TexP51

JMB - Really appreciate you taking the time to respond. That sounds like really the only successful way to do the repair is in using marine HDPE, compared to replacing with plywood again. Couple questions - 1) Did you use just a hardware grade SS piano hinge, or did you find a source for a marine grade hinge? I saw where West Marine use to have some marine grade hinges listed, but wondering if there any real difference. 2) Did you use white HDPE? Thinking that will be better than the black for reducing reflective surface heat, even with vynal upholstery covering it. 3) For your engine cover did you drill completely through the HDPE and that work okay using flush screws under the upholstery, or just use wood screws to secure the hinges to the cover? Appreciate any feedback. - TexP51

2002 Centurion Elite V-Drive C4 She’s twenty years old and running great. On back of boat has large sun deck area with center manual engine cover, and on left and right the sun decks open as storage lockers using gas lifts. On one side the plywood has rotted and piano hinge has pulled out. Repaired with SS screw multiple times. But not much to work with anymore. Would like to just replace all the deck covers back there. Couple of questions to the group: 1) Anyone have experience replacing entire deck cover, or do most people just take it to a trim shop? 2) Does anyone have deck templates for DIY they’d be willing to share? 3) Is there a better material than marine-grade plywood these days?

From inside the boat open the engine hatch, and right side, rear, lower, of engine (in the bilge area) you will find your belt driven lake water pump. The spin on water/fuel separator is beside that water pump. $20 at West Marine to $12 on Amazon.

I put new cables on my dual battery setup this past winter on my 2002 Elite V when I added a dual battery maintainer. If you have the normal Perko marine battery Selector switch you should be able to easily get back on the water. The ground (-) / negative wiring you are seeing is that both batteries negative cables come to the same single point to ground probably on the engine. See if this diagram helps. https://www.perko.com/help_guides-wiring_a_battery_switch/

Never fun problems. Here are some diagnostic suggestions if you have a OE Mercruiser ignition & fuel system: W/ hard start and believe engine is in normal wear condition. Emphasize just hard start, as you didn’t mention rough running, backfire or spitting through carb. 1) Replace fuel filter. Test. Perfect world, also test fuel pressure to see if you have a weak fuel pump. 2) I’d suggest you unclip the distributor cap & check the 8 contacts inside for corrosion, & same for the rotor - if so replace. Test. 3) Next, pull one spark plug & look for 1 of 3 conditions on the electrode end - that will look like dusty brown, dark burnt charcoal or, oil covered. You want the dusty brown look. The dark charcoal look is rich mixture - that commonly could be caused by carb issues, or ignition timing is off. If oil covered replace all 8 plugs. Now need to TIME the electronic ignition. 4) If you can get the engine started you can time the engine. It has to be running @ 1800 rpm. Borrow/rent a Inductive timing light & adjust the distributor to set timing to proper position. Make sure to use #1 spark plug wire for the timing pickup. The timing Instruction for Mercruiser Thunderboly electronic ignition systems is on the web - make sure to follow instructions as you need to use a jumper wire to connect to the ‘ignition system timing lead’ (PUR/WHT wire) to a good engine ground (-). This locks the electronic ignition module into the “Base Timing Mode”. - using the timing light to look at the timing mark on the crank & line up w/ v-indicator on timing chain housing indicator. Loosen distributor to adjust & then lock it back down. Test. 5) If those don’t improve your hard start - find shop to overhaul carb, or buy rebuilt or new one. You can do OH yourself if comfortable, but recommend left to pros. Good luck.

Optima are solid today. You are in good shape. Anglers on my lake love the D31M blue tops, and Academy Sports now sells them - should make it easier if you have to get a warranty claim. Two batteries are hard enough, but Triple bats is going to be a stiff bill! I ran 54 hours last year, and probably another 25hrs floating w/ stereo on - 15” sub, 600w amp driving 6 interior speakers and 6 on the tower. To help I did change all our interior and running light bulbs over to led, and a more efficient whale bilge pump. With all that, I’m really hoping my battery maintainer stretches the life on our current bats for years to come.

Was trying to make the point to consider buying most CCA/Ah and Reserve Capacity that’s reasonably affordable. Option is to use a flooded with high CCA/Ah over just buying a gel or AGM. Flooded lead is good choice if you use your boat a lot, or have a maintainer. The Gel and AGM offerings store so much better than a flooded lead in boats not used much, and now here come the new marine lithiums - suppose to have 8-10 year life - but pricey. Referencing Optima was poor example, as they do have high CCA these days - but my opinion cost a bit more. Some folks run a starter and deep cycle combo battery setup. I like the newer dual-purpose batteries are cool. My 2002 elite-V had two ancient Interstate auto 24 series in it. I went old-school and replaced both w/ two Tractor Supply 24MS for less than $200 total. Each had like 1000CCA and decent reserve capacity, made sense for me as I have a nice dual-bank battery maintainer on board. I get it’s not everybody’s style, but worked for my budget.

