Professional Advice

I have always applied wax to the boat each weekend. I now have learned about a company called “Aurora Marine Care Products" and they say that I should use their fiberglass cleaner and apply their 'boat clean plus' and then use their 'premium boat shine'. This boat shine claims to be carnauba free and offer the best available protection and shine for boats. Is this worth doing or will standard Mothers' Wax continue to do the trick?

It sounds like what you are doing is working fine. Gelcoat's biggest enemy is ultraviolet light, which causes oxidation. Also gelcoat is quite porous so if unprotected it can absorb dirt and other contaminants easily. Wax or sealer will seal the surface and protect it from damage. Sealer may be more effective at sealing all the microscopic pores and abrasions. A polish is generally a wax with a small amount of abrasives in it, which cleans and polishes at the same time. Probably the biggest difference between a car wax and a wax designed for gelcoat is that the gelcoat wax may last a bit longer. I would recommend a good cleaning at least once a year, probably in the fall before you store the boat, with a product designed for gelcoat and then followed up with a good coat of wax or sealer. The key is to start when the gelcoat is new. Once it oxidizes, it never will shine quite as good as it did. If you don't want to wax every week, you could wipe the boat down after using it, then apply one of the spray detailing products, which go on quickly and easily. One other thing that will help protect from ultraviolet damage is to keep the boat covered when outside in the sun.

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I am struggling with motor size for a Senza 206 that I want to purchase. If I decided to get a 5.0, will I lose torque if I get the MPI version over the carbureted version? I was actually thinking about a carbureted 5.7, but that is probably too much power? I have 3 daughters who are tubing and skiing. They aren't heavy, but their future boyfriends might be.

If you mate the 5.0 MPI with a BIII drive it will be adequate for normal sized adults to ski with. If you want to pull multiple skiers or tubers, your best results would be with the 5.7, carbureted or Fuel Injected. You will never regret having more power than you can use, as you can always pull the throttle back. If you are lacking power it can be frustrating. If you have the whole family in the boat, with boyfriends and a skier or tuber I would recommend the 5.7. I would not worry about overpowering the boat as it is very stable and handles well. As you get more experience with the boat, you will be more comfortable with the higher speeds. With a 5.0 MPI or a 5.7 carb you could expect a top speed in the low to mid 50's measured by GPS. With the 350 Mag you could expect the upper 50's, with an average load. Engine size would also figure in to the resale value of the boat. Hope this helps and enjoy your new Senza!

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No, basically your power package is set up for salt water. It depends on what brand and what model engine / drive as to what protection you have. The Merc Bravos have a Mercathode system to help prevent corrosion. The larger Volvo EFI engines have an Active Corrosion Protection system as standard equipment. Both brands have sacrificial anodes attached to the drive system. They are designed for the corrosion to attack them before attacking your drive system. The anodes can be made of Aluminum, Magnesium, or Zinc. Generally, aluminum is for combination fresh and salt water, Magnesium is for fresh water and Zinc is for salt water. You should be sure which anodes you have and that they are not more than half way gone.

Corrosion can be a big issue if you are going to leave your boat moored in the salt water. If you are in a large marina, there can be stray voltage in the water, which can cause rapid corrosion. Each body of water can be different depending on how salty the water is or what minerals are present in the water. The best bet is to check with a local Marina as to what is working for that area.

Be sure to flush the engine and give the boat a good wash down with fresh water after each use.

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No, do not use E-85! Our fuel tanks and fuel lines are not compatible with E-85. Alcohol is very corrosive and needs special components to handle it. Also the engines must be calibrated for it. The fuel mixture needs to be richer to handle the alcohol.

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Yes, our tests show that fuel consumption with a fuel-injected engine is slightly better than a carbureted engine. The biggest advantage in fuel injection is the cold turn key start and better hot starting due to more resistance to vapor lock. Also fuel-injected engines tend to run smoother as the mixture is constantly being monitored and adjusted by the various sensors. The idle mixture screws are now capped on all carburetors so the mixture cannot be adjusted. Recently there have been cases of the idle mixture being too lean on some new engines and the engine will not idle or it stumbles when coming on plane. In that case, the carb now must be replaced.

Both MerCruiser and Volvo engines are designed to run on a 10 % alcohol mix. DO NOT USE E-85 as our fuel tanks and fuel lines and the engines are not compatible with E-85. Alcohol will attract moisture so if you are using ethanol it is a good idea to keep the tank full when the boat is sitting so there is less condensation. All engines now have a fuel filter between the tank and carb. This filter should trap most of the water so it should be changed every season.

