Ian

Hi Marfi, I haven't used it but I have seen recently at a few boat shows. From what I can determine, it is really just at infancy stage and a lot of unproven claims are made about it. So far, I can't find any proper scientific data, tests, comparisons or large numbers of field tests. Also, I find it strange that IF it does work, why haven't any of the big boat manufacturers started to accept the idea and start offering as options? I will watch the situation for a while and see how it develops before I would part with any of my $$$$ My 330SY with Bravo3 legs must come out of the water once a year to service legs etc, so the cost effectiveness of ultrasonics vs. antifouling would be marginal (at least whilst ultrasonics are new and expensive) If you do decide to fit, I would be interested to see the results over a 12 month period. Regards Ian

Hi, This is potentially dangerous. If you are unsure about what to do, see an electrician This condition arises when the active and neutral wires are transposed. Assuming that it worked correctly before, it shouldn't be anything on your boat's wiring. So, what has changed recently? Have you changed the lead from the power outlet to your boat? Have you added an extension lead? Have you changed your location where the boat is kept? I would work backwards, checking leads and the power pole for correct polarity Remember, 110v can kill - if you are unsure about what to do, see an electrician. Depending on what state / country you live in, it maybe illegal for you to change or modify 110V wiring If it worked correctly before -

Sorry, Can't tell you what to buy - but I can tell you, keep AWAY from Raymarine - I'm still having troubles 12 months on. Goog luck

Hi, Anyone here own a 340SY? I wanted to obtain some info / pics of the head shower seat to see if I'm able to retrofit a 330SY Thanks

Dan, That should work well - as you suggest, just make sure it is the same battery i.e. type and capacity Regards

Hi Dave, I've had my 330 for almost 12months Great boat If you want any further details, please drop me a separate email. Check profile for my address Have fun Ian

Hi Marfi, I have the Weaver system and my modifications now place the dinghy inflatable roll at least 10cm (4") above the level of my 330SY swim platform. As I said before I seem to get a very large wave come from under my boat and literally swamp or flood my swim platform whenever I come off the plane I suggest you look at your swim platform under fast / slow drop offs from when your 290 is planning. Maybe if you stand a passenger on the swim platform whilst doing this to simulate the mass of the dinghy would help. (Just make sure they hang on tight - lol) Looking at the picture you attached, it would appear the keel and inflatable sides of the dinghy is well above any wave I have experienced. I couldn't use the "pull on" system you are investigating as i have vertical stern rails at the rear of my swim platform to provide fall arrest and support a BBQ and canopy (see my pics under profile). With your proposed system, can you remove the davits so it doesnt become a trip hazard when the dinghy is not on the swim platform? Do you have enough space to pull the dinghy onto the swim platform AND then have enough clearance to walk between the dinghy and the rear transome of the boat after loading the dinghy? (the model in the photo is skinny - I am not - lol) Also the swim platform in the photo is very deep / long and even appears recessed into the actual transome Regards Ian

