ohioriverrat

Actually, I'm thrilled half to death about it. I winterize my fifth wheel every winter, and then can't relly use it again until thaw, unless I want to do the whole thing over again. At least with the boat, I can fish, drain, and fish again. How cool is that?

Right about what? The linked article is pretty clear, and jives with what Team_Dougherty wrote in post #4. Make sure it's empty of water. No antifreeze needed.

Wow, that's a new one to me. I thought everything needed a dose of the green or pink (RV) stuff. Boy if that's the case, I can still use the boat in between some of these freezes. Yesss!!! On edit- I just found this link. It's pretty straight forward. http://www.boatus.com/boattech/Casey/37.htm

110 Johnson outboard.

What is the easiest way to get antifreeze through the engine? I have a pair of ears for driveway running. Could I gravity feed the stuff from a container through the ears and let the pump pull and push it through? How much antifreeze should I have on hand? Thanks, Mark

I use whatever is on sale. Goes for boat, weedeaters, chainsaws, and anything else that requires mix. Never a problem in anything I have ever owned.

Just a heads up about an Internet outfit called MVQ. While it appears this is not an actual scam, it is quite predatory. I was billed $24.95 on my credit card twice in the same day, having no clue why. Turns out that this MVQ is attached to many web sites and when I bought something from, well, I don't know where yet, it attached an automatic membership to this outfit. Just check your credit card statements. Look for anything prefixed with " MVQ*" If you buy anything from the internet, MVQ may sneak this in on you. I don't have all the particulars yet, but I'm diggin. I'm told that he company WILL take it off your bill, but God knows how many folks don't ever find it, and it's a hassle, because they want your credit card number just to talk to them (they obviously already have it). Oh, and this bill(s) is monthly. If you don't notice it, you gonna keep paying it. Link: http://www.adaptivemarketing.com/membership_programs.asp Or Google MVQ. This is big company making big money through the back door. You will find a huge number of complaints in your search. I have filed a complaint with my state Attorney General and the BBB. I have also filed a complaint with Visa, and cancelled this credit card (which I keep paid off anyway). This Internet may not be all it's cracked up to be. A lot of people get into trouble because of this Al Gore invention. I wouldn't trade it for anything though.

I have an 88 Johnson with OI. I bought it used. My mechanic told me before I ever started it the first time to strip the oil injection off of it and premix- and so I did. The previous owner had gotten away with it all these years, but too much gamble for me. I do feel your pain. Been there. Locked up motors (of any type) just sucks. :'(

I use a very light lubricant made by CRC called 2-26. It is primarily for electrical duty. It has the consistancy something like WD-40, but unlike WD, it has real lubricating abilties. I just spray a shot on once in a while, and clean the shaft with a rag once in a while too. Never had a gear stuck yet (knock on fiberglass)

My wife of almost 33 years IS THE FISHERMAN (person, girl, woman, etc...) of our family. SHE had me buy the bass boat. SHE had me get her waders for Christmas. SHE specs out her own gear (good stuff too). SHE takes road trips to Cabella's. And on and on. They are out there single guys; I doubt if I got the last one. I got the BEST one though. 33 and counting. Fish on!

I suppose I should apologize to all the folks out there that were traumatized by my reply to this thread. When I read the original post, I had a flashback (no, not from LSD). I guess without a lot of detail I should explain so you MAY not think I'm a nut case. Back I the mid 70s I was in the Air Force and my wife was diagnosed with cancer. She had many experimental (for the time) treatments at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethezda. After these treatments, I would come to DC from Dover Air Force Base, take her to Union Station, and put her on a train for our home in West Virginia, where she could fully recuperate from the treatments. One time I could not get to DC to pick her up (can't even remember why now). So she got a cab and went to Union station alone. It was INSIDE the station in the late evening that she was attacked and beaten up. She was not sexually assaulted but was robbed of her purse and overnight bag. This happened INSIDE a FULLY LIT train station. WITH PEOPLE present. She was not seriously injured, but in her already weakened state, she could not seriously fend off the attack. It took her a long time to recover from the attack. It took even longer for her to mentally work through it. She would NOT go back to that train station. Until... Long story short, one of my cop buddies suggested personal protection for my wife, and he ( and a couple of his cop friends) came up with the firearm and the plan. They did this because they had seen first hand the hassles that came with self defense in that area. They had seen guys go the prison for (so called) protecting themselves. And even in justified cases, the victims were interrogated, re-interrogated, subjected to Grand Juries, saddled with lawyer fees, and, in general their lives were put into months and months of turmoil. Now I know that sounds like no big deal to you if you are convinced that you're in the right. But at the time, Good Samaritan laws were not in place, self defense laws were not yet written, concealed carry was not for the masses yet, and it was illegal to have a handgun in DC (still is I think). So at the time, the two solutions were to defend yourself and take your chances with the system, or defend yourself and then melt into the crowd. Things have changed in parts of the country in these many years, but not everywhere. Read some of the self defense stories floating around. You will read were the victim was hailed as a hero for defending themselves, but you will read just as many times a self defense case going to the Grand Jury or further. I'm also informed last night that she no longer carries a weapon of any type. We live in an area with little crime and very little violent crime. So there is no longer a need for self defense here. By the way, my wife is a very good marksman. Like I said, it was a flashback.

Deleted my post. You're right. I'm all talk.

Deleted. You wouldn't understand.

I'd rather take anthrax poison than deal with new car salesmen. In fact, I do not buy our cars. I send the wife. She is a shrewed and ruthless bit** when dealing with them, but nothing like I get. I DID drop a salesman on the floor several years ago. I was arrested at home later that day, but charges were dropped. The guy actually laid a hand on me to keep me from walking out the door... It didn't work; I walked out, sore knuckles and all. Anyway, glad you were able to show some restraint. Your're a better man than I.

