borderline 350

Dear FT, A large majority of the transducers for Furuno, SiTex Etc are made by Aimar on the west coast. Go to their website and you should be able to find your plug or transducer at a lower price too. I bought a Color 50 HZ Commercial transducer from them for $500. SiTex wanted $900! It even came with the color code (SITEX!) to wire the plug! Respectfully, Jet Boat Bill

Dear Gman, Side imaging is a wonderfull idea for GL trolling. The few individuals who have spent $5000+ on the thru hull boom units could target a single fish 200' from the side of their boat and calculate the depth of the fish! Professional/Commercial grade electronics are capable of doing this. All Humming Bird does is input computer grapics which can make a school of baitfish look great! They make nothing (in my Opinion)for the GL troller. This company makes their profit from the Bassmaster Boat OEM electronics business. they care very little about the Salmon Trolling market in the Great Lakes or NW, USA. Cold, (dense) water operation of sonar equipment is a special field that requires excellent equipment and the knowledge of how to operate it! Us amateurs are only scratching the surface! Of course you are on the best side of the lake for a side scanner too! Your fish are in the top 40 ft of water due to the cold water upwellings from Toronto Island to Oshawa. The finest Chinook fishing in LO was in July. great Memories of the late 80,s!.............Jet Boat Bill

Dear FX, You have a fine economical trolling rig! I restored one of these from scratch in 1979 (1965 PY/Imperial). As Hank from L&M noted, the lower shift cable and related shifting components (shift arm & roller) in the gear case are overdue for replacement. The age, wear & tear, etc. mandate repair on these old Mercruiser I drives. I would definitely replace the shift interruptor electrical switch also. Yes all these units will shift great out of the water with no load on the prop. As soon as the prop is loaded, the dog clutch in the lower case must have a momentary power shutoff in order to shift in or out of gear. Please get an estimate from a professional EXPERIENCED Mercruiser mechanic like Hank @ L & M at Port Bay. Be prepared to understand the cost of Mercruiser Parts and repair. Properly installing, replacing the shift boot, adjusting the cable, fittings is one of the most difficult marine repairs on I/O's. Rspectfully submitted, Jet Boat Bill (551 hours on a Hamilton HJ213 water Jet with ZERO cost for service or replacement parts. Able to navigate in 11 inches of water and park on a rock pile!)

Dear D.T. Yes you can use wellnuts! HOWEVER, I hope you are prepared to lose your rigger and what ever is attached to it!! They are not suitable in any fiberglass deck. I have a very good friend who lost a brand new electric rigger, rod, reel, 10# weight etc. in 75 feet of water in front of the Harbor @ Oak Orchard. He then proceeded to use aluminum mtg. plates with backing plates and bedding compund. And so has everyone else since then. Wellnuts with the rubber donuts in fiberglass are ONLY suitable FOR PENCIL HOLDERS!! Learn from the history, don't make HISTORY! Respectfully submitted....Jet Boat bill

Dear FT, I found what I believe are the correct PN,s 12-32834 and 13-33734A1 (Two each per engine) The two coil lock washer and fiber washer go underneath each of the bell housing ears. (On top of the inner transom plate mount ears). get this right otherwise the new couplers will fail very SOON! Putting the proper torque on the 5/8 head bolt establishes the vertical alignment of the engine at the rear only. The front mount adjustment establishes the final horizontal and vertical alignment. Do this while the engine is on a hoist with the alignment tool thru the gimbal bearing and into the coupler. This shortens the time & effort to properly align the engine to the gimbal bearing. sincerely, Jet Boat Bill P.S. That coil spring looks like a lock washer but has two coils! These parts are approx. 1.75 each. These will be the cheapest parts that you ever will buy from Mercruiser!!!

Dear F.T. As long as the coils are straight and no evidence of being deformed or taken a set is present, you could reuse them. The brown fiber washers should be replaced. If you could get new springs, that would be great also. REMEMBER that the mount bolts that go thru these parts must be torqued to (45 ft. lbs.??) FROM MEMORY. Look in your Mercruiser Manual and it will give the correct torque. also remember that you are working with a Mercruiser I drive which came before the Mercruiser Alpha drive. I will try to look up the P.N.'s for those parts tonight Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Dear BMB36, Couldn't find any info other then the gun was made from 1986 to 1988. Here is my best suggestion, Take the barrel with choke tubes to Beikirch Ammo in East Rochester, NY 585-248-3660. (Tuesday -Saturday, Closed Mondays) Dave or Hans should be able to identify the dimensions and fit one to your liking. (I assume this is a 12 gauge) Other gauges will be hard to get and probably would have to be custom made. Jet Boat Bill