08April2009 Hi Dan, You should really seek the advice of a marine/auto electrician to get proper advice. Last thing you want is battery problems when you are out for the day or overnight. Anyhow, here is the little I think I know 1. The Optima batteries are AGM type (absorbed glass mat) type - http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_edge...nical_specs.php Looking at the technical info on this site: RedTops - all are start batteries ONLY. You shouldn't be using these for deep cycle house batteries BlueTop - type 34M is a start battery ONLY. All others are OK for dual purpose YellowTop - all are OK for dual purpose 2. You said your start battery is a "flooded cell". 3. It is NOT a good idea to mix the battery types (AGM and flooded cell) UNLESS your charger allows for it (and I don't believe the Protech1200 series does). This is because they have different charge characteristics and what is good for one type may not be good for another type. The key to the discussion is your charger. You really need to know what it is. The rest of this response assumes you have a 1200 series. If you are sure it is a Protech 1200 - here is the link for the 1200 series manual http://promariner.com/images/ProductPhotos...hi%20Manual.pdf Page 8 will give you a good idea of differences in charging betwen battery types 4. This is where things get a little "muddy" Based on the comments of Protech, you should NOT have the "mixed" setup (flooded start and AGM house). If you look at the Optima site, they recommend a RANGE of recharge voltages, currents and times - all of which fit into the Protech "flooded" range. I guess Protech would be taking an average of all maufacturers of AGM and setting their product to suit - so whilst Protech say you shouldn't "mix" types - in reality (for Optima AGM type at least) - it shouldn't be too much of a problem Having said that, I certainly would be concerned if you were constantly overcharging any type of battery. It is a sure way to significantly shorten it's life 5. Connections. Yes the correct way to connect the 2 house batteries is red (positive) to red (positive) AND black (negative) to black (negative). This referred to having the batteries connected "in parallel". Do not attempt to connect in any other way otherwise you run the risk of connecting them "in series" and getting 24volts - that would be a disasterous situation and a sure way to seriously damage your boats electrical system. 6. Once you have connected your 2 house batteries in parallel, you only need 1 charging wire per "bank" (see page 11 of the Protech manual). In your case you have 2 "banks" i.e. "Bank1" = the start battery and "Bank2" = the 2 house batteries connected in parallel Also see the note about using a "jumper" if you Protech charger has 3 output posts 7. I wouldn't mix old and new batteries. If you want 2 house batteries - make them BOTH new. Depending upon age, condition, usage patterns etc., I'm sure it would "work" but the older battery could degrade the performance of the new. There is also a case to change your start battery to match the type of house battery you are using (see comments above). 8. I can't comment as to suitability of Optima batteries or other AGM type batteries as I have never used them. My 330SY uses flooded cells and I've never had any problems to date. 9. As for your comment about "start battery being switched off", even with the battery switches in the OFF postion, the charger will continue to charge / top up all of the batteries connected to it whilst AC supply is on at the charger input. This is why the charger has a wire running to each "bank". It also uses this same wire to measure / control voltages but that is a whole new subject of charger design not relevant here. 10. Remember to have fuses fitted to the charge wires connected to the battery banks. See Protech manual. These should have already been fitted in the original installation Hopefully this helps a little Regards Ian P.S. I haven't considered the effect of the alternator fixed to the boat motor, suffice to say the output voltages would be within the ranges noted above. Combined with it's own and the boats independent voltage sensitive relay (VSR) switching system, we can ignore

Hi Sophie, Sorry, I don't have a 290 but I can tell you about issues I had with my 330, Weaver davits and the Weaver "snap togglers" I originally had the Weaver "Z" shaped davits that dropped the level of davit to just above the waterline. (I think Weaver call them "Offset Davit Heads). These should have never been fitted to my boat in the first place - but that is a whole different story) Problem is that on the 330 whenever you come of the plane, a large "standing wave" comes along underneath the boat and swamps the swim platform. It doesn't matter how quickly or slowly you come off the plane, the "wave" is always there. If the "side inflatable roll" of the dinghy is too low (too close to level of the swim platform), this wave pushes the dinghy up and will want to rip the davit out. It actually tends to strip the thread of the "toggle nut" and the mounting plate of the davit can become bent. It didn't cause any damage to the swim platform so I guess it demonstrates how stong just the one layer of the swim platform is (at least on a 330) Solution was to "reverse" the "Z" davit so that the inflatable roll is well above the level of the swim platform and unaffected by the "wave" You should check your 290 to see if this "wave" will affect your dinghy and place the height accordingly.

Hi, Looking at the General Use, Care and Maintenance Manuals section of the board Under Marine Air Vector series model VCD5 thru VCD24 page 15 says "... the seawater pump utilizes a magnetically driven impeller..." Not sure what you have done to investigate so far but I would check for blockages of the pickup and all pipes (not just in the strainer) You should be able to locate the pump model / serial number on the pump body. Also see if it lists the flow rate of the pump (gallons per hour) and measure. If not, try to track down more info and parts etc. through www.dometic.com. Hope this helps

