New to boating.

rustybronco

Member
Oct 24, 2021
86
Marysville Michigan
Boat Info
1995 Sea Ray 175 BR
Engines
3.0 LX Alpha 1 Gen 2
Retired and decided it best for the wife to get back into boating after a long hiatus and myself to give it a whirl. Serious downgrade in size for her but it's what the budget can afford.

I bought a 1995 175 BR in okay shape with a host of issues. The Sun pad is missing which led to my finding out the stern panel that forms the back rest of the seats is poorly attached and mounted too far forward. The grab handles and steering wheel have been painted somewhere along its storied past, the carpet has been changed to grey or at least most of it has been. (Should be burgundy.) The big issues are a noise in the outdrive (gimbal brg/u-joints?) and the trailer is junk. (Port side rail is rusted out and the tongue is offset to the starboard.)

The good news is I bought it cheap, the engine and outdrive look excellent, the structure appears to be seaworthy and the rest can be put to right in time. Yes, the original trailer as well. I already have plans to get a few sticks of 4" x 2" 11 Ga and see how much it will cost to have it bent to the proper shape. If cost prohibitive then straight sides and a 30 degree angle towards the tongue will have to do. C-channel is another option.
 
Just to be honest you probably should get a new trailer if it's that bad. Your safety and the others on the road around you are depending on you. Usally the frame fails last and all the other parts are shot.
Please be safe out there.
 
Welcome from Idaho! That outdrive noise is typically the gimbal or u-joints, as you mentioned. U-joints usually make very little noise when pointed straight with the outdrive down, and get progressively louder as you steer off to either side. Gimbals tend to make "rocks in the dryer" sounds all the time. Either way, you probably should pull the outdrive to verify. Post some pictures when you get the chance. We all like pictures.
 
Just to be honest you probably should get a new trailer if it's that bad. Your safety and the others on the road around you are depending on you. Usually the frame fails last and all the other parts are shot.
Please be safe out there.
To Be Honest, my welding skills aren't all that bad. If I can get two sections of properly bent tubing I'm certain it would be road worthy when I'm done with it. The utility trailer I stick welded together 10 or so years ago is still holding up just fine. It has had 3500Lb's on it more than once, crossed multiple states and returned safely back home.

The boat trailers axle, wheels, springs, fenders, tongue, winch and jack are in great shape. The two cross members look acceptable but I'll know more on them as I get further into it. Who knows, maybe I'll find the correct trailer for it at a reasonable price before too long. (1995 era SR-V1724)
 
Bronco. First question as always is, where you located? If you need advice, answers be WAY different from Boston, Miami, Utah.
Nater knows. He likes Rocky Mountain Oysters with fries, I prefer Fish chowder, you may get different opinions based on location.
Pictures or it don’t exist as NP said.
 
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Perfect. Post your questions in the Great Lakes thread, more likely to get local advise, recommendations, and reference to shops that can help you out.
Or the Trailer thread, those guys know stuff. New boaters thread is usually for introduction. Scroll down to find a thread for best specific problem questions, you’ll get a response faster. Just trying to help.
 
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Just trying to help.
Appreciated.

I'm usually good when it comes to things mechanical. Changed the alternator in our Ford Edge a week or so ago. It wasn't as bad of a job as changing the engine cradle on the 300 and rebuilding the front suspension a few years back. I may have to let repair shops do a bit more in the future as the body is wearing out.

'Rocky Mountain Oysters with fries," Eeeewwwwww....
 
From what you describe I hope someone gave you the boat.

Retirement years are meant for relaxing on a boat not trying to put one back together.
 
Some like a hobby. Ever watch NCIS where Gibbs is building a boat? I got a neighbor retired. 7 years he been building a boat in his garage. Last year he finished the hull. One Saturday i watched 10 guys pull it out, flip it over. Now he is starting on top side. I think its replica of a PT WW2 boat. Works on it an hour or two a day, somedays. I doubt it will get finished in his lifetime. My guess is he dont care if it ever floats, it gives the guy something to do.
 
From what you describe I hope someone gave you the boat.

Retirement years are meant for relaxing on a boat not trying to put one back together.
Nope, paid a reasonable amount of cash for it.

To me all things mechanical IS relaxation. Be it welding up a fire pit cover or changing the head gasket on an old tractor. Fixing this up is no different.
 
Retirement years are meant for relaxing on a boat not trying to put one back together.
I'm with @rustybronco on this one. I bought mine cheap with many known problems in anticipation of it being my retirement project. Already have plans for a 40' X 70' shop for it, the fifth-wheel, and assorted motorcycles that all need some lovin'.
 
I'm with @rustybronco on this one. I bought mine cheap with many known problems in anticipation of it being my retirement project. Already have plans for a 40' X 70' shop for it, the fifth-wheel, and assorted motorcycles that all need some lovin'.
Yup, I bough my current property for the old cattle barns, i can work on a project for a while, and when life gets in the way, take care of bizness and when I get back to it, the screwdriver is right where I left it some time ago. My shops are my get away zone.
 
Picked up a free ($1) 1995 Bayliner 2050 Capri today. It came with the matching trailer which is in good shape. The boat is junk and mostly gutted so its off to the landfill as soon as I can get it there. Boat came with title and bill of sale for it and trailer. Vin on the trailer is unreadable. Trailer is 9 Ga by the specs I found (WT20PC-X?). Trailer on the Sea Ray is either 11 or 12 Ga. I might need to shorten the Bayliners trailer to get it closer to what came on the the Sea Ray.

I also picked up a Standard Horizon Nova VHF radio (Yaesu?). Should be of the same era as the SR.
 

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