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Sidetracked again ( I now own a boat)

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The life jacket here is the recover of the body in a lot of cases. The NW is around 53 degrees in Washington coastal areas. Down a few feet it is colder yet. Life is short it you go into it.

Washington State phased in the training/license requirement and grandfathered existing experienced boaters. I still have my first small boating training certificate from 1958 when I was a Sea Scout. Over the years I sat through the training additional times. And of course in Coast Guard boot camp I went under survival at/in the sea training.

SNOKING
 
Need a license to boat, need a license to drive a vehicle, need a license to carry a gun, but ya don't need a license to have kids, vote in elections or enter the United States.... seems legit
 
You can't fix stupid. Anybody that's been on Lake Erie when the weather picks up knows it's no joke. Calm to 6 footers in 30 minutes and it can get worse from there depending on the direction of the front. It's not a lake that you go out on your own for the first time and people know and understand it. The ones that don't earn the Darwinism award. We don't need big brother saving us from ourselves.

Enjoy Mike! When boats aren't expensive they're dang fun. Get them kids on some skis!
 
Looks like a fun toy, I spent alot of time Skiing growing up and still some of the best memories I have, your kits will love it!

Not to derail the thread but I noticed a Yukon in the picture, does that have the 5.3 or 6.2 V8? I have been looking at one with the 6.2 as a primary vehicle.
 
Looks like a fun toy, I spent alot of time Skiing growing up and still some of the best memories I have, your kits will love it!

Not to derail the thread but I noticed a Yukon in the picture, does that have the 5.3 or 6.2 V8? I have been looking at one with the 6.2 as a primary vehicle.

The Yukon has the 5.3 V8 with the cylinder de-activation. That takes a little getting used to. It does have plenty of sack and will get you moving in a hurry.

Real world fuel economy is 16-18 mpg depending on speed. Hook the utility trailer behind it and it tows ok but the fuel gauge will drop quickly like any gasser.

I have heard that the 6.2 V8 is a better choice but where I picked this one up on the cheap I tolerate what it has.

145,000 and no oil usage or other mechanical mysteries. Does great in the snow. The best thing so far is the super short turn radius, I believe that the front bumper could catch up with the rear bumper if you turned short going really fast.....

I would repeat the purchase for sure.
 
The Yukon has the 5.3 V8 with the cylinder de-activation. That takes a little getting used to. It does have plenty of sack and will get you moving in a hurry.

Real world fuel economy is 16-18 mpg depending on speed. Hook the utility trailer behind it and it tows ok but the fuel gauge will drop quickly like any gasser.

I have heard that the 6.2 V8 is a better choice but where I picked this one up on the cheap I tolerate what it has.

145,000 and no oil usage or other mechanical mysteries. Does great in the snow. The best thing so far is the super short turn radius, I believe that the front bumper could catch up with the rear bumper if you turned short going really fast.....

I would repeat the purchase for sure.

Awesome, thank you!!
 
Also, it is not a primary vehicle for us but it would make a great one. Good climate control, visibility, seating, all first rate.

Ours came with the third row seating but I removed them as they take too much room away from the rear when folded up. Usually just hauling me, the wife and the dog. He likes the second row all to himself.
 
The best thing so far is the super short turn radius, I believe that the front bumper could catch up with the rear bumper if you turned short going really fast.....

I would repeat the purchase for sure.

And a Trailblazer, Envoy, and Rainier(we have one) will turn inside the Yukon circle. DW loves her Rainier.
 
Just remembered this, if it has been run in the road chemicals it will probably need a fuel pump replacement. The tell is if you whiff a slight gasoline odor after shutting it off. The top of the fuel pump/sender lies in a recess on top of the fuel tank so any crap that makes it's way in there stays there and rusts the metal fuel tubes that exit the fuel module. Smells until the fuel pressure is gone and the gas evaporates.

Already replaced mine, did it the first week that I owned it. $200.00 and some skinned knuckles, good to go....
 