Couple of other things regarding alternators - ther’re expensive no mater how you look at it, but spend a little more and do it right. The alternator no matter the size, creates a current field and ours have a built in regulator to hold voltage output to around 12.8-13.5 volts. Really low batteries might get it to near 14 v output, but from there everything is in your battery wiring gauge size, and your battery setup. Kinds like a hose and a holding tank. Battery (holding tank) can only accept current so fast based on wiring (hose). I find best practice is same type batteries, and highest cranking amps you can afford. While cranking amps equate to amp/hours, and that is like how deep/big your holding tank is. I keep it simple: - Recommend fresh or good condition batteries - New serpentine belt every other year - Suggest matched set batteries in highest CCA - whatever you prefer. I’d rather have lead/acid 850cca over blue top 650 gel for example. - Use good battery maintainer when you come in from the lake so your charge is full when you start out - 65a-85a alternator should be fine - Add another battery before going to crazy sized wiring and alternator

Something to check. The Mercruiser MPI is notorious for low voltage alternator output coming from slipping serpentine. The water pump takes quite a bit of leverage to turn over (not the engine’s Chevy water pump, but the mercruiser lake water pump) and worn belt or just a bit of slack will let the belt slip when it gets bilge water slapped on it at the lowest pulley (big harmonic balancer/crank at the bottom). Usually looks something like engine temp is a bit higher running hard, and voltage drops off at idle. Gotta be crazy tight. Might check that out.

Wow - That boat is slammed! I wouldn’t be comfortable with that at all. I’ve been flying for 35 years - and if I’ve learned anything,, engineers put thought and numbers into their designs, and pushing past that YOU become the test pilot. You asked if we’ve been able to surf, and the answer is yes, but not like the pros.. We.re taking baby steps from just extreme tubing. My 13 y/o takes his mom’s 10’ paddle board and surfs all the time with not much more than loading all our items in the LS rear locker and putting everyone in the rear and LS. Even then you start losing some rudder authority. Kids have fun. Just me, I want a safe boat that we can get back quickly if need be, were gonna try a suction wake maker this year.

Congrats, and enjoy! Nice looking boat. My 2002 Elite V C4 looks similar in hull design. The C4 was just a seating configuration that wrapped around - I think many, if not most, came with it. The 00-02 models could also have the Air Warrior pkg - still not sure beyond the graphics and paint what the difference actually was... Recommend replacing the bilge setup from the older style to the newer low profile Whale style That mounts lowering the transom bilge. Keep the water impeller replaced every 2 years and you should have a nice boat with those low hours. I attached a few pics of my boat for comparison. - Rob

Got around to installing our ‘02 Elite V’s battery charger/maintainer that it got for Xmas this weekend. I really didn’t have a great spot in our boat, so I built a mounting rack I thought someone else might be able to use. I installed in the left rear locker close to the batteries. The charger I got was a Cabela’s 2-bank 12a model - Pro Series Onboard 12. Cabela’s unit appears to have everything in a high-end charger without the Minn-Kota price, including all the steps for charming to maintaining, and able to charge 12a to a single battery if needed. It will handle flooded lead-acid & AGM batteries. They run $149-169 in the catalog, but we found all the Cabels units on sale in a store in Waco, TX, and this one was for $109. https://www.cabelas.com/product/CABELAS-PRO-SERIES-ON-BOARD-CHARGER/2416312.uts Required items: - Battery Maintainer 2-bank - Treated 2x10 cut to 28” length - Bunk Felt (Academy) - Spay paint/cheap - (2) 3” x 3/8”-18 SS Bolts, lock washers, nuts and oversized washers Tools: Saw, drill/bits, staple gun, scissors, hammer, tape measure Install: Measure location for board height in locker location Cut wood and take off extra 1/4” (for felt overlap when you wrap board) Paint board to help seal wood Fit wood into position - assist w/hammer Drill 1/4” pilot holes through fiberglass and wood - repeat w/ 3/8” bit Remove board and wrap in felt - fold felt like wrapping a package - staple Reinstall board - assist w/ hammer - make sure you have tight friction fit Install hardware Run wiring to batteries and install connections Mount Battery Maintainer to board Plug in -

I will send a few pics this evening. At first glance when I saw it reminded me of a expandable freeze plug if anybody who remembers those. That’s a good idea thinking maybe the t-handle may have pulled off at some point in the past. I know it’s one of the lowest points in the hull, but mine appears to be leaking pretty good when the boat is in the water. She is in my shop for the little bit of winter we get and I’m planning to fix the few squawks over the weekends..

Can anyone give some guidance on removing the bilge drain located in the bottom of the hull in front of the V-Drive? I don’t have a service manual and have searched and just haven’t seen any details on removing and replacing that drain location. Mine appears to have some type of compression rubber with a center threaded shaft. Mine appeared to be leaking last year and I’d like to replace it while I have the boat on a trailer versus on our boat lift. My hull is a ‘02 Elite V-Drive. I saw a newer 2013 Centurion Enzo and their front drain appeared to have been replaced with a t-handle garboard-style drain. Can I hear from a few of you that have replaced their drain before? Thx - rob

Check and make sure your belt is very tight. Later models have a single serpentine accessory drive belt, but your ‘82 I think had v belts. If they get wet they slip if not really tight. Other idea is the engine driven water pump could be a problem. Is water actually circulating through your block? The impeller most of us are talking about pulls lake water and provides it to the open cooling system, but the Chevy small block also has a mechanical engine mounted water pump that circulates the water in the engine cooling circuit. If either pump goes down you overheat.