If you are using ethanol in an older boat, you should be sure that the fuel lines have been upgraded to lines that are compatible with alcohol. If you don't, the fuel lines will start to break down on the inside, and the pieces will block ports in the carb. Alcohol will also cause seals and o-rings to swell if they are not compatible.

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Our records show this boat is equipped with a 5.7 Gxi Volvo engine with a 1.43 ratio SX drive.  I would recommend a 14.75 x 17 Volvo stainless steel prop. Volvo part number: 3862462

This engine should run in a range from 4800 to about 5100 RPM at WOT trimmed out. If you have been running the 21 pitch aluminum prop, the boat should be quicker to plane with this 17 pitch SS prop. It should top out at around 50 MPH (GPS) at around 5000 RPM.

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No, there should have been an adapter with your boat to adapt the shore power cord to the 3-prong outlet that your house would have. Your house’s breaker panel will protect the house circuit. If you exceed the capacity of the house circuit you are plugged into, the circuit breaker will trip.

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The drive unit must fill from the bottom because the air must vent out the top as you fill the case. The case is full of air so in order for the oil to replace the air it must vent to the outside.

The correct way to fill the gear case is to remove the dipstick and upper plug (you must remove the 3 bolts to remove the cover and there is a drain plug next to the shift linkage) then fill from the bottom until the oil just flows out the upper drain plug hole. Then install the upper drain plug, then the lower drain plug, and let the unit sit for 10 minutes to stabilize. The last step is to check the oil level with the dipstick. If you need to add oil to reach the correct level you can add a small amount through the dipstick hole if you do it slowly. Always let the drive until stabilize before you take the final dipstick reading.

In order to add oil from the bottom, you will need a pump unit for your oil container. The Volvo drive unit holds a lot of oil so it may be easier to take it to the dealer and have him fill it for you.

Also, be sure to use the oil Volvo recommends, as it is a synthetic oil. If you use the wrong oil it could cause shifting problems.

I see you have a 4.3 GL engine. If you are doing your own winterizing, be sure to remove the drain plug in the intake manifold to drain the water from the manifold. This plug has been missed many times and the result is a cracked intake manifold. Winterizing can be a costly endeavor if you are not sure what you are doing.

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If the boat is loaded lighter than normal, you should be towards the top of the recommended range, if it is heavier than normal you would be towards the center of the range.

All fuel-injected engines have a rev limiter that will protect the engine from over speed. Mercruiser carb engines also have a rev limiter. Volvo carb engines do not. The Mercruiser MPI engines will sound an alarm as you approach the limiter and the engine will start to miss when you reach the limiter. On the carb engines there is no alarm, the engine will start to miss. The new Volvos go into a derate mode when the engine is in over speed. It is hard to tell when it is in this mode except that the RPM will not increase. The previous model year Volvos miss when they reach the rev limiter.

Most boat tachs are not 100% accurate so don’t be alarmed if your tach is reading what you think is too high, and the limiter has not engaged. Generally the boat tach reads a little higher than the actual RPM. In our testing we use diagnostic equipment to verify the RPM. The rev limiter generally engages about 150 RPM above the top recommended RPM.

Our goal when we prop a boat is to just reach the rev limiter with a full tank of fuel and 2 people in the boat. The customer will be adding weight to the boat so the RPM will come down. We want our boats to plane as quickly as possible with minimal bow rise.

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I wish I could say that in every case you should buy a fuel-injected engine, but I can’t. It would reduce our Customer Service calls if everyone had a fuel injected engine, but there are a couple situations where I’m not sure FI is better.

The real advantage to FI for us is that there is turn key starting and vapor lock is minimal. Also the engines run somewhat smoother.

The two situations that in some cases I think a carb might be better, is with a 4.3 or a 5.0 EFI. It seems to me that the engine companies achieved the higher horsepower numbers at the cost of low end torque. Fuel injection by itself does not add horsepower. It is just a more precise way to deliver the fuel. Something in the engine had to be changed to achieve the horsepower increase. In some cases a 4.3 carb will plane quicker than a 4.3 EFI and likewise with a 5.0. I think people see the high horsepower number of the 4.3 or 5.0 EFI and expect more than the engine can deliver, especially the 5.0 as it is rated just below the 5.7 EFI in horsepower. There is no substitute for cubic inches for increased torque. Torque is what gets you on plane.

