Marinette Boat Forum

Hello Everyone,

I have been looking for a 32' Marinette Sedan for about a year and we just put down the deposit on a '76 Sedan. I am new to boating but have been reading up on Big M's for a few months and would love some advice from everyone here. To start off, I will fill you in on my observations and what I have learned today.

First things first, this boat is clean. New gauges on the bottom side, new floor, new bathroom, and composting toilet. Aesthetics cannot be beat but there is the smell of mildew that would not go away now matter how much the owner tried to air out the boat. Is this common? What are your experiences with this?

The engine looked good. I spent 20 minutes going over every hose and seal. No leaking from the engine but the port side stuff box leaked 1 drop every 3 seconds when the engine was not running, though except for that one spot the hull was dry.

The generator starts but when a load is put on it, like running the air conditioner, the motor starts bogging and quits. I haven't looked into these generators but I have a few ideas on how to approach this. If you have experienced this before, let me know how you trouble shot and fixed the issue.

I intended to go over the electrical system but I got side tracked. There was one quirk with the ignition. According to the owner you have to turn the ignition to the off position twice to stop power from flowing to the starter. Apparently the starters were recently rebuilt but this is the first time I have heard of an ignition switch acting like this. Has anyone else seen this before?

I did get the owner to take the boat out in the water but he would not go over 2k rpm. I am pretty sure I felt the port engine vibrating and I wonder if there may be a bent shaft or prop which would go along with the stuff box issue. Any thoughts about this from you experienced boaters?

The capac was not setup at the helm but I may have found the wire and gauge in the hull. Is this worth the trouble of hooking up? I am only using this in fresh water (Kentucky) for the foreseeable future.

The port side rail also seemed a bit loose. Is this common? Should I address this right away?

What I learned my first day on a boat:
1) Turn on the blower before you start your engine. This apparently is to clear out any fumes.
2) Turn off the main power before switching from shore power to generator.
3) There is a depth gauge so use it (though I don't know what depth is deep enough...).
4) There is a handle by the stairs to send the rudder controls to the flybridge
5) When you have two engines you almost never use the rudder. Set it straight and drive with the props.
6) Don't forget to have fun...

Boat maintenance:
If you drop something into the hull (especially something metal) go get it.
Only use stainless steel screws.

Thanks in advance for everyone's advice and I look forward to this new adventure!!

David
'76, 32' Sedan
Kentucky

What part of Kentucky to in. And welcome to the world of boating. And with your new marinette iam on the ohio river in Louisville

I'm in Louisville as well but we will be putting her in barren Lake. I plan on buying a trailer next year so we can hop lakes and enjoy the Ohio. It would be a real thrill to watch thunder from the boat.

If the current owner won’t, or refuses to take the engines over 2,000 rpm, something is up. A sea trial with a Surveyor or mechanic on board would be advised, contingent on the sale.

For heavens sake, yes, get a survey! And taking a USCG boating safety course is also a good idea.

Many (bad) things can go wrong if you're not familiar with running such a large, first time boat.

Jeff

At least 50% of my customers are afraid to run their boats over 2000rpm. New, old, doesn't matter. Sometimes I can convince them that they were designed to run faster, sometimes not. I am amazed at the myths floating within the boating community. 1200-2500 rpm is the no no range in my book for a gas v8 for extended times in a larger boat. Not a big deal in a ski boat.

If he won't run her up past 2k, he either doesn't trust the engines, knows there is a problem, or fits the description above.

Also, highly recommend taking a boating course (as Jeff said) and see if you can talk somebody familiar with operating a similar boat into spending a few hours out on the water with you. If you can find somebody familiar with Marinettes, even better. They do have some quirks to them that no other similar size boat has.

Fleshing out ewrice's post above on running at higher rpm's... . . . .

Except where you are in restricted speed zones or maneuvering around anchored boats (especially small ones) where your wake could injure someone, the higher rpm's enable the boat to get up on plane where it is, in a manner of speaking, riding on top of the water. The planing point is different for every boat and depends also on its weight and how it is loaded. But you will feel when the boat breaks free and runs smoother and faster and more level. At fewer rpm's, the boat is riding bow high pushing a lot of water out of the way and stressing the engines.

But as noted above, be mindful of your surroundings as you are wholly responsible for damage caused by a reckless wake.

Thanks for the advice on the rpm's everyone. For the price I am getting the boat I am willing to risk the expense. After speaking with the sellers again today, the boat scared them and they just weren't experienced and didn't really use it. The previous owner 2 years ago told them to keep it at our below 2k so they just followed his advice. When we took the boat out on the water, the owner hired an experienced driver which feeds into the fact they weren't comfortable with their boat. We were on the Ohio and there wasn't anything around. The driver taught me a lot in 15 minutes but I will take your advice and take the USCG boating safety course.

I did notice the stuff box was leaking even more today and more water was in the bilge but the pump was doing its job. I am going to try to adjust the stuff box first but I am still not yet in possession of the boat. Tomorrow morning everything should be finalized and then I can start any work. As this boat will be transported, I will also get a good look at everything while it is out of the water. The under side was supposedly painted 2 years ago so I'm hoping it doesn't need another coat yet.

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming. I'm interested in the quirks ewrice was speaking of.

Any boaters in KY especially around Louisville willing to teach me a thing or two on the water, let me know. I can try to return the favor in sweat or skill.

Thanks again, David

Just thinking, should I repack or at least get the stuff to repack the stuffing box while the boat is out of the water?

Sorry for the number of questions. I'm just excited but I also want to dry or the bilge as much as reasonable.

Repacking the box is not a big deal, so don't let that alone scare you away./

I see lots of folks--and in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay--running there boats at that rpm, just below planning speed. I suppose they think they are saving gas, but the exact opposite is what's really happening.

Jeff