35 ZR Improvements/Fixes
03-16-2010, 07:20 PM
#1
Registered
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
35 ZR Improvements/Fixes
I'm not sure if this is useful, but here's some stuff I'll learned about my 2008 35 ZR:
First, it is an awesome boat - I just love it.
Second, here's some stuff I've learned:
a) The refrigerator is not mounted in a fashion that has its main frame/housing supported on the bottom. So, while underway, it bounces up and down until the front frame (part around the front door) starts to give way / crack. Pull out the fridge and slide a piece of 1/2" cushion foam in on the floor to fill the 1/2" gap between the factory floor and the bottom of the fridge. Then reinstall the fridge. A quick fix is to loosen all four front mounting screws, let the fridge settle down to the factory floor, then tighten the two top screws securely, and tighten the bottom two screws only enough to snug them. I'm not sure if the fridge people are worried about vibration from the fridge being in contact with the floor or not, but regardless, my door frame was breaking.
b) The anchor locker is always full of rain water, then molds and mildews, rendering your navigation lights and horn inoperable due to corrosion. First, coat your lights and horn with anti-corrosion grease, including the terminal connections. Second, buy some fiberglass repair stuff, and build the floor of the locker up until it is even with the locker drain. From the factory, the locker drain is above the floor by 2", so there is always 2" of water laying in the bottom of the locker. This fix seems complicated, but it's way easy. Mix the fiberglass stuff right in the locker. In other words, pour the base and hardener in, stir well, and go away. No mixing container needed. Counsel with your marine store to get the right stuff - oh, and I also poured in the snow flake stuff to make the new floor strong. Don't over fill or the fiberglass stuff will run down your drain, melt the plastic drain, (because of the chemical reaction heat) and otherwise plug your drain.
Remember, I just love this boat - and throwing some stuff out that might help ya.
First, it is an awesome boat - I just love it.
Second, here's some stuff I've learned:
a) The refrigerator is not mounted in a fashion that has its main frame/housing supported on the bottom. So, while underway, it bounces up and down until the front frame (part around the front door) starts to give way / crack. Pull out the fridge and slide a piece of 1/2" cushion foam in on the floor to fill the 1/2" gap between the factory floor and the bottom of the fridge. Then reinstall the fridge. A quick fix is to loosen all four front mounting screws, let the fridge settle down to the factory floor, then tighten the two top screws securely, and tighten the bottom two screws only enough to snug them. I'm not sure if the fridge people are worried about vibration from the fridge being in contact with the floor or not, but regardless, my door frame was breaking.
b) The anchor locker is always full of rain water, then molds and mildews, rendering your navigation lights and horn inoperable due to corrosion. First, coat your lights and horn with anti-corrosion grease, including the terminal connections. Second, buy some fiberglass repair stuff, and build the floor of the locker up until it is even with the locker drain. From the factory, the locker drain is above the floor by 2", so there is always 2" of water laying in the bottom of the locker. This fix seems complicated, but it's way easy. Mix the fiberglass stuff right in the locker. In other words, pour the base and hardener in, stir well, and go away. No mixing container needed. Counsel with your marine store to get the right stuff - oh, and I also poured in the snow flake stuff to make the new floor strong. Don't over fill or the fiberglass stuff will run down your drain, melt the plastic drain, (because of the chemical reaction heat) and otherwise plug your drain.
Remember, I just love this boat - and throwing some stuff out that might help ya.
03-17-2010, 07:34 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Toms River NJ
Posts: 1,422
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not sure if this is useful, but here's some stuff I'll learned about my 2008 35 ZR:
First, it is an awesome boat - I just love it.
Second, here's some stuff I've learned:
a) The refrigerator is not mounted in a fashion that has its main frame/housing supported on the bottom. So, while underway, it bounces up and down until the front frame (part around the front door) starts to give way / crack. Pull out the fridge and slide a piece of 1/2" cushion foam in on the floor to fill the 1/2" gap between the factory floor and the bottom of the fridge. Then reinstall the fridge. A quick fix is to loosen all four front mounting screws, let the fridge settle down to the factory floor, then tighten the two top screws securely, and tighten the bottom two screws only enough to snug them. I'm not sure if the fridge people are worried about vibration from the fridge being in contact with the floor or not, but regardless, my door frame was breaking.
b) The anchor locker is always full of rain water, then molds and mildews, rendering your navigation lights and horn inoperable due to corrosion. First, coat your lights and horn with anti-corrosion grease, including the terminal connections. Second, buy some fiberglass repair stuff, and build the floor of the locker up until it is even with the locker drain. From the factory, the locker drain is above the floor by 2", so there is always 2" of water laying in the bottom of the locker. This fix seems complicated, but it's way easy. Mix the fiberglass stuff right in the locker. In other words, pour the base and hardener in, stir well, and go away. No mixing container needed. Counsel with your marine store to get the right stuff - oh, and I also poured in the snow flake stuff to make the new floor strong. Don't over fill or the fiberglass stuff will run down your drain, melt the plastic drain, (because of the chemical reaction heat) and otherwise plug your drain.
