[nglauer]

Hi everyone, my name is Nick and I live in South East Ohio along the Ohio River. I have been looking at boats and think I may have stumbled into a great deal... atleast I hope so since I am picking it up from the Owner tomorrow. I do have a few questions though, but first some information about the unit I purchased.

It is a 2001 180 Diablo with the Merc. 3.0. It has a brand new Merc lower unit (owner hit a rock last year and damaged the original.) I was told that the insurance covered the damage totalling $4500.00. The new unit has about an hour on it as the boat has not been on the water other than to test it since this happened. The boat has roughly 160 hours total and really looks like a brand new boat.. no scratches at all. The frame of the trailer has 0 rust as well and everything was garage kept in a heated garage. The owner just picked it up today from the boat shop where he had all the oil changed and a slew of other things checked out.. totalling to an amount of $385.00 dollars. It included the trailer with surge brakes, life jackets, tube, 2 anchors, and all safety equipment. The only problem I see with the boat is that the owner had to replace the drivers side glass... however he could not find a factory glass windshield (he replaced with Lexan on this side). I guess that a tree limb fell on it a few weeks ago and broke the glass.. he showed me pictures and it did not other damage other than the window (boat was covered with the fitted cover and tarper when this happened. I guess he had just pulled it out of the garage to take it to the shop to have it "summerized?" atleast thats what he has told me. Now for my questions...

Can anyone tell me the pro's and con's to this model

Can I find a factory glass windshield replacement (he said he couldn't find one)

Is the 3.0 very economical? I plan to take the wife and both kids 2 and 4 out just putting around.

What is the power rating on this motor?

Is the Alpha one outdrive a good unit?

Is there any benefit to changing the factory prop (brand new Merc unit) to a stainless unit?

Can I add a depth finder or something that will blend in with the current gauges and look factory? I'd like to know how shallow I am before making this near perfect boat look less than perfect.

Should I add one of those hydro foil things to the lower unit? what do these do? My cousin told me it'll bring the boat on plane faster and save gas. He also told me that we had little birds around this area called a snipe as a kid and I found out years later that's a lie.. we don't have little birds that run around like road runners in the dark here in Ohio.

What should I look for, I spoke to the mechanic who did the work and he told me to stop messing around looking for a boat and buy this one. He's done all work since the day it was purchased and he said it was the nicest kept boat he's ever had the pleasure of working on.

Can I transfer an Ohio boat license (good till March 2011) from the current owner to myself? Will they allow me to carry the same numbers so I don't have to peel these (they are very nice... he had them custom made to match the boat)

Any help or links to reviews.. or personal experience's are greatly appreciated. I am getting the boat for $6000.00, so I hope this is a great deal for such a clean well taken care of boat.

Thank you all for your help !!! I have been stalking threads as a guest for the last few years reading about different models.. trying to figure out which boat is good for a first boat purchase. I sure hope this is the one.

Thanks again,
Nicholas

Newport, Ohio
[email protected]

[WetWilly]

Originally Posted by nglauer

2001 180 Diablo with the Merc. 3.0

Hi Nicholas I have a little larger Mariah, but from listening to our other members with similar models, they enjoy theirs very much... if you've never owned a boat before, this is a great size to start with!

Originally Posted by nglauer

Can I find a factory glass windshield replacement (he said he couldn't find one)

It may be possible, there is supposed to be a small label either under the frame, in the frame or on the inside edge (I haven't quite figured the location out yet) that lists the part number for the glass then the original manufacture (Taylor Made) may be able to make a replacement. If you can't find it, don't despair, several of our members are using plastic to replace their missing glass as well.

Originally Posted by nglauer

Is the 3.0 very economical? I plan to take the wife and both kids 2 and 4 out just putting around. What is the power rating on this motor? Is the Alpha one outdrive a good unit?

The 3.0L is a great motor and gets excellent mileage because of its size (had one in our old Searay, never had a problem with it or the Alpha drive in over 20+ years). Just remember, it's the smallest motor in the Mercruiser line so it has the least amount of HP (I believe around 135) or torque. For general boating (putting around), it's great (brochure lists top speed with the 3.0L at 40-46mph), but if you're planning on water skiing or wake boarding, carry as few passengers as possible for better take-off performance.

Originally Posted by nglauer

Is there any benefit to changing the factory prop (brand new Merc unit) to a stainless unit? Should I add one of those hydro foil things to the lower unit? what do these do?

Assuming it's the right prop for your setup and for general cruising, I would say no.... keep what you have for now until you get a feel of how your Diablo performs.

