268DA and Weekenders

I've got the trailer that came with my boat an EZ Loader I am trying to figure what the GVW is on it, it has 9.50/16.5 10 ply tires on it. I bought it in Michigan and they don't title trailers there. The numbers are gone on the tag, does any one know or have a good guess.
 
Spookeay: I hear what your saying on motor torque. Although my boating physics understanding is limited, I have made a few 1/4 mile runs down a few dragstrips. My gut feeling on this is that it's just the "nature of the beast". It does make for interesting conversation and I would really like to know the reason why.

Motor torque: I understand with a standard counter rotating crankshaft the block will tend to twist clockwise. On a car the fixed fulcrum would be the suspension pivots to the ground. On a boat hull I'm not sure but it would seem the roll would be to starboard. Right on a car with body flex lifting left front tire. My boat seems to be doing the oposite.

Torque to the water: my 15x15 prop is threading clockwise through the water. The reaction would be a roll to port. This could be the fulcrum point BUT my old 230 with the same prop did none of this. She handled like a sweatheart, the only time I used trim tabs was to counter for wind. The hull desighn of the 89 230 and the 88 268 are differant wich at this point leans me to the "nature of the beast" synario.

Outdrive scag: when I first got this boat 40% of the scag was broken off. Marine techs told me this would make no differance. My common sense told me to fix it anyways and the techs were right. It made no differance.:huh:

Daddubo: she comes out the water with ease. If the drive is tucked all the way in she plows. A little up on the drive, 1/2-3/4 throttle no tabs, after a few secs shes up and building speed. As speed builds I trim up drive a little more and speed will build to 30-35. I'll back off throttle to where I want to run, bump the bow down tab a few times to level her up.

On the trailer I've looked the tabes over really well and they seem to be in perfect sync with each other, mounting location, travel, retraction and power. The steering was very loose when I first got her. Since I've tightened up the upper cramp deally and this made side to side steering perfecly tight. I do have some up and down that would take major work to repair but I don't feel it's contributing to the roll. The steering helped straight line control but did nothing to the roll.:huh:
 
Daddubo said:
I've got the trailer that came with my boat an EZ Loader I am trying to figure what the GVW is on it, it has 9.50/16.5 10 ply tires on it. I bought it in Michigan and they don't title trailers there. The numbers are gone on the tag, does any one know or have a good guess.
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Daddubo: The axles pretty much determin a trailers GVW. A five lug wheel is typically on a 3500# axle and a eight lug wheel in on a 5000# axle. I have a EZ loader too. Its a duel axle, eight lug 10000# GVW on the tag and also says on the surge brake hitch. I pull with a half Silverado and it feels like 8500#'s back there. Fortunatly I only have fifteen miles to tow on back roads to lake Michigan. 50 mph is all I push and thats plenty:wow:. ...Ron
 
BonBini said:
Daddubo: The axles pretty much determin a trailers GVW. A five lug wheel is typically on a 3500# axle and a eight lug wheel in on a 5000# axle. I have a EZ loader too. Its a duel axle, eight lug 10000# GVW on the tag and also says on the surge brake hitch. I pull with a half Silverado and it feels like 8500#'s back there. Fortunatly I only have fifteen miles to tow on back roads to lake Michigan. 50 mph is all I push and thats plenty:wow:. ...Ron
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I have 6 lug so I guess that would be around 4000# per axel. The orignal flyer on the boat says it weighs dry 5485 W/230 hp dry I would think that would be a 305 I have the 454 so I would say it would be around 5500 to 5600 lbs dry and 6500# + wet + equipment and W/ Tralier it would be over 8000#, so it seem like it is at it's limit. I pulled it 250mi from where I bought it from Grand Haven Mi. with my 95 2500 chevy W/350ci. It pulled her on the flats pretty good but fell flat climing hills she has 3/4 tank of gas and 3/4 water plus canvas and other equipment. I have a 36 gal tank on the truck it took 1/2 tank to get there I filled up about 10 mi out of Grand Haven and I had to get gas about 10mi from home but it was windy.
 
