V-Drive

Ok guys - I don’t really deserve your help but I am going to ask anyway... Seems I haven't done much posting - life has gotten the better of me, so I lurk. Now I need some help from the crew - I have a '98 Elite V, and I absolutely hate the damn engine hatch. I like the giant sun deck, but every time someone wants a beverage everyone lying on the deck has to get off while I SLOWLY open the hatch, folks get their beer, coke or whatever, then I SLOWLY close the hatch, everyone climbs back on, then the process repeats. All day. Also I shudder to think what would happen if I ever had an engine fire - the first thing to go is the electric actuator wires. The motor stops, the hatch doesn’t open, I can't put the fire out - boom, sunk or destroyed boat. OK the solution - I need upholstery anyway. So I would like to get rid of the one door engine/storage hatch and replace it with a later model 3 door hatch. I am pretty handy, I modified my last boat this way and I loved it. No electrical that can fail - and three doors, to me it’s a no brainer. The help needed - I need a Crew member to take a bunch of digital photos for me of their late model setup. Preferably with a tape measure as well. I'd like to know the material Centurion used for the doors(deck) themselves - plywood, PVC, cutting boards? Locations of hinges, struts locks and mounts. Maybe someone could do this one day while they are playing on the boat. I figure I can make the setup - Heck - I'll even do a DYI write-up for posterity - install the mess, get the boat upholstered and be a very happy camper by summer. Maybe I just wont do it after I see how much work it might be - who knows. What ya say? Here are some photos of my current (stock) setup... Can someone lend a fella a hand? thanx - Vdrive.

I just did this repair to my 98 Elite V-Drive. The V-drive makes it a heck of a job. Feel free to shoot any questions you may have, I don't know your boat specifically but I can't at least tell ya the 'gotchas' I encountered.

Probably not Kosher - but I rebuilt my bunks using carpet from Lowes. It comes in 12ft widths. I was rebuilding all of the wood on my trailer - side 'fenders', bow stops, guide-ons and bunks. The first time I bought a 5' length x 12' wide piece here locally for about $5.99 a running foot. I didn't have enough and had to go back to buy some more - the second time I only needed a 2' x 12' piece for the longer bunks. When they were cutting the carpet for me - they kept talking about the guy that made them take the whole spool down, load it into their cutting machine, cut it, wrap it, and sell it - ALL OF THAT FOR ONLY 5ft!! Should have seen their faces when I told them that was me - and now I only needed two more feet I wrapped mine like a gift box, used outdoor carpet glue and staples. As they are new who knows how long they'll last because the carpet was listed as 'outdoor' carpet - not 'trailer bunk carpet' from WM for $60 for ONE 12'x12" piece. I think I'm good for 10years. Check out Lowes.

Yup - mostly go up to Knights Landing area. It seems the folks that head up there seem to know more about boating courtesy than most other places I go. Never even heard of Lake Camanche - any good?

Vacaville. Berryhessa was pretty busy yesterday - with only 2 open ramps now, it's gotten just plain stupid on the weekends. You a Folsom man?

Thanks Bondo - those are 'Speakon' connectors. How do you like them?

Do tell... got a link, sounds nice.

What did you do where the wires go through the hull? Got a pic?

Trying to do a little research on which electrical connectors I should use between the boat and the tower. I plan to run two cans - with 6.5 Kickers, and three 50watt lights in the tower. Have been thinking about running Carol cable from Parts Express that has 8 14g conductors in one sheath for a clean look. That would give me 4 to cans, 2 for the lights, and two future should I ever need it. My concern is the thickness of the cabling - I think it works-out to 1/2 cable which may not be very flexable. Other ideas? Secondly, I want to connect the harness to a reasonably water-tight nice looking connector - if I am going to commit to an installation by drilling a hole in the boat I want it to last. I personally have no experience using speakon connectors but I hear a lot of folks are using them... anyone have any feedback on them? Any other ideas? Thanks for the help.

Been to most everything but Bullards Bar - in college used to go the afterbay (after) lake oroville. Like glass most of the time, but freaken' COLD as the water comes out of the bottom of the lake. Been to Lake Almanor - gorgeous, but a lot of chop and hard to find good water. Usually, with non-skiing friends we go to Berryessa... but hate the damn kids on jet-skis. When skiing is the mission - to the Sacramento River, good water most of the time. I really don't like the Delta with all the low-lifes in their beatup v-drive jet boats drunk off their tush not paying attention.