Dear Battery Charger Friends etc., The use of battery chargers seems very simple until you try living off battery systems/ boat engines, RV's etc. If you are seeking reliability in your batteries, read up @ your battery mfgs. website. In general, wet 12V acid type marine/RV batteries need to have 14 to 14.2 volts during the charging cycle. 20 amp chargers are suitable for two batteries, but a 30 amp charger will give you great starting ability, when you have a battery down. Also remember that your std. marine alternator puts out 35 amps or more (@ 14.2 volts) at approx. 2000 engine RPM. NOW if your using AGM or gel batteries, the max.voltage should be around 13.2 VOLTS!. If you do not have the correct charger, battery life is shortened to one season! And YES, the alternator has to be redone to limit the voltage to around 13.2 volts. Several mfg's are making chargers with a switch operation to accomplish the correct charging voltage. My own experience with 4 wet cell group 27's(with a 30 amp charger) was to check the water level every two weeks and add some to keep the level correct. Checking water level is very important in getting max. life out of the batteries. AGM batteries are wonderfull batts when you treat them properly 13.2 volts MAX with the corrected alternator output! Respectfully submitted, Jet Boat Bill

Something for the older boat owner..1980 Mercruiser Service Manual for stern drive units and Mercruiser Marine Engines. Includes 165 thru 454 engines, drives, transmissions and electrical diagrams. Also have the supplement with this. The books are in excellent condition with no missing or damaged pages. $35.00 plus shipping. Jet Boat Bill....SOLD! STILL HAVE THIS SERVICE MANUAL (For Newer Gen II outdrives) .....Also have Mercruiser Serv. Manual #14 (circa 1990) for Alpha One Gen II drives....$25.00 plus shipping

Dear FishTails, I have something you may be interested in. A complete 1980 OEM Mercruiser Stern drive units and Marine Engine manual with supplement. $35.00 plus shipping if you are interested. The manual contains great stuff including electrical diagrams, pictures, engine component overhaul, Merc I drives and more. I am putting it up for sale today.... Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Dear Musky Bob, No, the fish and pictures are real. Saw these photos at least two years ago in a magazine. Please remember that these are a warm water fish and grow fairly quickly. I am going to guess that this one is 25 years old or less compared to a 6' 120# Sturgeon (cold water species) which will be close to 100 years old. A 50 # Lake trout out of Lake Superior was aged @ 49.....So water temps. are a big factor in a species growth. They also need a tremendous appetite and a large food source. Respectfully, Jet Boat Bill P.S. The 65 lb. Musky (Ontario Provinical Record) was taken by a walleye fisherman in the French River on 8# test. I believe that one was approx. 35 years of age (cold water growth). You usually can see this fish at the toronto sportsmen's show in the Provincial Government booth.

Dear F.T. Salt Water use in raw water cooled engines such as this keep us engine guys very busy! Inspect inside the oil filler hole with a flashlight and look for small puddles of water or rust. Pull the dipstick out and examine the oil color closely! If the engine is running properly, the oil color will be CLEAR! If any cloudiness or yellow color is present, it's a good bet that you have an internal water leak! Get something in writing regarding.."No internal water leaks during first 30 days of OPERATION! You have been warned!.... Take a small magnet with you and be sure that the welch plugs in the block are non-magnetic. Scratch the paint off a little and be sure you see brass. If not, walk away. Look closely at the oil pan and be sure that large areas are not heavily corroded and painted over. A little caution and examination are very important before the money changes hands. ....The motor can be run as it is with a little work and a small support stand for the back. But it takes some engine smarts to hook up fuel, water and ignition w/o damaging the alternator etc. Good luck with your quest!... Jet Boat Bill

Dear F.T, These early 250 cubic inch 6 cylinder motors are scarce and old. They were a very fuel thrifty motor. Yes the Mercruiser original exhaust manifolds were made of aluminum and earned their reputation for leaks! Replacements are available in cast iron. Watch out, the ignition distributors had a habit of tearing up the top bushing and losing their point gap! The gap should be .016 to .019 inches to achieve a dwell reading of 32 degrees. If this is not possible, it's bushing/rebuild time. But let's get to your question on value. Yes a rebuilt 165/250 engine is worth all of $1250 outright. Be sure you get some kind of guarantee from the marina. It would be nice to know who did the actual rebuild and what was replaced. This will set your mind at ease and give some faith in your equipment! Actual cost of a good rebuild including assembly will easily surpass 1250! Remember that these engines were designed to run on leaded gasoline, so running them on unleaded fuel will cause early valve seat and valve erosion! This problem can be solved by having stellite valve seats installed by a professional cylinder head builder. Sincerely, Jet Boat bill (P.S. My first boat (19 PennYann) had a 165/250 6 cylinder and was the best boat on fuel that I have ever owned!)