Originally Posted by nglauer

Can I add a depth finder or something that will blend in with the current gauges and look factory? I'd like to know how shallow I am before making this near perfect boat look less than perfect.

The gauge were made by Faria, so if you want to stay with the same manufacture, try to locate a Faria dealer in your area and they should have a depth gauge that should match you current set.

Originally Posted by nglauer

Should I add one of those hydro foil things to the lower unit? what do these do?

NO! Many of us recommend staying away from any wing device that attach to the outdrive. They are supposed to add lift to the outdrive to help level the hull out quicker for better takeoff and cruising performance, but sometimes, they can actually cause adverse handling. If after you've had a chance to get familiar with the way your Diablo handles and you feel you need to improve it, look at a product our members swear by, it's called “Smart Tabs”. They work like the control surfaces on an airplane wing to help level the hull and improve the over all handling of your boat and it does it automatically (click here for their web site). Do a search on the forum and you'll see what I mean... or contact MikeyT, he's our Smart Tab guru, he's help out a lot of our members get the performance they were looking for and he can do the same for you

Originally Posted by nglauer

I am getting the boat for $6000.00, so I hope this is a great deal for such a clean well taken care of boat.

Considering it comes with the trailer, a few extras, the outdrive is new and it seems like the rest is in great condition, I would say it's a good price.

Well there's my .02 worth,
WetWilly

[nglauer]

WetWilly,

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I going to the bank in a few hours to finalize the loan.. then off to the hitch shop down the road to buy a wiring harness and hitch for our Equinox (sure hope it pulls the boat okay). Then after all of that is finished i'm going to run home.. install the hitch and wiring harness and go meet the owner so that he can become the "old" owner

Just curious.. any clue what the dry weight of the boat with trailer should be? I know that a full tank of gas will weigh the boat down drastically, so I plan to pull it light on fuel when possible.

Speaking of gas... what are your suggestions? I know the local station does not add ethanol to their premium.. but they do to the two lower grades. I wasn't sure if it mattered which I ran.. i've just heard bad stuff about ethanol and boats.. but maybe those were all outboards?

Thanks again,
Nicholas

[Phlorida]

Nicholas -

I have the 3.0L/Alpha One combo and really like it. At WOT is runs 43 MPH and hits 4800 RPM. At 3000-3500 RPM this engine gets awesome gas mileage. Like any engine the mileage goes down considerably the closer you get to WOT. It is typical for us to make 60 mile and longer runs on the Intercoastal Waterway so fuel economy is important to us.

I just moved my boat from a marina that offered ethanol free mid-grade fuel to a marina that offers mid-grade with ethanol. I have started using Sta-Bil as a precaution.

I have the Smart Tabs on my 2007 SX-18 and wouldn't consider running it without them.

Have fun, your new boat looks great in the pictures.

[nglauer]

Welp, I picked the boat up today. I had to run all over the place to get the things I needed...Hitch, wiring harness, check from the bank, title.. and then tomorrow I need to hit up the DMV and get the license and title finished up. I was worried I'd never make it to the marina to hear it run, but I made it there around 7:30pm. I got there and it was packed because of a bass tourney. Those guys don't mess around, I took forever unloading and loading.. those guys put their boats in and out of the water like a skinny dipper in a cold pond.

I had alot of fun and was very thankful that my cousin showed up to walk me through everything. He also brought his boat incase something unexpected happened. I could only get it to top out around 37mph, at 4500 rpm. Does this sound normal for the 3.0? The owner claimed this motor was 190hp.. but I don't think i've seen any 3.0's rated that high. I'm thinking 135hp is the highest i've seen anywhere. I did have my dad 220lbs, myself 208lbs, my cousin at another 208lbs, and my brother around 120lbs. I also had a half tank of fuel.. so I figure it'd run alot faster without anyone else in it.. and possibly faster if really low on fuel.

I was really impressed though, and my cousin was pretty confident that it'd out handle his Chris Craft (sorry, can't remember the model). Everything seems to work.. except when I flip the bilge I don't know if it's running. I guess i'll have to dump a little bit of water into the hull to find out. It's spotless with 0 water. The owner claims that he has never pulled the plug.. ever, only the shop has when changing the oil.

Anyways, very impressed and soooo very excited for the weekend. I do have a few questions...


How much are trim tabs? how hard are they to install.. or do they make them specific to my boat?

Do the hydro foil add on's help much at all? local boat dealer tried selling me one along with a skeg guard?

