Posted: November 21 2006 at 00:11 | IP Logged

Hi everyone.  brought this up last spring but it is rearing its ugly head again.  I just received a letter from the marina stating during haul out the technicians made the following notes:

Needs Bottom Painting. (I had them bottom paint it last spring)

Outdrive - Noisy Gimbal bearing, Noisy U joints

Cert Pump Leaking water (what is a cert pump?)

Power steering pully is plastic. (should it be something else?)

I have a 1998 Sundancer270 SE with just 110 hours on the Mercruiser Bravo II I/O.  They mentioned the Gimbal bearing last spring but said it needed replaced just by listening to it.  I talked to another mechanic who stated the outdrive will make diferent noises depending on the position it is in.  I am dismayed that they mentioned it needed bottom painted when they painted it last spring.  Are they admiting they do shoddy work?   I am definately going to get a second opinion which can be difficult as they do not allow outsiders to do work at the marina. I did decide I am going to start doing work myself.  They charged me 400 hundred dollars to bottom paint her last spring and as I was preparing her for launch I watched a fellow boater sand,Tape and paint his boat in about 2 hours.  I don't mind shelling out cash for needed work but am skeptical about a marina fishing for unneeded work just to survive.  Any thoughts?  I want to learn how do to my own routine maintenance.  I have been boating for 5 years.  If I buy the maintenance manual is it that difficult to learn these things? any thought on these topis would be greatly appreciated.