Dear WM, If your boat is leaking stray voltage when in the water, metallic underwater parts..I.E. lower units, propellors, struts, thru hull fittings will show signs of pitting, especially when using stainless steel props. (ON A FIBERGLASS BOAT) If aluminum hull, severe pitting will be observed in numerous areas. Gets very complicated in a hurry. The NW (US) salmon trollers came up with the "black box" voltage device in the 1980's and the idea has merit. What kind and how much are deep dark secrets which causes heated discussions and opinions! I believe in it! Salt water fishermen spend a lot of money on all kinds of underwater gear to "raise fish" Don't worry about measuring it unless you have signs of corrosion damage. Beware of shorepower connections and generators, they can really add to the problem! Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Dear AnvilTop, My best recommendation would be as follows. Take the motors to Brett @ NorthStar Electric in Macedon, NY 315-986-4451. 105 Main Street. Let him examine them and give you an estimate on rebuilding them. He can rebuild most anything 12 volt Marine and automotive electric motors. He can tell you their origin and if they are rebuildable. ONLY after visually examinig the patient's! If these were made by Prestolite for Mopar, remember that Prestolite was sold in 2000 and dismembered to the winds. So, anything left in parts is turning into gold when you go to buy it. Best way out is to rebuild what you have. Brett can even rewind armatures! But ask for the cost before you jump in to repairing these motors! Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Dear Fitz67, What's up from GW? It's more in the realm of what you prefer for your type of fishing, Trolling for Salmon? Drift Fishing the Niagara river, etc. It's best you go for rides in various types of hulls and boats and decide what you prefer and what you can afford!!!! A boat buyer is in the drivers seat today as the used market is flooded. Your dollar will buy you a lot of value. The Tiara boats are excellent construction and sell quickly used, if in good condition. Certain SeaRay models are on a par with GW. PennYann made some good fishing models. Remember that repairs to any boat can get very expensive!! Finding one in good condition is the problem. Evaluate your financial position before jumping into a 23' glass boat. It would require a substantial vehicle for towing 7000 GVW. Fuel consumption trolling is now a major concern $$$$$$!!! Talk to the ProAm fishermen and see that their extreme efforts and sucesses require a small bankroll! Right now it is cheaper to charter a good Captain, then maintain & own a 23 to 25' boat. Yes, I love owning my own boat and the pride of ownership, but the cost of living is effecting everyone and the inflationary fires are burning!! Good luck in your quest. Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Dear Fitz67, Look at all the corners of the chine and transom corners on the outside of the hull. Look for spider cracks and signs of damage and repairs. Check the transom close to the OB mounts for cracks. this will tell you if the boat has been worked hard or abused. Above all have the OB examined and test run by a prof. mechanic. Replacement cost for a 250 HP OB will exceed 16K $$$$ The used ones will bring 8 to 10K $$$ if in excellent condition. GW's are a great fishing boat, but not built to the better standards in my "Opinion" Open all compartments too and look for mildew and cracks. You want to look carefully (and critically) at all the cosmetics of the boat for at least one hour. This will actually tell its life history and previous owners treatment. If at all possible, water test the boat before deposits or money changes hands. You are looking at a 20 year old boat ! Fiberglass boats in freshwater, reasonably cared for will last 15 years before MAJOR repairs or replacement. Salt water boats, especially fiberglass will need gel coat refinishing or painting in less then three years UNLESS Dry Stacked or Stored under cover. And yes, look at the wire harness under the dash and where ever you can see it for NO green corrosion and neatly bundled/dressed. Previous owners may have altered the excellent assembly work done by the GW factory. GW takes great pride in their product, but 1987 was the beginning of the great boat value Depression! Examine very carefully before you buy! Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Fresh GM/Chevrolet Engine assy circa 1977 from oil pan to rebuilt QJ carb. on GM aluminum intake manifold. Marine fuel pump. All new internal parts, +.030 pistons, moly rings, std/std GM crankshaft with new Federal Mogul bearings, large valve heads, new valve springs & rocker arms, cam & lifters with roller timing chain. All new covers and oil pan. New plug wires and spark plugs. Available with 153 or 168 tooth flywheel. HD rebuilt AC/Delco starter and more! HEAR AND SEE IT RUN BEFORE YOU BUY! Best quality for a one time low price. All parts made in USA. Installation available @ extra cost. Wii fit most Mercruiser, Volvo & OMC applicatiions using a std. rotation engine I. E. I/O's Contact Jet Boat Bill...Webster, NY via E-Mail [email protected]

Dear Waterlogged, You may be right on the white ones, but if you get a chance, take the side cover off the black one and you should see a black sealed circuit board (2" X 2') at the switch end of the case. Let me know what you find, please. Respectfully.... Jet Boat Bill P.S. Haven't been inside a white body Cannon since 1992