He also tried to sell me a prop.. obviously he knew I had no clue about boats and was trying to get me to buy stuff that I may not need. I won't name the dealer, but i've heard he's a shark on stuff.

I definetly want a glass windshield panel to replace the lexan piece the owner put in. I sure hope I can find one without costing more than an arm and a leg.

Trailer lights.. do I need to unplug them before backing in the water? I'm thinking about taking the lights off and replacing them with LED. I have the prestige trailer... very nice looking unit.

Any clue where I should mount a dept gauge?

What does the accessory switch run? or is it an extra in the event you add something?

Where is the fuse box?

The factory radio.. leaves something to desire. Does anyone make a cover to fit a 1.5 DIN radio? I have a really nice Pioneer unit that I pulled from my Trans Am before I sold it. Any suggestions on where to add additional speakers? I want to make sure they are out of the way and protected like the factory units.

My nav light on the rear will not light up.. the bulb is fine. Does this have a fuse somewhere? previous owner never used it.

I apologize for all the questions.. the owner forgot to bring the owners manual, shop records, etc. with him today. He won't be back in town till Tuesday.. so i'm clueless till then.


Thanks again,

Nicholas




0

[WetWilly]

Hi Nicolas, definitely sounds like you had fun, glad to here it!

Now for your questions.....

Originally Posted by nglauer

How much are trim tabs? how hard are they to install.. or do they make them specific to my boat?

Search the forum for “trim tabs” or “Smart Tabs” and you should find a plethora of threads about the improvements, prices as well as how to install them like this article from member bakdraft – click here.

Originally Posted by nglauer

Do the hydro foil add on's help much at all? local boat dealer tried selling me one along with a skeg guard?

Hydro Foils – on some boats they do help, but if you search the Internet, you'll find many people have experienced unusual handling situations with the “hydrofoil” style devices. Trim Tabs are the best way to go and in almost every case, they have improved all around handling and takeoff performance.

Skeg guard – if you boat in areas know for skeg strikes (rocky bottoms or underwater debris) then a skeg guard is a worth while investment.

Originally Posted by nglauer

He also tried to sell me a prop.. obviously he knew I had no clue about boats and was trying to get me to buy stuff that I may not need. I won't name the dealer, but i've heard he's a shark on stuff.

I believe I posted how they test for a boat's top end a few years back and if memory serves me right, you take an empty boat (no additional gear), two “average” weight adults w/life jackets and a half tank of gas and run it up to get the top speed. Remember, don't believe the speedo, they're a bit optimistic at best, instead, use a GPS to be accurate.

Originally Posted by nglauer

definetly want a glass windshield panel to replace the lexan piece the owner put in. I sure hope I can find one without costing more than an arm and a leg.

Since it's the side glass, try a good glass shop and see if they can cut a tempered glass replacement to fit and it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg....

Originally Posted by nglauer

Trailer lights.. do I need to unplug them before backing in the water? I'm thinking about taking the lights off and replacing them with LED. I have the prestige trailer... very nice looking unit.

It's always recommended to disconnect them before putting the trailer in the water to prevent any shorts and to allow the trailer light bulbs to cool should they become wet, other wise they could shatter. I have to admit, in over 28 years of boating, I've never disconnected the lights and I have never had an issue (knock on wood...) and I've done a lot of night retrievals so having the lights on when the trailer is under the water helps me guide the boat right in.

LEDs are the best, our new trailer has them, completely water proof, low amperage, bright and they're supposed to last forever. If you don't mind the cost, they're a great upgrade to any trailer.

Originally Posted by nglauer

Any clue where I should mount a dept gauge?

If you have space, mount it in the dash (that's where ours is mounted), just remember to mount it where you can here the alarm should it go off.

Originally Posted by nglauer

What does the accessory switch run? or is it an extra in the event you add something?

It's as you thought, an extra switch, you'll need to pop the switch out and connect the wires from your accessory to the switch (the switch should be prewired for power)

Originally Posted by nglauer

Where is the fuse box?

There should be a fuse panel under the dash around the steering column. There may also be a circuit breaker panel located on the side panel below he dash as well (I know the larger models have one)

Here is an example of the fuse panel under a dash:

Originally Posted by nglauer

The factory radio.. leaves something to desire. Does anyone make a cover to fit a 1.5 DIN radio? I have a really nice Pioneer unit that I pulled from my Trans Am before I sold it. Any suggestions on where to add additional speakers? I want to make sure they are out of the way and protected like the factory units.

