TexasPilot71

I just replaced an actuator on ours this summer. Very simply, the wire enters the transom through a pre-drilled hole just above the water line. Look for it in the bilge and follow it to the transom to see exactly where it is. The hole is of course tight around the cable and sealed with marine sealant. Of course any potential water intrusion would be dependent on the quality of installation.

Agreed! If you have twins and can't dock, you shouldn't be on the water. Silly tech. Cool, but silly.

If you change your mind and run the genny all night, be sure you have one or (better) two carbon monoxide detectors. Especially on an older boat that you aren’t too familiar with. CO will kill you before you realize it isn’t present. Happens every year. Youre on the right track having someone meet you at the boat and going through things. I can’t believe the previous owner didn’t know he had battery switches! Y’all should be able to trace the cabling and determine how the batteries are plumbed in. It’s not uncommon to have only one house battery but most people with boats that large will have two or three batteries wired as “House”. I am unfamiliar with twin engine electrical systems, so don’t take my observations TOO literal.

Great point! Now that we've moved to the other side of our lake, there are some mooring balls nearby. Can't wait to tie up some fall night and sleep really really well! Prior to this, it was stay in the marina or go on the hook.

I'm not responding to this or the six-page profanity-laden rant you private messaged me. Grow up or nobody is going to take you serious here. People come to this forum to talk about their passion and find good advice. Let's keep it that way.

Really depends on how many batteries you have and what you need. I read on another thread you have a '95 Sig 31. So I presume you've got at least two house batteries. Our Sig 250 has one starting battery and two house batteries. Since there's no draw on the starting battery and I want the house batteries to provide power to the refrigerator and charging accessories such as phones on the hook, I leave both battery switches 'on'. Just make sure the 'tie switch" or "emergency" switch is off so you're not drawing current from all batteries and running the risk of drawing all batteries dead by morning. In my experience, the two house batteries are plenty enough to keep the fridge running, phones charged, and anchor light on through the night with plenty of juice leftover. With regards to anchoring, it depends on the bottom, how deep, what kind of anchor you're using, and how much chain and rode you have. There are plenty of diagrams online that illustrate this, but be sure you have the proper scope and at least 15' - 20' of chain to keep the anchor set while the boat pulls against it. A good scope is 7 to 1, but if winds are light you can go as low as 4 or 5 to 1. Think about an anchor alarm. Many phone apps out there for that. It will alert you if the boat moves outside a circle you set based on GPS. Of course, if you use this, you'll need to keep the phone plugged in and the batteries on as the GPS function draws a little power and your phone might not last the night without charging. Staying on the hook is a lot of fun. Very peaceful. But you're right...you want to be comfortable and confident in your decisions in order to sleep well. Still, it's hard to sleep that first night. But it will get easier!

Sounds like a great trip! I've never done Catalina , but a few of us have done the Bimini run out of Ft. Lauderdale (just over 40 miles). I'd say you're on the right path. Many will also say get a personal distress beacon (EPIRB). I'd think it depends if you're going alone or with a group (I know you said there was one boat going with you, but unless there are also more larger more capable boats, I would get one for the two of you). We also took a life raft. As a perk of being in aviation, we borrowed one otherwise I probably wouldn't have bothered since we were in a group of 10 boats, but it gave us some added comfort. Read up on how to take the swells (beam sea, following sea, use of trim tabs, etc.) Lot of good reading material out there. Use Navionics web app to completely familiarize yourself with the trip (https://webapp.navionics.com) Make sure your chartplotter is updated and have a spare (navionics on tablet or phone is great) There will be many more seasoned respondents to your post, but these are the basic ones I followed planning the Bimini trip. Oh, and take lots of pics!!

I have nothing against saltwater...I LOVE IT!! But that's also why I bought an aluminum trailer with all stainless hardware. Here's a post from yet another thread from someone whose steel trailer was just NEAR saltwater: "In brackish water, you will be fine as long as you thoroughly rinse after each use. All out saltwater, I wouldn’t. FIL had a painted trailer stored high and dry at the camp near saltwater (tin rig was on a boat lift), it rusted out and collapsed on itself in 2 years."

From another boating forum: "Years ago I had a painted Tracker trailer and a 17 ft Tracker boat. It had the square tubes and rusted inside out from saltwater. It broke in half at the boat ramp only 1 year old . I always washed it and wd-40 sprayed it."

I have the 350 Mag and you're right...it's a great engine. Our 250 is essentially the same as the 270, so these number might help. Here are my personally observed RPMs, speeds, and Fuel FLow: 3500 - 18mph - 11.0gph 3800 - 20mph - 11.5gph 4000 - 25mph - 12.0gph 4100 - 27mph - 14.0gph 4300 - 30mph - 15.7gph Most of these observations were with full fuel and only myself onboard, but honestly I don't see much difference with a load. On-plane is easy with trim tabs and/or initiating a turn while accelerating. Hoe this helps a little.

Wow. What a paranoid and condescending response, Hatem. You and I have always been cordial and we agree on most things. Many people (including you and I) rely on good advise given on this forum. When I see something that I believe is bad advice (based on MANY other threads from people who know more than you and I), I am compelled to point it out. Wingnut already posted the best "counter argument" (or as I call it, "solution"), so no sense in repeating it. Calm down, buddy. It will be okay. Breathe....

I'm sorry, but that's awful advice, Hatem. Steel trailers and saltwater absolutely do not mix. There are multiple threads on this forum about that. Sorry...don't mean to call you out, but this is going to ruin somebody's trailer.

Yuck! Where are you located? My sinks drain directly overboard through hull. Holding tank only for toilet water. I re-read my macerator comment and realized it wasn't clear...that's for overboard discharge into the water. Have to go (I think) three miles offshore to dump (or better put, cannot dump within three miles). That sure would be more convenient than pump outs...wish I lived on the coast!

To be specific, it puree's everything so that it can be pumped overboard via through-hull. Lake boats have to have this capped off and won't usually have a working macerator. Even some aircraft have macerators...man can they get messy! (Don't ask me how I know)