Daddubo said:
I have 6 lug so I guess that would be around 4000# per axel. The orignal flyer on the boat says it weighs dry 5485 W/230 hp dry I would think that would be a 305 I have the 454 so I would say it would be around 5500 to 5600 lbs dry and 6500# + wet + equipment and W/ Tralier it would be over 8000#, so it seem like it is at it's limit. I pulled it 250mi from where I bought it from Grand Haven Mi. with my 95 2500 chevy W/350ci. It pulled her on the flats pretty good but fell flat climing hills she has 3/4 tank of gas and 3/4 water plus canvas and other equipment. I have a 36 gal tank on the truck it took 1/2 tank to get there I filled up about 10 mi out of Grand Haven and I had to get gas about 10mi from home but it was windy.
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Sounds like that first trip was a make or brake for the trailer and truck. I don't think you got 5000# axles either with only 6 lugs. You'll have to take care of those wheel bearings with no.1 grease, you probably allready know that though. My 5.3 has got a little better power than your 5.7 but my trany works. 4L60E, I pull in 3rd with tow haul mode on. Tow haul mode gives me an extra holding clutch in 1st, great for pulling boat outa water.

My boat is blue too. Unfortunatly a PO took preety much all the blue off. Yours looks to be an 89 with the metal deck rails. ...Ron
 
BonBini said:
Sounds like that first trip was a make or brake for the trailer and truck. I don't think you got 5000# axles either with only 6 lugs. You'll have to take care of those wheel bearings with no.1 grease, you probably allready know that though. My 5.3 has got a little better power than your 5.7 but my trany works. 4L60E, I pull in 3rd with tow haul mode on. Tow haul mode gives me an extra holding clutch in 1st, great for pulling boat outa water.

My boat is blue too. Unfortunatly a PO took preety much all the blue off. Yours looks to be an 89 with the metal deck rails. ...Ron
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This spring I will start work on the trailer just to see what I have. The brakes don't work so I am going to have to start with the master cylinder, I blew one light coming out of Grand Haven so I played the lights and took my time until I hit the big road just hoping that no one cut me off. The truck did good I got it last fall tor snow plowing it has 242000 miles on it and didn't use any oil I think the engine and trany was worked on because it runs to good. I have the 4L80E W/O the electronics so I have to manually down shift.
Mine is a 87 , the blue is faded so I will have to do a lot of buffing and polishing.
What area do you live?
 
Daddubo said:
This spring I will start work on the trailer just to see what I have. The brakes don't work so I am going to have to start with the master cylinder, I blew one light coming out of Grand Haven so I played the lights and took my time until I hit the big road just hoping that no one cut me off. The truck did good I got it last fall tor snow plowing it has 242000 miles on it and didn't use any oil I think the engine and trany was worked on because it runs to good. I have the 4L80E W/O the electronics so I have to manually down shift.
Mine is a 87 , the blue is faded so I will have to do a lot of buffing and polishing.
What area do you live?
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Just north of Traverse City. I've been boating in the Bays mostly. ...Ron
 
WOW you are in Gods Country the pix with the boat on the lift is on Spring Lake by Grand Haven it looks better than the one with it on the trailer by my house in Illinois
 
I don't know if you guys have been to the Sea Ray sight but here are the Spec sheets for the 86 DA and the 87 WE they don't have the 87 or 88 DA's but I would think they are the same as the 86.
http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company1729/1C1_27_74DERNJU3478.pdf

http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company1729/1C1_27_74DERNKGJ526.pdf
This is for the owners manual
http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/Company1729/1C1_23_74DEJAJMQ0W.pdf
 
I found this on WIKI How http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Your-Mercruiser-Alpha-One-Sterndrive good info mine was stuck so I thought something else was holding it in and found this site so I just put more pressure on it and it popped loose. I also found this after pulling the drive off.
boat021.jpg

They are the exhaust flappers they were layong against the shifter shaft blocking about 3/4 of the exhaust outlet now I need to figure out how to replace them, with out them I could end up with water in the Engine.
 
