2001 Carver 444: survey says???

[bud37]

Good stuff Pete, looks like you got a good one and are on your way now......good luck with your new boat...

[km1125]

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Question: has anyone had to replace their "domestic" water pex lines? (it's not pex but is original water lines from Carver).

I did. Mine had the original grey plastic lines and every year they would pop a new leak. There was actually a class-action lawsuit on that pipe, as it had been used in a lot of homes and had the same problem after a few years. I replaced it all with red and blue PEX lines and did it myself. Was a pretty easy job except for a couple locations where access was tight.

[Pete]

I have the red & blue, apparently it's not the PEX brand and I was concerned about the tight access. There are a couple of good shops nearby and I want to start a punch list of things to go through over the next few years. All of the rubber and plastic looks to be in good shape but I'm always in CYA mode when it comes to that kind of stuff.

[bud37]

Pete, the red and blue will be 15mm......on the tubing will be size and I.D./ O.D. stampings with the maker name. There are a number of makers of push on fittings etc, usually readily available at marine places.

[Tireless]

QR_BBPOST Also, although the surveyor talked about just "popping a few rivets back in", there is a bit of corrosion on the trim tabs. I feel like it would be best to replace both when the boat comes out for bottom paint, do it right. In addition, get the thrusters to "like new" condition. There was some corrosion there as well.

Pete, my trim tabs where also corroded and had been primed by a previous owner. I removed my trim tabs to have the chord extended. Prior to having them worked on, I sand blasted them and they came up pretty good. If they are Bennett Trim Tabs, all you need to do is unbolt the actuator from the mounting plate and remove the tab from the hinge with a hammer on the side of the tab. There is a small tab that needs to be bent to allow the tab to slide out of the folded hinge. I was advised that it was not a good idea to remove the screws on the hinge plate, as the heads would more than likely just break off (SS), which will cause a bigger issue. To prevent damage to the side of the trim tabs I put a block of wood on the side to strike with the hammer. Just take your time and they will slide out.

Bennett trim tabs have a folded hinge and not a piano type hinge like some others.

Here is a before and after I sandblasted them. The tabs also had anodes on the top and bottom. This was not recommended by my surveyor, so I removed them and went to a larger anode just on the top side.

You also mentioned that your surveyor mentioned putting rivets in, you must of been referring to the replacing the rivets that hold the actuator mounting plate top the tab, and not the screws holding the hinge to the hull, different than what I thought.

Greg

[Pete]

QR_BBPOST Pete, the red and blue will be 15mm......on the tubing will be size and I.D./ O.D. stampings with the maker name. There are a number of makers of push on fittings etc, usually readily available at marine places.

I guess as long as I can isolate things with valves, those repairs can get taken care of as they come up. The hoses and fittings which can be seen look good, it is the hard to reach and see places which have me concerned. The surveyor was very thorough and found a corroded fitting by taking the time to look at the fittings with an inspection mirror. The fitting looks good where your eyeballs land, the bottom side told a whole different story.

[Pete]

QR_BBPOST

QR_BBPOST Also, although the surveyor talked about just "popping a few rivets back in", there is a bit of corrosion on the trim tabs. I feel like it would be best to replace both when the boat comes out for bottom paint, do it right. In addition, get the thrusters to "like new" condition. There was some corrosion there as well.

Pete, my trim tabs where also corroded and had been primed by a previous owner. I removed my trim tabs to have the chord extended. Prior to having them worked on, I sand blasted them and they came up pretty good. If they are Bennett Trim Tabs, all you need to do is unbolt the actuator from the mounting plate and remove the tab from the hinge with a hammer on the side of the tab. There is a small tab that needs to be bent to allow the tab to slide out of the folded hinge. I was advised that it was not a good idea to remove the screws on the hinge plate, as the heads would more than likely just break off (SS), which will cause a bigger issue. To prevent damage to the side of the trim tabs I put a block of wood on the side to strike with the hammer. Just take your time and they will slide out.

Bennett trim tabs have a folded hinge and not a piano type hinge like some others.

Here is a before and after I sandblasted them. The tabs also had anodes on the top and bottom. This was not recommended by my surveyor, so I removed them and went to a larger anode just on the top side.

You also mentioned that your surveyor mentioned putting rivets in, you must of been referring to the replacing the rivets that hold the actuator mounting plate top the tab, and not the screws holding the hinge to the hull, different than what I thought.

Greg

Any value in having a trim tab position gauge? Smaller I/O boats have this, why not on bigger boats? Cost?

The sandblasting looks good, maybe if I left the hull screws and installed all new rivets on the angle bracket, I'd be ok.

[Tireless]

QR_BBPOST Any value in having a trim tab position gauge? Smaller I/O boats have this, why not on bigger boats? Cost?

I have looked at trim tab indicators before and have yet to pull the trigger. I find that my tabs are always fully up (bow up) for cruising and normally full bow down when on plane, thus the extensions. I find the boat is heavy in the aft, especially when aux's full of fuel and with my dinghy on the back. So, due to the fact that they are always fully up or down, I wouldn't have much need for indicators. May be a nice to have. Check the Bennett web site, they have them there. They have manual control indicators in addition to automatic ones if you want to go crazy.

QR_BBPOST The sandblasting looks good, maybe if I left the hull screws and installed all new rivets on the angle bracket, I'd be ok.

If you can avoid removing the hull screws I would. Clean the tabs up and install new SS rivets, you will probably be good to go. I only removed my tabs to have them welded really, sandblasting was done because I had them in hand and they needed to be clean to be welded. You could probably sandblast them on the boat, which would be better, so you don't have to take them off. Bennett also recommends putting a primer/anti foul of some type on them for salt water use. I am not sure if salt water boaters do this. Not needed where I am, so I don't see it.

Greg

[Pete]

I guess I might be getting ahead of myself. The aux tanks were full so we were aft heavy. It probably is an up vs down situation.

[Tireless]

QR_BBPOST I guess I might be getting ahead of myself. The aux tanks were full so we were aft heavy. It probably is an up vs down situation.

I am not sure what you mean.

When I am on plane with aux's full, I find the aft drags, so I usually run at full bow down, so the tabs are fully extended, getting that aft up and out of the water. I normally try to run with my aux's close to empty, unless I am doing a long crossing. I will typically draw from the aux's first in this case, then the forward tanks, to get rid of the weight back there.

I had the chord on my trim tabs extended by 2" and re-enforced, it helps quite a bit. I also have a 530 Lb. center console dinghy on the back that does not help. At 3200 RPM's, which is 90 % of my WOT, I run at 21 mph, which is nice for that size of boat on plane.

I don't normally trim to much when I am cruising and doing channel work at 8-10 mph, so I put them full bow up and fully retracted out of the way, unless I need them due too conditions.