Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Picked up the new boat. Need some advice. HELP


CHEYNESPUB

Recommended Posts

Just got back from idaho a few minutes ago and I wanted to post about the condition, issues, thoughts, and ideas I have for it.

1. With the 325 monsoon we hit 4500 rpm max at 2800 feet with the stock prop. Top speed was Gps's at 39-42 depending on chop.

2. Vinyl interior is in ok condtion but it looks dirty regardless of how much armoral is on it. What can I clean it with and recondition to restore the original colors?

3. Speedos dont work. Regardless of which one I select the reading is off high or low and the needle is almost maxed out slow or fast regardless of boat speed.

4. This boat has the digital package which has a display that shows the boat and motor vitals. Unfortunately the display is about half legible. Its a known problem. What can be done on a budget?

5. What is the best way to incorporate perfect pass with this model? I need vitals and speed and there are not enough spots to install?

6. Hull shot is not spectacular by any means. The 89 euro f3 is like a jet engine compared to the lauch on the sunsetter.

7. Is there a link to the best wake surf setup for this boat. with the wedge and mls filled the wake was not as good as the 89 with 6 people.

8. Slalom and wakeboard wake on the test run with the 3 people on board was good.

9. Swim deck. It hasnt been recoated recently and it dry and cracking. It also apears a bit flimsy when standing on it. I was going to sand and refinsih to see if that could clean it up.

10. Gelcoat. Its starting to show some fade. Is the only option to use a buffer and hit the hazey spots? How to a protect the raised letering if I power buff it?

Thanks in adavnce. Ill post pics soon .

Link to comment

speed sounds about right at 42mph at 4200rpm. mine is usually in line with rpm and speed, ie 45mph= 4500rpm.

i'm running the acme 515 prop 13x12.

what prop are you running as this will effect hole shot. also your old boat is much lighter, narrower, and 2 feet shorter.

i really can't comment on the wedge or mls system as my 99 ss lxi doesn't have either and we are strictly a skiing family.

i can say the sv23 hull that the sunsetters get is one of the best for soft skiing wakes.

the teak will need sanding and plenty of it. use the star brite cleaner and work it in with a nylon bristle brush. rinse it and repeat until its clean. let it dry and it should look very light in color. sand it and get it the way you want it, then teak oil about three good coats. let that soak it and dry up then homer formby's tongue oil a couple coats and it will stay looking great longer. as for the weakness of the teak, i haven't had that problem.

the gel coat might just need some polishing compound and elbow grease. check a few spots and if that doesn't take care of it then go to a low speed buffer.

i have mostly white interior and use saddle soap on mine. works great and its gentle on the stitching. i use 303 protection.

speedos might just be the pitots need replaced.

the other issues i can't say as our boat doesn't have these options.....

hope some of this helps. steve

Link to comment

Is there ever a group buy for the perfect pass?

The prop is the stock stainless prop. I will have to wait until the GB for prop work.

Where do I get saddle soap and whats protection 303?

This is a good start to the cosmetics.

Link to comment

For the interior, I use a product called Exquisite. I think the secret though is using a soft bristle brush and really work the dirt loose from the pores/cracks/texture in the vinyl, then wipe off with a clean Terry cloth. Repeat as needed. Then, when all clean to your satisfaction, hit it with a coat of 303 and you're good to go. I clean the interior after every outing but use 303 about once a month.

303 is a UV protectant. It helps protect the vinyl from the sun. Check out the link.

http://www.303products.com/shop303/index.cfm/category/65/303-aerospace-protectant.cfm

Link to comment

Is there ever a group buy for the perfect pass?

The prop is the stock stainless prop. I will have to wait until the GB for prop work.

Where do I get saddle soap and whats protection 303?

This is a good start to the cosmetics.

Stock CVP prop, you'll definitely get better performance from an Acme 515 or 525.

There are numerous vinyl cleaners out there that people use. If it's really bad, some people will recommend Soft Scrub or Magic Eraser, followed by liberal amounts of 303 Protectant (that's the name, do a Google for it). Some people will recommend against those things as being too harsh, so it's up to you on what to use. I'm not sure about saddle soap since this is vinyl, not leather.

