If I were a boat designer/builder ...

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

ric wrote:

If I were a boat designer/builder.. I would sell bow filler cushions and keep them in stock, instead of telling us they exist but in reality it's easier to find bigfoot.

LMAO!!!!! Preach brother Preach!!!!!

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:20 am

Jafo4U wrote:

Give the option for southern boaters to do away with those god awful carpets jeez!! A nice non slip gel coat option would be nice.

Joe in Miami

Joe, They do that sometimes, My boat ( 2004 Sundowner) has snap in carpets, the floor beneath it is finished non slip gel coat.

Graham

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

Maybe I will have to hit the floor with a good washing because it was really stained by the carpet and it was pretty slippery. Who knows my 2008 SS might have the same floor.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 6:35 am

Jafo4U wrote:

Make the engine parts that fail regularly easy to remove and the water drainage in the engine compartment at the lowest point which the way it is now it is totally ridiculous to have to take a towel and wipe up an inch and a half of water just sitting there next to the drainage hole. Also just like it has been said before the bilge system on these boats is garbage! Give me the option to add bigger pumps if I want to not just one 500 GPH or 800 GPH build redundancy into these systems. Factory installed solar tricklers to keep batteries charged would be nice. Battery hookup under the seat where the perko switch is at so if your batteries go down you can still access the engine compartment by just slapping on jumper charger. Make the wake tower easier to fold. Give the option for southern boaters to do away with those god awful carpets jeez!! A nice non slip gel coat option would be nice.

Joe in Miami

Carpet? You mean the "nest"

lololol

rjrose · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:14 am

Joe: like your idea about the battery hook-up. Makes so much sense!

ric · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:13 am

In all reality, I'm quite happy with my H180. The main feature I wish it had... was a self bailing deck. It would be so easy to just have PVC pipe connect the rear deck to the outside hull. Heck, that might be a feature I have installed

chrisvs · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 8:35 am

I agree with a few that have been posted here...

-add a fiddle or sculpt the sides of the boat so that water drains out of the boat, not in it. Sitting in our boat with the cover on (in our case the convertible top) in the rain, it is incredible how much water pours in from the very back edge of the windshield! Also, do something to stop rain water from pouring in at the bow cover/base of windshield connection. I am a designer (mechanical structural), and I am dreaming up a few fixes for these problems right now....

-Ski locker, make it big enough for a wakeboard!

ric · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:32 am

I know right? Who actually ski's in 2011.

LED lighting should be standard on all lights just on the pure fact they have less heat and power draw.

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:39 am

ric wrote:

In all reality, I'm quite happy with my H180. The main feature I wish it had... was a self bailing deck. It would be so easy to just have PVC pipe connect the rear deck to the outside hull. Heck, that might be a feature I have installed

Ric,

Both my Sundowners (1999 and 2004) have had self draining cockpits; I read somewhere it's a legal requirement for the European "CE" certification. Scuppers, something like 2" PVC hoses and through hulls. The earlier one had a check valve (like a ping pong ball) in the scuppers, the later ones have a rubber flap valve in the through hulls. The later one also has manual ball valves at the lowest point.

Graham

gregs · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:41 am

How about fixtures to hold the fenders in the proper places to actually fend the boat off the dock.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:55 am

Graham R wrote:

ric wrote:

In all reality, I'm quite happy with my H180. The main feature I wish it had... was a self bailing deck. It would be so easy to just have PVC pipe connect the rear deck to the outside hull. Heck, that might be a feature I have installed

Ric,

Both my Sundowners (1999 and 2004) have had self draining cockpits; I read somewhere it's a legal requirement for the European "CE" certification. Scuppers, something like 2" PVC hoses and through hulls. The earlier one had a check valve (like a ping pong ball) in the scuppers, the later ones have a rubber flap valve in the through hulls. The later one also has manual ball valves at the lowest point.

Graham

Beautiful. Maybe this winter when it finally cools down I'll have that installed with those check valves. That would make rain and wash down so much easier to deal with. It rains so much here in Florida I'm surprised my bilge pump didn't die yet. It would also make it 10000000000x safer to boat in rough water as you won't sink if a wave crashes over. I'll I'd have to do is just cut me out a new ski locker door without holes and have it seal with some stripping when closed. Awesome!

Makes you wonder why it's not like this from the factory? It's a boat, boats get wet. Why not have the water go overboard? lol

It would also be a huge safety feature. A few months ago someone posted how in their bow rider they got caught in rough water and almost sank their boat from water coming over the bow trying to get home. If the deck was self bailing it wouldn't have been such an emergency.

rjrose · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 3:27 pm

+1 on the LED lights.

How about a post or stanchion to prop open the seats to enable better access to the storage areas. It's a little difficult to drag out a power cord with one hand while holding the seat up.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:09 pm

+1 on the LED's, and go back to having dimmers at the helm.

Also - provide a trailer that's at least of the same quality as the boat sitting on it. Fitted out with bunks, hardware, & tires that don't all have to be replaced immediately, etc.

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:36 pm

230 Mike wrote:

+1 on the LED's, and go back to having dimmers at the helm.

Also - provide a trailer that's at least of the same quality as the boat sitting on it. Fitted out with bunks, hardware, & tires that don't all have to be replaced immediately, etc.

Mike,

Boat manufacturers should stick to making boats; trailer manufacturers seem to know a bit more about how to handle steel!

Graham

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:43 pm

[quote="ric It rains so much here in Florida I'm surprised my bilge pump didn't die yet. .[/quote]

It rains a lot here as well, only the rain in the Summer is often at 50-55 deg.F , not 80 deg.F + like in Florida; makes a difference !

Not all the time though of course; We had a vacation in Florida February 2010. Rain at 47 deg.F and 60 mph on theme park rides was not wonderful ! just like being at home in the Summer really.

Graham

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