3300 SCR, first boat! - Maxum Boat Owners Club

Sullivanocean · 09-10-2017, 03:24 AM

Hello, my wife and I have bought a 2000 3300SCR and this is my very first boat. I am a very responsible person and taking the size and learning curve of this boat very seriously. Look forward to looking to others for advice and guidance.

So far my only issue has be what feels to be VERY stiff shift levers. This is making pivoting into the slip with accuracy an issue for me. It almost feels like something is going to break...they are that stiff. Definately causes me great stress. Just wondering if these throttles are known to be stiff?

biggerseagar · 09-10-2017, 03:58 AM

Welcome aboard! Mighty big boat to start off with, good luck. Is this outdrives? If so your linkage needs to be looked. When were the bellows checked last? What did the surveyor tell you , hope you had a survey, about the condition of your boat?

I would recommend a safe boating class also. You will save money on the insurance premiums, plus the obvious benefits.

Once you get the linkage problem fixed just take it slow and practice, practice and practice. Don't touch that steering wheel.

Good luck

Roger

mmwjr · 09-10-2017, 04:04 AM

Welcome aboard

They should not be that stiff. Are they stiff when you disengage the shift mechanism by pushing in the center button? If not either the upper or lower shift cable is bad else it may be bad throttle cables.

Sullivanocean · 09-10-2017, 04:57 AM

We did not have a survey done on the boat actually. I know that we likely should have had it done. The overall condition of the boat looks fantastic and clearly cared for. I get that doesn't mean all is well but I went with my gut feeling. I have had the boat in the water since Thursday and I would say the shifting into gear feels slightly harder since even then. I guess I am not 100% sure how much resistance I should be experiencing.

Our original plan was to put it in the water until the second week of October to get a bit of practice with it. The weather here in Ontario is clearly not much good after that.

I was going to call and have a service tech come and take a look at it. Wondering if pulling it now for the season might be better and have it fully inspected. I am not affraid of spending the money on anything that it requires to be in great working order.

The bilge does not seem to show and signs of excessive water leaking. There is a very small amount in the very center of the beam but I am assuming that it is not an issue.

But my gut tells me the shifting should be lighter. When I push the button and disengage the transmission the levers move easy when reving the motors.

Roger I plan on taking it very slow. I will practise as much as humanly possible as I want to be able to handle it with confidence. I am sure my approach to the fueling dock today was one of the slowest on record.

biggerseagar · 09-10-2017, 05:48 AM

I can't stress the importance of the survey and the trial run. It would of addressed any problems mechanical for your benefit, first that you know and second you can use it when it came down to your price negotiations. You know the real condition of your boat, no hidden surprises! So get it checked out by a qualified mechanic and be safe.

Roger

Sullivanocean · 09-10-2017, 06:02 AM

Obviously great advice. I will have a professional come a look it over top to bottom. I think it would be best to ensure everything is in good working order. It will certainly be heading out for next season in optimal condition.

mmwjr · 09-10-2017, 12:16 PM

Ok since disengaging the shift cables makes it easier the controls are fine and one of the two shift cables is bad. There is an upper cable that connects the control to the shift lever that is on the engine then the lower cable that connects the shift lever to the outdrive. The lower cable is more common for going bad. Since you have twins this a 2x issue, one for each engine.

rwc · 09-20-2017, 11:35 PM

I just bought my first boat as well and would confirm that spending the money on a good mechanic to look over it was well worth it. I used the results to negotiate on price, but that wasn't really the important part - it was the peace of mind of knowing that a professional had gone through and found (hopefully) any significant issues that are likely to crop up in the near future.

I had a surveyor and a mechanic down. I got a lot more mileage out of the mechanic, but maybe there just wasn't much for the surveyor to find? Here's hoping.

Sullivanocean · 09-25-2017, 03:19 PM

All is well with the boat. The issue is the lower transmission cable on the port engine. We will have it replaced before it goes back in the water in the spring. The issue is that docking is a challenge with a really stiff port engine control. I will update when we have the cable replaced. Thank you for all the input. I have a couple things to address still but minor by comparison. The helm seat overly loose and feels like when the seats were redone proper installation wasn't a concern.

biggerseagar · 09-25-2017, 03:57 PM

I have always used the 3 year rule to get all the gremlins out of a boat. It's used, there are parts that wear out and then there is normal maintenance items that need to be taken care of or could explode into something worse and more expensive too. Good luck and this spring let us how it all worked out.

Roger