I just went theough this... see here: http://www.centurioncrew.com/Newbie-Centur...uesti-t740.html

I haven't tried it at the lake yet... but I can say at night it is crazy bright without glaring. I have one of the those perko lights that has a slit that the light goes through to keep from being blinded. In fact I may not add a 'dome' light to my tower as I did in my last boat - I think I was the only person I ever knew who installed one - it worked great for camping or late night stays out on the water. With this new bulb I don't think I am going to bother this time. Plus you can leave it on for hours without worries of battery drain. Thanks again for bulb numbers and the link - helped a lot. Now I'll probably never have to change a bulb again. Ok outside the dash... which I may change out for LEDs as well.

No wood - very nice. I have an email into Centurian but do not yet have a reply to see if they have the skins. I like the old color scheme and would choose that if could. I am however thinking of cutting the back panel behind the drivers seat and making a cut-out to install cup-type SS drink holders. This area is currently a flat panel that is wasting space behind it and it currently is using those el-cheapo flip-out plastic cup holders. I amy open to new ideas if anyone wants to chime-in. Other then that small mod and maybe somthing by the driver - there is no cup holder there - I think that is all I am going to do with the interior. I may wait until this winter to have everything recovered. That gives me time to train the dog to stay off'n the couch!

Ok Fellas - sorry for dropping off the face of the earth... work has gotten the best of me lately. Apologies are in order, but thank goodness I have a JOB! Recent developments: I performed a major tuneup - all of the plugs looked great which was a good sign. However the distibutor cap and rotor were about as fried as I have ever seen on anything. Put in a new impeller - a piece of cake BTW. Replaced all fluids and filters but the tranny fluid as I am having trouble locating information on what lubricant to use. I have the Seloc manual and it is only confusing me as in 1997 it seems merc used both Dextron III and 10 wt. Hydraulic oil, my trips to the local marine shops have gone unaswered - to I *think* yours uses Dextron III. Not a bit convincing... if anyone knows please pass on the info. I finally bit the bullet to fix my bow lights... I couldn't figure out a was to get the lights out - THEY DO NOT COME OUT THE FRONT FOLKS! Luckly I didn't damage anything. They come out from the back - you have to remove all of the cushions in the front to change the bulbs. Its not a hard job at all - I posted my technique in another posting, if anyone needs to know just let me know. Fastjohnny - Yup $10k - I am very happy, I can now start the clean-up of the 'glass after getting through all of the broken and mechanical issues. JeepXXXX - No wonder you recognize the area - It's Berryessa, I live in Vacaville, so if any locals want to get together sometime, I'm in. Also thanks for the link to the LED bow lights. I purchased the same bulbs plus a 360 degree white Hi-output for the anchor light, I used dielectric grease on the bulbs and the sockets to make sure I never have to replace these again. So I got the lights all working, the engine running sweet, fixed a bunch of broken junk, and now I am on to the stereo system and making the boat shine. Second order of business is to fabricate some trailer drag wheels as my driveway had a bad dip and the trailer drags going in or out. For those of you wondering - here are some photos of taking out the bow back cushion - you can see how it all comes together. There is one bolt up high on the front that needs the nut to be removed, and two long screws one in the storage compartment up high and under the dash up high that need to come out. You can then (with a friend) lift the back off of the hangers, striaght up. Then pull the whole thing towards the rear to slide the long bolt away from the 'glass at the front - once free you can remove from the boat - AND CHANGE YOUR CAT EYE BOW LIGHTS in your bowrider. Piece of cake. v-drive

Ok - I have a 1997 Elite V... but looking at your bow back cushion it looks just like mine. I was baffled as well - I finally figured-out how to gt mine out... here is how I took mine out to replace the bow light bulbs: Under the dash and in the reverse seat storage compartment, there is a SS screw on each side near the top and inside of the bulkhead. Remove these two long screws. Go up to the bow, remove the lower front cushion. Reach way, WAY up to the top of the cushion back... there is a long threaded rod that is coming from the cushion, through the fiberglass. It has a nut and washer on it. Remove the nut - fun. Then get a freind. Lift straight up on the back side of the whole assembly (near the windshield). After it lifts-off of the hangers you can then slide the whole thing to the rear, which will pull the lond threaded rod away from the front - you can then pull the whole thing off of the boat. Here are a couple of pics...