Great Tips of the week/month.

This thread is for sharing your wisdom and helping others. Lets have your best service tips. Thanks to all who contribute to the best boating forum on the net.

I'll start it off. Look at this impeller. It appears fine but it is actually junk and must be replaced.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/14/y3uvu4ud.jpg

When you check an impeller insert a tool or tools into the center bushing.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/14/ata5umyp.jpg

If the bushing turns inside the rubber, replace the impeller immediately. Happy boating!


Addendum from another thread-- some good advice:

If you happen to have another impeller kicking around you may want to try comparing the two.. You may find this one is longer, or deeper than the other. I found one like this , and it caused a squealing noise from basically rubbing on the front cover withe the brass screws..Not sure what caused this in mine as it was a impeller i had used the previous season and packed in Vaseline... As per Moomba instructions.. I do not do that anymore.. Maybe this will help.

Installing thru hulls and getting them tight without marring up the finish can be tricky. When i did my ballast install with 1" thru hulls, I used the handle of a breaker bar to keep the fitting from turning. The thru hulls from WakeMakers come (or came) with two prongs or teeth on the inside which fit the oblong shape of a Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar perfectly so you can tighten the jam nut down from the other side easily without it spinning on you.

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...V/P1070045.jpg

Not a "service" tip, but a driving tip that may help. Many of us "experienced" drivers grew up driving back to and then around a fallen rider to keep the rope stretched out and then back into the rider's hands. Somehow the old habits die hard. When a surfer falls we find ourselves trying to drive all the way around the fallen rider and somehow still toss them the very short rope-- doing this while driving an overloaded and listing battleship under low power that's hard to steer. Well, you don't have to drive all the way around the rider. If you drive mostly at or just left of the rider and then turn hard right as you approach (opposite for goofy rider) you can get the back end of the boat right to the rider where it's easy for your crew to deliver the rope and you're all set to continue the same direction you were heading before the rider decided to do his best Wolfeman impersonation (see photo). It's way faster, more efficient, etc.

Attachment 17694

LOVE that pic!

It's often imitated, yet never duplicated.

Add a little dielectric grease (or similar) to the O-rings on your ballast bag fittings.

I used to wrestle with mine way too much to get them undone so I could pull the bags to dry things out and clean up. Now with the grease, a couple twists they let go pretty easy and I don't lose any skin off my knuckles anymore.

It's clear stuff so no mess.
http://www.fakeplasticrock.com/wp-co...ric-grease.jpg

Great one from Al!

https://forum.moomba.com/showthread....ler-Brake-Pads

Perfect! Thanks for the advice - skinned knuckles be damned! Mac

Simple trick to keeping boat cover from sagging and collecting water over rear lockers and engine compartment. Take a tennis ball and cut a 1/3 wedge out. Place tennis ball over top of ski pylon. Next finish your favorite flavor of Layes stacker chips and the container fits perfectly over the tennis ball. It’s even tight enough you can adjust the height for the tension you need to keep cover off vinyl. Yep it’s genius.