Is it the quality or me?

New Horizon

Member
Nov 1, 2018
103
Boat Info
420 Aft Cabin MY 1997
Engines
Twin 3116 Cats.
It seems things just break or stop working every spring for no good reason. When I put the boat in heated storage last fall everything worked perfect. Get in the water this week and two shower sump pumps not working (Cleaned them thoroughly before storage. Every year it seems I have to replace either the switches or the pumps? Rear air vibrating excessively. Not sure what is going on there yet. When I start the engines electronic noise comes through my speakers on the bridge. All was fine last fall. The Gremlins are very active this year. Anyone else feel this kind of pain in the spring?
 
It's always something!

This year I took off my own shrinkwrap -- both so I didn't have to wait, and so I didn't have to hunt around to see what they broke in the process of removing it :mad:

I'm surprised you can only get a year out of the shower sumps :eek:
 
My dc Cig Lighter socket was fine; not working after launch, and the Tachometer that was fine, went haywire over the winter. Thanks to techmitch for the solution.
So ya, you’re not alone.
 
I agree, every spring launch it’s another two or three problems that were not present at the end of the season 6 1/2 months ago :(
 
I can relate. Shower sump and leaks at the fresh water manifold for galley and head faucets. No issues prior to storage. And the expensive part was on the port motor—the water pump housing. All good now but jeez! So yeah. Gremlins.
 
I also agree, there is always something that worked on November that doesn’t work now in April. Everything is meant to be used and sitting idle in sun zero temps can’t help.
 
Yup - Raw water pumps all good when winterizing, started up back in late march and went for run, Port engine pump had blown shaft seal, dirty bay water sprayed everywhere. Always something. I have just learned over the years to expect things to be in need of attention and count my blessings when they are not - after all, as my mechanic always states - It's a Boat.
 
It's not just boats. I've had plenty of hot rods, classics, 60's muscle and the ones that sit, break. The ones that were "exercised" regularly didn't break....as much, anyway. In the car business, used cars that sat for extended periods had the same fate. We called it "lot rot".
I'm getting launched tomorrow hours away from home. My fingers are crossed that nothing "broke" over the winter that'll keep me from heading north with it tomorrow afternoon.
 
This is always an issue when items are not run regularly. Southern boats have more sun exposure but we use them year round and don't seem to have the gremlins. I used to leave up north and it was the same. I guess those that need to winterize should just sell us their boat s at a huge discount.
 
Agree to lack of use, especially with things that require water, lubricant and such on a recurring basis.
 
It's not just boats. I've had plenty of hot rods, classics, 60's muscle and the ones that sit, break. The ones that were "exercised" regularly didn't break....as much, anyway. In the car business, used cars that sat for extended periods had the same fate. We called it "lot rot".
I'm getting launched tomorrow hours away from home. My fingers are crossed that nothing "broke" over the winter that'll keep me from heading north with it tomorrow afternoon.
Good luck on your initial ride back up to Anchor Bay. That is a beauty of a boat!
 
Some problems are quality, some are age, some are previous owners...
If you have a 2015 or newer and have regular problems yeah a fair amount of that is quality and workmanship have declined. And I would certainly be frustrated as well.

We span the 1990's, 2000, 2010, 2020. That's four decades. And some have older.
My 1994 is now 28 years old, going to have to move the 300s to the "Classics" forum.

I have components that are obviously OEM and still work fine.
Refrigerator going strong.
I seem to have the original or very old sump and bilge pumps and still going strong.
Then I have blowers that are obviously much newer style and they squeal like a stuck pig when I start them.

I have 2015 Alpha outdrives (and need to swap out the transom units I got with them) due to heavy electrolysis the PO ignored.
The water heater was rotted inside and out, now new with stainless shell .

But at 28 years old I'm not at all surprised some thing just stop working.
 
Kind of like us, at 55 years some things squeal, ache and some just stop working...especially from lack of use.
 

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