Maintenance Advice for a 2 year old SIB

[Vincent Vega]

A couple of years ago we bought a 4.7m Seapro SIB with a 50hp Barrus/Mariner Outboard. It’s only been used for about 6 weeks in total, mainly on the sea in France or Spain. It’s been used for pottering about with the family, snorkelling and for towing water skiers and donuts. At the end of the holiday we’ve flushed the engine using a muff and have cleaned the boat of all the salt water using a jet wash.

I just wondered what else we should be doing to maintain the boat and engine. I’m not mechanical or technical at all so how often would you recommend having the engine serviced by a professional? Is this something that I should be doing every year?

One other question, when we’re using the boat there isn’t much water being squirted (excuse my ignorance of technical terms) out of the outboard. Is this normal or is it indicative of a problem?

Thanks for any replies. :-)

[uncle al]

what does the owners handbook say? Is it a 2/str or a 4/str?
there is a procedure for storing /winterizing OBMs
pm me if you want to.

[SR4]

Check the leg oil, there is a big screw at the bottom near the prop, you will need a BIG screwdriver, undo it a bit NOT FULLY or you will get oil everywhere, and see what comes out, it should be nice oil, if there is any gunky white there could be water getting into it. Worth changing the spark plugs for the minor cost. When you start it up on land do you see water coming out at the bottom of the leg, you should do as well as the squirting, if its not then seek professional advice because I don't know what I am talking about

[Vincent Vega]

My Dad bought the boat and has since left on a Church mission for 3 years leaving us to look after, and hopefully make use of the boat for him. We'll send him pictures. ;-)

I've had a look at his invoice and it's listed on there as a 50hp 2 stroke.

As I've looked through his "boat" file he's also made a note to "order and replace stringer (RHS) both end caps". I know I sound like an idiot but do you have any idea what a "stringer cap" is?

[SR4]

Maybe pray and the answer will come to you in the morning

[Vincent Vega]

Originally Posted by SR4

Maybe pray and the answer will come to you in the morning

I've been trying that for 12 months since he left. I mustn't have the faith that he has. ;-)

[Fenlander]

>>>I know I sound like an idiot but do you have any idea what a "stringer cap" is?

I'm taking a guess on this one. I have a Honwave with alloy floor and they share many features with the Seapro. The stringers will be the alloy sections each side that fit to the floor edges to make it rigid. On a Honwave these sections have plastic end caps which do not fit that tightly and are easily lost. Once mising it exposes a very sharp end on the stringer that could damage the boat material as the stringer is pushed into place.

I lost one the first trip on my boat and ordered some spares as well as the missing one. Got them from a Honwave dealer foc.

[Vincent Vega]

Cheers for pointing me in the right direction. You're absolutely right, it's the black plastic end piece that has fallen out and got lost.

I took the boat in to the place I bought it from today to have the outboard serviced and asked them if they could get replacement end caps. They told me that they can't get replacements and that they're not needed and no damage would be done to the tubes without them. I know they know more about these things than I do but I'm not sure I want to take the risk as the edges do look sharp. I'm not sure what to do now. I'll maybe try a Honwave dealer and see if theirs fit my floor.

Thanks again for the help.

[Pottsy]

Hi Vin
first post for me. i had a yam 360 sib for 10 years and looked after it pretty well and it did me also.

i wouldnt risk running without the end caps as the stringer end may eventually do damage to tubes as the boat flexes. particularly if u run it slightly under inflated.

i use too insert a small piece of plastic mat at each of the stringer ends between the stringer and tubes to give tubes a bit of xtra protection. worked a treat.

[Vincent Vega]

Cheers Pottsy, i'll give that a try. :-)