180 Bow Rider Thread... Questions & Answers or just chat!

I have another newbie question. Is there a form/fit replacement for the pedestal seat that adjusts in height, for the 2009 175? There are times I need/want to see over the windshield (like when the salt water spray blurs out the glass) and right now I just stand up. My old runabout had the storage seats and I could just sit on the top of it and put my feet on the normal seating pad.
 
User Error said:
So do you notice a differance in fuel useage? and thanks for the pics...
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I would say it is probably better on fuel but I honestly don't keep track. I had to re-prop though, went from a 20p 4 blade Michigan stainless to a 23p 4 blade Hill Marine stainless. Faster and flatter plane, better while pulling and much faster top speed, especially with the new prop.
 
nben said:
I would say it is probably better on fuel but I honestly don't keep track. I had to re-prop though, went from a 20p 4 blade Michigan stainless to a 23p 4 blade Hill Marine stainless. Faster and flatter plane, better while pulling and much faster top speed, especially with the new prop.
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Wow that would be a big jump from where I am, i'm running a 17p SS Quicksilver 3 blade... I plain in about 2-2.5 seconds with no tabs... but top end really lacks... about 34 mph off the speedo... just installed GPS/ depth finder today can't wait to take her out and see what GPS speed readings are...
 
I still sometimes use the 20p 4 blade for watersports, but have to be super careful with the rpms. I can still get to almost 5k with the 23p......about 43mph on gps. The 20p keeps me around 36-38 mph gps but I have close to 1/3 throttle to go at 4800rpm. These #'s are all with the smart tabs. FYI, my speedo isn't too far off from the gps readings.
 
I have some stuff for a 180 sport in the 4-sale section FYI....Great boat. We loved ours.
 
ZZ13 said:
Is there a form/fit replacement for the pedestal seat that adjusts in height, for the 2009 175?
Click to expand...

when I was shopping for my boat, I noticed the 185's had those seats with the integrated booster. Part of the seat flips up against the back rest. Check out the 185 Sport at http://www.searay.com/ and you'll see what i mean. Not sure what they cost, but they have the same interiors so you should be able to get one to match yours.
 
dutchman said:
when I was shopping for my boat, I noticed the 185's had those seats with the integrated booster. Part of the seat flips up against the back rest. Check out the 185 Sport at http://www.searay.com/ and you'll see what i mean. Not sure what they cost, but they have the same interiors so you should be able to get one to match yours.
Click to expand...
Ahhh. Good find. That would do the trick. I'll call Sea Ray and see how many zillions they want for one of those seats (or maybe two - one for the passenger as well). But it also gave me an idea to have a booster pad made up. It may be cheaper just to have my local upholstry guy make something like that up.
 
Ahh back in the water again it's warmed up here in FL, If anyone's seen my earlier posts about the lag on accel I had when I got the 180 we found it to have a burnt valve. Pulled the head sent it out got all new valves installed and now it runs like a champ. Had a couple of issues since then though the first time I put it in the water it shut off had to get towed back to the ramp after a little investigating found it to be just an ignition fuse. Replaced and it ran fine. Three more trips out and the only issue was the temp guage stopped working for a half hour then came back. Chaulked it up to something that fixed itself... Next time out no issues... Then... took a couple of friends out for a short ride ran great for an hour or so we got back by the ramp and it was a lil early to come in so i figured i'd just shut it off and drift for a while 20 minutes later hit the key and it blew the ignition fuse again. replace blew went thru all 10 fuses i had on board couldn't get it to fire up. We had drifted to a dock and hooked on a line... several boats passed including seatow waved for help shined flashlights honked the horn waved a big orange oar no help... figured out while we were attached to that dock everyone thought we were okay. So we decided to paddle into a hard wind with one oar while someone throws the ancor and we pull to it... I mean what the heck we're directly across the river from the boat ramp... Granted it's about a mile across! so we make it about a 1/3 of the way and finally the next boat we're waving at and honking the horn they honk back! and keep goings away it's getting dark now and chilly... (wearing Shorts and T Shirts of course!) Start flashing the flashlight and finally they got it and turned for us... Threw them my ancor line and they tow'd us in... Get home do a quick once over can't find a thing... Next day I get up and decide to fix it... Search the boards and hear of some simalar issues with the 3.0 but no one ever puts in the fix for the issue... but they've all kinda narrowed it down to the purple hot wire for the choke on the carb? Normally pull that wire and it'll limp you home... but no one ever posts the true fix... So I head out in the driveway pull the covers and the doghouse start following this purple wire and find that the harness it's attached to is laying on the head and totally melted together as one, all 9 wires. Well it's off the the auto parts store for some waterproof butt connectors and heat shrink. Cut all the bad wire out connect in some good wire and heatshrink them all back together. wrap in tape then flex loom and zip tie up high away from the direct heat... Hit the key and Vroooooooom! we're back in business... I will make a post in the maintance area later when I have time expaining the issue and fix since I couldn't find it anywhere on the net incane someone has the issue later and needs the info!
 
