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Sorry to flood messages, I should have combined this with my bimini question, but here goes - I am coming from much larger boats so this is really my first sub 30 ft boat:
1. Where is the preferred battery position, under the console? Currently it just sits in the back of the boat. Very odd.
2. underway, should I have any of the drain plugs out?
3. My motor (a johnson 70) is running great with good compression, but there is no trim/tilt. Should I be thinking about correcting this through trim tabs or an aftermarket trim/tilt?
4. The screws on the rail brackets have pulled out in two spots. I suspect I can search and find the solution.
5. In front of the console (fore), there are six screws in the flooring, three port, three starboard near the edge of the no skid area (triangular area) - what were these for?
6. Preferred cooler tie down for a 94 igloo?
7. The console has this goofy black plastic/vinyl sheet glued to it, around the steering and controls etc. There is a glue residue when I scrape i toff - any suggestions on removal products?
8. It has a bilge pump in the small opening where the fuel etc lines enter from the stern - is this normal? It seems to simply pump right back to the opening.
Here are my thoughts - sure you'll get more. I'm a recent 17' purchaser, too (1991 LES), though I grew up in a 17' montauk.
1 - many leave the battery in the back, but those that move typically put them under the console. The primary advantages are moving a bit of weight forward and center and reclaiming that floor space. The disadvantage is some rewiring through the tunnel as well as space to work under the console. Moving it, in my opinion, is a nice to do and far from a must do.
2 - The drain holes in the motor well should always be open (no plugs). The plug in the anchor well up front can be in or out underway - but I always leave mine out so that any water that comes in over the boat and or the well captures water during a rain storm it will drain. I assume (pics would help) that this relates to your #8 question and that the bilge pump is in the bilge (end of the tunnel/raceway from beneath the console to the back of the boat, and the lowest most rearward point) and empties into the motor well. As long as the holes in the motor well are unobstructed, bilge discharge will evac the boat through the drain holes.
3 - I don't know that I've seen trim tabs on a 17' whaler, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. If you check around with some of the boat salvage yards, you may be able to find an old motor with a working trim system that you can use.
4 - Several solutions here depending on how bad it is - if otherwise stable and just two screws, you might get away with just some 4200 in them. A larger diameter screw is also a possible, though inelegant, solution. The preferred (I think) is to drill them out and plug them with some epoxy and hard dowel, then redrill for the proper screws.
5 - Just a guess without pics, but I'd assume those were mounting screws for cooler chocks or for some seating.
6 - I'll let others tackle this since I don't have that cooler. I use a yeti 50, and it doesn't move at all with the rubberized feet.
7 - Not sure - tried goo-gone?
8 - see #2 above - post pics if I've misinterpreted.
I'm sure you'll get other input.
parobellum wrote:
Sorry to flood messages, I should have combined this with my bimini question, but here goes - I am coming from much larger boats so this is really my first sub 30 ft boat:
1. Where is the preferred battery position, under the console? Currently it just sits in the back of the boat. Very odd.
2. underway, should I have any of the drain plugs out?
3. My motor (a johnson 70) is running great with good compression, but there is no trim/tilt. Should I be thinking about correcting this through trim tabs or an aftermarket trim/tilt?
4. The screws on the rail brackets have pulled out in two spots. I suspect I can search and find the solution.
5. In front of the console (fore), there are six screws in the flooring, three port, three starboard near the edge of the no skid area (triangular area) - what were these for?
6. Preferred cooler tie down for a 94 igloo?
7. The console has this goofy black plastic/vinyl sheet glued to it, around the steering and controls etc. There is a glue residue when I scrape i toff - any suggestions on removal products?
8. It has a bilge pump in the small opening where the fuel etc lines enter from the stern - is this normal? It seems to simply pump right back to the opening.
Try using acitone on the residue from removing the vinyl sheet. The bilge pump should have a hose that pumps either overboard or into the motor well. Make sure that every screw in the boat which screws into the fiberglass has a marine bedding compound on the screws threads to keep water out of the glass and from rotting the wood imbedded in it. 3M 4200 is fine to use as a bedding compound. There are many to choose from. Don't use silicone.
I winter in Ft. Myers and summer in St. Joseph, Michigan. It’s now about 12 years since I’ve joined this group. I gave my 1972 whaler to my daughter and sold the 17’. Bought an O’Day 28 sailboat and sailed on Lake Michigan. Yesterday I bought a 2005 130 Sport.
I have a 1979 Montauk (all original) which is the identical boat to the 1982 model you have. Here is a link to the photo album. Perhaps this will help with some of your questions and restoration solutions:
1. Where the battery goes is subject to much debate, but I prefer Whaler's chosen location in the stern corner. They knew what they were doing. The matching tan Whaler battery box is important for this location in my opinion. I recently saw a Montauk with battery moved to the console, and the unecessary clutter was unbelievable, taking up up MUCH NEEDED storage space in the boat. Both oil injection tank and battery (sitting on the boat floor though large hole in console floor) were in the console, and the tunnel was cluttered with the large, thick battery cables and oil injection hose and wiring, leaving practically no place for an esential bilge pump installation.
2. You should always keep the bow locker plug in, and also the stern sump plug. The only time to remove stern sump plug is if you are taking MAJOR water into the boat while underway in heavy seas. Otherwise a functioning 500 GPH bilge pump will get rid of any water, either underway or at rest.
3. Power trim is always nice to have, but with only a 70, not essential. I would not bother changing it, nor installing any kind of trim tabs.
4. Already answered. I use Marine-Tex White epoxy, drilling out hole to twice the #10 screw diameter (3/8" drill). Sand and buff flush, re-drill for the #10 screws.
5 & 6. I would buy factory designed replacement varnished mahogany cooler cleats for the 94Qt Igloo.
There are vendors that can be found on this site. Re-use the existing screw holes in the floor. Set cooler in place with hinges forward! For a factory tan pleat replacement cooler cushion, use Anderson Upholstery in FLA. They are the only vendor still making these, and are first class. Twin Cities Marine can get one for you (from them) if you do not want to go direct.
7. For replacement of the black vinyl console surfacing, I used black carbon fiber adhesive vinyl sheeting. it is basically an automotive product, but it came out nice and looks great. See Ebay for sources. I also replaced the teak plywood instrument panels with new solid teak panels, planed to 3/8" thickness. I upgrades steering to BayStar hydraulic, basically to get rid of the bulky rigid steering cable.
8. I believe a functioning bilge pump is mandatory. I used the little, very compact Rule 500 GPH "chip" sensing automatic (about $60), powered through a simple dash mounted on-off switch, so the sensing mode can be completely turned off when the pump is not needed. The black smooth-wall discharge hose follows the engine/steering rigging, and dumps over the transom alonside the engine. Done correctly, it's not even visible or noticeable.