Boat coming out of the water tonight when I get home. Had a buddy of mine that used to do a lot of marine work come up Saturday and give my little boat a review. I had already conquered the bad distributor cap, rotor and plugs. Carb may still need a kit but it is running pretty good after 20 gallons of fresh gas going through it.
Still had a vibration that was hard to pin down. Once he got there and mentioned the prop I smacked myself upside the head...I had noticed a few little chunks missing but never put two and two together.....too much stuff too quick....
He says that the rocky Maine lakes usually waste a prop every season, told me to get a new one and send the old one up to a dude in Millinocket that will refurb and balance it. Then just rotate props every spring....
So prop comes off tonight and while I'm there I'll change the gear oil in the lower unit....
 
Boat coming out of the water tonight when I get home. Had a buddy of mine that used to do a lot of marine work come up Saturday and give my little boat a review. I had already conquered the bad distributor cap, rotor and plugs. Carb may still need a kit but it is running pretty good after 20 gallons of fresh gas going through it.
Still had a vibration that was hard to pin down. Once he got there and mentioned the prop I smacked myself upside the head...I had noticed a few little chunks missing but never put two and two together.....too much stuff too quick....
He says that the rocky Maine lakes usually waste a prop every season, told me to get a new one and send the old one up to a dude in Millinocket that will refurb and balance it. Then just rotate props every spring....
So prop comes off tonight and while I'm there I'll change the gear oil in the lower unit....
As mentioned before, make sure to go through the shutter assembly in the exhaust, ITS VERY IMPORTANT ON A USED BOAT. If its neglected, it will allow water to enter the cylinders, and if you turn the starter over with the cylinders full of water, it will be pulled away from the block causing the block to crack. I never neglected mine, however a marine mechanic taught me to just listen when engine was running, and if you hear them clicking, they were OK. He said you didn't need to pull the boots off to inspect them, well that is BS, because in the middle of lake Mead I hit the landyard switch and the motor shut down. Water then backed into the engine when the back wash came at the Transom. I then turned it over and cracked the block, not knowing of the water entering the cylinders. Lucky for me insurance took care of most of the bill, when a rebuilt Mercruser engine was installed. Just saying!!!!!!!
 
Mike, So now that you have this boat your truck is going to be moving as the boat will be living there, ask me how I know this, now I have a boat shed for the small boat, the larger boat 28' stays on trailer in storage yard inside.
 
Mike, So now that you have this boat your truck is going to be moving as the boat will be living there, ask me how I know this, now I have a boat shed for the small boat, the larger boat 28' stays on trailer in storage yard inside.

Yes, I can see storage issues looming already.....:D
 
Also, it is not a primary vehicle for us but it would make a great one. Good climate control, visibility, seating, all first rate.

Ours came with the third row seating but I removed them as they take too much room away from the rear when folded up. Usually just hauling me, the wife and the dog. He likes the second row all to himself.

Ah cool. I have tried some smaller vehicles and really feel more comfortable in a full size one, we have a lot of company that visits so having 7-8 passenger seating is a plus and AWD is nice compared to traditional 4wd in winter. Only problem is all the ones I find for a reasonable price are black and that Is a deal breaker as we live where there is a lot of dust and I like to keep cars clean.
 
Today's work, no time to get back to the seat project so far...

Rebuild carb, not a waste of money because it was a mess inside......everything that had to be removed internally was a battle...

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Back on, it runs a lot better!!


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Fan / Alt belt would not stay tight, kept dropping further down into the pulleys and getting loose. After adjusting it three times over the course of seven days I decided it was time to change it.

Now the front motor mount is right in the way, the belt is actually threaded through it. After some study I discovered that there is a spacer between the mount and the engine block to facilitate a belt change...

Spacer out with jack in place to support the front of the engine

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I also had to take the bolts out of the water pump pulley so I could tip that ahead to get clearance enough for the belt to pass by. After all this I had read about people adding a second belt and zip tying it out of the way. Then if you throw a belt your spare is already around the motor mount. Sounded like a plan to me..



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Spare belt tied against the front cradle..




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