Questions

SgtAlf

SgtAlf

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
526
Location
Bayville, NJ
Fluid Motion Model
R-23 (Outboard)
Questions I've been meaning to ask.
1. The VHF radio starts to beep at random times. I think it's a weather alert, but I'm not sure. It's happened every time I've had the radio on, which is everytime I'm on the boat. I'm guessing there's a way to turn it off?
2. What do y'all use for anti fouling paint (?) on the trim tabs and the lower mounting of the outboard, the part that's always in the water. I spent a day scraping growth and knuckles.
3. Anyone know of a good protectant to put on the stainless steel? I've had to clean/polish the SS twice so far this season.
4. Has anyone replaced the anchor davit on a R-23 to the hinged style? Which one did you use? I'm looking for a drop free anchor without going forward to kick it loose.
Thanks,
 
Regarding #1, what may be going on is that your VHF is turned on but your chartplotter is off. Unless you have an independent gps antenna, your VHF is not receiving position data. Therefore after being on for a time without gps input, it starts beeping to warn you that it needs coordinates for the little red distress button to work and broadcast your position in case of emergency. When your chartplotter is on, you can see the coordinates populated onto your VHF LCD. When the VHF is beeping the position data will be absent.

On #2, I’ll let someone else respond. The whole industry of antifouling paints is changing. (Just be sure you don’t paint under or over any zincs if you apply a coating.)

Regarding #3, I don’t know about a protectant, but the product “Salt-Away” is great for dealing with salt water residue on stainless steel and other surfaces. You can buy a dispenser bottle that hooks directly to a hose and then just spray it down.
 
Hi Tony and Kathy,

I don't know the year of your 23, ours is a 2018 from last July. Ranger Tugs did not hook the GPS from the chartplotter up to the radio so the alarm you are hearing is as Wee Venture described. This is pretty easy to complete and I wrote a blog on just that modification. You can take a look at it here: https://www.nwesterly.com/home/2018/5/1 ... garmin-gps

Note that there are several other very useful modifications written up on the blog as well. The hatch under the microwave and the bifold head door are my two favorites.

Ranger can tell you what bottom paint that they are using, we had it done and while I have nothing to compare it with it seems to be working well and holding up through its second season.

I gave up on protecting the SS as I believe that the "rust" is really the minerals in the salt water oxidizing and not the stainless. It is easy to remove with a rust remover spray. I just spray it on, let it sit for a minute or two until the rust color is gone and then wipe it off.

Haven't gotten around to upgrading the anchor yet so I'll let others chime in here.

Enjoy the boat!

Jim
 
If you type "anchor" in the search function you will find plenty of comments on the anchor (as well as some of the other items) question. Keep in mind that with anchors that both weather and type of sea floor matter a lot. Sand, rock , clay etc.
 
#2. For anti-fouling paint you might want to ckeck with boat yards and other boaters in your area on what is working for them. The type and amount of fouling can be different based on the environment where the boat is utliized.

#3. I have found both operating in the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay by rinsing the stainless with fresh water after using the boat I have not seen any surface rust. I generally apply a coat of wax to the stainless at the beginning of the boating season, however not always. To me, a fresh water rinse seems to be the best approach for minimizing any surface rust, it dosen’t cost much and takes very little effort.
 
i dont need to kick the anchor with the current roller. it self drops
 
I have a related question. It's about rust-proofing and preventing corrosion too. How do you guys keep your truck parts from those? My brother got some of the rear-end of his truck dipped in saltwater when he was trying to remove the boat from the trailer. He's worried that his suspension and Fuel rims may get rusty.
 
Yes, thing’s will rust, I had brake and suspension work done on my tow vehicle and the shop had to cut away everything as most of the suspension components were rusted solid and the fasteners wouldn't turn.

After that using the power off and power on technique I only go in the water at most about halfway up the tires, then drive slowly so as not to sling salt water everywhere and apply salt away each time. Seems to be working.
 
Regarding #2 the anti-fouling paint, I believe Ranger has SeaHawk AF33 applied when you add it through the factory purchase.

https://www.seahawkpaints.com/product/af-33/

For #3, the stainless steel. I've been using Marine31 Stainless Steel Soap. Cleans the surface rust off easily and leaves a protective coating. I've noticed a big difference in the amount of surface rust after applying the Marine 31. Rinsing the boat after every trip is step 1 in keeping rust at bay, step 2 is a little help from a polish/protector.
 
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