Hi Dave Inverters, batteries and cabling (especially at high loads) is a specialist field and you'd be better off talking to your marine electrician. It will be more expensive than a DIY but you will be able to take it back to him if it doesn't work the way you intended it to! Here is a link for some info on designing inverter systems. It is basic but will give you a good primer on what to discuss (and sort out the BS - if you get any) http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inverter_faq.html#size . You should be able to find a lot of similar information on the web e.g. http://www.majorpower.com/inverters/inverter_faq.pdf Also look under RV sites - they have similar issues to us boaties. If you do decide to fit an inverter, you will need to decide what equipment you want to run at the same time. This will determine the size of the inverter, the battery bank, cable length and diameter. Don't forget you can expect normal wattage loads to reach at LEAST 2 times the normal running loads at start up. (Depending on the appliance this can be anywhere between 3 and 7 times!) I don't know what is fitted to your 262 but assuming it is a Kenyon brand (see http://kenyonappliances.com/marine/alcelec.html) and a single burner, you need 110volts at 10 amps = 1100 watts add approx. 20% = 1320watts design. Closest commercial available will be say 1500watts continuous (and approx. 3000watts peak). If it was a 2 burner stove, you would need to double this and you would start to spend some SERIOUS $$$$$ Then you need to look at your batteries. You will need multiple batteries to run anywhere these loads for any length of time remembering that you should never discharge a deep cycle battery below 50%. To do so, seriously shortens the battery life. (Incidentally, think about where and how you will place the batteries. 3 x 150amp batts will leave the boat with a list if not fitted centrally) Also inverters are very inefficient when not operating at or near their design loads so its not a good idea to run a single computer (typically 70 - 100 watts) on a system designed to run 1500 watts. One final warning - inverters can kill - even though it "only" starts at 12volts - it comes out just like your AC supply at home. As for the alcohol stove - I had a single Kenyon electric/alcohol type on a previous boat. Yes, they are slower to cook (alcohol has a lower calorific content) but do a more than adequate job. The biggest problem always seemed to be that pots and pans ended up with very dirty (sooty) bottoms. I was never sure if it was just the way I used it or inherent to alcohol stoves. Why don’t you just try it and see how it goes. As it is already fitted, it won’t cost you anything (other tan 1 pint of alcohol fuel) Other issues: 1. Depending on unit - you have to wait until stove cools down to refill - a real pain if the little tank ran out whilst you are in the middle of cooking. 2. It is often hard to see an alcohol flame. I was never sure if it was alight or not - especially in sunlight 3. It is expensive - but I guess you have to weigh up how much cooking you will really do On the plus side 1. It is much safer then butane / propane below decks. 2. Can be stored below decks 3. You don't need a licenced plumber/gasfitter to fit propane / butane stoves below decks (it is a requirement here in Oz) Hope it’s not too much information Regards

For the interior, ask MOST what they use. I have timber look alike in the cabin of my 330SY which was fitted by the factory Flexiteek and Nuteak are plastic composite that work well internally. They can also be used externally --- BUT--- in direct sun, they get VERY hot and you will need some footwear to walk on it. I wouldn't recommend it on a swim platform if you actually use the platform to swim from or sit on

Hi Dan, I haven't heard of nuteak but it looks similar to "Flexiteek" which is made in Sweden and according to their advertising is now being used by SeaRay and Four Winns. I haven't used it but I did talk with another boat owner on the same marina arm who has Flexiteek in his cockpit and swim platform. It has been on his boat for 18mths and he is pleased with it. The swim platform has faded a little (compared to the cockpit). He says he will buff it lightly with a fine grit sandpaper to 'restore' the underlying colour. Although he hasn't done it yet, he has a couple of friends that have done it and apparently turns out like the brochure says. His only 'complaint' is that it gets very hot which makes it difficult to stand on with bare feet on sunny days Regards Ian P.S. If you want more comments, it might be better to start a new topic on the discussion board Also maybe ask M.O.S.T what they think / use

