Sport 190 Season 2 Coming Up!

dburne

New Member
Jun 8, 2012
590
Nashville TN
Boat Info
2013 Sea Ray 190 Sport
Engines
4.3 MPI Mercruiser Alpha One
Ah, spring. Yes spring is finally here!
Beautiful day out today, getting me daydreaming of being out on the water once again.

My new Sport 190 performed flawlessly last year, even with me trying to make it not so flawless. I will never forget spending 15 hours on the water on the 4th of July, waiting to watch the awesome fireworks display that night, then navigating for the first time in the dark, with very little moon, back to the cove we launched out of. Then loading the boat after midnight, and the first time ever I forgot to raise the lower unit before pulling up the ramp and parking to tie her down. Luckily all it did was scrape the black Mercruiser paint off the bottom of lower unit fin. Did not even bend it thankfully.

Now as season 2 approaches, the boat is still winterized parked and covered behind the house. Won't be long now though. I have ordered some Collinite 885 wax, and some 303 fabric guard for the cover. I will give her a good polishing job, brush all the grime off the cover that has accumulated over the winter, and give the cover a good spray of 303.

Both of her batteries have been in the garage, on the trickle charger to keep it cycled, will soon be pulling them off charge and getting them back in the boat. I took several pics of how it was wired, I sure hope I can get it back the way it was lol.

I still have couple of nicks in the gelcoat, I tried filling one with the paste I got to match from Sea Ray, only to find my skills at that aren't so good. I got them filled but still need to finish sanding and waxing to where it is all smooth and glossy again. Still have the other half of the patch goo, will try and tackle the other nick when I get the boat prepared.

But she is parked still now, ready and waiting for another go. I will be starting the new season with app 36 hours on the new 4.3 Alpha one. Can't wait, really looking forward to what season 2 will bring!!

190OutBack.jpg
 
Thats a nice boat, I hope you have a flawless and awesome season.
I tagged my battery cables, pos1, pos 2,, ect, to hopefully avoid a costly error. I got excited to get mine uncovered and ready last weekend and remembered in the fall one battery was swollen so it went to recycling and the other one was a crappy 600cca auto battery that went in my old truck to sell over the winter, so, Im off to get 2 new batteries. I like to have a good clean and fresh wax before it starts winter so I think a fresh quick cleaning is all I need on that .
I miss boating. Its completely grey and raining here today.
Happy Spring!!!!!
 
Thanks thegotoguyr!

That reminds me, yes we labeled the connectors for the batteries as well, hope that helps me also!
 
Pretty sure most folks have heard about California's drought. Well, the lake I boat on is about 1 milllion acre feet and has a decent water level (heavy rain in December), but there is very little snow pack for runoff...and I've heard that a community of 20,000 about 150 miles away are buying a 4 month water supply from the water agency which manages it. So, I'm anticipating an early start to the season (warm ambient temps, warmer water temps...rain not snowmelt), and an earlier end. Oh, well. Boat's ready to go!
 
Hope you get some good rain in the meantime Glenn!

That is something we here in mid TN have not been lacking in for a while.
 
Glad to hear you are thinking of the summer boating season.

Like you I am also in my 2nd season with my 190 Sport. Was a good first year. Some minor bumps in the road but those were due to my inexperience. Boat ran well.

The first thing I plan on doing as a upgrade when I take it out of storage is installing a 2nd battery. Otherwise its been stored inside all winter so I don't have a lot to do as far a getting it water ready. Was cleaned, waxed and oil changed before storing. Hopefully the weather is better this summer than last. Go Wisconsin Badgers!
 

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Very nice looking 190 there Terry!

I am envious , my garage is big enough however it has two single garage doors, rather than one large one like yours - therefore, I can not get my boat into my garage, or she would have been stored there for the winter for sure.

I had my oil changed at around 20-25 hours, so figure I am ok there for a bit.

Good move on adding a second battery, I had the dealer set mine up that way, it is nice knowing after being on the lake all day anchored and listening to music, have one is reserve should I need it.
 
Yes, I have a double and single garage door. It wont fit in the single door. I actually stored it at my in-
laws over the winter, but in the summer I keep it in my garage. I'm kind of worried about keeping that black hull
looking good.

Terry
 

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Well it certainly looks good now, very nice boat!

Regarding the batteries, my dealer installed both batteries and put a switch in , that I can turn them off ( things like bilge pump stay hot though), put on both batteries, or select one battery. I generally run it initially up to the cove we anchor in with both batteries, then after I shut it down I turn it to battery 1, and leave it there for the rest of the day. Then the next trip, I utilize battery 2 in the same way, etc.

I ordered some 303 fabric protectant to spray on my cover after I get it cleaned up ( with water and brush only), but I only ordered one 32 ounce bottle , I sure hope it is enough for the cover.
Also before I stowed it away for the winter, I removed the prop, put a good coat of grease on the prop shaft, and put the prop back on. I need to also remember to grease up all the grease fittings on the wheels and lower unit.

I had the dealer do the winterization on the motor, he told me no need to bring it back in the spring can just start it and go. However I am sure the first time I get it running it will have antifreeze coming out of it, so figure it would be best to hook on the muffs and run it in the driveway the first time, I would not want to dump antifreeze into the lake. Also I can't exactly recall, but seems like after he winterized it there was a blue plug of sorts tied to the steering wheel with a tie strap, will have to check that when I get her uncovered and start getting it ready, and figure out where maybe that thing goes... or heck maybe I dreamed that lol.

