Winter upgrade

[ChrisH]

Haven't posted much for quite some time since the forum moved. I was chillee00 on the old forum with the 15ft Ranieri Revolution open console.
Upgraded over the winter to bigger, and hopefully better.
Successfully sold the Ranieri for more than I expected on Gumtree
Purchased a Mariah FS20
2007 (2008 model)
64 hours
20ft
Mercruiser 4.3 and Alpha drive

[shibbs]

Hi Chris,
Looks very nice, bet it goes well too.
I will keep an eye out for you in the Portsmouth area.
Do they launch for you from a trailer at trafalgar or do you have to sort yourself out?

[Ianfs]

Hi Chris

Thanks for posting. How are you?

That is a great boat, with the later 4.3 I would bet she flies and fairly economical too, even with the bigger engine.

[ChrisH]

Thanks guys. Had high 40 mph so far and certainly is a bit thirsty at wot. But it all feels expensive compared to my old girl. I could spend all day on 25l of fuel.
Had some issues though which I hope are all sorted now.
New bilge pump . Impossible to get to.
Engine alarm. Seems to have been dodgy thermostat. Fuel pump connection issues.
Trailer bearings and brakes replaced. Found the trailer coupling was the wrong spec si have had to replace. It's felt an expensive and troublesome new boat, hoping it settles down now as heading off for our annual jaunt with her to Spain in a week.
At Trafalgar I have to launch myself. Good slipway but limited 2 hours or more either side of low tide.

[ChrisH]

The engine is still the carb version. Is it much better than the older ones?

[Bigplumbs]

Very nice looking boat

Dennis

[ChrisH]

Very nice looking boat

Dennis

thanks Dennis

[Ianfs]

How's the new boat Chris? Been out in it much?

[ChrisH]

Hi Ian,
not too much. What with the weather and a few technical issues. But just back from 3 weeks in Spain where we got lots of great use. The size and layout had been almost perfect for lazing around in local bays, and she performed great when doing watersports. Most impressive was how she handled some of the very choppy seas when the wind got up in the afternoons.

Still have one ongoing technical issue. An intermittent engine alarm. Have had it checked by the broker's engineer who I bought her from. She came with 3 months warranty. Only fauly they could find was a slightly sticky thermostat which has been replaced. Otherwise Sterdrive lube level, engine oil pressure and temp all show good, but the alarm randomly goes off. I can't pin down a specific event that causes it.. ** any ideas ** ?

Also while on holiday the stern drive has been sticking. Won't trim all the way down unless we are underway. I noticed the hydrolic fluid was close to the low mark so bought some and topped it up, but made no difference. ** any ideas again much appreciated **

Dropped her back to Trafalgar Wharf today. Hoping for some Sep weather where we can get out some more.

[Ianfs]

Both issues could be a number of things although the sticky drive is easier to find but by elimination.

What sort of alarm is it, visual i.e. flashing/fixed light or buzzer? A 2007 boat should have a diagnostic plug I would have thought and if so the engineer should have been able to plug it in. Also it's possible your engine went into overheat with the sticky thermostat and the fault needs to be cleared. Other things could be faulty sensor or bad earth somewhere. I'm not certain but I doubt it is the leg not going down, but does it coincide with it?
Your stern drive is a matter of elimination. First thoughts are that when you engage forward drive the force of the prop is compressing the rams which indicates one or both are sticking, or you may have air in the system. I think you can sort the air in system out by raising and lowering the leg fully, right to trailer height and down again five or six times.
Try this and let me know what happens. Although it should have a self air bleed lid on the reservoir this can happen.