New boat dissapointment

Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

oldgit said:
There are none so blind etc etc..............:)
Two distinct types of outdrives
Those that have had repairs done ........
.....and those about to need them.
Like death and taxes,if you have these assemblies of aluminium/brass/ steel/ and rubber wilfully corroding away on the back of you boat,at some point they will get you.
Get out while you can .:)
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Usual rubbish about outdrives.

I've had mine 14 years and 1300 hours, service (oil change and bellow check) every other year and still working perfectly. And I can boat in the safe knowledge that if I hit something under the water I'm not going to rip the bottom off the boat.

Can get nice and close to the shore too.

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Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Usual rubbish about outdrives.
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It is always reassuring to know that at least one pair of outdrives has lasted that long with only the costs of replacing all the bits that have be replaced every two years and the labour to do it.
Thought the bellows have to be changed every other year and if you are still using the original prop shaft seals after 14 years you are doing amazingly well.:)



I
 
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Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Oldgit - for a lot of people there is no choice as to whether you have out drives or not. Could you point me to a less than 30 foot modernish (say post1990) sportcruiser on shafts please.
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

oldgit said:
It is always reassuring to know that at least one pair of outdrives has lasted that long with only the costs of replacing all the bits that have be replaced every two years and the labour to do it.
Thought the bellows have to be changed every other year and if you are still using the original prop shaft seals after 14 years you are doing amazingly well.:)



I
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Don't suppose shafts need any maintenance or costly repairs if you touch the bottom. You still have a gearbox to go wrong, bearings to replace, inefficient, leaking glands, extra depth.... I know what I prefer. Each to their own.
 
The Outdrive !

A couple of observations.If you ask those with outdrives what they think of them and then ask those who have had experience of both outdrives and shafts the same question,wonder what the answers would be.:)
It may also be of interest to note that many of the small peche promenade boats,now a major section of the small fast boat market are powered by shaft drives or even outboards,could this have something to do with the reliability and simplicity of shaft/gearbox combination.
One would dare to suggest that far more of these craft are likely to be used in shallow waters than any targa type sports boat. ?
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

KevB said:
Don't suppose shafts need any maintenance or costly repairs if you touch the bottom. You still have a gearbox to go wrong, bearings to replace, inefficient, leaking glands, extra depth.... I know what I prefer. Each to their own.
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Not to mention higher fuel consumption, lower top speed and duller handling. :)

Horses for courses. Would I have a forty five foot flybridge boat on outdrives? No. Would I have a 25ft sports boat on shafts? No.
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

KevB said:
Usual rubbish about outdrives.

I've had mine 14 years and 1300 hours, service (oil change and bellow check) every other year and still working perfectly. And I can boat in the safe knowledge that if I hit something under the water I'm not going to rip the bottom off the boat.

Can get nice and close to the shore too.

10072010133_zpse07494bf.jpg
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Lovely pic.
You've taken old gits bait:)
I'm currently on shafts,would go back to out drives with no worries old git.But then I'm happy to spend my money maintaining stuff,Its my hobby/passion,I know plenty who try to do things on the cheap,skimp on stuff and then wonder why it comes back to bite them on the arris!
I found engine access easier with out drives,heck I even removed a pair of fuel tanks from an outdrive boat without dismantling the boat,try that with Shafts.
A lot easier on the Thames Estuary to raise the legs when you get the inevitable tarpaulin or rope round your props,even the London rozzers use them as Mr old git is well aware of:)
 
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Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

I'm starting to think the whole boat idea is doomed...... Our beloved boat is now on blocks in bits having all the work done on the out drives when it gets hit by a van!!! Deep scratches down the side:-( I'm thinking this is a bad omen....
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Oh no..! That is bad luck.

Erm, well done for getting all the bd luck out the way during the winter for a trouble free summer? Sorry, best effort at a positive spin I can come up with.

For what it's worth though, GRP is incredible stuff and can be repaired like new. Presumably the van's insurance is covering it?
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Bad luck but when the addiction kicks in it's all cobwebs in the wind. She's been christened now, you can relax, it's no more than the first scratch on a new car, painful, but soon repaired and forgotten. Good times are ahead :encouragement:
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Carianne said:
I'm starting to think the whole boat idea is doomed...... Our beloved boat is now on blocks in bits having all the work done on the out drives when it gets hit by a van!!! Deep scratches down the side:-( I'm thinking this is a bad omen....
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This will be covered by your insurance and gel coat is easy to repair with no visible signs it's been done. Thinking about it, you may want to check your insurance for any clauses about notifying them if the boat is on the hard.... and that you did.
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Surely it's the van driver (or his insurance company) that should be liable for the cost, not the boat owner's insurance?
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Need to check that it is merely a gel coat damage .
and not internal cracks to ribs or stringers etc. ?

I would of thought it would have been knocked of the blocks if it had being struck that hard.
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

OG is basing the likelihood of serious structural damage on the the fact that it's got outdrives I expect... :D
 
Re: A new circle of hell .... The Outdrive

Really sorry to hear of all your misfortune, not much fun when things keep going wrong.
I hope it doesn't put you off and that things get better very soon!
 
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