Damn! So There Is Still A Chance? Retired. 25' SeaRay Express Cruisier Cuddy Cabin

Fishing?

Active Member
I am a retiree, 2 years of getting the boat ready, purchase (cheap) new leg, get EVERYTHING working as new, new downrigger, trap puller, traps, reworked all the Penn reels and new line, one new really heavy duty rod and line for halibut, nets, the works, old time 9.9 yamaha 4 stroke kicker that I have had for over 20 years with only 70 hours on it, new remote steering, really nice 25' Searay Express cruiser, like a big runabout not a cabin cruiser. (rare)
Finally got it all set to go, my brother says he doesn't like the ocean and asks me to go up the river from Mac Beach. I do launch there all the time but rarely ever go UP the river at any speed. This was a trial so is was just coming up to plane and BAM, then kept on going, steered a little weird but it was the first trip out on it. Sure was surprised when we pulled it out and the branch was there, really surprised to see the gimbal ring snapped in half

BIG MISTAKE!!!!!, 10 minutes in hit a submerged tree, a branch lodged under the leg, couldn't figure out why it would not plane and the motor was working so hard. a branch about 3 inches in diameter was between the leg and transom.
Broke the Gimbel ring, luckily on top one side and beneath the other of the pins.

Got another whole set up but can't get that stupid cotter pin out of the lower gimbel pin.

Hopefully as soon as I save up enough to get a mechanic to take it out, so far two different guys have said $1000.00, so I am also buying all my own tools for this.

Of course I don't have a yard to work on it so I tow it to the street.

What we do to chase fish eh?

Posted this in a different forum.

I am lucky in that it was just the gimbal ring that broke, so far as I can see.
I bought a "kit" for accessing the steering arm nut, drill out a square hole and a plate to cover it later, if it leaks a bit, well two bilge pumps and lots of heavy grease.

I did buy the entire thru transom stuff all Bravo 2.
My new leg is Bravo 3, just getting the Bravo 2 serviced as a back up. Still figuring out if the pitch is okay on the Bravo 3

Bought all the tools for re and re legs, bellows, bearing and engine alignment

My boat is a 1993 with 530 hours on it, for real, original everything looks brand new. Even stored with an extra coating layering the bottom of the hull with bottom paint. Although the original plastic is starting to crack from age.
Rare 300 hp 5.7 litre, w/carburetor, original, have serial number.

Added thru hull water access.

Boat is 5000 lbs dry weight. My trailer is good for 8000 lbs

25 SEARAY BOAT.jpg

As you can see it still looks dirty and needs cosmetic cleaning, the top is original and surprisingly doesn't leak but it has shrank too much to seal properly. If the Bravo 3 works then I will have a Bravo 2 with prop to sell.
Moved the ladder from portside to starboard so kicker is on the opposite side of driver, balance, added front light.

When short on money it is looks vs function, but looks will be addressed.
Did get offered $25K for boat and trailer though, but can't replace for that price.
Cuddy cabin.
 
Finally totally finished

Had to sell the Bravo 3 but the Bravo 2 turned out to be in "like new" shape, just very little scaling on outside.

Still need to tune the engine but got it up to 36 mph at 3900 rpm on old gas

9.9 sips fuel and pushes the boat around so easily. Remote steering works great even though I had to jury rig a mount

Love the trap puller with coiler.

Haven't used all the new downrigger yet just used once the other is still in the box.

Lowrance 9" with side scan, I need to figure that out yet but lots of screens, probably could use some help

Brand new top and bottom paint

Rebuilt trailer.

Everything is brand new or like new. Even the horn.

Engine compression all came in around 180 +/- 2 lbs

Manual oil pressure gauge shows 30 lbs hot idle, 60 lbs at 3800 rpm.

It would figure that they closed down fishing over in Vancouver so I had to move the boat to Van Island.

Only thing about being old is ferry fare, if careful I can bring my pick up over for 20/30 bucks or so, I am free now.

Everything but electric oil gauge works, got a new one but pressure sensor and alarm work.

Going to be using that 9.9 a lot, boat holds 80 gallons of gas, well over 300 liters.

So soon I will be going solo then maybe looking for someone to share fuel costs.
 
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