Just got a 96 Tige 20slm as my 1st boat

[ryde]

Hey Fellas,

I recently purchased a 96 Tige 20slm as my first boat. The boat seems to be in great condition and I got it for a great price. I am new to the boat game and really have no experience with boats and/or how to maintain them. I have asked a few friends on how to maintain them, but I seem to get the old "if it runs good leave it alone" statement. I really would like to get some input on what I should do to make sure my boat is safe and in good running condition. If anyone has any input it would be appreciated.

The info I am mostly looking for is:

Motor maint.
Bearing seals?
Prop maint.
hull maint.
electrical?

Thanks guys.

[Tequilasun]

I am quite sure there will be lots of info coming your way! To start:

Motor:

Examine any mainatance records you may have, and compare those to the service schedule in the owner's manual. If you are behind on anything, Oil changes etc. Have that done.
The boat is 8-9 years old, so check all the hoses for leaks.
It never hurts to change the oil.
Replace spark-plugs.
Check and replace any belts.
Check and replace impeller.

If any of this stuff has been done recently, check it again!!

Prop:

Check the prop nut and all retention hardware it in place.

Spin the prop by hand and look for any wobble.'

Check for dings, have them fixed.

Hull:

Many differing opinions out there, but a good washing (car wash solutions, not dishsoap) and a good waxing never hurt.

If you have specific stains or questions, we can help with products to remove them.

Electrical

See that the battery is in good shape.


There are many many other things that you need to get familiar with, but that will get you started.

Oh, and a Big WELCOME to the TIGE Family.

[Tequilasun]

Sorry, should have said

Get to know your local Tige dealer, they can be extremely helpful.

Also, post your location and maybe we can hook you up with someone in your area that can run through some stuff with you.

[raythompson]

Originally posted by draginass
Spin the prop by hand and look for any wobble.

Say what! I cannot spin my prop on my 22V. In fact it takes some effort to turn the prop by hand. There is friction from the shaft seal and the shaft support that have to be overcome.

[Tequilasun]

HA HA, I guess the old brain was working slower than the hands when I wrote that.

I just helped a buddy pull his damaged prop, and we spun it on a shaft, once we had it off the boat, to see if it had a wobble. It did, so we had it rebalanced. Turns out one of the blades was bent. Thats kind of what I was thinking about when I wrote that!

Guess I will slow down next time

[raythompson]

Originally posted by draginass
HA HA, I guess the old brain was working slower than the hands when I wrote that.

Had me wondering if there was something wrong with my craft.

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by raythompson
Had me wondering if there was something wrong with my craft.

Yeah, you've got a blown flux capacitor.....um I'll shut up now!!

[ryde]

First of all, Thank you for all the good info.

1) When I spin my prop it is very easy to spin. I could spin it around with one finger. When I spin it it does not seem like it is loose or there is anything that is loose. It simply spins freely.
Is this right?

2) When this boat is in the water it takes on water in the engine compartment. It fills up to about 3 to 4 inches before it overflow into the boat.
Is this right?

Thanks again fellas for all your input. It is greatly appreciated.

[TeamAllen]

There should not be any water in the bilge. Check for leaks.

Three thing you should carry with you.

Spare impeller
Spare propeller
Spare fan belt(s)

Nobody mentioned the trailer yet. That is every bit as important as the boat maint. There are a lot of threads on this site about trailer maint. Use the search feature at the top of the page for things like that.

Welcome to the family bro!