New to forum and complete boating newbie

BruceK

New Member
Feb 25, 2014
22
Wales UK
Boat Info
1989 21 foot Sea Ray Seville
Engines
Mercruiser 3l 4 cyl
Hi to everyone. I'm nervous as a whipped spaniel here. I recently bought a late 80's Seville CC (21 foot?) and dont even know if I get sea sick or not. Thing is, I'm a die hard (shore) fisherman and was looking for a small 15 foot cathedral hull affair when on the third annual fishing holiday I struck out while the boats were hauling them in. And that's where it started. SWMBO said great, but it will need a cabin for when you take the kids with you .... yadda yadda yadda fisherman's widow yadda yadda ... the usual affair... and it must have a toilet on it for me because I'm coming with. :smt101 :smt100
Well bang went my cheap fishing boat and a real can of worms were opened. Because the resulting cost of ownership spilled over into a new car that could tow the added weight legally and a resulting move closer to the sea so we could take advantage of tides and trailer launching. All which cost major $ for this working schlebb and resulted in a very fine truck and house - by - the - sea and unfortunately very little left for the boat itself :smt100:smt101:lol: SWMBO is very adept at manipulating my peccadilloes and ambitions to her advantage. But I guess that's a cross every man must bear and I'm not looking for sympathy on that score, just laying the groundwork on why I have a late 80's boat that I know absolutely nothing about and am forced to trawl the interweb to hopefully get some answers on what exactly I have inadvertently let myself in for.
But I can spin a spanner with the best of them. I have been restoring bikes and cars back to former glory for 20 years as a past time that keeps me out of the pubs and where ever else trouble may brew and under the watchful eye of the Missus. So how hard could a boat be?
And that where the trouble started. The engine and stern drive had so many layers of paint on I couldnt identify what model or parts. Did that stop me taking it apart..... Nooooooo. The more I take the stern drive apart the more horror, but I think I've largely got there with just about replacing every part for good measure. Now the block. How do I go about identifying it. All I can see at the moment is it's a 3 litre 4 cylinder jobby and all other identification has long since passed from recorded or living history. What should I be looking at structurally? So many questions! In the meantime, however, I blagged SWMBO that because tides do not obey her summons, and the slipways is only accessabile at 3/4 flood that a RIB tender would be a good idea to have for her and the kids to be ferried back and forth from the :smt021 barge so she can make good on those neccessary mall visits, kids orthodontist appointments etc etc. She loved the idea. Bingo! I have a fishing boat and the barge sits in the yard getting restored, slowly, but eveyones happy, me most of all. Because a RIB has neither cabin nor toilet. RESULT :smt038
 
Welcome to CSR Bruce! Very entertaining first post there! Btw: What is a "SWMBO"? Lol
My brother had an 18' of your era years ago but I'd be lying if I told you I remember much about it mechanically. Anyway, you have found the best Sea Ray owners site on the net & I'm sure many others will chime in to help you along. I gotta hand it to you, tearing the mechanicals down with zero knowledge of them is either not so smart or very ballsy! I wish you the best of luck with ALL of your new toys ( truck, house by the sea, 2 boats-quite a coup there!) and once again welcome aboard!


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Todd
 
Thanks for the welcome.

SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed.

Stupid? Yes, quite possibly. In fact most definitely. It's a miracle I always land on my feet. Still, there is no way I'm taking the barge out with kids and wife in tow and having it break down on me. SWMBO would never let me forget the transgression. Better it's in bits to forestall any such opportunity from ever arising. Amen
 
Welcome! I'm guessing I have the same powerplant as you do. Mercruiser 170 with an Alpha One.
 
Wow... I thought I was listening to a Monty Python skit... You have a very common engine, the 3 Liter 4 cylinder GM engine. I had the same engine in my 175 BR. You probably have an Mercruiser Alpha gen 1 out drive. Parts are avialble on the internet at places like Boat Fix and Defender. One thought, bring a jump pack with your when you go to start you boat if the battery dies. You probably only have one battery and a jump pack is inexpensive insurance.

I call my wife my First Mate. I would also make sure that NO one steps on your yacht with out requesting permission from the Captain (you). You are in charger on your vessel and make sure everyone knows it, include your First Mate...
 
"I am the Captain. I am the Captain; not the chauffer." I will repeat that mantra. Thanks. (I'll skip the First Mate bit tho, very unwise, and bound to lead to mutiny that will find me either mowing the lawn on Saturdays and 'in tow' window shopping come Sundays or sleeping in the dog kennel)

The GM engine bit is very useful. Short of pulling out the existing serviceable parts and replacing with like in trust, is there board documentaion on part numbers etc for servicable items (plucks, points belts etc?) GM is not so common here on this side of the pond and I suspect many items will require shipping in unless I can find comparative components locally. Any info on the engine or linky's would be appreciated. Prop size and blades?
 
Welcome to the sight. There is much information and great tech advice here. Please post some eye candy for us.(your boat that is)

EYE CANDY!? Now that is funny. Did I mention she's a late eighties model? Everything is kinda sagging .... a bit like SWMBO. A peach in her heyday though. Now, not so much. I will see what I can dig up
 
here is your engine and outdrive for $200 buy it now... Might be good for parts...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/mercruiser-4-cylinder-engine-and-outdrive-/201040451217

I thought all my Christmas's had come at once but he will not ship and is 5000 plus plenty miles away. Still it goes to show bargains can be had. The big motivator for me to redo the outdrive rather than discard was the 4K GB pound replacement cost the local engineering shop wanted. Even with import duties I can half that with American import. Thanks for the linky though. Much appreciated.
 
Welcome. Get yourself a "Clymers" manual for your particular year. It will pretty much walk you through any and all procedures as well as give you ideas about where to look for part numbers etc etc. You can usually get these manuals at your "mercruiser" dealer or order one on line from "Amazon". Have fun. They're really well built boats, we had a 1989 230 CC. Perfect first boat for fishing and boating with a young family. You should actually start looking at 240's and 260's now so that when your family realizes they're adicted to boating, you will already be well versed in cruiser lingo. It'l impress your SWMBO so much that she'll likely suggest changing her name to GW,,,,,, galley wench!!!! Have fun.
 
Sounds like he needs to go with "the Admiral". Since my wife buys my boats (I supply the cash) she gets to be the Admiral. My 18yr old son is first mate and all his friends are swabbies.
I'm still the captain while in the water, under way, and while launching or docking. (Admiral knows her place)
 
Welcome aboard.
 
Thanks for the continued welcomes. Galley Wench... in my dreams. Admiral sounds a plan. I'm still waiting for the mods / admin to approve the pics of the boat. Or is there something else I have to do to be able to post pics?

<Oh God!! Just had a horrible thought! SWMBO isn't already on here is she? Typical that she'd be a mod by now:lol: >
 
Welcome and I will be watching for photos of the restoration progress Good Luck with her.
 

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