New to me '98 230 bowrider SS brought me here

[WalterJ]

Greetings... I just bought my first boat with a steering wheel. A nice '98 230 bowrider SS 5.7L mercruiser that passed a hull survey with flying colors. It's nice from 20' away but needs a little love. I've got 6hrs under power on it so far... and it runs very well. It's going to be a lake cruiser for my family - NE PA, upstate NY, Ontario... we are planning to be tourists with a trailer for a while until we find someplace we want to park.

I'm a DIY guy and fair mechanic. I'm not a boat guy (yet) though. I've got many questions. Mainly in regard to where to get manuals for the engine compartment / wiring diagrams and maintenance schedules for the powertrain components. I will do a little reading around here and direct those to the proper sub-forum... just wanted to say hello in the "introduce yourself" spot to notch that 1st post .

 

[Strecker25]

Welcome, where in upstate? Show some pictures of the boat if you have them

 

[WalterJ]

I'm near Scranton PA... so Lake Wallenpaupack and Beltsville are where I normally would put her in the water but the Finger Lakes and Sackett's Harbor are on the todo list as well. They are easy day or weekend trips from here. Deep Creek, MD and anywhere else that looks cool, really. This is my first boat that is capable of bigger water - in fact, it's my first boat you don't sit in the back and steer the outboard directly while straddling the gas can so ... the possibilities are wide open but I'm almost out of usable season here.

I'm taking the last bit of this season to get a handle on handling the boat - making lists of things to take care of before next season and then I'll do what I can and put her away under wrap for the winter. This pic is still wearing the previous owner's numbers ... I've got mine somewhere in the mail. I also need to change the name. Is that a "thing" or can I just scrape off the old one and apply a new decal? (I hate that I have to ask that but I am a true greenhorn once we have to use the word "vessel" )

 

[Lazy Daze]

That's a SOLID boat you got there. I always did like that model. Ran beautifully, even in choppy water.

The only place that I know of to get a "true" engine service manual would be through Merc. There will be one for the engine and one for the drive. I have yet to find any aftermarket service manuals - at least none that are worthwhile owning.

Electrical diagrams will be in your owner's manual, which you can download from SR's website if you don't have the original (fyi, Sea Ray does an EXCELLENT job of marking their wires and the corresponding identification on the schematics). It's actually a pretty decent manual - but remember it's an owner's manual, not a service manual.

 

[RollerCoastr]

good-looking boat!

 

[WalterJ]

good-looking boat!

Thanks!

It's good looking from 20' away - and it's getting better every time I get a chance to spend an hour or two but it was pretty filthy inside and out when I got 'er. The bilge was caked throughout with oil grime that took me a full day to make presentable so I can see where the leak that started it is coming from. The stereo installer didn't bother with proper wiring or to put screws back in half the dash panel so I got to spend a few hours re-doing all of that as well. Still - it's a solid boat with a clean hull survey so I can peck away at what irks me as time allows.

There are some dings that require gelcoat repair and the entire hull needs a good polish/wax/buf cycle followed by a re-application of graphics marred by years dock encounters but there are only a few weeks left this season to enjoy the water so I'll run 'er and tend to that once I back it into storage.

 

[RollerCoastr]

I'm biased of course - the 280 has almost identical lines. Mine is a project too, but a rewarding one. A new stereo is on my list. Haven't decided any details though.