New Boat problem

[piemma]

OK, so you guys know I'm a new boat guy. I have a small problem getting bigger and need some advise.
Boat is a 2003 Sea Hunt CC. 90 HP Yamaha 4 stroke.
Problem started with the gas gauge not reading correctly. Problem started getting worse yesterday as now the Tach, trim gauge, gas and speed gauges don't read right and I can't send on my radio (although I hear others fine.)
I have almost begged the marina head mechanic to take a look. Always says he will but hasn't in 3 weeks of begging. (since the gas gauge went south)

1) Where do I start looking? Someone (another expert) told me it sounds like a ground problem.

2) Any boat mechanics on this board in Warwick who can fix this problem. Boat is at Harbor Light marina and don't want to pull it if I don't have to. PM me and we can work out details.

[thefishingfreak]

sounds like the battery is not charging/slowly dying/loose cables?

[JohnR]

Do all of the guages not read but the voltage does??

[fishsmith]

follow the wires and look for corosion at conenctions.
My buddies radio had the same issue not being able to xmit but could receive. For him the bus where all his electronics met was all rusty.

[Clammer]

Told ya //ya don,t need any of the guages you have a problem with ::;F#$%^&* just go fishin & quit F #$%^&* with it ....

[RIROCKHOUND]

Amen...
the gauges on the r/v have never worked. You'll know when it's broken or ya run out of gas

[Raven]

since they are all malfunctioning

it points you to a common denominator...

and what could that be ....oh yeah

everything has to have a good ground to work right

get out your emery cloth sand up the ground connections

puttem back on....the same way ... tighten...presto

your friend gave you good ad vice.

[Clammer]

Alert ;;

wacko 1 & wacko 2 get to your boats ASAP [''its raining //they are getting f #$%^&*( wet //
best stay there /get a f #$%^&*() tent //

wacko one // will probably pull his boat to wash it

[RIROCKHOUND]

Help help, my boat is getting wet

[pmueller]

A loose ground will drive you nuts. You work through it as the above posts metnioned.
The clue for a common ground is a good one.
Gas gauges are notoriously wrong even when working properly. Never rely on one, period.

[BassyiusMaximus]

I would agree with the ground(s) being your problem. Guages, save for water pressure guages fed by saltwater, usually don't go bad, and as all of yours are acting screwey, it is true that there is a common denominator.

Are you handy?, of course, you must be, you fish.

I'd take the panel which houses the guages, there is a panel, or you can get to the guages, right? If so, check to be sure the nuts holding the o-ring terminals to the posts on the guages are all tight. Then if you can, trace to where the wires lead like the gas guage, the engine terminals to be sure they are all tight, especially the grounds.

As the engine is quite new, I don't know if corrosion could have set in yet but would not rule it out.

[fishaholic18]

Piemma, most likely a ground problem, #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& and Clammer have my # if u need help.

[piemma]

Thanks for all the advice. Especially from my good friend Clammer who, when I told him about the problem, told me " nothing that will stop you from fishing".

[Clammer]

WTF did ya want me to say ====I,ll fix it ???/

then you won,t have a boat //

R & R today ><><><>

["uffah!!"]

Hey Clammer, what you doin sleepin on the beach?

[Clammer]

waitin for you to list that two family ......................... only 578 M/F for sale in Providence /that doesn,t count the east side

["uffah!!"]

Clammer, now she don't want to sell! But, the very next time she opens her mouth about selling, you'll get a call, even if its midnight!!

[Clammer]

MID-Night that,s f #$%^&*( lunch time

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by uffah!!

Hey Clammer, what you doin sleepin on the beach?

HA Thats great.

[piemma]

BOAT IS FIXED!!!! mechanic from the marina came down to the boat and asked me what the F%%#%^& I was doing. I had wires, hatches, batteries and tools from one end of the dock to the other. He went and got a volt ohm/amp meter (I think) 10 minutes found a bad wire and 2 places with corroded ground connections. Everything is now hunky dory.

[capesams]

a wise tip for you boater's..get yourself a small bottle/tube of vaseline and cover every connector..screwhead...studd on your wiring or fuse's..fuse pannel...batt.....it'll keep corrosion free for years and keep thing's brite an shinny.easy clean-up if you need to add anymore wiring etc. 100% guaranteed to work.