original manuals for the engine and the stern drive, but am
looking for any info on the boat.

After seacrhing the internet a while i found several references to boat
builders using the name SportCraft, notably one in florida, and one in
canada - but neither seem to have much info, or really match the kind
of boat i have.
I've lived on or near the water for my entire 47 years but have never
actually owned a boat, so this is a first for me. I've already ordered
what books i can find on the mercruiser drives systems but I expect
that they willbe very generalized / multi year reference books and am
looking for speficic info.

After chatting with some boat savhy friends they warn me to ensure that
the cooling system pumps are serviced, but cannot really give and
speficic info other than that. This seems good advise, but leads to
more questions:

Is this a fresh water cooling system or a raw water cooling system?
Is there a water pump in the stern drive or not?

I've found some mercruiser dealers nearby but except for rebuilding
automatic transmissions, I've always maintained every other vehicle
that i have ever owned and would like to at least try to do the same
with the boat. I know when to leave it to a pro - just would like to
get some more info.

Are there any other lurking gotcha's that I should tend to before going
out for my first ride?

How about any special needs for conversion / extra maintanance for
using a fresh water boat in salt water? (chesapeake bay)

While i do have a few hundered hours on the water in other folks boats,
I'll be taking a boater saftey course, and making sure that everything
is up to code and them some so hopefully no worries there - just hoping
for some specific info and any general info from the collective wisdom
of those that have bobbed on the waves before me

Thanks in advance

e

There is an impeller in the stern drive, and a water circulating pump on the
engine (if it's a normal Mercruiser design). If the impeller hasn't been
replaced within the past few years, I'd definitely get it replaced. You might
stop by a marina that is a Mercruiser certified place and ask them for their
winterization service sheet. (This is a listing of all the things they do for
winterization, to include a full stern drive service.) That would give you a
good idea of what should have been done last year. It's a starting point.

Where in the Chesapeake will you be going out of?

--
John H.
On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD

Hi John!

Thanks for the prompt, timely reply and the info ... sounds like you
know a thing or two about mercruiser drives

I hope to be launching from somewhere close to Easton, MD over here
right across the bay from you.

Is the outdrive impeller somewhere that is easy enough to reach that i
can change it without having to break down the outdrive or remove it
tothe point where re-alignment and a hoist will be required?

Also, (if you don't mind) any hints about anything special that i
should do as far as getting this fresh water baby into the salt water?
I saw some sort of ?chemical? washes that can be run through the drive
system that will counteract or de-activate the salts ... but that
sounds like a winterization thing rather than an after every use thing.

It seems odd to me, but i can;t seem to find any filtration for water
intake - is that really true?

I've been out washing her up for the past couple hours and was
pleasantly surprised to have a reply so soon, so thatnks again!

best regards

e

On 16 Jul 2005 15:28:37 -0700, wrote:

Hi John!

Thanks for the prompt, timely reply and the info ... sounds like you
know a thing or two about mercruiser drives

You're welcome, but I'm no expert. I let the mechanics do the work.

I hope to be launching from somewhere close to Easton, MD over here
right across the bay from you.

Is the outdrive impeller somewhere that is easy enough to reach that i
can change it without having to break down the outdrive or remove it
tothe point where re-alignment and a hoist will be required?

I let the mechanics change the impeller. The impeller is located in the lower
unit (gear housing assembly) of the outdrive.

Also, (if you don't mind) any hints about anything special that i
should do as far as getting this fresh water baby into the salt water?
I saw some sort of ?chemical? washes that can be run through the drive
system that will counteract or de-activate the salts ... but that
sounds like a winterization thing rather than an after every use thing.

I just rinse mine out with fresh water every time I use the boat. I use the
muffs that connect to a hose and flush it for about 4 minutes each time.

It seems odd to me, but i can;t seem to find any filtration for water
intake - is that really true?

There is no water filter that I know of. That's why I try to keep the lower unit
out of the sand and mud.

I've been out washing her up for the past couple hours and was
pleasantly surprised to have a reply so soon, so thatnks again!

best regards

e

Here is a site which might be useful for looking at how your sterndrive is put
together.
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/selec...sp?type_id=DRA

--
John H.
On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD