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 Topic: Posts moved from Message Board
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gcameron
Admin
Joined: January 15 2008
Posts: 7
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| Posted: June 05 2008 at 16:53 | IP Logged
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Here are the messages that were posted to the BoatUS Message Board.
I moved them here for you reference.
 Topic: Marathon Boat Owners Group
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Bob David
Forum Member
Joined: 26 April 2008
Location: Marion, Indiana
Posts: 5
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Having just acquired a 1985 21 1/2-foot Marathon cabin cruiser, I have
been scouring the web for information. As many other Marathon owners
may attest, I have met with much futility.
In another thread I found many other owners. The idea came to mind of starting a Marathon Boat Owners Group on this site.
If anyone would be interested please start it here or email me at the address in my profile.
These good old boats need love and company. Maybe we could get site staff to give us our own board for discussion.
Bob
Edited by Bob David on 05 June 2008 at 2:20am
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griffo
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2008
Location: Alicante, Spain
Posts: 10
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Hi everybody - this is president Griffo posting.
Come
on then guys & gals - let's have all you Marathon owners posting a
reply. If we find out how many are out there and what models, we may be
able to help each other as Bob says " to keep these good old boats
alive".
Incidentaly mine is going strong and is in the water at
Torrevieja in Spain. I live about an hour from there but spend every
weekend on the boat (and most of my money!)
Bill
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griffo
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2008
Location: Alicante, Spain
Posts: 10
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Bob
do you have any pictures you can post?
I've just noticed I'm 6 hours in front of you guys, it's 15:00 here.
Bill
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offshore25
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2005
Posts: 3
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I am glad to see that there is a group of people who care enough about
these boats to sustain a forum. I have an '86 Sunblazer 2550 that I am
trying to bring back up to snuff. The boat was badly neglected by it
previous owner. I am trying to undo years of bad maintenance. I have
done a pretty thorough cleaning of the cabin but I still need new
cushions and a new porta-potty. I have to replace one of the head walls
and some of the trim. I can attempt to post pictures if anyone wants to
see the progress.
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gcameron
BoatUS Admin Group
Joined: 15 January 2008
Location: Cameron
Posts: 13
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If you go to this link, you will find that BoatUS already supports such a group.
http://www.boatus.com/boatgroups/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID= 401&manufID=1384
If you need any help posting phots, etc, just let me know.
gcameron@boatus.com
Also don't forget our free Boat Value Check service
http://www.boatus.com/buyer/valueform.asp
I'm looking forward to learning more about your "classics"
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griffo
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2008
Location: Alicante, Spain
Posts: 10
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gcameron....
Thanks for your link to the
group that BoatUS supports, however our boats were not manufactured by
Marathon Marine, they are a totally different Company who manufacture
heavy gauge, welded aluminium, jet powered boats. A bit different from
our 'old ladies'!!
Bill
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Bob David
Forum Member
Joined: 26 April 2008
Location: Marion, Indiana
Posts: 5
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gcameron, I cannot find the post you referenced. Can you provide a better link? A "click and link" perhaps?
offshore25,
I am in the US, northern Indiana to be exact. I plan to use the "little
boat" on area reservoirs and possibly take it to the Inland Waterway in
northern Michigan, Burt Lake, Indian River, and Mullet Lake.
The
Marathon needs some TLC. The cabin area was neglected and the wood work
needs to be refinished/replaced. Seats and cushions are in great shape.
It will also need the top replaced, sad shape. One gauge needs
replaced, but I might replace them all when the boat gets repainted.
GPS also needs to be added.
I hope to have it repainted this
winter. The better half has already chosen the hull colors. I get the
honors of decking the boat out with its sound system, lighting, and
other nickel and dime repairs/replacements. We also need to name her. I
think that the better half has an idea for that, too. I have not been
privy to that information, though. I thought of naming it after her,
The Angela Rose.
The biggest complaint I have with the boat is
lack of storage and aft deck room. I haven't had it on the water yet
this year, hopefully I can do that over the 4th of July this year.
While the boat is off the trailer, I am also hoping to repaint the trailer and update it also.
Bill,
I have taken a video of the boat and a few pictures. The grandson
graduated from Junior High school a couple of weeks ago and hasn't
returned my camera. I will take pics as soon as the camera is returned.
You Continentals can never get the time right!!!
Bob
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griffo
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2008
Location: Alicante, Spain
Posts: 10
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Bob
look at it this way - we celebrate
Christmas before you, we celebrate New Years Eve before you AND I get
to the pub for a beer before you!!!
Cheers
Bill
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Bob David
Forum Member
Joined: 26 April 2008
Location: Marion, Indiana
Posts: 5
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According to an old country and western song by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet.... "It's always 5 o'clock somewhere".
Do
you have pictures of your boat? I just finished painting below the
water line on my boat a few days ago. The color scheme will change, but
it sure helped the "little ol' lady" look nicer for now.
Christmas, BAH HUMBUG!! My boats are out of the water then. They are not icebreakers.
Bob
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griffo
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2008
Location: Alicante, Spain
Posts: 10
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Bob
I do have a few
pictures but haven't a clue on how to post them on here!!! Sounds like
you have a lot of work on your boat, I think you are a hero to spend so
much TLC to keep your Marathon alive.
Offshore25 - great to hear from you - I'm sure that all Marathon owners will be more than pleased to see pictures of your progress.
Bill
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whmmer
Forum Member
Joined: 18 May 2004
Posts: 28
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Tired 170 engines? I repowerd last year with a short block from Premium
Powertrain. Great folks to deal with and their prices were somewhere
around $1600 less than mercruiser.
__________________
Liquid Asset
Kent, Ohio
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griffo
Forum Member
Joined: 03 June 2008
Location: Alicante, Spain
Posts: 10
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Bob
sorted it! here's a few pictures
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Bob David
"Seaman Recruit"
Joined: April 26 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: June 05 2008 at 19:57 | IP Logged
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All,
Just took some time to browse some more on my boat. It is a 1985 Marathon 2150 Weekender. It is powered by a Mercruiser 3.0 liter 140hp engine with an Alpha 1 outdrive.
Got some stuff delivered today. The GPS (a new Humminbird 755C), the fender bumpers and straps, some of he 12v LED lights for the cabin, the seals for the engine cowl, and my new buffer all showed up this afternoon. Almost like Christmas!!!
I need some input though. There are some things I need to replace and some upgrades I want to make. The list follows:
1.) I need a stool for the head. I would like to use a macerator pump. Yes, no? Or should I just let them hang it over the side?
2.) Top with frame. Anyone out there that custom makes these or would I be better off getting it locally?
3.) Storage/road cover. As above.
4.) Adding a second(or third) high volume bilge pump. One would have a float, while the other would be manually switched.
5.) Freshwater supply pump. Any ideas on the size I should get? I have a 17g reservoir tank, I believe.
6.) Faucet for the sink. The one on the boat is broken.
7.) I am clueless on the "alcohol" stove. What fuel does it use?
8.) I would like to add a second battery. The battery compartment would hold two if I slipped them in longitudinally in the compartment, they would both fir with room to spare. Good idea or no? At the same time I would add a battery charger. Would i need to upgrade the charging system with a bigger alternator?
9.) Where can I get window gaskets. Mine may need changed.
OK, that's enough for now.
Bob
Edited by Bob David on June 06 2008 at 04:42
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griffo
"Seaman Recruit"
Joined: June 03 2008
Posts: 1
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| Posted: June 06 2008 at 05:15 | IP Logged
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Bob
Good Morning! Must say I am not too happy about being strongarmed into this little corner of the forum by gcameron. Incidentally I would never have found this area without the links.
It is a shame that we have to post here when our boats were never made by Marathon Marine!!! I have explained this to gcameron but he chooses to ignore my posts.
I use a 'porta-potti' on my boat, stick some water and chemicals in it and it's fine. We only use it in emergencies though!
I've got a local Company coming to measure my boat for a camper cover, the same Company made my winter cover and made an excellent job of it.
My boat already has two bilge pumps, one under the engine and one in the aft cabin, under the floor.
The size of your freshwater pump will depend on what you want to use it for. To fill the kettle obviously you don't need much flow. To have a shower you do.
I've seen faucets the same as the ones on a Marathon in our local chandlery.
The alcohol stove uses denatured alcohol. We can buy it in our local supermarket racked with the cleaning products it is called alcohol 96. You may get it from a chemists if they don't sell it over the counter in the US. If you take the stove out of the unit, you will find either one or two cans underneath, about 8 inches diameter and 3 inches deep. They should have a filling of cotton wool type stuff and a grill over the top. Fill this chamber with alcohol until the top of the cotton wool is wet. Put it all back together and stick a match to it. It will burn with a bluish flame and takes about 15 to 20 minutes to boil a kettle.
As you can see from the photo of my engine bay, I have two batteries mounted 'in-line'. I have a changeover switch so that I use one for the engine and one for lighting etc. when moored. I can then switch them both in when the engine is running so that they both charge.
Cheers for now
Bill
PS I don't think we will get many posts now that we are stuck here out of the way.
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gcameron
Admin
Joined: January 15 2008
Posts: 7
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| Posted: June 06 2008 at 14:11 | IP Logged
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Hi guys, It sounds like there was more than one Marathon Marine. I will happily help correct any errors and omissions. Just send me what you have and I will post it.
I love the glass boats from the last 40 years and I hope we can all agree that this information needs to be preserved for future owners/restorers. Would you rather see it in an organized and dedicated Boat Group or simply left in amongst the many many other messages?
If these Boat Groups need improving, let's figure out how to make them better.
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fcampo
"Seaman Recruit"
Joined: May 30 2008
Posts: 1
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| Posted: June 06 2008 at 14:29 | IP Logged
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I own one Marathon 2550 Sunblazer for 3 or 4 years already.
I don't know how to post pictures....
It has been a nice family boat. I love it but can't keep it at home anymore.
I am selling it now, it is in good shape, check the link.
http://www.boatus.com/classifiedads/searchDetails.aspx?actio n=boatgroups&adkey=64397
Edited by fcampo on June 06 2008 at 14:32
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gcameron
Admin
Joined: January 15 2008
Posts: 7
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| Posted: June 06 2008 at 15:30 | IP Logged
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If you have your my.boatus.com site set up with photos of your boat you can just link to them. You can have up to five images.
Instructions on How to Add and Remove Images
Files
must be in a .jpg, .gif, .png, or .bmp format. Also, the file name must
be one word, without any spaces and can only contain letters and
numbers (@#$%^&*()_+/? will not work).
Choose the image file
that you want to upload by clicking on the "Browse" button below and
selecting the file from your local hard drive. Once you select a file,
click the "Submit" button below to upload your image.
If you have already uploaded an image, you may delete it by clicking on the "Delete" button under the thumbnail image above. Warning: If you delete an image, there is no way to recover it.
In this, (or any forum) click on the icon that's in the "Post Reply" window and is second to left on the bottom. Looks like an image in a square.
When that opens, select the link for the photos you just posted to the my.boatus.com page.
Call me at 703-823-9550 x 3409 if you have any further questions.
Edited by gcameron on June 06 2008 at 15:31
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Bob David
"Seaman Recruit"
Joined: April 26 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: June 06 2008 at 15:31 | IP Logged
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Gordon,
Maybe a board with a description that describes the years of production, material used, power type(inboard) would fit the bill. I used to moderate another forum(non-boating) and have found that there is small things that can be done within the forum program. Maybe if one of us could provide a picture to use as an icon? I agree that we need to have a separate board for these boats. The old Marathon boat company is not the same company that uses the name today. I don't claim to be an Einstein, but I don't think that there is much resemblance between our old girls and a Grumman aluminum boat. (note here, my neighbor has a 16' Grumman semi-deep V aluminum fishing boat. I need to get a picture of them side by side. He lives a couple of blocks away. I'll get with him on that.) Maybe a move to the vintage boat section would be a proper idea. They aren't the old wooden Centurys or Chris Crafts, but... There also a couple of posts that, too, deal with these old Marathon boats. Maybe moving them to the same board would be prudent.
I have a couple of question regarding the site, too. I noticed that after this thread was moved, my text is smaller. Is it the site or my computer? I have tried to adjust font size here, but to no avail. It seems as though I don't have access to the PM feature. Is there a reason for that?
Bill, it looks as though I'm going to have to do some investigating, hands on. I love doing that stuff. Having been an architectural designer, on the engineering side, for many years, I love taking things apart and finding out how they work. Must be a quirk of my German ancestry.
My engine compartment isn't large enough for one battery, let alone two. The battery compartment on my boat is port aft. I do intend to add the extra pumps there though. Again both will be high velocity, in the 3000 gph range or more. One will be float controlled and the other manually switched.
I was hoping to make the boat an all day boat. A good facility may be necessary for the head. The other boat, a 1990 Carver 3207, is much more boat than my little lady. My Carver may have spoiled me. But, I'm sure that the Marathon will create it's own niche. Already has.
Just a few things about the Carver. I was given this boat by the widow of a dear fishing buddy. They had no children. Chet used to take me fishing on Erie with him. I think it was so he could fish. Evelyn,sometimes, went along to keep us fed and read ion the bridge. It's hard to drag line and pilot at the same time. I got the boat in 1998 after Chet died(1996). He actually built a garage around the boat. It is powered by (2) 300hp(I think) Mercs. It is fully rigged for Great Lakes fishing. Chet even had radar installed on the boat!!! The boat is the essence of every boater's dream. Evelyn passed last year. She and Chet are two of the finest people ever to have floated a boat. I miss them, both dearly.
We have an RV supply place not 20 minutes away. My brothers, both, have houseboats and get their supplies and parts there. I might try them for the faucet and the "potty". The FW pump and bilges might be located there too.
I have a couple of good upholstery shop here locally. There is also one located about 50 miles north of us that did outstanding jobs on the brother-in-laws' boats. One is a 1989 19-foot SeaRay cuddy. The other is a 2004 19-foot open-bow. He just got the boat and I'm unsure of the manufacturer. It's not my style of boat, but he has four boys that will enjoy water skiing and tubing behind it.
I like your idea of switching the batteries. I would not , necessarily, need to do so since I have 110V capability should I find a powered dock.
I can get denatured alcohol at our local hardware stores. I've got to get some just to see if the stove still works. Lord, how I love to tinker with things!!
Bob
__________________
http://photobucket.com/image/boats/houskat/funny/adult%20hum or/boats.jpg?o=452
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keno
"Seaman Recruit"
Joined: June 24 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: August 20 2008 at 20:44 | IP Logged
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This has been interesting reading. I wonder how many boats were produced by Marathon in its short run. And who ran the company, etc.
I have a 1988 2550 Bermuda Express in Toledo, Ohio. I purchased it in 2004. I had to spend a bit of cash to have the transom and stringers replaced. But the previous owner put in a new engine block in 2003 (due to cracked block) and also had a very roomy camper top made for the cockpit. The side wall upholstery could be replaced - but I hesitate to invest more money than the value of the boat - actually, I already have! It would be great if their rarity translated into a good resale value!
I did see another similar Marathon on the Maumee River in downtown Toledo a few summers ago.
It would be interested to read further posts.
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Got R Done
"Seaman Recruit"
Joined: November 12 2008
Posts: 1
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| Posted: November 12 2008 at 08:07 | IP Logged
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I'm Glad I found this foum, I bought an 87' Cabin Cruiser from my buddy, and intend to refit it when I return to the states next year , I have already looked for parts, and it seems I will be replacing alot of things with "alternates" rather than OEM. I have already arranged to have the engine rebuilt, at a local machine shop ( 350 chevy) but I could use some infor on the Volvo-Penta outdrive , the trim hydrolics pump dosen't work, and I will need to rebuild it. Also I priced the onboard fresh water pump (WOW) any links would be great. My boat survived the hurricane at the April Plaza Marina , on Lake Conroe,, What a mess, I was in Georgia at the time (Fort Stewart), Lucky I guess.
Mark.............
__________________
I'm not short , I'm Next, Operation, OIF 08/09
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Norm_Richards
"Seaman"
Joined: August 29 2008
Posts: 37
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| Posted: December 05 2008 at 21:47 | IP Logged
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Attention all Marathon Boat Owners:
Please join us on the main Marathon Boat Owners forum on site:
http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=62706&KW= marathon
Norm
Marathon Owner
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
> Here is an updated link to the large marathon Owners Forum:
http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=62706&PN= 1&TPN=57
Edited by Norm_Richards on May 05 2009 at 17:54
__________________
Norm Richards
Marathon Boat Owners Group - Member #7 - VINTAGE HAVEN
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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