As far as the gel, she probably just needs a good detail. 3M Finesse It is a great product to use as an oxidation remover by way of power orbital buffer, followed by their Marine Paste Wax. When you get the gel looking spiffy, keep a bottle of your favorite detailer (or Babe's or Hot Sauce) to wipe her down on the ramp after a day on the lake. It will maintain that detail level & you shouldn't have to do such a thorough job very frequently.

Oh & there won't ever be a group buy for Perfect Pass. That's a long painful story that I won't go into, suffice it to say that it won't happen.

Link to comment

I use Spray 9 for the vinyl cleaner, works great, then 303 like everyone else said.

Depending on condition of the gel, these days I'm leaning more and more towards paying a recommended detailer do a full professional buff / polish job when you buy a used boat that is a little oxidized. My brother just dropped $200 and his boat (02 sslxi) looks like new inside & out. Once you get it to clean / pristine, it's a fairly easy task to keep it well cleaned / waxed and it should never go back to being oxidized unless you neglect it.

The amount of money you'd spend on the right materials / equipment, you might come out ahead just paying an expert (once!) to have it done right and then you keep it shined up from there on. (anyone who knows me would be shocked to see me write this, I'm a 110% do it yourselfer) There seems to be a bit of a learining curve and an art to doing gel properly.

I know there are lots of people on this board that are great at it and can provide you the recipe for doing the job right depending on condition, I just have a lot less time than I used to and if you're only going to really do the full job once, may be cheaper to outsource, for what it's worth.

Link to comment

2. A lot of people don't think too highly of armoral - try one of the other suggested products. Don't use bleach.

3. You should be able to adjust the needle on the speedos. I imagine our dash's are similar, right by the speedo selector switch there is another switch that adjusts the needle.

9. keeping teak looking good is a lot of maintenance. I power sanded mine with aggressive paper then used a teak oil on it... I waited too long to "touch up" the oil and it faded again so it will need to be resanded etc. Try and keep it out of the sun when not in use.

10. Don't use compound/buffer on the raised lettering, It will leave marks. My best suggestion is to get in there with a towel and your fingers around the lettering. Aside from that 3M makes a good compound and polish then hit it with a coat of wax applied by hand.

Link to comment

I hope you knew about all this before buying it.

For the teak, sand like crazy with an electric sander. After you get it smooth with all the old finish off use teak oil only.

Link to comment

I hope you knew about all this before buying it.

For the teak, sand like crazy with an electric sander. After you get it smooth with all the old finish off use teak oil only.

this is teak oil and tongue oil. i get more compliments on how good it looks and beads water.

i found that teak oil doesn't last as long when i don't use the tongue oil and teak oil does not

bead the water. i think it looks and stays looking great. what do you think?

923.jpg

Link to comment

That deck looks great. I sanded a portion of the deck yeterday and the rich color came right back. I will finish that top and bottom and re-oil. any recomendations for oil? Where do I get tongue oil?

I knew it had some problems with the speedos (issue cannot be trimmed out and they did work sometimes yesterday) and some fading on the display (which is unreadable in my opinion).

The gel coat is not bad, infact some light buffing with turtle wax polishing compount took care of the oxidization.

We got it for a grand less due to the lack of upkeep and the display/speedo issue.

I think I can take care of that stuff for under that much.

Still need help on the diplay options. No engine vitals, depth, fuel, temp or other info is available at this point.

Link to comment

On the no engine vitals it sounds to me like a mdc(?) problem. I had that on my Rlxi while under warranty. I lost all my guages untill it was replaced.

Link to comment

On the no engine vitals it sounds to me like a mdc(?) problem. I had that on my Rlxi while under warranty. I lost all my guages untill it was replaced.

I can still barely make out the readings so the computer is good. However, the display is going bad and this is all displayed on one display.

Link to comment

I can still barely make out the readings so the computer is good. However, the display is going bad and this is all displayed on one display.

They do not make that gauge anymore, tried that with an 01 VLX I had several years ago.

You can replace it with a regular multigauge which will give you engine vitals.

-Chris

Link to comment

6. Hull shot is not spectacular by any means. The 89 euro f3 is like a jet engine compared to the lauch on the sunsetter.

I came from a '92 Euro F3 also and will agree that the HOLE shot on the Sunsetter seems a little less impressive in terms of getting up on plane. However, from the handle end of things I can not tell a difference between the two boats. Keep in mind the '01 sslxi is 3 feet longer, 1 foot wider, 800lbs heavier, and does not have the flat bottom that the F3 had. While she may not pop right up like the F3, there are more horses pulling you and it's a much more solid pull (especially through the course).