Good to know these boats normally list to one side. I tested an 88-87 268da this weekend. Ran great at 4000rpm, had en ezload trailer from michigan (Im in Texas) boat was tagged for the next year. New alphaI rebuild with impellers and SS prop. Guy wanted 5500 for it. It's on ebay right now and it was in the area. Had some nice motor work on it too and a trans shifter (F-R) nice lil add ons. Everything seemed to work(faucets,fridge,toilet,lights,stero ect.) except maybe trib tabs
 
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Wee_Isle said:
Good to know these boats normally list to one side. I tested an 88-87 268da this weekend. Ran great at 4000rpm, had en ezload trailer from michigan (Im in Texas) boat was tagged for the next year. New alphaI rebuild with impellers and SS prop. Guy wanted 5500 for it. It's on ebay right now and it was in the area. Had some nice motor work on it too and a trans shifter (F-R) nice lil add ons. Everything seemed to work(faucets,fridge,toilet,lights,stero ect.) except maybe trib tabs
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You are lucky I bought mine and had to put it to bed for the winter. $5500 is a good price if all is good. You will need something bigger than the VUE to pull it.
 
funny thing was I pulled up to look at the boat he was pulling it with a 2500HD and he made the same joke...."hope ya got somethin bigger than that" I laughed and said I got it for my girl -_-.....
 
Wee_Isle said:
Good to know these boats normally list to one side. I tested an 88-87 268da this weekend. Ran great at 4000rpm, had en ezload trailer from michigan (Im in Texas) boat was tagged for the next year. New alphaI rebuild with impellers and SS prop. Guy wanted 5500 for it. It's on ebay right now and it was in the area. Had some nice motor work on it too and a trans shifter (F-R) nice lil add ons. Everything seemed to work(faucets,fridge,toilet,lights,stero ect.) except maybe trib tabs
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I also agree 5500 is a good price with trailer and all. Being a 20+ year old boat she'll be a floating restoration only fools like us would love.

I paid a little more for mine and had to put 500 into the outdrive before it hit the water. This spring: new canvas, carpet and batterys will be anouther 3000 ish. :smt038 ...Ron
 
BonBini said:
I also agree 5500 is a good price with trailer and all. Being a 20+ year old boat she'll be a floating restoration only fools like us would love.

I paid a little more for mine and had to put 500 into the outdrive before it hit the water. This spring: new canvas, carpet and batterys will be anouther 3000 ish. :smt038 ...Ron
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I'm not sure all I need to put in mine but it was a good thing I pulled the drive off with the exhaust shutters being broken in half and after I pulled the exhaust apart the port side was flipped over and blocking half the exhaust so she was really choked back. I made a stand out of Unistrut to put the drive on I'm going to rebuild the water pump. I defiantly need a new Stereo and speakers and a lot of spit shining.
I'm going to leave the rear seat out and make a ski holder out of the inset and use deck Chairs instead.
 
Hi Everyone - Glad to see a thread for 268's. I have a 2 1/2 gallon pump out porta potty. I'm planning on changing this to a holding tank. There's an empty place next to the engine for the tank and a second pumpout outlet in the aft, I'm guessing thats there for the holding tank option.

Has anyone done this conversion before in the 268DA's? Any advice?

Thanks,
chuck
 
Welcome aboard cdorgan. can't help you with the converson. I just stuck in a 5gal take out in mine.

Glad to see anouther 4 fitty 4. we'll have to have a virtual race this summer:grin:. cheers ...Ron
 
cdorgan said:
Hi Everyone - Glad to see a thread for 268's. I have a 2 1/2 gallon pump out porta potty. I'm planning on changing this to a holding tank. There's an empty place next to the engine for the tank and a second pumpout outlet in the aft, I'm guessing thats there for the holding tank option.

Has anyone done this conversion before in the 268DA's? Any advice?

Thanks,
chuck
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Howdy Chuck I also to have a take out port a potty which I like it gives me one thing less I have to pay for. I had a pump out in my Formula which I changed to a take out but I was on an inland chain lake so there were plenty of places’s to stop. I might change my mind once I start going to different body's of water and taking longer trips.
I was thinking of putting a generator in that area Just got to figure out how to set it up.
 
Nice to have some other people with 268DAs. Winter purchases so far for spring installation - a TV antenna, Garmin Fishfinder 400C to go with my Garmin 178C GPS Charplotter. Now looking for an LCD TV 14-18" but it is hard to find one that is AC/DC. Also looking for a new deck hatch, the parts number list that I have lists this part number as 226829, I guess because of it's age, I can not find one either. It is an 18X18 Low profile Deck Hatch - Anyone knows where I can look for those items, please let me know.
Also I would like to redo all of my teak wood around the railing in the rear, but I can not figure out a way to take them off - does anyone know?
 
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