Dear Waterlogged, To the best of my knowledge, the early Mag 10's circa 1987 & newer had the auto retrieve, stop @ water surface. This is what made the early Cannon Mag 10's so popular! I used five of these on my 27' boat and replaced several boards after being struck by lightning. I just finished repairing some later Mag 10's that had suffered the same kind of problem. A lot of people think they do not have the auto-retrieve, but to the best of knowledge, all large body Cannon electric's have had this feature. Respectfully submitted, Jet Boat Bill Tuesday 9:25 PM

Dear John, The operation of the switch is as described previously. The auto retrieve function occurs anytime you hit the switch "to raise". A circuit board in the rigger performs this function by sensing ground thru the rigger cable. When the weight clears the water, it shuts off the motor. If the circuit board is KAPUT, the rigger will not come up automatically. You should use #10 wire for hookup to the battery. This reduces voltage drop and will permit the best operation (Speed!) If you have someone that is a small DC motor rebuilder, ( GM/Delco window lifts circa 1970) the motor can have its armature polished, brushes replaced and sintered bronze bearings reoiled. This does wonders for the retrieve rate. If you need a circuit board, I have one for sale NIB! $50.00. These are no longer available from Cannon. Neither are the motors! (Delco Products is no longer in business. Sold to ITT then Valeo, now gone (in Rochester, NY) Do not let this bother you, just find a good DC motor rebuilder. And No you can't convert these Mag 10's to Mag 20s' unless you have a bucket of money and only a AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER can perform this operation for 59.00 per hour labor and approx. 350. in parts! I love the Mag 10's for ease of operation and easy repairs. If your fishing 150 down alot, your batteries must be in perfect condition and preferably group 27's. A 100 amp alternator also should be used to keep the batteries up during trolling. Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill 9:35 PM Monday

Dear Big Easy, Congrats on doing a project boat. Requires a lot of mech. skills and saves a ton of money when it comes time for "repairs"! Running a trolling motor steering off your Mercruiser steering results in a dramatic increase in steering effort unless the main engine is running and providing power steering. Most "drivers" will quickly fade from this painfull chore especially on windy days or in high boat traffic. However, a carefull engineering exam. and redesign of the mech. arm connection can reduce the effort required at the cost of reduced steerage motion. This type of bandaid may work for you. Hydraulic steering helms such as Seastar 1 or 2 would reduce your arm effort but are very pricey ($800 & UP!) In this day of expensive gasoline, trolling is getting very pricey. I have run these Yamaha and Honda motors (9.9 HP)and have been astonished at the very low fuel consumption in the trolling mode. Unfortunately my use of electronics and electric riggers killed my batteries! I have opted for the use of the big motor to run all my gear! And yes, the price of these wonderfull trolling motors exceeds my annual budget for health care!! Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill

Dear 003, Your old style rectangular motor body (Mag 10 motor) is or was the Delco "style" power window lift motor of the 1960's. There was several OEM sources for these motors/fitments. I do not know of "Dura" But I believe your motor is rebuildable by a competent motor shop. Will know more by the end of this week. sincerely, Jet Boat Bill Sunday 3:50 PM

Dear 003, You have opened up a serious subject with me. Have tryed unsuccessfully to locate any motors the past two weeks. New or old style anywhere in North America.. Presently pursuing getting a Marlin HP motor rebuilt locally. THE CANNON POLICY OF NOT SELLING MOST OF THE CRITICAL PARTS UNLESS YOU SEND THE RIGGER TO THEM REALLY UPSETS ME! $60.00 per hour PLUS parts is no good when your rigger fails in season! By the way, they were sold to Johnson outdoor products( no longer bottomline) IF YOU CANNOT PRODUCE YOUR ORIGINAL RECEIPT WITH serial numbers, they will not honor the warranty. No the newer high speed motors will not fit your old style case or drive mech. Case is 40.00 with cover, motor is worth new around 250.00 but no service center will sell them to you w/o labor in their shop. YOUR NOT SMART ENOUGH TO INSTALL PROPERLY AND ARE NOT FACTORY TRAINED! Most people probably find this type of repair daunting. Yes, I hate their parts policy with a passion(since 1989). But they do perform their purpose well as a downrigger. BUT when repair time comes, the grief begins. I will let you know how the motor rebuild goes. Jet Boat Bill

Dear Captain John F. This is either a 5.0 GM or 5.0 Ford powered sterndrive. GTX is not referenced in any of my Volvo data for 2000 up. These Volvo marinized engines are good units, but the service parts can be a real headache at times. (Price & Availibility) Starters & alternators can be had, but if this unit has a computer set-up, STEP WAY BACK! These newer electronic units start at $800 and up. Very few people have access to the test equipment and priced out of Site!. If your going to use this unit in a Charter application, Beware of the high service parts cost! and lack of service parts available on short notice. Sincerely, Jet Boat Bill