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

My wife and I took a cruise in our 175 Sport from Beaufort, SC to Tybee Island, GA today. About 2 hours each way at our cruising speed of 26 mph. Ride was mostly smooth except for the dozens of rented jet skiis and parasail boats cutting around Harbor Town, and from a windy Port Royal Sound on the way back. The dolphins were active - saw many along the entire route. Although it was a great time, we discovered cruising more than an hour in this 4 cylinder machine really tests your eardrums. Got there and back with plenty of fuel to spare (started with a full tank).
 
First time with full load

Loaded up the 3.0l 175 sport with a 6-4 250lb adult, a 6-2 190lb adult, a 5-10 170lb adult, a 5-9 170lb adult, and two 50lb children. Just a few pounds short of the 900lb max load. Also had almost a full tank. I had to move the adults around to level the boat, but I was surprised on how it reached plane with the stock 19p 3-blade aluminum prop. Could only max out at 38 mph. Normally I can go 42mph with just two onboard.
 
Hey ZZ13.......glad to hear the 175 is working so well.:smt038
Me too, have finally been able to put a few hours on mine. Usually we boat at our 3 local lakes which are quite small. (3-6 miles long). So we just come back from 10 days in central BC at Shuswap lakes. This little ocean is 30+ miles long in several different directions. One strange thing was reading 300+ ft on the depth gauge. We did a lot of exploring, cruising down the shorelines, finding nice quiet bays to ski and tube in. Usually cruise at 3000-3200 rpm range, which is around 25-26 mph. The boat just purred along all day long without a hiccup. And yes, it's real easy on the fuel. After spending some time on lakes like this, I'm real happy with how the boat performs.:grin:
 
I did not like the slack in my steering so replaced the rack and pinion helm and cable for a teleflex hydraulic kit. Slack is less but still there. What is left is to get rid of the power steering.
Has anyone done this?

Oh...I also have now a fresh water cooling kit from Seakamp.
 
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i have a 89 180br with the 135...i get significant blowout in turns...i switched to a 4 blade and it made no difference...any recommendations.

thanks
 
Happy New Year, all. Do any of you know the recommended replacement interval for the firing components (spark Plugs, d-cap, rotor, plug wires) for the 3.0L? My manual says nothing about replacing them. My 175 has been through three full seasons and is now starting to exhibit some harder starting then normal and some rougher idling than normal, until it warms up. Runs great when giving it any throttle, though. Could also just be a bad load of gas, I guess.
 
My mechanic recommended cap/rotor changes every season (they do better when used lots), with plug changes every other season, and wires every 5. Of these, the wires are the most expensive; the rest is relatively incidental.

Our recently purchased '04 180SP only has ~100hr on it, and it definitely will receive new cap/rotor and plugs before we go out in 2012.

Hope this helps!
 
WazzuCMGrad said:
My mechanic recommended cap/rotor changes every season (they do better when used lots), with plug changes every other season, and wires every 5. Of these, the wires are the most expensive; the rest is relatively incidental.

Our recently purchased '04 180SP only has ~100hr on it, and it definitely will receive new cap/rotor and plugs before we go out in 2012.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Helps a lot. I figured every 3 years at least as that's what's recommended for the engines on my other boat. I am doing the full 100 hr/3yr alpha drive service this spring and I'll add plugs, d-cap, rotor to the list. I have 70 hours on the boat (wish I had more, but I only have access to it part time each year).
 
ZZ:
The ethanol (E10 or E15, depending on location) plays a part in the fuel issue also; stabilizer only does so much, as the ethanol by nature wants to separate from the fuel over time.

Sta-Bil makes a product specifically to deal with E10 and/or E15; probably worth looking into as well.

For what it's worth; I typically run premium (max octane I can find) in the first tank of the year. Probably doesn't really do any good, but seems like it helps get things off to the right start.