My wife loves to go boating and is a sun bunny, however unless it is like 80+ degrees she don't much want to get out there - so I am probably about a good 4-6 weeks away still from my getting back out on the water.
That's ok though, will give me some Saturdays to get some loving tender care done to her before we start going to the lake again on Saturdays. If the weather is nice this upcoming weekend I may go ahead and put the batteries in and get started with some cleaning/waxing.

I am so ready to get back out on the water! The last three months or so have been kind of tough on me, I need that mental stimulation lol. There is just something so calm and relaxing with being on the water all day.
 
Ok so I just ordered one more 32 oz bottle of 303 to be safe, I would hate to start spraying the cover only to find I don't have enough. And on our deck we have a nice canopy setup that the top canvas got nailed during last years hailstorm, going to get a new canopy cover for the top and then I will spray it as well.

Pretty cold here this weekend, temps in the upper 20's this morning, going down to low 20's tonight. My goal is for next weekend hopefully to get the batteries put back in the boat, then raise the lower unit back up and get her hooked up and into the driveway, and get to work on filling that second nick with paste, sanding down, and eventually giving the boat hull a good wash and wax job with the Collinite. And of course rinsing off the cover with a brush ( while on the boat), then remove the cover after it has dried and giving it a spray of 303.
Yikes, the above in fact may turn into a two weekend job lol. Of course, weather permitting...

Question for you guys - my lower unit has a chalky white coating on it, what is the best thing to use to clean it to restore it back to the black sheen? I thought I had asked this last year but searching through my old threads I can not seem to locate where I did... any tips greatly appreciated!
 
The blue plugs are likely plugs from your engine multipoint drain system (mine has 2 or 3 ), they need to be in before running and a big knob on top needs to be closed, unless of course they were replaced and those are old ones tied up. If they are open/removed there should not be any antifreeze in your engine as it would be drained dry.
 
Ok thanks for the info thegotoguyr, I will certainly check that when I remove the cover next weekend hopefully.
 
OldSkool comes out of the shed mid April. Can't wait to get her polished and ready. She's not as young and polished as some here but her heart is strong.
Happy summer clean up to all.
 
Nice, that is one sweet looking vintage SR you got there!!!
Happy Spring to all!!
 
Thanks Don. She's not an investment, she's an experience. I have 8 great years of pictures and memories of kids and grandkids on her. Can't think of a better way to spend my money.

PO kept her in great shape and I continued with many upgrades. All your boats look great too and I hope they give you as much pleasure as OldSkool has given me and the admiral.
 
Thanks, yes we are really enjoying our 190, only have one season under her belt and around 36 hours on the motor, really looking forward to season 2 coming up.


You have every reason to be very proud of that ride of yours, nothing like a classic! I only wish I had been where I could have gotten into boating many years ago, then I might have one as well.

One thing for sure, we are going to make the best out of it now that where we can be avid boaters!
 
Hmm nice pretty weekend here, 70's today and low 80's tomorrow, nothing but sun.
Might have to get those two batteries back in my 190 and pull her up into the drive and start with my cleaning/waxing the boat, rinsing/brushing the cover, and spraying the cover with the 303 fabric protectant.

Sounds like lot of work, but hard not to go ahead and get it done this weekend... course yard-work as well, we'll see lol...

I sure do hope I can get those batteries wired back up properly. Labeled them and took pics, hopefully I can.
 
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Woohoo apparently I got the batteries in right, thanks to pictures and labeling I did, have her up in the driveway - have rinsed off the cover with water and soft brush. Letting it dry now while it is on the boat, once dry will lay it in garage and spray it with the 303. Then while that is drying, wash and wax the boat with the Collinite 885 wax...

Yard work may have to wait till tomorrow lol...

Edit:
Cover is cleaned and a good coating of 303 sprayed on, laid out in the sun to cure a few hours.
Boat is washed and dried, just waiting now for the sun to move some more to get it out of direct sunlight, then I will start applying the Collinite wax.
Getting there, whew... yard work definitely waits till tomorrow lol.
If I can get all this done for the boat today I will be happy.
It is times like this, I am glad I only have a 19ft boat!
 
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Finally it is done, washed , good coat of wax on it, cover clean with 303 fabric guard on it.
What a day, now just wait on boating season to start for us!
 
Well it is looking like tomorrow ( Sat) may be our first outing of 2015, for the Sport 190's second season. Supposed to be 90 here tomorrow, partly cloudy with app 20% chance of rain, winds around 8mph. Water will probably still be a little cool for swimming, but would be nice to be out there once again.
I still have a few things to do to the boat to get her ready, but should be able to get it done this evening.

When I put the two batteries back in, I dropped one of the securing knobs for one of them, and it went into the bilge. Maybe my skinny wife can squeeze back in there and get to it, not even sure where it is back there. This one battery sits in a box , that has two threaded rods coming up, and two knobs that screw down over the top to secure the battery. I guess if we cannot get to it, I can always find maybe a nut of the appropriate thread and put it on there for now. I wish it had been done like the second battery, it just has a strap that wraps around with a buckle. No worries on dropping anything.

Then I need to get all the gear out of the loft over the garage and back into the boat, tighten up/secure the prop, grease up any grease fittings on the trailer, get tires pumped to proper pressure, get the engine started to make sure it is going to run ok with no issues...

Don't mean to bore with the details, serves as a checklist for me as well lol.

IF we can get all this done later this evening, hoping we can, will finally be out on the lake once again! We will head out early in the am, as I am sure the dock where we put in will get packed quickly with such a nice day. Was a long winter!
If not, I can always get it all done tomorrow and shoot for next Saturday if necessary... hoping for tomorrow though.
 

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