Took the boat in for first ever annual maintenance. Found out the boat does not have a water separator fuel filter (dealer had replacing it annually on the maintenance sheet they gave me). Local shop says they can install one easily. I am planning on doing it at the end of the season when I take it back in again. But I don't know if there is an urgency or even if there should have been one installed at the factory?
 
ZZ13 said:
Took the boat in for first ever annual maintenance. Found out the boat does not have a water separator fuel filter (dealer had replacing it annually on the maintenance sheet they gave me). Local shop says they can install one easily. I am planning on doing it at the end of the season when I take it back in again. But I don't know if there is an urgency or even if there should have been one installed at the factory?
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My 2000 doesn't have one... everyone says they are a good investment but my thoughts are that my tank is so small... 20 gal that i go threw the fuel to fast... unlike someone with a 100 gal tank... but i will prolly install one this year just so i have one... but I'm not looking at it as an urgent thing needed...
 
User Error - I have a '98 180 BR.....exactly what is that just to the left of the oil filter where the water-sep fuel filter is supposed to be? It's smaller than an oil filter, and I would practically have to shrink and look upside down to see it.....haven't held a mirror to it yet... :smt101
 
User Error said:
Ahh back in the water again it's warmed up here in FL, If anyone's seen my earlier posts about the lag on accel I had when I got the 180 we found it to have a burnt valve. Pulled the head sent it out got all new valves installed and now it runs like a champ. Had a couple of issues since then though the first time I put it in the water it shut off had to get towed back to the ramp after a little investigating found it to be just an ignition fuse. Replaced and it ran fine. Three more trips out and the only issue was the temp guage stopped working for a half hour then came back. Chaulked it up to something that fixed itself... Next time out no issues... Then... took a couple of friends out for a short ride ran great for an hour or so we got back by the ramp and it was a lil early to come in so i figured i'd just shut it off and drift for a while 20 minutes later hit the key and it blew the ignition fuse again. replace blew went thru all 10 fuses i had on board couldn't get it to fire up. We had drifted to a dock and hooked on a line... several boats passed including seatow waved for help shined flashlights honked the horn waved a big orange oar no help... figured out while we were attached to that dock everyone thought we were okay. So we decided to paddle into a hard wind with one oar while someone throws the ancor and we pull to it... I mean what the heck we're directly across the river from the boat ramp... Granted it's about a mile across! so we make it about a 1/3 of the way and finally the next boat we're waving at and honking the horn they honk back! and keep goings away it's getting dark now and chilly... (wearing Shorts and T Shirts of course!) Start flashing the flashlight and finally they got it and turned for us... Threw them my ancor line and they tow'd us in... Get home do a quick once over can't find a thing... Next day I get up and decide to fix it... Search the boards and hear of some simalar issues with the 3.0 but no one ever puts in the fix for the issue... but they've all kinda narrowed it down to the purple hot wire for the choke on the carb? Normally pull that wire and it'll limp you home... but no one ever posts the true fix... So I head out in the driveway pull the covers and the doghouse start following this purple wire and find that the harness it's attached to is laying on the head and totally melted together as one, all 9 wires. Well it's off the the auto parts store for some waterproof butt connectors and heat shrink. Cut all the bad wire out connect in some good wire and heatshrink them all back together. wrap in tape then flex loom and zip tie up high away from the direct heat... Hit the key and Vroooooooom! we're back in business... I will make a post in the maintance area later when I have time expaining the issue and fix since I couldn't find it anywhere on the net incane someone has the issue later and needs the info!
Click to expand...
Heck of a story - good reading. Glad it turned out well and that you found the source of the fuse problems. Usually something causes a fuse to burn out so I got nervous early in the story when you "just replaced it".
 
jw98cda said:
User Error - I have a '98 180 BR.....exactly what is that just to the left of the oil filter where the water-sep fuel filter is supposed to be? It's smaller than an oil filter, and I would practically have to shrink and look upside down to see it.....haven't held a mirror to it yet... :smt101
Click to expand...

are you talking about the canister looking thing with the metal fuel line coming out the top? If so thats the Fuel Filter... but just a charcoal filter for trash not a water seperator...
 
