Anyone own a boat that has been pretty much trouble-free?

[livemusic]

I haven't owned a new boat in 40 years, lol. What about modern boats. Anyone have a boat that is trouble-free or are they all a pain, lol?

If you do anything that keeps your boat in great shape, what is it?

As for appearance... I saw a boat recently on the water and it looked nice and I asked the man what it is. He said it's a Champion and it's 25 years old. I was flabbergasted. I'm not kidding, it looked brand new. He said he knows the secret. First is, he said that people who put covers on boats (this locale, anyway)... everything under it mildews. I can attest to that, it happened to me. He said you have to keep them under a garage. And... way back when he discovered Baby Wipes (with lanolin). Wipes down the fiberglass and the seats. I don't know how he keeps the carpet in such good shape.

But I am less concerned about appearance and more concerned about reliability. Main motor, troll motor, all the cables and stuff. Just in general, stuff working, lol!

I am hoping modern boats have improved. As for motors, seems to me that cars/trucks have certainly improved in 40 years. My Nissan Titan is trouble-free after eight years! And I don't baby it. But I do change the oil, lol.

[Preytorien]

The best one I've ever seen is my buddy's boat. He seems to always have trouble with the motor. It's aluminum and he's had to seal a couple rivet holes every year since he's had it. The trolling motor "works" - in that it spins, but the steering is sketchy. He's got 2 graphs, one at the bow and one on the console. I don't know that the console mounted one has ever worked. The carpet looks like Earl and Randy went at it with a weed-eater. It costs him a fortune to put in at our $35/per launch lakes and sucks gas like an anorexic mosquito. I'd say he dumps a ton of money into it.....but as for me.....it's hassle free!

Sorry, I had to....back on topic.

I fish with a guy who's particularly picky about his boat. He's got a Stratos 201 and it's immaculate. I don't think he's got any secret formula he just keeps up on the maintenance and cleaning very rigorously. He's timely about motor maintenance and since he's very mechanically inclined he can easily quickly spot problems and fix them himself. I'd say overall his had great reliability. He uses Evinrude motors and MinnKota trolling motors and seems to have great luck with them. 

[RyneB]

I have a 2014 skeeter with a Yamaha that has been trouble free for the short time I have owned it.

I also have a 2002 tracker with a 40 mercury and since rhe day I bought it new in 2002, it's always had something wrong with it. I ended up just giving it to my dad, what a pile of dung that thing was.

[Al Wolbach]

I have a 1998 Champion with a 225 Yamaha  that I purchased new in 98. It still looks great and the Yamaha performs flawlessly. I did replace the seats about 5 years ago. The biggest problem with boats is the sun. Will damage anything over time so keeping a boat in a garage or under cover when not in use is your best bet on longevity. For your outboard it is maintenance....

[junyer357]

92 hydrasport ls180 with a 93 evinrude intruder 150. Has not been completely trouble free but nothing major. Biggest repair bill was our fault having carbs rebuilt after leaving bad gas in over winter and gumming up. Other than that its been a bad rectifier and basic maintanece. 

Replaced origional omc tm last year with a fortrex, addding a drop mount for pedal last week.  Only problem out of old pedal was bad 12/24 switch and steering cables.  

As stated earlier how you store it is life of hull. Garage kept with no cover. We have a cover we use on overnite trips to keep dew off mainly. Wipe down every time we pull it out of water afterstrapping it down. 

 

[J._Bricker]

livemusic, maintenance is the key and that gentleman in that 25 year old Champion gave you some good advice.  Keeping a boat outside even with a good cover leaves it susceptible to the elements and animals.  If you're able to keep the boat inside a garage, everything will last longer meaning gelcoat, seats, carpet, electronics, tires, and your fishing gear.  Owning a boat is expensive.  Every boat owner can attest "a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money in to".  But if you take good care of your boat and equipment, it will take care of you.  Good fishing, JB

[livemusic]

I am curious about your wiping it down after an outing. Do you wipe every scare inch or the hull of just the top portion or what?

I am generally not that fastidious, lol.

I have a friend who has a friend who wipes down everything upon returning home, trailer included. With spray cleaner.

[junyer357]

Always from the rub rail down to as far as we can reach.  Main concentration is on removing water line and all. Often the above the rub rail depending on lake conditions.  Only takes a few minutes. Normally with dad one of us is wiping down while the other secures inside boat and buckling things down and securing things for ride home. We found it to be easier while its still wet and fresh over waiting til we got home.

Normally we pull the plug and use the water in hull from melted cooler ice to wipe away.  

[Airman4754]

My 04 Triton TR-21x w/225 Optimax has been ridiculously reliable, but I am EXTREMELY anal about preventive maintenance and I do it myself so I know it wasn't hurried or half-assed. 

The only problems I have had was the relay for the down trim went out, but it was after we were off the water and I was trying to put it down for the transom saver. That was $17 and ten minutes. 

The second was one of livewells pumpouts stopped working, then it started working again. 

[gardnerjigman]

#majorjinxthread

[buzzed bait]

my kayak is pretty dam reliable and trouble free!

