Rick's mods V2.0

Paul I. · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:42 pm

boater50 wrote:

Remote starter on a boat is utterly useless!!!!!!!!

Yes agreed. The chances of a fuel line leaking is small, but if you were on the boat you would smell it. Besides, by the time I load the fridge, unplug the shore power cord, turn on the GPS, VHF ect....... and just leave the slip, its 10 min later. Plus, every 3rd or 4th time I go out I open the engine compartment and check the engine & outdrive levels and more.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:24 pm

Well time for the 6 month overhaul (wet slipped). Can't believe I've had it that long. Removed the stupid tribal graphics. I'll post pics tomorrow of the hull acid washed and buffed. I fixed the stupid water flange in the pivot housing the best I could without the proper tool. The one I made was OK but I couldn't get it all the way down but it should be okay to use for now. I ordered a 2nd VP plastic one and I'll get the local machine shop to make one out of aluminum and when that's done I'll pull the boat back out and install it so it's fixed for the life of the boat. Oh, and it will use a standard hex/socket not some dumbass 2 prong castle nut tool that even my dealer didn't have.

ric · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:02 pm

I only have medium cut buffing and I couldn't get it totally out, but it's 99% gone now. This summer I'm actually going to "wrap" the yellow with another color vinyl to change things up a bit. Cost around $60 bucks for two 30" 10yd rolls of vinyl in any color I choose from sign warehouse. It's really straight forward to do in the driveway. Might do black to class it up a bit, or maybe Four Winns RS florescent green! Not. Probably black.

Done. 9 total hours with 3M "restoration" boat compound, 3M cleaning compound, and Meguiars wax. Still a tad bit of waterline because I didn't feel like wetsanding with 1500. Why? Cause it will be back in a week. Wax your boat every few months, don't let it "go". Even with a high speed buffer I'm dead. This week i'll get a aluminum fitting made for the raw water fitting in the pivot housing because how i have the plastic one in there now it's not going to last but a month. Probably a small batch so I can sell some. I know my mechanic wants a few.

ric · **Posted:** Sun Feb 10, 2013 1:18 pm

Back home

Joe · **Joined:** Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:47 pm **Posts:** 83

As much as I swore I would never say this when I was a kid helping my dad wax his 88 sundowner, but I can't wait to get the boat out of storage and get a good compound rub and wax on it. I bought it late October so I only got to use it 3 times before winterization and storage, but I haven't been able to give it a wax or anything. I'm interested to see how much oxidizing will go away, how much will return, and what scratches will rub out. Whats your suggestions on what compound to use and wax? Anything special I should use for prep?

ric · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:50 am

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... PTZGX97Rgl

I used the restore stuff first, then the cleaner, then a good meguiars high gloss car wax. Oxidation will always return if you keep the boat outside. Mine was pretty oxidized, looks like it was never waxed since the day it rolled off the lot. I'll be re-waxing every 3 months, we get really bad UV rays here in FL.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

Boat looks good! I put on a fresh coat of wax last week and I know how you feel!

ric · **Posted:** Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:49 pm

Well, it's getting to be hot here and been having people on my boat. Yesterday I had 4 friends (two guys/2 girls) and I couldn't get on plane without a nice porpoise. It's embarrassing, so I went ahead and ordered some smart tabs. It's Stingray's unofficial fix for the issue and you can even order them pre-installed on boats now as an option. $115 shipped from Boatersland.

This is a pic off a 2009 195 stingray from the makers of Smart Tabs. They're very familiar with it and assured me the SX9510-60 will fix it up perfectly.

ric · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:57 pm

Which color? I'm going to wrap it when I install the smart tabs:

ric · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:01 pm

askieffer · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:27 pm

I'm partial to the black but the grey is nice looking also.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:29 pm

Yup, I'm pretty much looking at doing black or... orange?

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Why do you need trim tabs on a small boat? Can't get it up.........? (On plane that is) :lol:

ric · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:28 pm

blue dragon wrote:

Why do you need trim tabs on a small boat? Can't get it up.........? (On plane that is) :lol:

In order for stingray to get their advertised numbers of top speed and very low GPH, they designed the hull right on the fine line of stability. My boat is advertised to get 6 GPH @ 30mph with it's 4.3GL. Since I cruise at around 20-22 to hear people talk clearer, I'm getting more like 3.5-4. On a stock aluminum prop it GPS's 56mph. With SS, they go in the low 60s.

The downside? Put anything more than 3+ people in it = slow rolling porpoise. 6+ people = you can only idle around on plane it's uncontrollable. The 60# smart tabs have been reported only to take away 1-2mph and no noticeable increase in fuel consumption with removal of all instabilities. I had do something, it's pretty much summer here already and I gotta use this thing. I had 6 college girls on it Saturday and all we could do was a high idle.

Kelleyo · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:22 pm

ric wrote:

Yup, I'm pretty much looking at doing black or... orange?

Orange?

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Rick's mods V2.0

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