Hi Frenchie, We are a couple of 'empty nesters' so when we bought the 330 (now the 340) we really liked the open plan layout - in fact we originally looked at the 350 (now the 360) but decided to 'downsize' to the 330 because we didnt like the closed in feeling the cabins gave. Glad you found the 'right' boat for you - I'm sure your 2 boys think it's fantastic too! Haven't seen the 400 yet - apparently there is only 1 of them here in Oz and it is in a different state although I am planning a Florida factory visit next time I make it to the USA As for the table, we also find it too small for more than 2 people. I plan to increase size by approx. 25% by using a timber 'overlay' with a few cleats underneath so that it fits over the existing fibreglass table. That way, we can keep / use both depending on the number of pax on board. Will get a few pics 'when' I get around to making it. Other options might include 1. Visiting your local shipwright who could make a new table top for you. They could also 'glass over it for you if you wanted to maintain the original look 2. Maybe a more cost effective solution would be to visit your local cabinet maker who could mill / route your design and finish in a 2pack poly. If you leave a post for M.O.S.T they will tell where you can get the 'pedestal' base fitting to suit the support tube. Trust this gives you a few ideas

Hi Rkatz, 50 amps is a lot of juice! (@ 110V = possible total load 5,500 watts). Depending on the capacity of your a/c unit, they usually draw around 10-12A (1100-1300 watts) whilst compressor is running. So, unless you also are trying to run all your AC powered appliances ALL at the same time, 50A should be adequate (a single 30A will not be sufficient, hence the 2 x 30A boat wiring) Where you are using the 50amp splitter cord, I suspect the marina is not supplying the full 50A at the dockside outlet. Sure the socket and the adjacent circuit breaker on the dockside pole might be a 50A type/s, this doesn't mean they actually make the full 50A available to you. The only way to be sure of what you are drawing is by measuring it. A note of caution is required here - unless you are an electrician - don't try this yourself (although there are 'non-contact' methods of measurement available). 110V can - and does - kill.

Hi Not sure why they dropped the 322- I guess it is progress. It disappeared off the website sometime last year. They do have a new 320SY (look at the website). It looks like a slightly shorter and narrower version of the 330SY. (I agree with Jesse the 330 is a fantastic boat with a great layout - I've got one too) Wow - with a set of Merc350s and the assumed reduced weight from the 330SY - it should scream 40knots+! (I get 37+ from my 330). Just don't look at the fuel gauges or flow rates! - lol) Have a look at the website, it looks like they have upgraded a few other models as well. Regards PS. Looks like they have renamed the 330SY to 340SY - very confusing! - but wait, it even becomes more confusing when they sell this 330/340 as a 355SY in overseas markets. I guess its all related to waterline length vs. overall length. What would we do without marketing departments??!!

I think it depends on whether the optional air conditioning was fitted. The air con runs off a separate supply circuit No air = 1 power cord With air = 2 power cords If you need another cord, see www.marinco.com for their catalogue

Best wishes to all - will be feeling sad for all you snow bound northerners whilst i'm pulling 35+ knots - lol

1. SEACORE Mercruiser do not make a kit to fit SeaCore to an existing engine. Basically, SeaCore comprises of 3 sections: a)= the standard Mercruiser closed cooling kit (+ a modified engine flush system) = all the drive leg case, trim and transome mount castings are hard-coat anodized c)= use of other stainless steel hardware, mounts etc. (Volvo, with their DPX Ocean Series, went a different direction and used composite plastics to mould the drive leg case in an attempt to reduce corrosion – but I believe it has now been withdrawn from the market (at least outside the USA) 2. CLOSED COOLING Mercruiser (and other “aftermarket” companies) do make “closed cooling” kits which can be fitted to your engine In the 350MAG this use a mixture of fresh water and anti-freeze with a heat exchanger to cool the block, heads and exhaust manifolds. The exhaust risers (if fitted), heat exchanger and water pick-up are still exposed to sea water. If you do fit the closed cooling kit, you must also re-programme the computer chips in the ECM. Apparently the closed cooling system changes some operating temperatures in the engine and the ECM needs to allow for this. This is NOT included in the kit price. The ECM must either be replaced or removed and shipped back to Mercruiser for re-programming. Also, if you fit these kits, you need an additional water pickup for each engine I recently looked at fitting closed cooling to my (1998) 355SY with 2 x 350MAG-MPI-Bravo3. Approximate cost was AU$3500 per engine x 2 = AU$7000 (or approximately US$6500). I didn’t proceed with the conversion as I couldn’t justify the cost The Mercruiser Installation Manual (section 5) gives a very good description (and water flow diagrams) of the various motor / cooling variations. (If you purchased the boat new, this manual on CD, should have been included with your Monterey Owner’ Information Pack. If you don’t have it, please let me know through the messages section and I will organise a copy = 45mb .pdf file) 3. ANOTHER OPTION If you keep your boat out of the water (see your profile picture), WHY do you want to have SeaCore / Closed cooling? If you flush the motor as per Mercruiser manual with fresh water after each , this will be the BEST method to keep your engine from corroding. If you are worried about salt deposits, just flush your motor with a salt-neutralizing solution (similar to Salt-Away, NeutraSalt etc. If you leave the boat permanently in salt water (like mine), it is nearly impossible to flush the motors with the Mercruiser method. The legs are so far back under the swim platform you would need to scuba dive to fit the flushing device to the raw water intakes. I have fitted the Volvo Penta QL NuetraSalt system to my Mercruisers. Cost was approximately AU$750 x 2 engines = AU$1500. This is the same system they fit as standard to all Volvo engine installations Mercruiser here in Australia said it wouldn’t void my warranty (although they wouldn’t put it in writing) It has only been fitted for 6months so I can’t tell you if it is reducing and corrosion in the long term but I did have it fitted to another boat (fitted with a Volvo 5.7GXi-B DuoProp) for over 6 years without any problems. Hope this helps, sorry it was such a long answer Enjoy your boat in January P.S. Did you know the Mercruiser 350 and Volvo 5.7 is basically the same motor? (from Chevrolet)

