vetting

17 hours ago, jigstick said:

You need the standard hydraulic helm. Not the pro series. And you most likely need the same cylinder I’m using. I’m not sure exactly what the pro helm is used for. Maybe dual motor outboards or something like that. 

I was referring to the Non Power Assist vs Power Assist.  Since the main motor wont be running when using the kicker, the power steering pump wont even be running.  Just wondering why it even matters since the ram isnt even hooked up to the PS anymore - or am I misunderstanding something?  Is the power assist meant to mean the extra SeaStart pump that you can add into the system?

I have the exact same thing except its a V8 with Alpha 1.

I guess I really dont understand why they make 2 different helms.

Had a similar issue on mine a few years ago - it was the tank vent screen that was clogged in the anti-siphon valve.  

I'm also thinking about the same conversion to hydraulic but keeping the sport pilot.  How much was the total conversion?  Not sure what unit to get - the power assist or non power assist.  

I put spacers on rotary helm to set it back a bit into the dash and get the sport pilot more flush to the dash.  If it everything is line up and not twisted, then not sure what to tell you.

Is it just a matter of the fact that you are completing the circuit and it sparks as the wire gets close enough to the terminal for the current to arc?  The arc that you see is the total current demand of all things that demand power as soon as you hook the cable up.

Looking for Adventure Marine fixed kicker bracket in the USA if possible.  They are based in Canada and the shipping is $60 which makes it a $400 bracket.  Anyone have a used one or a place to buy new in the USA?

Looking at getting a T9.9 Yamaha as a kicker motor.  Having a real difficult time finding a remote 25" shaft used.  I went and measured my transom of the weekend and wondering if I could get away with a 20".  Where I want to mount it, its around 16" from the water line to the bottom of the transom.  However, we often troll in following seas and the waves can crash up another 6 inches above that.  Just looking for any suggestions or help.  

Why dont you just leave the Sportpilot the way it is?  If you going to hydraulic, you still can just turn the wheel to steer which is what the sportpilot is good at.  The sportpilot shouldnt change the feeling of the wheel.  If it does, then its binding and you need to install spacers.  Im currently looking to switch my cable/power assist alpha 1 over to a hydraulic sea start and Im going to keep my sport pilot spx 5 the way it is.

I guess I could also switch to hydraulic steering and then continue to use my SPX-5 with the main motor off.  Any tips/costs estimates switching over to hydraulic - Morse column right now with the typical Alpha 1 power steering ram. 

I have a Raymarine SPX-5 EV200 autopilot.  Its the one that turns the actual wheel.  Just hope it can still turn the wheel ok without the power steering pump running.  Will probably also add an iTroll for speed control for the kicker.  If I go with the iTroll right away, couldnt I technically go with a tiller if I find a good deal on one?  Or are there going to be issues with the tiller getting in the way when you tilt the motor?

So I think I settled on a Yamaha T9.9  - should I be looking for a tiller or full remote?  Id put an itroll on it and connect it to my main I/O.  Boat is a 1989 Cobia Cuddy Cabin 

So I think I settled on a Yamaha T9.9  - should I be looking for a tiller or full remote?  Id put an itroll on it and connect it to my main I/O.

I have a cable steer boat with power steering assist.  I have a raymarine EV200 with the a sport pilot that connects to the steering wheel.

A friend of mine is looking to add autopilot to their boat.

The boat is a 2006 cruisers express 300 I/O 

Im pretty sure its cable from the wheel to a hydraulic assist ram but not really sure. 

The ram in the back is part number 15293-c

Does that mean that you cant use the newer Raymarine hydraulic units?

Can you send me some pics please

1 hour ago, mr 580 said:

I have a 9.9 Yamaha on my Proline 25 Walk and it has plenty of power. The only issue I have is the 6 amp alternator (rated @ wot) doesn't keep up on battery charge especially when fishing deep riggers.  When I update I'll look for higher rated alternator which might mean going to 15hp.  Seems high speed riggers draw more juice than the old slow riggers.

I have 2 of the biggest Cabelas AGMs on the boat -  dont ask me how but my orange alternator wire broke once and the boat still ran for an entire trip

Looking at a 2012 9.9 Merc Pro Kicker right now with power tilt 20" shaft for around 2k.  Sound like a good deal to push a 1989 Cobia 25'?

Looking to add a kicker motor over the winter.  I'd like to be able to track down a 9.9 25" shaft Mercury bigfoot.  Is this big enough for a 25ft Cobia Cuddy Cabin.  
Boat specs are
1989 Cobia Boats/Robalo
ODYSSEY 265FC
5000lbs

Currently the boat has an 5.7 I/O with cable steering with a power steering pump.  Its controlled with an Raymarine EV-200 autopilot (wheel pilot).  It seems to turn fine without power steering.  

So is the kicker big enough or should I look for a 15hp model?

Should I just use the kicker for thrust and turn the boat with the main I/O or should they be connected?

Yeah check the main ground/power wires.  Most of the time I've had problems with electronics it ended up being corrosion on the terminal connection to the fuse panel or the fuse itself.  Corrosion can also cause a slight loss in voltage so you have to check for actual voltage to the pins on the back of the cord and not just continuity.  

Do you leave your fishhawk on the boat or to you unplug and replug it every time?

If you are catching them on small spoons or stickbaits, they are going to come off every time with their aggressive nature and easily ripped mouths.  Peanut flies are the way to go since they are trebble with the tinsel wrapped right on it which gives them nothing to torque/twist against.  Running close to the boat (they are attracted to the boat anyways) means less reeling time and their diet is more geared towards bugs this time of the year so they are up toward the surface.  In Milwaukee we had a freak class of them that stayed around all year.  By the end of the year it was impossible to tell them apart from 3 year old kings they were so big - many in the 10 to 12lb range.  At that point you have to throw out the gum color ID - we had to count anal fin sticks to tell them apart....man last year was fun.  

Not sure if its common knowledge out by you guys....but this is how we roll in Lake Michigan - Milwaukee.  Often in April/May, you will see boats leaving the marina with 12 to 18 rods with the exact same setup.

Double 00 Orange metal dodger followed by a peanut fly or trimmed king fly.  16 to 18" inches behind the flasher.  Colors of the fly are silver/green/blue.  

Run 1 through 4 color of lead or keel weights on boards.

Run normal flashers on rigger down deeper to draw in or if kings are around. 

Run 2 dipseys on a 1.5 setting.  Run them just to the point where you lose sight of them in the prop wash.  

Sit back and when you hit a pod of them you will have 4 to 5 on

Yeah vehicle wraps have come a long way since everyone wraps cars now.  If you do it, go with 3m 1080.  If you have a complex structure or dont feel comfortable using knifeless tape, get a pro to do it.  There are plenty of car wrap guys that would love to do a long flat surface.  I paid a pro $300 plus materials to do mine and took an afternoon.

Was about to buy a new one - $125 shipped to Milwaukee if you can do it.

What year is the boat?  What color is the gel coat that you are trying to restore?  If its colored gelcoat its a battle every single year.  I wet sanded/buff/polished/wax the white parts and then vinyl wrapped my colored stripe that is 3 feet wide.  I tried every single year to fix the grey and finally gave up last year - filled and faired it and then the wrap went on.

You need the higher lb for the fly leader so that the fly whips around rather than just sit there behind a flasher.