[Western-Mass-Bass]

17 hours ago, gardnerjigman said:

#majorjinxthread

What he said

[Further North]

Current boat - 2005 Crestliner CMV 1850 with Johnson branded Suzuki DF140 - has been trouble free.  I expect it to stay that way because I'm a nut about the maintenance and I store it inside (as above) without a cover.  If I'm pulling it any distance, I put the cover on to keep crap out of it.

If it gets rained on while I'm fishing, I open up all the compartments whn I get home, take out anything fabric that got wet and make sure it's dry before I put it back in.

...also, there's no wood in my boat - it is all aluminum and composite, so there's nothing to rot.

It's all in the details...

 

[S Hovanec]

I've never done anything to my 05 Lund/06 Honda, other than change the oil and add gas.

[Redlinerobert]

My '07 Ranger Z22 looked brand new when I sold it a few years back.  Great boat, but the warranty had expired and I didn't want to deal with issues after the warranty on the 300 Mercury Racing motor. 

[Scott F]

My 1988 Ranger has given me very little trouble at least since 1995. The original motor, an 80 hp Mercury died on me back in 95 and instead of getting it repaired, I replaced it with a 75hp Mercury which has been really good. My power trim has been leaking a little fluid for the past few years. I haven't gotten it fixed yet because a few tablespoons of hydraulic oil is a lot cheaper than the repair is going to be. I'm going to change the water pump this spring. Believe it or not, I'm still on the original impeller.  

[Bluebasser86]

My last boat (Lowe Roughneck 1652 VPT with a 60hp Mercury 4 stroke), was the most problem free boat I've ever owned. If it had just been setup for bass fishing a little better, I probably wouldn't have gotten rid of it. 

[Fishing Rhino]

2011 Nitro Z-8, bought new.  Steering cable pulled out of the steering rack in the Motorguide trolling motor.  Covered by warranty.

I've made seven 3000 mile round trips with the boat in tow.  Replaced the leaking brake actuator in the trailer last year.

Still on the same batteries that came with it, though I'm watching them closely.  I plug the charger in once a month, and within a minute, it indicates all batteries are fully charged.  I installed a battery switch for the cranking/electronics battery and always turn it off when I'm not on the water.  If there are any leaks in the system, they cannot drain the battery.

As for the boat and motor, no problems.  Get it serviced and winterized.  When I brought it in for winterization I had them put in a new impeller  .  Cheap insurance.

The only time it's in the sun is when I'm on the road or on the water.  It's kept in a garage, and the hatches are open to allow plenty of air circulation. 

As the saying goes, "Take care of your equipment, and your equipment will take care of you."

[livemusic]

Tom, I think leaving those hatches open inside your garage is a big plus for your boat! We have a big problem with mildew in this locale.

[Brian Needham]

boats are trouble free, its all the stuff we have hanging off of them is the issue, LOL

 

[WIGuide]

All 3 boats I've owned have been pretty trouble free. 

98 2 man Bass Tender 10.2 with 88 8hp Johnson. Not much to go wrong there. Only issue I ever had was when I cross threaded one of the spark plugs, lesson learned in my early teens.

1986 Ranger 320V - 96 Johnson 88spl. Previous owners had stored it outside with a cover so the trailer fenders were faded the boat looked mint. Aside from replacing the bilge pump, areator, and rebuilding the livewell valve the only money I ever put into it were for upgrades.

 

Current Ride is a 1997 Ranger Sport R70 with a 1997 Evinrude 130. Gelcoat needs a little polishing and I had to replace the trim pump as the old one crapped out. There have been a few minor fixes I've tackled that had to do with wiring, but that's only because the previous owners hand no business owning a boat. The only things I've fixed are those that they have messed up. Aside from those few things I haven't had to do anything major. Again only money really spent was on upgrades.

 

With all boats those that are taken care of will last much longer. If you buy one and let it sit out in the yard, the sun will beat it up. If you take care of it, it'll last you a long time. 

[Fishing Rhino]

10 hours ago, livemusic said:

Tom, I think leaving those hatches open inside your garage is a big plus for your boat! We have a big problem with mildew in this locale.

There's no doubt about it.  I am very fortunate.  My garage is heated and air conditioned.  It doubles as my fiberglass shop, so I do have to pull the boat out from time to time.  When I do, I put the cover on it.  Then it goes back in at night. The lowest it gets is 45 degrees in the garage.  When I'm going to spend some time cleaning and organizing I turn it up to sixty.  When I'm doing fiberglass work it gets cranked up to 65 degrees.

[BrianSnat]

Knock on wood, the only thing I've done to my boat in the 4 years I've had it was put on new trailer tires.  Granted it's a pretty basic aluminum V hull boat with a tiller outboard.  Not much to break

[carlm01]

On March 10, 2016 at 8:23 AM, RyneB said:

I have a 2014 skeeter with a Yamaha that has been trouble free for the short time I have owned it.

I also have a 2002 tracker with a 40 mercury and since rhe day I bought it new in 2002, it's always had something wrong with it. I ended up just giving it to my dad, what a pile of dung that thing was.

So you gave it to your dad Lol    

[RyneB]

He only fishes a little strip pit about 3 times a year. He just anchors an drowns worms