If you are buying one of our 18’ boats and you are planning on using it for towing tubers, or wake boarders etc. I would consider the carb version of the 4.3 or 5.0.

Something that will help the planning time of the fuel-injected engines is to mate it with a BIII or DP drive.

If you go with the carb engine you need to be aware of the differences. Most young people today have never driven a car with a carburetor. When the engine is cold, it will not start unless you pump the throttle a couple times. Also when the engine is hot it may flood or vapor lock and you will need to hold the throttle wide open to start it. Also the engine may run on after the key is shut off.

If at all possible, you should test drive the boat with the engine of your choice with the boat loaded as you will load it.

If planning speed were not a major concern, I would recommend a fuel-injected engine every time for it’s convenience and cleaner running.

It is easy to be fooled when you see an engine rated at 270 HP (5.0 Gxi) and one rated at 280 HP (5.7Gi) to think they have to be almost the same except the 5.0 is less expensive. This is especially true with a single engine cruiser. Again, if planning speed isn’t that important to you save the money and buy the 5.0, but if you plan on loading the boat heavily and want to get on plane as quick as possible, consider the 5.7.

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The Best Way To Clean Your Boat
Use marine products designed for whatever surface you want to clean. You can save a lot of elbow grease by using the right product and doing preventive maintenance and cleanup. You can do a lot of damage if you use the wrong one. If you’re not sure, test a small area first.

Vinyl
• Contrary to popular belief, Formula 409 isn’t really good for vinyl. More aggressive cleaners can dry out or crack the vinyl.
• Our vinyl company recommends Vinyl Finish Cleaner and 303 Protectant. The cleaner removes dirt and grime; the protectant simplifies future cleaning, preventing sun damage, stains, and drying.
• As a last resort on ink and other stubborn stains, dab lightly with lacquer thinner or acetone and let it dry thoroughly. (Work carefully. Vinyl may bond with dirt when it’s sticky.)
• To remove mold and mildew, use a mold-cleaning product for vinyl. To prevent mildew, make sure vinyl is always dry before you cover the boat up tight.

Fittings
• Most fittings are stainless or aluminum. And yes, both can rust or corrode if water gets trapped in or around them, or if in contact with salt water long enough. Corrosion also worsens when the water has stray voltage in it — like in a marina.
• Wash fittings with soap and water and apply a Teflon-based lubricant or a silicone-based product like WD40.
• In salt water, daily cleaning may be necessary.

Gel coat
• Larson uses both paint and gel cote finishes. Gel cote should be treated differently from paint. (Make sure you know you’re cleaning gel coat.) Larson works hard to find the perfect balance between making gel coat too brittle or too soft.
• Because gel coat is porous, it can absorb both dirt and water. If you don’t keep gel coat clean and polished, it will fade and yellow. Then it’s time to get out the buffer and polishing compound.
• Repair minor scratches with sandpaper, working from coarse grit to superfine. It’s OK to use acetone or lacquer thinner to remove stains, or a small amount of Soft Scrub to spot-clean by hand.
• To wash the gel coat, use a soap recommended for marine gel coat. Get a soft bristle brush with a nice long handle, and get to work.
• Before you put the boat away in the fall, buff the whole boat with rubbing compound, and buff with a wax.
• Use automotive type soaps, compounds, and polishes to detail paint.

Prop and boat bottom
• It’s crucial to keep both clean to enhance your boat’s performance.
• Use a product designed for your prop’s metal. It could be aluminum, stainless, brass, or even bronze.
• Lime stains, which turn the outdrive white, can be removed with Lime-Away or another rust stain remover.
• If needed, boat bottom cleaner is an acid. Very aggressive, but it works. Wear a mask and be careful. Rinse everything well with fresh water when you’re done.
• For the bottom, bottom painting is highly recommended for salt water.

Glass and windows
• Like with gel coat, know what you’re cleaning.
• Use Windex or glass cleaner on glass. These products are too drying for Plexiglas, and can scratch it. Use a terry cloth rag that’s clean and free of dirt or particles.
• Novis makes a good plastic polish to use on plexi windows and window panels in canvas.
• If you do happen to scratch plexi, buff it with polishing compound.

Canvas
• Put all the canvas up on your boat and scrub it with soap and water. Spray it off with fresh water.
• Don’t use harsh chemicals, which could damage the protectant.