Hey Jeff thanks for the reply. I have actually sent the video to Chris on Saturday I thinks he's going to make copies and post on the site.

Chad

Congratulations on your like new Z210
 

Is there any chance you might post some pictures? I like to see the differences in the model years. My Z210 is a 1997 that I picked up in 2005 with 13 hours on the dial. I think Big Red had her last voyage today (Lake Michigan via Trail Creek in Michigan City, IN). Have you had yours out lately? When is your season kaput?

Also, what kind of power and options to do you have? I am a DIYer myself for winterization, tune ups, minor repairs, etc., and would like to share information. Speedometer gave out this summer and needs to get it fixed. I can't see what the problem is so far. Maybe when I winterize in a week or two I might find something.

Best regards,

Captain Steve

Hey Captain Steve,

I actually haven't snapped any pics as of yet, but I will for sure this weekend. I took it out this weekend on the intracoastal, can't say it was a great trip, I almost lost my new Bimini in the drink. Turns out the cheap connectors the guys used weren't sea worthy for sure.

I saved it barely, but now I've got a useless $600 top. Actually the guy who built it is going to repair it and change the cheepo rubber/plastic fittings to SS.

My boat's lines are exactly the same as yours without the built-in docking lights on the bow.

From my research I believe your dash has more options as well. ie..Wood grain, and a few more options.

My boat has the 5.7L Merc Magnum w/ 4 barrel carb, Alpha One Gen 2 drive, 40 gal tank, tons of storage etc...

I'm new to this so I'm learning as I go. I have a very good manual for the 5.0, 5.7 mercruiser engines and the alpha outdrives. Lotsa DIY's exploded views and step by step maint.

13 hrs!!! What a find, almost like the 1957 Corvette in the farmers barn with 2000 mi on it!! Good for you that's outstanding.

My boat had 200 hrs on it, and is really in great condition. The interior is like new, everything works (except the speedo, which works but is not accurate, slow) The boat was dry stored it's whole life and certainly not abused.

I did pay to have the initial maint done, changed the exhaust system per the mech's advice due to what he said was a design flaw with this generation motor. As it turns out the headers are cast iron, and the risers were SS, thus different rates of expansion at temp and leaks into the motor (bad juju for sure). I went with his advice and now have ceramic internal coated exhaust. Probally could have been ok for a while, but I am anal about things being perfect so what the heck, 1200 bucks later I got a good reliable, fast boat. By the way have you GPS'd your actual speed? With about half tank of fuel I'm at 58mph with two adults on the boat. I was really surprised...

My season is great for about another month. Then will be done until late Feb, early March. Today it was 90 deg and sunny. Still great boating weather. Water temps are about 80 degs even inland in the rivers and lakes. You gotta love FL...

Lots of great boating. This weekend I had dolphins all around the boat in the intracoastal. (not to mention about 10, 50' plus yachts making huge wakes!!!)

If you don't mind me asking what did you pay for yours?? I gave 9000.00 and felt like I got a great deal, trailer is a 2004 dual axel Continential, alumimum and galvanized. I actually have the invoice for the trailer at 3400.00 in the papers left in the boat.

I'll post some pics shortly.
Chad

Dear Chad,

Nice to hear from you and I am glad to read that you will be enjoying you new Z210 for another month or so. Big Red has a 5.7LX, which is carburetted like like your boat. It is interesting that your exhaust system was made of dissimilar metals. My exhaust manifolds and risers all appear to be cast iron.

The Intracoastal is sea water, is it not? If so, I have read that the salt water is very corrosive to seawater cooling systems like we have. Here in the Midwest my mechanic tells me that the cast iron exhaust systems basically last forever in our hard (but fresh) lake water. He also says that putting the system away wet with corrosion inhibiting antifreeze really helps minimize exhaust system problems. So far so good. I have read that hours mean little to the exhaust system. Age is supposed to be everything. So far I have no water in the oil, no oil in the water, and my lower unit oil always looks new when I replace it in the fall. Also, I have not noticed any indication of water on my plugs when I replace them in the fall.

I am sorry to hear about your bimini. I have been thinking about getting one and now I know to avoid the plastic fittings. Thanks for checking that out!

Regarding top speed, I have not GPS'd at WOT, only to about 38 mph. The GPS and speedometer agreed to within about 2 mph at that speed. With about 1/2 tank, only me on board, and fully trimmed out, the speedo has shown a best of about 54 mph.

What kind of wheel are you turning? Mine is a 21-inch Mercury Vengeance SS 3-blade. At WOT I get about 4,300 rpms. I have read that it is nothing special, but the SS looks cool. It matches the Skegguard that I had to mount after taking out a chunk on a rock in a small inland lake. That same rock ate a blade off the aluminum wheel that I had mounted specifically for that trip (anticipating the worst). For a spare I carry a 20-inch Solas aluminum 4-blade. That is my poor-man's version of a High-Five, which I would really like to have. This prop allows about 4,800 rpms at WOT.

Regarding price paid, I gave $16,500. I went this high mostly because the boat is cool, ridiculously equipped, and had insanely low hours. The Corsa exhaust system was another nice feature. Mine came with the original equipment painted steel, dual axle trailer made by Chariot, which I understand was closely allied with Jimmy Joe Fulk's boat company.

So do you winterize yourself? I am interested in reading about your routine. I change the oil, plugs, oil filter, gasoline filter (the big one), Stabil in the fuel, and then run it up to temperature on the muffs. Then I take a short hose connected to the muffs and make the Mercruiser ingest about 5 gallons of antifreeze from a bucket. At the end of the bucket I shoot fogging oil down the carb throats. She then dies until May. Some folks I understand take hoses off and stuff like that. For piece of mind last fall I checked one of my block drains and it showed what appeared to be full strength antifreeze.

My user gallery has a pretty full set of photos if you would like to have a peek.

Best regards,
Captain Steve

Re: Proud owner of a near new 1996 Mariah Shabah 210
 

Would love to have a copy of this owners manual. Recently purchased a '95 212 Shabah that needed a trailer, found an original trailer that just happened to have a '95 Z210 Talari sitting on it. Thinking the Shabah is going together first, but I'm going to need a lot of help with this. I have the engineering background to be able to pull this off, but will appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks

Re: Proud owner of a near new 1996 Mariah Shabah 210
 

You do realize that this thread is 11 yrs old right?

As for the Owners Manual.... read the Sticky at the top of the Introductions forum