Change My Mind. The Older Tech Boats Are Better...

[89P270]

ColoSR is right on the Vesselview. I just sold my 2002 Rinker 342 Fiesta Vee and bought a 1997 270DA. The Rinker was a fine boat. It had Mercruiser 6.2L MPI engines common to a lot of mass produced cruisers. But the Faria analog gauges (also common to a lot of mass produced boats) were simply crap. The Rinker only had 270 hours and those gauges were always off (when they actually were reading at all). Replacing analog with digital and using vessel view blue tooth would have been the ticket. Particularly if you get a soft alarm for something like a faulty IAC (meaning 2 beeps every minute not a continuous alarm). With Vesselview technology you can read everything from actual oil temps, water pressures, air/fuel etc and I think even Codes and know right away its a an IAC or MAP or?. I didn't upgrade the Rinker due to cost. Todays boat are set up with digital and vesselview (albeit it an option likely). For older technology you can sort of get the same bang for the buck with a Rinda Techmate. If the engines have an ECM with output dongle (I think 1998ish MPI forward) you can connect the Rinda and get all that information for 5 bills. Alas, the 270 I bought is 7.4L carb so no dongle for Rinda. Other modern (post-2000) technologies I can do without particularly newer GPS that almost requires a Masters to fully understand. The 270 has a good ole Garmin GPSMAP 180...…...

 

[Thornton69]

That EFI system May be what I need for my 89 5.7 liter. I have the original Rochester carb on it now in desperate need of a rebuild. Black carbon like crazy. I may do the TB EFI install instead.

Choke sticking?

 

[stephens013]

While I think many of the whizbang features they’ve put on boats in the last 10 years or so are cool, look very chic, I just do not believe they are built to last.

All the ECM, EMI, ICBM, BMI, OCD, and all the rest sound cool, When a boat hits 10 or 20 years old they seem to be problematic. I have no need for electronic controls to flush my toilet and tell me when my toilet paper dispenser is empty. I like the resounding click of a Carling switch.

And when the stuff does fail, not only is it super expensive, even if it is available, the replacements rarely ever fit the footprint of the original. A bunch of fragile electronics with tiny wires trying to function in the harsh marine environment and the pounding boots take out on the water. I think a boat with quality wiring is much better in the long run.

No I’m not saying we should go back to points and carburetors but I do believe the sweet spot was found with the basic fuel injection and some engine electronics, coupled with quality analog gauges. LED navigation lighting fixtures feel much safer, and cabin lighting fixtures provide or even lighting without the heat.

There are some really useful technology’s out there but new boats have just gone too far in my estimations.

So change my mind! Tell me how they are truly that much better.

I like the new stuff; well to look at anyway. My 2001 has a few electronics on the Cats and shifting mechanisms and that's about it. And that's the way I'll probably keep it.
I'm with you; newer dont always mean better.

 

[DWABoat]

Choke sticking?

Very likely the choke, among the other 30 years of gunk in the carb. Once warm, it runs great.
I should just put a kit in it, but I do like the TBI systems...