BOAT/// PAIN IN THE DONKEY

I had to walk away, winterizing my boat for the 2nd season. PAIN IN THE A$$ . They say the 2 best days are when you buy your first boat, and the day you sell it. That day may come next year. Nothing like trying to remove plastic pipe plugs and hose clamps on the bottom of a mercruiser(chevy 350) while laying on top of the engine.

Time for coal-heated winter storage.

All the pipe plugs out still had to walk the 2nd time. Besides ,clint eastwood any witch way but loose is on tv, need a little laugh.

Boats are a pain. I worked as a boat guy for many years. Fiberglass to electrical to power systems. I did it all. I am even a factory trained merc tech. As well as for Volvo. Winterizing is easy. Instead of draining everything just flush it with rv antifreeze.

Slap on a set of rabbit ears hooked to a 5gal bucket filled with the stuff. place the bucket on the transom. start 'er up. if the water pump is good it will self prime. shut it down right before it sucks the bucket dry...by then you should havve pink coming out of the exhaust. walla winterized. This works good in conjunction with a fog treatment.

What are you pulling drain plugs for? When I was growing up we had a boat with a 305 in it, dad had a pump and just filled it up RV anti freeze when it came out the return pink you were done no fuss no muss. Fogged the motor and that was about it.

Eric



BOAT old word to describe a large hole into which you throw money. Sorry I couldn't resist. always loved going to blue marsh and watching the yuppies in there brand new truck with there brand new bayliner trying to back down the ramp. Husband yelling at the wife wife yelling at the kids, taking up both lanes. Was always fun to watch. sometimes now the wife and I will go down there sit on the bank just to watch this cheap entertainment.

Coalfire wrote:What are you pulling drain plugs for? When I was growing up we had a boat with a 305 in it, dad had a pump and just filled it up RV anti freeze when it came out the return pink you were done no fuss no muss. Fogged the motor and that was about it.

Eric

I pulled the blue plastic wing type pipe plugs with o rings, 2 on the exhaust, 2 bottom of the block, 1 on the fuel cooler, and 1 on the water pump hose, and also the lower pickup pipe. This is the only way I know, then I fill it with rv antifreeze

Coalfire wrote: always loved going to blue marsh and watching the yuppies in there brand new truck with there brand new bayliner trying to back down the ramp. Husband yelling at the wife wife yelling at the kids, taking up both lanes. Was always fun to watch. sometimes now the wife and I will go down there sit on the bank just to watch this cheap entertainment.

I hope you were not laughing at me, that is where i go, I can back a trailer well, just loading a 24' boat sometimes takes a little doing, and yelling to the misses who has no clue what to do, but neither the boat or truck are new.

Ahhhh the joys of boat ownership..................

Sure everyone is around during the summer to help enjoy it but noone ever shows up in spring or fall.

I likewise used to just drain and replace with antifreeze. I also installed petcocks where applicable.

Now going to "Brown" Marsh, that is a thrill in itself. I used to enjoy it but it just gets way too crowded. However as any boater will tell you, nothing beats a visit to the loading ramp. Especially if there is a storm coming !!

I have been involved with the USCG Auxiliary for over 30 years as an instructor in boating safety. Over 20 years ago we received a grant from the state so that we could expand into areas not normally serviced. To that end we bought 2 jet drive boats for shallow water areas where a lot of fishermen go. I was tasked with creating and implementing the training program for these boats. They don't handle the way normal boats do owing to no keel and no neutral.

We were holding a training session at Blue Marsh. The operator candidate forgot the first rule of flat bottom boats and that is that wind will affect them tremendously. As he approached to ramp and drive on trailer he backed off the throttle just as a gust of wind came along. He managed to put that 22' boat sideways across both ramps. Here were are all dressed in working uniforms wearing PFD's and being watched by everyone and he blocks the ramp.

That story has followed him all these years and every now and then someone reminds him....... But he NEVER made that mistake again.




