[letscdoo]

Can someone put me at ease I just purchased 2003 Mariah SX20 it seem to be in great shape but I have been reading some horror stories on the web. I have read the older models were great and now cents Sea Fox made them it has me worried that I may have made a mistake on my purchased.I heard the have broken streamers/hull problems. But I have been around long enough that some comments are fails and some people are just stuck on the makes and models they own I try to stay opened minded so I can give honest answers to the best of may knowledge. Please if you could help put me at ease. The boat has 348 hours on it. I was only able to have it on the water once before I had to put up for winter. I have had 4 other boats in the pasted I only had one bad one and it was brand-new 1986 Bayliner I had all kinds of haul problems. I love the looks of my Mariah I hoping I made the right choice.

[Angryangel]

Hello

For first I cannot write much to your problem but I thought I give an answer because it seams that not much seafox Mariah owners are aktive here

I also bought just a few weeks ago a Mariah SX 18 the only thing I recognized is that if you look in some corners or under the cockpit you will perhaps see it is not a perfect finish

Which engine do you have in your boat?

Greetings

Angel

[letscdoo]

Thank you for commenting on my post. I have a 5.0 liter. What size engine do you have in your Mariah? I was beginning to think that nobody would reply to my post. I have looked the hall in the bottom all over and I don't find any spiderwebs cracks or anything it's seem to be pretty sturdy in the water and going over waves it didn't feel like a wet noodle or anything. Seem to have quite a bit of power it was over propped so I bought a 19 Pitch prop but I have not been able to try it I only had it out one time before head to winterize it. I was only getting 3800 RPMs out of my other prop that was on it. They recommend 4600to 4800 RPMs for this boat. I'm not sure but it feels like it may have a little extra play in the steering but I've tightened up a few things for that problem that I was told that may cause it and I'll try that in the spring otherwise I'll just install a new steering mechanism and cable. Thanks

[Angryangel]

Hello

i have just a 3.0l in my Mariah but i´m thinking about to swap the engine with a V6 but next year il will use ist as ist is, i was also just one short time on the water only for testdrive befor buying.
If you have time can you make a picture or two of the enginemonts of your boat as the SX18 is simalaer to the SX20 it would help me much

Which pitch have your prop at the moment?
3800RPM´s sounds very low
sur tht the engine is right and have enoug power

perhaps this site helps you to see how much rpms the engine should have with your actual prop

if you not allread know this site


https://www.mercurymarine.com/en-gb/...tion#/step-one


with the "not perfect finish" i ment not the Outer Hull i mean if you look in the inner of the boat as the Waterski tray in the bottom or the corners in the engine housing or something like this

[letscdoo]

Hi AngryAngel yes I would be happy to help you when I get a chance I will take pictures of the mounts for you. If you put a V6 engine in you also have to change the Gear ratio in the lower unit. I had a 21 pitch prop on it which was not in good shape either when I was running 3800 RPMs I went out and got a new 19 pitch prop and put it on aluminum three blade. I'm not a fan of aluminum three blade when I figure out for sure what Pitch that I'm happy with i'm going to purchase a four blade stainless. Also thinking about purchasing a five blade also. I do know the four blade handles much better and better fuel economy. I am a retired ford technician so I do like to play around a lot still I am also looking at the 5.7 multi port injection that my buddy has that's also in very good shape and very low hours he owns a small marine repair shop. I will also have to change my gear ratio on that. The only problem I'm having with that is there's absolutely nothing wrong with my 5.0 L that I have in it. I am very new at this website Mariah owner club so I'm still learning my way around it. If you would like marked me as your friend so I will not lose you so I can get those pictures to you when I get them taken.

[Angryangel]

Hello letscdoo

thankyou for that you will try to take some pictures, i can wait the next yerar i will use the boat as it is because i have a guarantee from the dealer a bougt the boat and i allready had to use it even i had the Boat not one time my self on the water *G*

i know that i have to change the gear ratio if i install a V6 engine, but is the gear ratio not in the upper unit!?!? at the Alpha one drives it shold be there on the bravos i dont know,

Im still a little confused about that youre rpm stock at 3800 because i also have a 21 pitch propeller on my SX18 und it reach 4900RPM at the testdrive ok the gearratio is different but the little 4inline have much less power than yours

i also will play a littel around with the boat and its setup like evriy thing with an engine*G*
i already found in the attic a 19pitch propeller

I´m also new at this website and you was the only one who replayed a post of me
perhaps it is becaus i writ in a really bad englisch but im from germany and my last englishlesson is really long ago

that good that you are a ford technican so i perhaps can you ask some questins if i had problems wit my ford´s *G*

i allready accept your friend request i hope it worked.

[Hunter12345]

If you have a 3L your bolt pattern will not line up if you go with a 4.3l, if im not mistaken, you ( from what ive heard from owning a 3.0l before) people told me, its bot worth it to even try.


If your going to upgrade to a 5.7l the 5.0 should have a 1.47/1.50, assuming its not pre vortec which will be fine. Pre vortech alpha's i think had a 1.67. Assuming your running an alpha and not a bravo.

What was your max speed at 3800 rpm? There a ton of variables regarding prop pitch, as we know, but she sounds like she's over propped. 19p ss should get you in a more comfortable zone..

As far as the sea fox product.. new owners, its not that they're a bad boat, but the quality they put into the originals where hard to match.

Im just going by memory here, but maybe one of the more knowledgeable guys will chime in.


'98 mariah shabah 180
5.7l 350 mag
Bravo III

[Angryangel]

@ Hunter yes you are right if you mean the bolt pattern that fixes the engine to the boat that is the reason that i ask for pictures of the geinemount i would licke to seew how they are fixed to the Hull

i know that ai have to laminate in some ne bases for the enginemounts but i not sure what i should use for the base
in most boats a wood base is laminated in but as the hull is "wood free" i would like to kepp it like taht but i don´t really know what i schould use instade of the wood. Perhaps metal but that can rust or a solid plastic-block but wish kind of palstic do i use best?

[Hunter12345]

Mine has a aluminum bracket to the wood structure of the hull. With rubber separating the 2 metals. ( mount, motor)
Im not positive on the sea fox's but i believe its a wood free stringer system? The new boats don't have wood in the transom or to secure motors?


'98 mariah shabah 180
5.7l 350 mag
Bravo III

[Angryangel]

I just can say what i had read and waht i read is that the Hull is wood free so the Stingers ar also woold free

if i had woood stringer it would be easy to make some brackets of aluminium oer stainlessteel and fix it with some screws to the wood stringer but if te stringers are wood free just with some kinde of foam inside this will not work i think so ia hafe to mae some bases of plastic anfd laminate it in

but this is not my thred her perhaps we shoul countinue auer conversation here:

Mariah SX 18 V6 engine mount