ZZ13 said:
Heck of a story - good reading. Glad it turned out well and that you found the source of the fuse problems. Usually something causes a fuse to burn out so I got nervous early in the story when you "just replaced it".
Click to expand...

Oh I agree I had attributed it something I didn't really believe but convinced myself against better judgement... that the fuse must of gotten over heated and weak. Which yeah in all my years I had never seen but that had to be it cause I couldn't find a short and it just fixed itself... The shop that found the compression issue used a jumper wire from the slyinoid to the battery... only thing I could place that had back fed the fuse. Plus I wanted to get it in the water not dig into the wiring and work on it at that point... Figured it was just a freak thing...
 
Does anyone know if its possible to buy the center window door for a 180 sport?
Where is the best place to look for one?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
Just spent a week on the water on my first serious outings with this 175 Sport which I bought last fall. I have several questions (some based on some dumb things I did which I won't completely disclose).

Is the rub rail stainless steel? - I scarred up a spot on mine drifting into a shell laden pier while waiting for my turn in line at the ramp (note to self - don't put hands on said shell laden pier to prevent contact - cuts will occur). Can it be sanded/worked down to smooth again?

My thermostat is now stuck open after only 45 hours total on the boat (and one calendar year of life). Is it common to need to replace t-stats annually (they are cheap so I may do it anyway) or is sucking in some sand from a sand bar the likely culprit?

Is it cool or nerdy to try to keep the lower part of the lower unit blemish free and nicely painted? - if so I may be repainting mine every couple of weeks based on my inability so far to avoid shallow sand bars down here. To repaint do you take it off or just mask it up, block holes, and spray away? FYI, most all the boats here are outboards (due to salt water) and most of those seem to just let theirs etch away to the bare aluminum.

Not sure how to determine if an aluminum prop needs reconditioning. Is it based on sound or feel when operating the boat - or by appearance (bet the answer is "both")?

Do I disconnect the battery when I am not going to use the boat for one to two month stretches during the winter (I just left it connected up this past winter). If so, why?

Thanks in advance. Hope everyone had a great and safe boating holiday.
 
Hey ZZ13
***Thermostat issue. Pull the 2-bolt cover and inspect the stat. You will need a new gasket (buy or make one). While the cover is off, you can flush out the system. Also you have the 2 hoses for draining the block and manifold. The boat should have come with a small plastic fitting. That adapter is used to hook up the garden hose, so flush those two out also.
***Painting the lower unit. If you want it looking nice, it won't hurt giving it a quick spray paint. A light sanding and away you go.
***Prop issues....If the prop is visually bent or dented, it should be checked over. If you can actually feel a vibration, then you definitely need to have it inspected.
***Battery. I have done both over the years and never had a problem with either. Depending on where the boat is stored, I take the battery out if the boat is stored outside in -40C. If in a garage I just leave it sit. Over the winter, one thing I do is give it a slow trickle charge every couple months.
Good luck.
 
Thank you Dutchman. I don't have the flush adapter. I saw it referenced in the maintenance manual but I guess the original owners kept it as a souvenir. I'll stop by the Sea Ray dealer and see if they have one. I will flush all parts of the coolant system to make sure their isn't any sand left in there (fyi, impeller is working just fine). Update: Just inspected the t-stat. Sure enough two grains of sand were keeping it about 1/8" open. Picked those out and it closed the rest of the way.

These boats are pretty tough - I got it in some hairy situations on the water and other then a 6 inch strip of roughed up rub rail it looks wonderful.
 
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I've decided I need a spare prop so I am going to buy a SS prop and make the stock aluminum 19p (3 blase) as the spare. Since I mostly just cruise I settled on the 19P Vengeance which appears to basically be the SS version of what I already have. Is the Quicksilver Silverado the same thing. Found an online place called Dan's Discount Props that says they are and has fairly good prices. Same question for the High Five and the Quicksilver QST 5 - are they the same thing?
 
I've had this 175 Sport for a year now and have a few more questions:

When open, the bottom of the walk-through window rests on the gel-coat and is digging a little gouge in it. Seems like by design there should be a bumper there or a rubber edge guard on the window. What do the rest of you do about this?

There are three consecutive double beeps that sound when I turn the engine off and pull the key out (happens every time). I haven't seen anything about this in the manuals. Sounds like it comes from the engine compartment, not the dash. Is this a standard "don't forget your key" reminder or something?

The fuel gauge doesn't seem to reflect an unmeasured sizeable reserve. It looks to be about 5 gallons or so off based on how much it takes to fill it up. Is this another "protect the boat owner" design?

By the way, I ended up just getting another aluminum Black Max to have a spare prop.
 
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