Remember, I just love this boat - and throwing some stuff out that might help ya.
First, it is an awesome boat - I just love it.
Second, here's some stuff I've learned:
a) The refrigerator is not mounted in a fashion that has its main frame/housing supported on the bottom. So, while underway, it bounces up and down until the front frame (part around the front door) starts to give way / crack. Pull out the fridge and slide a piece of 1/2" cushion foam in on the floor to fill the 1/2" gap between the factory floor and the bottom of the fridge. Then reinstall the fridge. A quick fix is to loosen all four front mounting screws, let the fridge settle down to the factory floor, then tighten the two top screws securely, and tighten the bottom two screws only enough to snug them. I'm not sure if the fridge people are worried about vibration from the fridge being in contact with the floor or not, but regardless, my door frame was breaking.
b) The anchor locker is always full of rain water, then molds and mildews, rendering your navigation lights and horn inoperable due to corrosion. First, coat your lights and horn with anti-corrosion grease, including the terminal connections. Second, buy some fiberglass repair stuff, and build the floor of the locker up until it is even with the locker drain. From the factory, the locker drain is above the floor by 2", so there is always 2" of water laying in the bottom of the locker. This fix seems complicated, but it's way easy. Mix the fiberglass stuff right in the locker. In other words, pour the base and hardener in, stir well, and go away. No mixing container needed. Counsel with your marine store to get the right stuff - oh, and I also poured in the snow flake stuff to make the new floor strong. Don't over fill or the fiberglass stuff will run down your drain, melt the plastic drain, (because of the chemical reaction heat) and otherwise plug your drain.
Remember, I just love this boat - and throwing some stuff out that might help ya.
The Anchor locker use to have a drain that drained the water outside the hull. They forgot to put one in? I have one on my 33ZX..
03-17-2010, 08:34 PM
#6
Registered
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Something must have changed.. I did a lot of AC installs in 35 and 38ZR and the fridge use to lay on a foam layer that protected the fridge from impact almost the same as what you are doing.. Great Move On Your Part..
The Anchor locker use to have a drain that drained the water outside the hull. They forgot to put one in? I have one on my 33ZX..
The Anchor locker use to have a drain that drained the water outside the hull. They forgot to put one in? I have one on my 33ZX..
He stated it had a drain....The floor of the anchor locker is 2 inches below the drain, which left standing water.
Last edited by xhere; 03-17-2010 at 08:41 PM.
03-18-2010, 06:25 PM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Toms River NJ
Posts: 1,422
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry. What I meant to say is that they use to have a drain that was lower then the floor with a hose that went from the bottom of the floor out the side drain, never had water build up.
03-22-2010, 01:12 PM
#8
Registered
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My 38zx had the same drain in the floor of the anchor compartment so it was at the lowest point which was the back bottom of the compartment and a drain out the side with a stainless cover on it!!!!
03-23-2010, 11:22 AM
#9
Registered
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yup, it has a drain, and a nice one - with a rubber nipple at the inlet, a stainless cover, etc. But it was just too high up in the locker. Maybe mine was a freak - but I had two issues going on: one, my anchor line was always soaked and smelly, and two, my horn and nav lights would quit working weekly - all due to the real high humidity. Check your nav lights from the outside - if you see condensation on the lens, you're likely getting it from your anchor locker, cause all three (the horn, the nav lights, and the anchor line) are in the same compartment. The non-working nav lights were a really big deal because you had no idea when they were working and when they weren't.
03-23-2010, 11:29 AM
#10
Registered
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To Shanghied Again - that's real interesting, and exactly what would have been a great solution. Wonder if they forgot my foam? On the same subject, it wasn't fun to get the fridge out the first time because the power wire and ground were too short to allow you to pull the fridge out partway, reach around the back, and unplug the wires. Made me think that a pro would have the solution (ie: how to access the wires from some other location), so maybe you know the trick?? I pulled on the fridge til the wires unplugged themselves ( I know, not cool, but - - -), then on re-installation, went and cut a bunch of cable ties on the wires, unwound them from being wrapped around a bunch of pipes, - all to lengthen the wires out so I could connect them with the fridge partially out, then slide everything back in place. BTW: I love this fridge, hold a lot, and gets everything really cold !!
