We just put a down payment on our first boat!

Bizzerker · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 399 City: Wichita

Hey all, it's been forever since I've been on here, and I wanted to celebrate with everyone, we are going to pick up our first boat this coming weekend!!!

We found a 2002 SANTE with about 1200 hours on it...I know that seems like quite a few, but most of the folks on here have had nothing but good things to say about the 5.8 PCM H.O.'s.

It has the following:
- Stock solid ballast in the ski locker/belly area
- Previous owner took out the solid tanks in the back and put two 400# sacs instead
- All the gauges are in good working order (I saw someone said that year range was notorious for gauges going bad)...
-Wet sounds tower speakers and a kicker sub/amp.
-stock interior has some stains, but no rips/thin spots

Here's the negatives: 1. The hours...still concerns me even though the test ride proved to start up crisp the first try, smooth at all towing speeds, no crazy sounds/nice and smooth at the 35+mph range.
2. There's some minor paint missing/wear on the stock tower.
3. The surge brakes (or for that matter any brakes on the trailer) have been removed.
4. There's no cover coming with the boat...

Can you all help me with a few things?!

I want to know if there's an inexpensive cover (not for trailering, but just to keep down dust during winter storage and to keep water out if we are on a camping weekend and just done want rain - Maybe something that fits over the entire boat - tower and all.

I also want to know if there's any immediate care/maintenance I should be doing, or just worry about that next season since there's probably only 1 or 2 more days we might have time to take it out before it starts getting too cold (four year old and 3 month old aren't as tolerant as all us adults...)

Any suggestions for a battery charge/maintenance device for mounting in the boat and keeping plugged in over the winter to keep the batteries fresh?

Any suggestions for getting that yellowish color out of the vinyl where people's suntan lotion probably discolored the vinyl?

Thank you all for your thoughts! I'm glad to be back in the saddle for boarding/surfing, and it looks like the guy that owned this previously had a pretty sweet setup for boarding as well as surfing! (At least the test drive showed some very promising wakes!)

Bizzerker · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 399 City: Wichita

I guess the pics didn't go with the first post

Bizzerker · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 399 City: Wichita

Well boo, I'll try getting some pics up soon...

FlyZone CR · Posted: Sep 22, 2015 8:20 pm Post subject:

Congrats man! I hope to upgrade to that boat/hull soon as well. Now have a Nautique 2001 with just over 2700 hours. Most these engines undergo a rebuild around 1500 I think. But with good maintenance they'll go on and on forever.
Get those pics up! Smile

I found a good cover at a great price at iboats.com.

eeven73 · Posted: Sep 23, 2015 7:52 am Post subject:

I am sure a quick google will get you a number of cover options. Overtons.com has a number of options in terms of quality vs. price.

If you are capable, Change fluids(oil, vdrive, tranny), change spark plugs, Thermostat, impeller.

Get a trickle charger(2amp) and keep the battery hooked up most of the winter to it in your garage.

303 makes highly regarded vinyl cleaners and protectant. http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/303-products

In reality you will probably never get 14 year old vinyl to sparkle like new.(you don't have to stress as much about inevitable stains from the little ones.)

Bizzerker · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 399 City: Wichita

Thank you both! I'm going to have to settle for being excited about using it next year because we were blessed with one really sunny warm afternoon the day we bought it. Now, it seems those last few nice days are coming on days we can't go to the lake...so it's getting winterized and all the fluids done.

I forgot to update...turns out the previous owner had a brand new cover for it at his house! He found it, and brought it to the dealership we bought it from!

I'm not sure if the post is still on here, but wayyyy back in college my roommate and I made lead weights to use in the front of his boat...I'm coming up with something similar - it'll be a fun project. Anyway, we thought we were clever and called them "bombz" - I think is what we called them. It was 4" PVC cut to 11" length - it came out to 50 pounds, and then you could seal it off...this time I'm going with something that won't roll around. I'll see if I can post some pics of the process when I get done with a couple of them.

On our first ride out to the lake, the wake was MASSIVE compared to what we had about 10 years ago...funny enough, the boat we just purchased was made in the years I used to go to the lake...still, it's weighted nicely, but a little washed on the top - so 100-250 pounds of lead are going in to the nose of the boat...

Plus...i'm itching to try making my own redneck surfgate... I got to surf, but I didn't quite have enough curl yet to let go of the rope...

It should be a fun winter for boat projects! I'll keep you posted!

FlyZone CR · Posted: Oct 19, 2015 8:39 pm Post subject:

Still no pics?!

NKCrider · Posted: Oct 20, 2015 1:06 pm Post subject:

1. as stated, Overtons is great for covers and have a decent range of prices
2. i change my engine oil every year. trans fluid/spark-plugs/impeller every other.
3. remove battery(s) and place them somewhere the temperature isnt going to change very much (garage/laundry room/kitchen table)
4. give Mr. Clean magic erasers a shot at cleaning the vinyl, i wipe down my whole boat beginning/end of ever season and its amazing the grime they clean off

Bizzerker · Soul Rider Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 399 City: Wichita

Great call on the magic erasers, I'll have to give it a try when I get it back from service.

Sorry about the pics...apparently this site doesn't like iPhones very much and we just replaced our computer...ill get something up there the next time my wife is working a night shift!

It almost sounds like you might have seen a boat go down because of solid ballast! That's pretty scary....maybe I should just get one of those clear plastic bag/containers you can use for drinking water when you're camping, manually fill it, and stick it in the front of the boat instead...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stansport-Collapsible-5-Gallon-Water-Carrier/41594627

5 gallons is shot 40 pounds...maybe two or three of those...it'd be a lot cheaper than fat sacs and not as dangerous as solid ballast...good thought for sure!

NKCrider · Posted: Oct 22, 2015 10:40 am Post subject:

2000 Moomba Outback, I use two 45gal trashcans(~700lbs) and fill/empty with a 5 gal bucket. Look like an idiot bailing water INTO your boat but i dont care it gets the job done for $50... And while ive never seen a boat sink due to solid ballast use, i worked in the industry and theres a reason manufacturers use water