298SS Guy

Over the years I've bought nothing but Garmin's. I love them and am on the St Lawrence and Lake Ontario. Easy to use so far bulletproof.

The two pictures were great! It looks fantastic. Did you use the template method or were they available from SeaDek?

ummmm - I have a 2008 298ss (made in 07 tho)

sooooo, how about a pix?

I have this boat and use it mainly on the St Lawrence River. She has also crossed Lake Ontario a number of times. We love it. We had a 20' SeaRay before getting this and sitting in the bow could be a wet experiance when the waves kicked up. No worries in this boat. In fact it was a quick adjustment not slowing for wakes like we use to have to do. This boat is dry. She is a head turner and has no problem keeping up with others. She handles great and is easy to dock. My problems, I can not stop a vacuum leak in the head system. It functions fine but it does run all night and will drain the battery. The other thing I don't like is the location of the GPS. Low and behind the wheel is a terrible spot. Would I buy her again? You bet. Bob

Welcome aboard

"so I always have a little water in the engine compartment which isn't the end of the world but drives me a little nuts." Make sure the bilge pump is at the lowest point (I am sure it is already but never over look the obvious). Centrifugal impeller pumps that will not pull the last 1/2" to 1" of water out of the bilge. If you want a dry bilge, the only way to get one is with a diaphragm pump.

An update from my senator in NY. Thank you for your letter regarding S. 2766, the Clean Boating Act of 2008. Recreational boating is an important part of New York’s economy, and it is a wonderful activity that is enjoyed by thousands of New Yorkers. I agree with you that Congress must be careful not to hamstring recreational boaters and the tourism industry which depends on them by passing unnecessary environmental restrictions. Boating has the potential to introduce pollutants and invasive species into lakes and rivers. To protect the health of our nation’s waterways, Congress has enacted several national water-quality laws. Among these, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act – commonly known as the Clean Water Act – directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to restrict water pollution from ships and boats by requiring them to obtain permits. For 34 years, the EPA exempted recreational boats from this requirement on the grounds that they do not pose a significant danger to water quality. In 2006, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down this regulation. As a result, recreational boaters will have to comply with the same Clean Water Act regulations as ocean-going commercial ships beginning in 2008. The Clean Boating Act of 2008 simply clarifies the scope of the Clean Water Act’s restrictions on boating specifically to exempt recreational vessels. If passed, this law will protect recreational boaters from having to obtain permits. I have not yet had an opportunity to vote on this legislation, but if I do, I will certainly keep your thoughts on the matter in mind. Thank you for contacting me about this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if I can ever be of assistance to you on this or any other issue. Sincerely, Charles E. Schumer United States Senator So I ask, does it sound like he gets it? Or cares too? This is why we all must get involved. It seems if there is a way to impose a fee/tax in the current environment it will happen.

The very nature of AM (Amplitude Modulation) makes it very susceptible to any noisy electrical connection or components. Is the AM radio clear when the boat is not connected? If yes, then the problem could be in the boat or power panel. Plug something other than your boat (or someone else's boat) into the power panel. Does the noise re-appear? If yes check all connections for corrosion and tightness, REMEMBER ELECTRICITY LOSES WATER. (take precautions) If not the problem is in the boat (which is what my choice would be if forced to guess.) Now is the time for harder detective work. Turn off everything the shore power feeds and start re-connecting them one at a time. When the noise starts that is the culprit. Check ALL connections for corrosion and tightness. I am going to guess you find out it is the battery charger. Unfortunately, short of changing whatever is causing the problem you are probably stuck. I know of no shielding that will clear up environmental noise. You will most likely be forced to listen to FM or satellite radio. Hope this helped. Keep me posted on your progress.

Please watch video. This video is in reference to the water discharge legislation pending in Congress. Simply put, a law that exempted recreational boaters from getting a permit to discharge water overboard is about to expire. Discharges include simple engine cooling water, gray water discharge, bilge water or even rain water. The permits are estimated to cost $800 to a few thousand per season. If you agree, and I don't know how you couldn't, please click on the "Click here to send a letter to Congress" and send a letter. It couldn't be easier. http://www.boattest.com/nmma.aspx And please, send to all your boating friends. Thanks. Bob My apologies to the webmaster if this is something you do not want on the forum board but none of my friends are aware of this legislation.

I have used a Garmin for the past 5 years and loved it- It was easy to use and they have a great website with good info...https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=148 HOWEVER I just bought a Raymarine 435. It is not yet installed so I can not give first hand in depth info but have played with one from a boat buddy of mine- it is bright and easy to read in the sunshine. Was also easy to navigate. Making sure you get the best screen with no washout is very important. If it's easy to use but you can't see it then it's just taking up space.

Yes, you need one B-I extinguisher since you have a fixed system .

I have never painted the bottom of my boat, however I am thinking about painting this boat. I hate the look of bottom paint and notice clear coat bottom paint is now being sold. Are these worth it or a waste of time? If they don't work is the white at least not noticeable. Any brand better then the next? The boat is used in freshwater.

I have the SS but I believe it has the same holding tank. We too kept hearing the vacuum pump cycling all night. I found the big nut on top of the tank to be loose. Worth a quick check. 2. It was the vacum pump generator. What is an appropriate amount of time between cycles considering no flushes? I think there might be a leak somewhere?

This post concerns the 298SS. I will be installing a 120v inverter this spring and need good locations for mounting. I think the engine compartment is out due to explosion concerns. It will not see much use - but I have a need for 700w every now and again. Does anyone have one installed? Any issues with your location? (yes, I realize the draw on the batteries)