7. Is there a link to the best wake surf setup for this boat. with the wedge and mls filled the wake was not as good as the 89 with 6 people.

Did you have 6 people in the sunsetter when trying to surf? The sslxi hull displaces a lot more water than the F3 so it's going to take a good amount of weight to affect the wake. The mls and wedge are a great start, but you will need more. I can surf ropeless all day with mls, wedge, and 3 people or 450 ballast in the surf corner @ 1850 rpms. Don't put any weight in the front

Link to comment

6. Hull shot is not spectacular by any means. The 89 euro f3 is like a jet engine compared to the lauch on the sunsetter.

I came from a '92 Euro F3 also and will agree that the HOLE shot on the Sunsetter seems a little less impressive in terms of getting up on plane. However, from the handle end of things I can not tell a difference between the two boats. Keep in mind the '01 sslxi is 3 feet longer, 1 foot wider, 800lbs heavier, and does not have the flat bottom that the F3 had. While she may not pop right up like the F3, there are more horses pulling you and it's a much more solid pull (especially through the course).

7. Is there a link to the best wake surf setup for this boat. with the wedge and mls filled the wake was not as good as the 89 with 6 people.

Did you have 6 people in the sunsetter when trying to surf? The sslxi hull displaces a lot more water than the F3 so it's going to take a good amount of weight to affect the wake. The mls and wedge are a great start, but you will need more. I can surf ropeless all day with mls, wedge, and 3 people or 450 ballast in the surf corner @ 1850 rpms. Don't put any weight in the front

while attempting to check the surf wake we only had 3 people. MLS (center front ballast) and the wedge. That said I knew we were going to need more.

Will the replacement insturment cluster perform all the features of the display that is going bad? Any links or cost to this new part? Any other options to fix it? Used LCD's somewhere?

I think you may be right about the pull to pull comparison. I will work on the surf wake with your ideas.

Thanks again. I need that display bad!

Link to comment

this is teak oil and tongue oil. i get more compliments on how good it looks and beads water.

i found that teak oil doesn't last as long when i don't use the tongue oil and teak oil does not

bead the water. i think it looks and stays looking great. what do you think?

I tried tongue oil once but the splinters aren't worth it. :biggrin:

Link to comment

Deffinatly get a new prop...the ss stock props have been know to come apart and do bad things to the hull. This will also help your hole shot. If you are only turning 4500rpm at WOT you have some room to improve the pull. Normal operating range is 4600-5200 rpm for the monsoon. Give the guys at OJ or Acme a call. They will be able to hook you up.

For the speedo, make sure all of the instrument wiring is all tight and grounded good.

Is the hull oxidized or water spotted? Water and vinegar will do wonders on cutting waterspots and grime from fiberglass. Might be worth a try.

As for surfing, its not going to be a great surf boat, but it does surf. We go with the center MLS full, wedge, 500lbs ballast behind the motor box and as many people as possible on the surf side. The sweat spot will be close to the boat. I am 200 lbs and on a LF ventrure can go ropeless with as few as 3 people in the boat.

Good luck and enjoy the boat.

Link to comment

I tried tongue oil once but the splinters aren't worth it. :biggrin:

sounds like you need to sand some more if your getting splinters..... :lol:

tongue can be found at lowe's or home depot. homer formby's is what i use.

about 3 coats of teak oil and then a good coat or two of the tongue oil.

Link to comment

sounds like you need to sand some more if your getting splinters..... :lol:

tongue can be found at lowe's or home depot. homer formby's is what i use.

about 3 coats of teak oil and then a good coat or two of the tongue oil.

What type of teak oil? I have used mcguiers which lasted about two outing and the next type I bought (called teak oil) left a finish on it which I dont like. The deck is coming along really well. All sanded and going to get the oils now. i will put up before and afters.

The boat is in really good condition unless your a perfectionist who sees small rust marks on the vinyl, little black streaks, water spots, poor anual sticker placement. Etc etc.

Looks like a little buffing is going to take the water spots off. Alot of interior scrubbing is needed. Sticker removal, sanding, oiling, etc.

I am still looking for the best option to fix my fading digital display.

Where can I get the protectant 303?

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...