Why do boats break?
07-29-2009, 10:52 PM
#21
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I had a $47k Ford that had a perpetual oil leak and wouldn't start if it was 30 degrees outside. Now I have a $47k Dodge that left me on the side of the road on the Desert in the summer. Dodge roadside service called back after three hours and said they couldn't send anyone ...I needed to call 911. 2 hours later got a tow. They were called by Dodge but since Dodge owes them more than 30k they wont go on a Dodge Call. 500 dollars on my dime. I also have a 2 year old Grand Cherokee that the airconditioning keeps going out and the dash electrical keeps going out. Yea..These yahoos would build awesome boats
07-29-2009, 10:59 PM
#22
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I had a $47k Ford that had a perpetual oil leak and wouldn't start if it was 30 degrees outside. Now I have a $47k Dodge that left me on the side of the road on the Desert in the summer. Dodge roadside service called back after three hours and said they couldn't send anyone ...I needed to call 911. 2 hours later got a tow. They were called by Dodge but since Dodge owes them more than 30k they wont go on a Dodge Call. 500 dollars on my dime. I also have a 2 year old Grand Cherokee that the airconditioning keeps going out and the dash electrical keeps going out. Yea..These yahoos would build awesome boats
07-29-2009, 11:00 PM
#23
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07-30-2009, 04:23 AM
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07-30-2009, 09:04 AM
#26
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Drive problems but all will be fixed this week and some other upgrades The boat has 565ci and from what i'm told coming in around 720 each. I did see 92 that first day out, but the motors timing was way too high. The props were also way too big so I've changed those also. I'm ready too see what she'll do now
07-30-2009, 04:53 PM
#27
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Rigging is one reason. Engine machine work and proper dimensions for sustained marine use is another.
Stern drives. (unless #6's and 800 or less hp). Stern drives are maintance hogs and delicate. You don't see stern drives on too many commerical applications....
RPMS (ruins peoples motors). Sustained high rpms use. Pushrod valve trains don't like this.
Open cooling. Unless proper strained, crap(including salt) goes in your engine (see proper rigging).
Electrics. Electrics and water don't mix well. EFI has some merits, but I don't like sensors in the marine environment. Saving gas is useless if it breaks. Give me carbs and a mechanical fuel pump. Having an engine that vapor locks from the factory is a joke. Often marine engine builders have to select from the OEM efi parts bin, which often means emission controlled, and not intended for marine environment. Who has o2 sensors in their exhausts? May as well use a carb.
Government Regulations/Emissions. Anything mandated by these fools will decrease performace, increase cost, and break more often.
Variables. Shorting drives, stand off boxes, props. You start playing with these and water pressure and rpm changes. Now you are in the R&D business. Drive dimensions are not standard (relative to the hull) so the builder or the owner of the boat has to optimize his own.
Stern drives. (unless #6's and 800 or less hp). Stern drives are maintance hogs and delicate. You don't see stern drives on too many commerical applications....
RPMS (ruins peoples motors). Sustained high rpms use. Pushrod valve trains don't like this.
Open cooling. Unless proper strained, crap(including salt) goes in your engine (see proper rigging).
Electrics. Electrics and water don't mix well. EFI has some merits, but I don't like sensors in the marine environment. Saving gas is useless if it breaks. Give me carbs and a mechanical fuel pump. Having an engine that vapor locks from the factory is a joke. Often marine engine builders have to select from the OEM efi parts bin, which often means emission controlled, and not intended for marine environment. Who has o2 sensors in their exhausts? May as well use a carb.
Government Regulations/Emissions. Anything mandated by these fools will decrease performace, increase cost, and break more often.
Variables. Shorting drives, stand off boxes, props. You start playing with these and water pressure and rpm changes. Now you are in the R&D business. Drive dimensions are not standard (relative to the hull) so the builder or the owner of the boat has to optimize his own.
07-30-2009, 05:58 PM
#29
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This is something we have been discussing all summer. Our area of Texas has had a long spell of heat and humidity. It seems like almost all of the boats that run regularly have broken this summer. From water pumps and electrical gremlins to full blown motors and drives. Why? I have run high performance bikes and cars most of my life, not racing, but owning and driving and they rarely break. Every time one of us takes out our boat, someone gets towed back in. We all do the proper preventative maintenance, oil changes, drive service, etc. So it's not like we don't take care of our boats. What is it about boat engines and drives that make them so easy to break. Is it the environment that they run in? Or the stress of plowing thru the water?All of us talk about having extra parts, engines, and drives around just in case. Why is it so difficult to build a reliable boat/engine/drive combination that is affordable. Is it money. Would a 496 mag ho with a #6 drive keep you out of the shop? Wouldn't be very fast but would be reliable. Just curious if anyone has some input into this. I have owned boats most of my adult life and never had the problems that we have all experienced lately. We all wait for the latest and greatest but they all seem to disappoint. Kind of thinking out loud.Q- Uncle Dave,,why do you have 2 boats?
A-Because with 2 boats I have a 50/50 chance of actually going boating!
A lot of it is environmental- mixing water with anything is a game changer.
A lot of it is the stress factor on boats and engines, and the fact they aren't used in regular duty cycles and tend to sit- then be abused.
A lot of it is guys not knowing what they are doing and trying to build things to go fast.
sooo.....Would we be a lot better off with more and different players- I dont think so. I think we'd have the same problems and need to get parts from different places.
Honda does build a "boat"- its a small one called the aquatrax and I see them broken all the time. Well its a jestki thing.
Yamaha builds full size boats- towed one to the ramp a month ago- it was sinking for some reason.
Sea doo/bombardier builds wakeboard boats - see them broken all the time.
Most autos dont have 300HP much less the 5,6,7,8 ,9 & 1000+ we have in boats.
Even if toyota built a boat it would need an impeller - will that go out in a year of neglect, or misuse, or dry start by your teenager in the garage - you bet.
It is what it is my friend.
UD
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