I saw the sidethrusters at a boatshow a few years back and thought they were a fantastic idea If you have time, please let us know how it performs, ease of installation, cost of unit etc. Thanks

There is a lot of information available on the internet regarding this - just do a google search The official position of mercruiser and volvo is that upto 10% is OK - see their websites http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/serv...aqs/ethanol.php http://www.volvo.com/volvopenta/na/en-us/m...nol/ethanol.htm however you should read the owner's manual to check if this was the case in 2001. Ethanol has been in use in USA for many years Ethanol does tends to attract water / water vapour which can cause problems with "phase separation" - see the mercruiser link above for a description and photograph. You may need to take precautions if you store your boat for long periods You will need to confirm ethanol compatability with other fuel components (lines, rubber componets, tanks etc.) with M.O.S.T but I don't think it would be a problem as USA has been using ethanol for many years and they would have designed for this

Is it the original motor? (7 years old) Is the boat on a trailer or kept in the water? Has it always been flushed or rinsed with neutrasalt? If its original, I would save my money and wait until you needed a refit. It won't add much value or benefit at this time. If you do fit the freshwater cooling, check whether you also need a new or reprogrammed Engine Control Management chip. I know in Mercruisers they use different settings depending on cooling / exhaust system installed. Cost of this is expensive and not included with the aftermarket cooling or exhaust kits

Hi there, I don't know anything about the 295 (I have a 355) so don't know what electronics package, senders, tranducers etc. you have originally or what type of display you are connecting to. My suggestion is to go see your Raymarine dealer. Several of the transducer / DSM installation manuals are available on the Raymarine site, however nothing is dimensioned so it will be difficult trying to find something that "fits" You could also try an "in-hull" transducer (see the P79 at http://www.raymarine.com/ProductDetail.asp...mp;PRODUCT=1374 ). You won't get speed or water temperature with this but it doesn't require holing your hull. I think the retail price is approx. A$250 - 300 (saw it at the recent Sydney show). I have one fitted to my boat via a DSM300 and C80 display but can't tell you how it performs as it has never worked (boat was delivered end April 08!). They are still working on it! They also make the much larger M260 but I think retail starts around the $1200 mark Finally, I would suggest you leave the original depth transducer and gauge so you have a back-up in the future, especially if you do a lot of river work (something I haven't been able to do - yet). It is always nice to know how close the bottom is even if your fishfinder isn't working Regards

Thought someone might be interested in seeing my new bimini extension. Gives lots of shade

Hi there Not sure if this is applicable to your 270. Monterey did the same on my 355SY. There is no manual switch - when i operate the air con (or shower) the sump pump runs automatically (via the float switch). There is a breaker in the engine bay but this is always on (trips if there is a problem). I questioned this during the boat "handover" with my Monterey dealer. He did an easy fix - he just removed the label!