Rick

I love my boat, 1989 20' suntracker pontoon. just rebuilt it this summer, new decking,carpet and seats. didnt get it all back together but will next spring.
winterizing mine is easy, take it out of the water, fog the 2 plugs, done. gotta love outboards.

Yep - Boats: a pit you throw money into.

Welcome to my world Fireman. Be glad it's a 350 and not some economy engine with 2mm clearance where you need your hands to be.

You guys should try boat ramps in MA. Sort of like driving on the Pike at rush hour. You can't get a break, even for fun!

Brown Marsh? Is that the small lake that's not too far from the Pocono race track? If this is the lake then I've been there before......back in 1997. Me and a bunch of friends went to the fathers day race. I met up with an old Army buddy of mine that lives in the Pottsville...Allentown area. He had an awesome 24' Baja. He told me it was the only lake around. I remember driving by this old factory that had some sort of toxic waste spill. Talk about freaky. My bubby said that the area would not be livable for quite sometime.There was a 35mph speed limit on this lake with no drinking allowed. One part of the lake was for seadoo's and jetskis....one part for watersking.....one part swimming. There was a cop on the lake with his own boat.....lights, sirens and all. I swear he was always towing some boat into shore for something. They really enforce those speed limits and the no drinking don't they.

sterling40man wrote:Brown Marsh? Is that the small lake that's not too far from the Pocono race track? If this is the lake then I've been there before......back in 1997. Me and a bunch of friends went to the fathers day race. I met up with an old Army buddy of mine that lives in the Pottsville...Allentown area. He had an awesome 24' Baja. He told me it was the only lake around. I remember driving by this old factory that had some sort of toxic waste spill. Talk about freaky. My bubby said that the area would not be livable for quite sometime.There was a 35mph speed limit on this lake with no drinking allowed. One part of the lake was for seadoo's and jetskis....one part for watersking.....one part swimming. There was a cop on the lake with his own boat.....lights, sirens and all. I swear he was always towing some boat into shore for something. They really enforce those speed limits and the no drinking don't they.

Bob, I think you are referring to Beltzville Lake. That Lake is located right off the PA turnpike at the Lehighton/Jim Thorpe exit. I used to do voluntary patrols there for the Auxiliary. The ranger there was quite the character. We kept our patrol boat on the same dock as him. He was always adding new things to his boat. Usually dealing with his lights, siren, or pa system. He and the Fish Commision had enforcement authority on the lake. We do not have any law enforcement authority. Usually either of those 2 would call us and we would do the towing of disabled boats.

My avatar is a pic of me and the grandson on a trip up there. I was pulling the patrol boat for the season and of course no one was around to help. So it was left to me, the son in law, and grandson. I gave them a tour around the lake before we hit the ramp.

Brown Marsh is what the locals call Blue Marsh. It is just north of Reading, PA It was put in after the Agnes flood in 1972. The primary use is flood control for the Schuylkill River. The Schuylkill runs from Tamaqua through Reading, Pottstown, Norristown and ends in Phila. Of course during heavy rains it catches all the run off and becomes brown.

The problem with both of these lakes is the fact that they bring inner city kids there on bus trips during the summer. Of course while swimming, they don't come out of the water They had to shut down the swimming several times at each due to coliform levels. But that is never really given as the cause for the shut down. Can't alarm the masses too much or piss off the illegals. That would be discrimination !!!!!!!


Rick

Rick 386 wrote:The problem with both of these lakes is the fact that they bring inner city kids there on bus trips during the summer. Of course while swimming, they don't come out of the water They had to shut down the swimming several times at each due to coliform levels. But that is never really given as the cause for the shut down. Can't alarm the masses too much or *censored* off the illegals. That would be discrimination !!!!!!!


Rick

Could it also come from the municipal sewer plants ? I know of one fined by epa when they lost waste water during a summertime flood, and those that have their sewer water going directly into the schuylkill.

Boat:

Break
Out
Another
Thousand

av8r wrote:Boat:

Break
Out
Another
Thousand

lol, been there done that..