Now, if I can just talk the spouse into a companion like your 300... :grin:
 
Here's another nice link on cruise speed, for those that haven't seen it:
SeaRay180SportPerformanceChart.jpg


Where the lines cross is best combination of speed and fuel economy. Move along the chart as desired.
Hope this helps as well!
 
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WazzuCMGrad said:
ZZ:
The ethanol (E10 or E15, depending on location) plays a part in the fuel issue also; stabilizer only does so much, as the ethanol by nature wants to separate from the fuel over time.

Sta-Bil makes a product specifically to deal with E10 and/or E15; probably worth looking into as well.

For what it's worth; I typically run premium (max octane I can find) in the first tank of the year. Probably doesn't really do any good, but seems like it helps get things off to the right start.

Now, if I can just talk the spouse into a companion like your 300... :grin:
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Its all E10 around here. I use Star Tron with every tank at its recommended amount. I only put in 93 octane, well because that's what the dealer who sold me the boat told me to do.
 
I add startron when I don't get gas at PW Marina. They add valve tech to their gas and said it will protect against phase separation. Unless you are storing long term you can probably go without the 93 and just use 87 or 89 octane. I did use 93 in my 180 with the 3.0 liter but that was to help prevent dieseling. My 205 runs fine on the lower octane fuel.
 
Here's a great resource for finding non-ethanol fuel in your state... I realized the station I passed 1/2 mile from where I launch was on the list.

:smt021

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp
 
Trucky said:
Here's a great resource for finding non-ethanol fuel in your state... I realized the station I passed 1/2 mile from where I launch was on the list.

:smt021

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp
Click to expand...
Aaargh. The Citgo in Beaufort is only about 2 miles past the gas station where I normally fill it with E10. Thanks for this - will be changing my fillup spot.
 
WazzuCMGrad said:
My mechanic recommended cap/rotor changes every season (they do better when used lots), with plug changes every other season, and wires every 5. Of these, the wires are the most expensive; the rest is relatively incidental.

Our recently purchased '04 180SP only has ~100hr on it, and it definitely will receive new cap/rotor and plugs before we go out in 2012.

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Well that did the trick on solving my hard starting on the 175 Sport. I was back in Beaufort this weekend and put new distributor cap, rotor and spark plugs in. $25 total, that's all. Started right up. Weather was good enough that I gave it a good 1 hour test ride up and down the Beaufort River.
 
Awesome. Great to hear it worked like it should have.

Looking forward to seeing the nice weather in the PNW stick around, so boating season comes faster. Going to the Seattle Boat Show didn't help either, I suppose!
 
Well that did the trick on solving my hard starting on the 175 Sport. I was back in Beaufort this weekend and put new distributor cap, rotor and spark plugs in. $25 total, that's all. Started right up. Weather was good enough that I gave it a good 1 hour test ride up and down the Beaufort River.
Click to expand...

Did you replace the rotor / cap and the plug wires, and did the performance change at all. Mine are still origional I think... mine is a '99 180 with the 3lt. I am not sure it is 100% but my mechanic assures me all is good with the engine tune etc. if these make a difference I will replace mine as well..

Cheers

Mark
 
Mark RSA2AU said:
Did you replace the rotor / cap and the plug wires, and did the performance change at all. Mine are still origional I think... mine is a '99 180 with the 3lt. I am not sure it is 100% but my mechanic assures me all is good with the engine tune etc. if these make a difference I will replace mine as well..

Cheers

Mark
Click to expand...
I didn't notice anything noticeable in performance other than cold starting performance. I did not replace the wires. I replace the plugs, rotor, distributor cap. I inspected the wires and they still looked new. The plugs showed no sign of wear and I am actually keeping them (didn't throw them away). The rotor and cap showed corrosion. At 12 years, like your boat, I'd just change it all. The cost of the parts is very tolerable and its fairly easy to do yourself. I just sat at the rear starboard seat and everything was right there on my left.
 
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