First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Things that are of general interest.
EWRice
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by EWRice »

The biggest quirks I notice are how the boats handle compared to a similar glass, wood or steel boat, and how much wind affects them. These boats are very light for there size and sit shallow in the water. Stand back a good distance sometime when a Marinette is on stands and look at the ratio of material above vs. below the water line. It is almost comical. I was working on a 32 sedan stored next to a 31 Chris Craft commander (almost identical layouts with the commander being fiberglass). That was when I realized just how shallow a Marinette is.

The trade off can be good. While the Chris is trying to get on plane, you will be on plane and pulling away. At 2800 rpm the Chris might get 18mph, the BigM will be closer to 24mph.

It all comes down to what you want to use the boat for.
Muskegon Lake
1972 32' Express flybridge
"AL13"
Twin 318s
On board air & prime 920
1963 Thompson Super Sea Lancer
Graymarine 327
1961 Alumacraft 12'
'55 10hp Johnson
info4all
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by info4all »

Ewrice, if the boat sits so shallow, what depth do I need to watch out for on my depth gauge? Like I said before the boat has one but it doesn't mean much to me yet.

Also, while the boat is out of the water does anyone know how to check the prop to make sure it is true? Can I spin it by hand while the transmission is in neutral? If I can rotate the prop I should be able to use a static point on the hull and measure each blade. I could do something similar with the shaft to determine if I have a bent shaft versus damaged/bent prop. Is there a better method?

Thanks again everyone.

Oh, I almost forgot I will be putting the boat in its new home Tuesday. I am very excited. I have already started the online courses for boat safety and plan to have everything completed before Tuesday. I am ordering the stuff for the stuffing box and will keep that in the boat until I have time to address it. Thanks for the great advice everyone.
David
Louisville, KY
1976 32' Sedan
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bcassedy
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by bcassedy »

David,

To your depth question (and not to steal Ewrice's possible answer...) - It depends on your depth gauge. Allow me to explain.
1. All depth gauges measure the distance from the transducer to the bottom.
2. My 32' SB has a "draft" of 2'. This is the distance between the surface of the water and an imaginary horizontal measuring line that runs just under the lowest part of the boat - in this case, the bottom of the rudder.
3. It's a little difficult to accurately figure (with the boat in the water):
a. how much distance is between the transducer and the water line (realistically, it's only inches).
b. figure how much of the draft distance is left by subtracting that transducer to waterline from 2' = effective draft.
c. That distance minus the depth reading is the actual depth.
** Points a. thru c. can be considered "minutia" unless you run into what I did - read on.

I got past this by installing a depth gauge which offered a "draft offset" function. Ie. I could say the draft offset is 2'. Any distance I saw on the depth finder/gauge was the actual distance between the bottom and the bottom of the rudder. After installing that, I had a number of friends over for a get together. While at the slip in the marina.. Showing the different parts of the boat, I flipped on the new depth gauge. It showed 8 INCHES of water!! I happened to have a wooden dowel on board. I stuck it thru a paper plate and lowered it into the water standing on the swim platform. Sure enough I met resistance (ie. hit bottom) at about 2' 10" (I'm thinking the layer of silt allowed the transducer to penetrate a couple of inches into the silt before echoing the signal back). The marina was notorious for silting (and supposedly constantly dredging - but they were of a mindset that dredging the main channels of the various slips would then allow for the silt/mud to "fall" into the deeper dredged channel. Na baby, na!!! And we were slipped on the main dock!!
That was the end of our staying at that marina.

Prop trueness - Someone on here may have a method, but if there's a worry, I'd call around to a prop shop (that's recommended by others) and ask what it'd cost to check out your props. If you don't need that done "post haste" I can recommend on in the Cincinnati area.

Shaft trueness - I had the same question as you. You can determine that (while the boat's out of the water) by:
- get a gauge from Harbor Freight (ie. it's accurate and won't cost an arm and a leg) that measures deflection.
- mount the gauge on stable platform (concrete blocks with a wood block the gauge can be fastened to).
- adjust positioning of the gauge so it's just about to touch the underside of the shaft. Leave a little wiggle room.
- extend the "arm" of the gauge so it just contacts the bottom of the shaft.
- Note on the readout section where it reads (this is your reference point)
- rotate the shaft slowly and keep an eye on the readout.
- any defection indicates the shaft is out of true.

How much is too much? Someone here should be able to give you that answer. Or you can "Google" it. If it's out of true that it'll adversely affect your boat, you'll need to dismount it and take it to a machine shop for correction. They could potentially straighten with a "cold press" process. Ie. the metal's NOT heated which will adversely effect stainless steel. I had that process used to correct a bent rudder shaft this spring. VERIFY that such a process won't cause an issue with a prop shaft as the shaft is under a LOT MORE stress than a rudder shaft.

Bill
Bill & Sharon Cassedy
"Sunset Seeker"
'88 32' Sedan Bridge to be sold (updtd 1-1-22)
"Sunset Seeker Too" (SS2)
'88 41' Marquis hardtop. (as of 1/1/22)
Located in Aurora, In.
Always fresh water.
info4all
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by info4all »

Bill,

Thanks for all of your insight. Each day I learn a little more. From what I have witnessed by riding on the boat I don't think I need immediate work done on the prop or shaft but since I did feel some vibration I will check it out while the bottom is easily accessible.
David
Louisville, KY
1976 32' Sedan
Fastjeff
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by Fastjeff »

You'll always feel vibration in an inboard boat since the shock waves coming off the ends of the prop blades impact the bottom of the boat. That's the nice thing about outdrives--the shock waves are dissipated into the air.

Jeff
"We live at the bottom of an ocean of air, not at the top." General Marvage Slatington
Wilfred
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by Wilfred »

Yes get the capac working and likely repaint the bottom before relaunch
But before that as Scott recommended, a sea trial with a surveyor or mechanic
You will have a lot to do, you do not need a new or rebuilt engine to be added to the list
Please check in with a progress report
W. J. Brockman
1984 Marinette Express Bridge
Twin 318s 235 hp
Bolles Harbor, Michigan
Fastjeff
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by Fastjeff »

Just remembered this: Oft times, when overnighting on the hook, I noticed how the other boats were all pointed one way, where my 32 footer was pointed another way. Why? Darned if I know, but I've seen this happen many times.

Jeff
"We live at the bottom of an ocean of air, not at the top." General Marvage Slatington
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Busia
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by Busia »

Was it your boat, or maybe it's just you? Always have to be different. ( wife says, always have to be difficult )
BUSIA
located in Ketchikan, Alaska. Gods country
32 foot Marinette (no fly bridge)
twin 350 Crusader (Chev 350) engines
1:1 Borg Warner velvet drive transmissions
Closed cooling (antifreeze in the engine)
Proud to be retired IBEW and an A+P
Fastjeff
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by Fastjeff »

The anchor line was in the center of the bow, in its usual location. Weird.

Jeff
"We live at the bottom of an ocean of air, not at the top." General Marvage Slatington
jralbert
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Re: First Post, First Boat, 32' Sedan

Post by jralbert »

Noticed the same thing. Suspect is may have to do with boat's large profile, catching the wind. That may have had more of an effect than current
-joel-
former owner 1988 '32 FB Sedan
Chesapeake Bay
twin 318 / 240 hp
Potomac MD
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