Hatch strut question

[boatman37]

Mother and step-father have a 2004 240 Stingray but physics should still apply. He is about 70 and has a hard time lifting the hatch. It has a hydraulic strut that holds it open but are they supposed to also assist opening too? Could it be that it is partially worn out and not helping to lift it? Would a new strut help?
Just trying to make it easier for him as their battery switch is under there too so it makes it to where they just leave the switch on ALL (there are 3 batteries) and they run it like that but have suffered a few dead battery scenarios too

 

[mrsrobinson]

18 years old, my guess is yes, wouldn't hurt to replace it. Consider relocating the battery switche as well, assuming that's even possible, I would think it is.

 

[boatman37]

Yeah I told them about looking into relocating that switch. My mother is pretty disgusted with it and ready to sell it. In fact, today was the first time she was on it in about a month. Mostly my step-fathers doing...lol. They had a pontoon boat and often had a dead battery. They got this Stingray towards the end of last year. Only had 105 hours on it but the block was cracked so the seller had a brand new engine installed. The AC was removed when they bought it and the windlass didn't work. Pretty sure the engine and AC was a bad winterization. So over winter they had a new AC installed but it took about a month after the boat was in the water for the shop to finally get it working and the windlass parts are on back order. Then about a month ago they went to come out to tie of with us but their battery was dead. He used a jump box to start it so I asked him about the battery switch and he had no idea where it was. I told them they should have it moved but my mother said she was tired of spending money on it and was ready to sell it.
I went out with them today on their boat and gave him some lessons so hopefully it gets better.
It has a 5.7 FI with B3. No idea what props but it was supposed to be us 4 then my mother invited another couple from their dock so I knew planing would be an issue with 6 of us. We dropped 3 back off at our boat and found the trim was up too far but I bumped it all the way down then tapped it up a couple of bumps, which is what I use for a starting position. Apparently it wasn't going down so the 3 of us were on it and I stopped so I could listen to the trim motor so could hear it bottom out. We were able to get on plane pretty easily. We ended up getting on plane with all 6 of us but it took awhile and since the boat hasn't moved for a month the bottom isn't very clean.
So just trying to work the bugs out so they can enjoy it