Can't help with the cover, but if you get “Marine” speakers, getting them wet won't hurt them. Most people place the front speakers down below the dashes and the rear speakers by the rear bench seats on the side panels. Grill covers should protect them just fine.

Originally Posted by nglauer

My nav light on the rear will not light up.. the bulb is fine. Does this have a fuse somewhere? previous owner never used it.

Check for corrosion at the switch and in the pole socket on the hull. If you're good with electrical, check for power at the pole socket. If there isn't any power (12volts) then trace the wiring back to the switch. I believe the switch is fused, but not the individual lights themselves.

Originally Posted by nglauer

I apologize for all the questions.. the owner forgot to bring the owners manual, shop records, etc. with him today. He won't be back in town till Tuesday.. so i'm clueless till then.

No problem... that's why we're all here, to help each other out!

WetWilly

[nglauer]

WetWilly,

I really appreciate you taking the time to walk me through all this stuff. I washed my boat today and worked on the radio (swapped it for a non marine unit that I had laying around). I also investigated the wiring and have to admit that I am really impressed with the wiring on my boat. Everything seems to have been very well thought out.. and all splices have been shrink tubed to keep moisture out. I also like that my boat has a battery disconnect in the engine compartment. I haven't investigated the rear light yet.. but am guessing it'll be a bad bulb, or corrosion on the pole or socket. I plan on testing it tomorrow.

I wish the broken window was the sail panel on the side... however it is the actual windshield I'm not feeling very confident about finding a new or used piece to replace mine. I actually took the frame off today and tightened all the stainless screws. I plan on searching around locally.. perhaps I can get someone to cut and bend a tinted piece of heavier lexan ? I doubt anyone can make the glass for me without taking me for every dime I have. I was curious.. while doing the radio and working on the window I noticed that the radio antenna is actually the windshield framing? Is this factory? or something someone else did.

I plan on putting xm in it eventually, along with a second battery incase we set with the boat off and the battery running the radio for extended periods. I don't think AAA will come jump me on the water hehe.

I also need to add a 12v port so that I can use my spot light. I noticed to the right of the steering wheel that it has a pop out plug for one to be added... however i'm worried that whatever I plug in will hit the steering wheel.

Could you post a picture of your dash lay out? I'm curious what it looks like for reference. To the left of my steering wheel it has a small wood grain panel.. looks perfect for a depth gauge.. but i'm not sure where to mount a fish finder if I buy one. I am going to try and find something compact and mount it so that no screws go into the dash. Decisions Decisions... lol

Again I really appreciate the time. My list of to do items is growing.. but i'm hoping to get them all wrapped up before summer.

To do list:

Drivers side windshield replacement
12v outlet
depth gauge
fish finder
trim tabs
skeg guard
spare tire/wheel
LED lights
Winterization kit
Second cover to throw over my other cover while in storage
Rear Speakers... maybe a small sub.
Marine radio? suppose one of these would be useful? We carry cell phones...

Keel guard? any opinons on this?
Also, what is the best thing to use for cleaning and conditioning of the interior?

Thanks again,
Nicholas

p.s do you have pictures of your boat posted on here? thanks again.

[WetWilly]

Hi Nicholas

Jjust looking over the forum before heading out for the weekend so sorry for not answering much right now. I'll touch bases with you when I get back, in the mean time, I have pictures posted in the club's gallery - Click here and look under 1996, I'm at the end.

Later,
WetWilly

[nglauer]

Thanks, Just got finished cleaning the boat. We launched it at 12pm and pulled it out of the water at 8pm. I am very impressed.. if the gas gauge works properly it shows that I only used 1/4 tank of fuel?? Thats with 4 adults and 4 kids?

Perhaps its not accurate.. but if it is I LOVE this boat even more.

Will need some type of smart tabs and a depth gauge though. I'm just debating on adding a gauge or a fish finder. Any thoughts on which is better/more accurate?

Thanks,
Nick

[nglauer]

Welp.. the gauge is pretty darn accurate. I have officially milked a full tank of gas out of her.. we ran it multiple times since the 3rd and I am very impressed.

I did damange the 14x19 prop and swapped it for a 14x17. I haven't seen what it'll do on a tank of gas yet.. but i'm assuming it will probably use about the same amount, possibly a little more or less.

I was curious... I have seen boat trailers with upright looking poles on the back? I load and unload in a few areas where the current pulls the rear of the boat while loading onto the trailer. I wasn't sure if someone makes these guides or has a DIY to make them yourself (most I have seen look like PVC). Are these to help align the boat... or just help you locate the trailer when in the water?


Thanks again,
Nicholas