I come from money. I had the silver spoon syndrome as a kid. I will inherit a small fortune in the (probably) not so distant future. I will still talk to you...

I'm with BTF dude. Nice artwork and well done, but the subject is over the top for me for life. Whoever did the work did a hell of a nice job. Hang on to that guy/ gal. In my world, artists move around quite a bit and are hard to keep up with. Seems like just about the time you get comfortable with one, they move on. Mark

Thanks Jeremy. I didn't think the tubing was golden, but the OEM hose is something I've not seen before.

You have speakers that require 120 volts AC? An inverter changes 12 volts DC (battery power) to 120 volts AC (household power) To measure inverter drain, you need amperage draw of whatever you are powering. Inverters are inherently very poor choices to power anything for very long, unless you have a huge battery bank. I can help with more information. Cheers, Mark

I need to replace the tubing from the two live well pumps to the wells. I know it has to be smooth wall tubing, but is it anything special? I can get an RV white potable 3/4" water hose rather cheaply. I have had one laying on the ground to my RV all summer with pressure on it and have had no problems. Thanks, Mark

The very best way to know if a battery NEEDS to charge is by using a digital volt meter. Your 12 volt battery should have about 12.7 volts when fully charged. A battery is normally considered completely discharged at anything below 11.6 volts. All measurements should be taken with the battery at rest, like an hour or so after last use, or just before first use. I think you will find that if you have a good quality deep cycle battery, you probably have plenty of power to run both sessions. But your charger plays an important roll too. A cheap charger can boil the water right out of a battery. I like to charge batteries around 3-6 amps, and use a charger that is equipped with a "float" option. In other words, once the battery is fully charged, the charger will drop the amperage to a very low level, just enough to maintain the full charge. RVs use this type of charger, and most marine grade chargers will do the same thing. So, if you have a good battery, and a good charger, it will not hurt to do exactly what you do. But if you wat to measure what you do and then make adjustments to your routine, even better! Might save YOU some energy. This link is a table of battery discharge state. You may find it useful if you want to really know what your battery is doing. http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/329/DocServe.aspx Cheers, Mark

Wayne P. speaks the truth. Your bearings, if properly lubricated and installed, can spin a heck of a lot faster than you could ever go (example: 1400 rpm bearing speed @67MPH with 8" radius tire). Insure your tires are in good shape and properly inflated to their maximum (printed on tire), and go for it.

Hell I think they should ALL be REQUIRED to take steroids. It'll put em all back on the same level playing field.

I have lost the will to work since joining this site. I do not have the Internet at home (by choice), so if you are reading this, I'm screwing around here at work. But it's also good to be the boss. I will not fire myself. ;D

Polyurethane paint (which is by far the very best solution to bilge area painting) is available in brush/roller or spray form. The following link has a good explanation of polyurethane paint. Read carefully- the stuff is not your average wall paint. http://www.answers.com/topic/polyurethane-paint I used this system on my bilge area, and I assure you it is fabulous stuff, albeit kind of pricy. I got mine from a local automotive paint supply (dedicated to ONLY paint products). They supply me with all my automotive paints (I paint cars for giggles) and since that is ALL they do, they are quite knowledgeable of their products. They can mix gloss for you, or satins, or flats- in any color you wish your bilge to be. They will steer you in the right direction. Surface preparation is important when using any paint. The best way to clean the area is with a water based cleaner like Simple Green or Dawn dishwashing liquid (Dawn brand is the only one that cuts grease very well), flooding the area with water to wash off all residue. Do this at least twice. Let dry thoroughly for a couple days. But there is more prep The surface will probably still feel waxy when you finish. This "wax" is the additive put in polyester resin for the top layer of fiberglass lay up. About the only way to get rid of the waxy feel is to scuff the area. IT is not affected by solvents. I used Scotchbrite brand pads (I used the green, and it took several of them). And finally After the scuff, the area was wiped down twice with reducer (from the paint place). Lacquer thinner, acetone, or any non residual flashing solvent will also work. Do not use turpentine or paint thinner. I didn't tack it off like an automotive job. After all, it IS just the bilge area! OK, with the prep work finally completed It is not necessary to use a primer for this system. However, if a primer is desired, it must be compatible with the system. I find that it only adds to the cost of the job, and it really isn't needed, unless you have a RAW surface to paint. Please realize that urethane paints can be an extreme health hazard. I always use a respirator (not a dust mask), and use a compressed air breathing system when spraying. Anyway, mix the two parts together EXACTLY like the mix sheet instructs (you will get a mix sheet from the paint guys when they sell you the paint. If you don't, ask for it) and brush or roll it on the surface. I always mix only enough to cover a few square feet at a time. You must work quickly as the solvents flash off rather quickly. You can buy retarders if you want a little more open time, but I never do. If you do decide to go the urethane route, it'll be the last time you do the job. Urethanes are tough as nails (why airplanes are painted with it) and will look new for practically ever. It's a lot of work, but well worth the time if you want a premium job and finish that should last until you want a new boat!

So I need to tune up my 110 Johnson outboard. I have all the tools, the books, and the knowledge to do it. However, one tuning operation requires a test wheel be installed in place of the prop. Makes sense, since the engine will need to rev to 5000 RPM, and with a prop on it, the load would be too great while tied up. I don't have a freakin test wheel! So my question is this: What is a test wheel? Can I get one? Should I get one? Is there any way around this issue? Shoot >