used boat repairs - Maxum Boat Owners Club

bka56 · 07-09-2010, 04:33 AM

I just bought my first boat, a 1989 2300 s/c. We went out and put it in the water only to find out that it's great as long as you want to go in reverse!!!!! I've never owned a boat and no nothing about boats (learning fast) the boat looks good and the motor runs great. just no forward. My question is how much money do you spend before you give up? I paid 4k and am looking at about 3k in repairs.

cunuck · 07-09-2010, 11:58 AM

get a second price first.Boats are a bit of a money pit but reverse only is no good, but get her running make sure there is no other problems .good luck

ss3964spd · 07-09-2010, 01:07 PM

Bka,

I'm just a bit up the road from you in Fairfax, we boat out of a marina in Woodbridge.

Reverse only could be just about anything, from a cheap fix to needing to rebuild/replace the drive. Definately get another opinion.

Dan

bka56 · 07-09-2010, 01:51 PM

The shop that has it is the 3rd one to look at it. And the only one that would work on it within a 2 week time frame. So far the damage is a lower control cable and the gimbal bearing. I was told to replace the gimbal bearing they have to pull the motor that's the costly part. They were pulling the drive apart to check for any other damage. I'll know the total today.

ss3964spd · 07-09-2010, 02:04 PM

Pull the engine to replace the gimbal?

Do you know which drive you have?

The gimbal won't have anything to do with the drive not going in forward.

bka56 · 07-09-2010, 02:14 PM

The drive is a Alpha 1, The gimbal bearing seems to be s separate issue (about 4 inches of play in the steering). The lower control cable is basically shot it had been adjusted until there was nothing left to adjust, hoping that is the only thing holding it up from going into Forward.

ss3964spd · 07-09-2010, 02:31 PM

Replacing the gimbal bearing does not require removing the engine, unless the bearing is so stuck that the usual method (slide hammer) does not work.

I would ask the shop a leading question: "Why does the engine have to be removed"? If their answer is anything like "because that's the way it's done" you should consider paying them for their time and takign the boat to another shop. What shop is it at?

Check the links below. 1st one is about the shift cable, 2nd is about the bellows and gimbal replacement.

Dan

http://www.sterndrives.com/replace_a...hiftcable.html
http://www.sterndrives.com/replace_a...e_bellows.html

seapuppy · 07-09-2010, 03:41 PM

What dan said....gimbal bearings are not engine mounted parts but do not require the engine to be removed...

SP

bka56 · 07-09-2010, 04:07 PM

Anyone know of any reliable shops in the Woodbridge / Stafford area?

bka56 · 07-09-2010, 10:21 PM

OK. now for the good news, as far as "forward" the control cable needs replaced.( I already knew that ) Thats all they are doing! Then the mechanic told me the slop in the steering was because the transom unit needs replaced. Again he said it would be around $3000. I told him don't worry about it I will take care of any other repairs this winter. I will have it back by next weekend! I'll be off work that weekend so I can it in the water!!!

ss3964spd · 07-12-2010, 12:56 PM

Good news that you can enjoy it for the rest of the season, then deal with the necessary repairs over the winter.

Once you get it in the water make sure you head to Tim's II restaurant, great place to drop the hook and hang out for hours.

Dan

bka56 · 07-12-2010, 11:28 PM

That sounds good Tim's is between where the boat is and home.
Or is Tim's II the one in Fairview Beach?

ss3964spd · 07-13-2010, 01:29 PM

Tim's II is at Fairveiw Beach. From EZ Cruz on Neabsco Creek it's probably 30 minutes depending how fast you run. Tim's I is just barely South of Neabsco Creek - not more than a 5 minute boat ride.

Tim's II is our favorite so far because the water is pretty shallow. You can drop anchor 200 yards to the left or right of Tims's dock, and probably 100 or so feet out, and still be in only 3 to 4 feet of water, with a nice soft bottom. Absolutely perfect for hanging out in the water with family/friends. You can wade ashore to the restaurant or hail their water taxi. It does get crowded though - lots of boats, so not something you want to try if you're completely new to boating.

While I was in the storage lot at Pilot House this weekend I saw an older Maxum that looked - from the photos you posted, a whole lot like yours.

Dan

shrew · 07-13-2010, 04:28 PM

I bet you'll never buy another boat without test driving it or having a survey done on it.

I'm glad this is moving forward.

bka56 · 07-14-2010, 03:04 AM

It probably was mine, EZ Cruz is still working on it.
they said It would be ready by this weekend. I can't wait to get it back and in the water to see how it does in forward.

bka56 · 07-14-2010, 03:15 AM

I'm sure am getting a quick lesson on what not to do. But it's only getting better and I should be able to get in in the water this weekend. I will admit is wasn't a good start for my first boat.

seapuppy · 07-14-2010, 03:34 AM

it's all a learning experience....lord knows I should be the most experienced boater in the world with all the stuff I've had happen....so..welcome to the zoo...

SP

bka56 · 07-14-2010, 03:38 AM

Thanks, the good part is i have a friend that i work with that works on boats He told me he would look mine over and do any repairs I need. It will still cost me but I can trust him and I know the quality of his work.

bka56 · 07-14-2010, 06:41 PM

OK , I paid the bill, and it mine again, repairs are done including the gimbal bearing (and it didn't cost me the $3000 they said it would) but anyway it's ready for the water this weekend!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see what she'll do in forward!!

bka56 · 07-18-2010, 03:24 AM

Well it's Saturday night and we're home after taking her out for the first time. The day didn't start out real good but we had a blast by the time we got back. To start I know the first thing you'r suppose to forget to do is put in the drain plug. Well before we were finished unloading the boat my son was in the water putting in the plug!! The bright side to it is I now know my bilge pump works just fine. I also found out my depth finder doesn't work unless of course Aquia creek is 60' deep at Hope Springs Marina, but I don't think so. We ran down to Colonial Beach, then back up to Fairview Beach then to Neabsco Creek and back to Aquia Creek. The boat ran great at about 35 knots most of the day. I started with 45 Gal of gas and I still have at least 1/4 tank left. It went well enough I might even go out again tomorrow.