My first boat!

[Jack1991]

Hello everyone, I have just found this great website while trying to find information on identifying the year model of my outboard! I have recently bought a 1986 4.3 Clark Abalone with a tiller steer 2000 model yamaha 40 four stroke outboard. Love the fact it came with a biminy (spelling?), sounder, all safety gear, maps, trailer, rego.. Ready to put in the water... except I need to work out whether the impeller needs replacing as it isn't showing any water from the telltale with earmuffs on, running the engine and not running..


All I have doen so far is made sure there is no blockage in all 3 of the water pipes (one down to impeller, one into water pump on side of engine (I think?) and one to the tell tale)... So now I need to pull the bottom end of the outboard leg off so I can get to the impeller and replace it? If I replace the impeller and still have no luck is it any easy job to check out the water pump for damage? :-?


I am very much a begginer and I am getting most of my information from online!!

What do you think about the old Clark Abalone boats?? Ever owned one yourself or been in one?
I can't wait to get this baby in the water and wet a line!! It's been about 5 years since leaving home and I've only ever fished from friends boats so I can't wait to start having adventures on my own!! ;D;D;D;D


P.s. Dad bought me a Shimano Curado baitcaster and a Pflueger graphite rod to tame the stocked barramundi impound at Lake Callide!

[NTMID8]

Welcome to the forum!! Im sure others FAR more knowledgable than me will provide further info than me but the impeller your talking about is the water pump. Chances are the rubber has deteriated/cracked and thats the issue. Dont run it again until you get it fixed though to limit any further damage.

All the best and remember to keep safe out there!

[Donkeyzmilk]

cheap insurance , to fit a new impeller, im new to this site to, new boat like you, but had the shop do this+ a tune and check over on mine just to be sure (it pumped good water but definitely needed replacing), can't help you with info on yu boat but congrats and i know the feeling of wanting to get out there...

[tunaticer]

A new impellor (worth around $10-30 depending on make/model) is very good insurance every 12 months. Even more important for the motors get get used very irregularly. The more they are used the more pliable the fingers are, let it sit for 12 months and the fingers set in place and do not work properly.

[Chas & Clarry]

Hello everyone, I have just found this great website while trying to find information on identifying the year model of my outboard! I have recently bought a 1986 4.3 Clark Abalone with a tiller steer 2000 model yamaha 40 four stroke outboard.

I am very much a begginer and I am getting most of my information from online!!

What do you think about the old Clark Abalone boats?? Ever owned one yourself or been in one?


Hi Jack,

Agree with all the other comments about replacing the impeller.

We had a 1986 4.3 Clarke Abalone for 26 years, ie from 1986 (new) until March this year. I'm guessing that we wouldn't have been much older than you are now when we bought it (early and mid 20s). We loved it. We sold it because we only do estuary fishing these days (Trace doesn't like going outside) so we treated ourselves to a boat that was specialised for that task. However the Abolone is still in the extended family crabbing the local rivers :).

It was a centre console model but like yours it had a 40 on it. First a 2 stroke Evenrude then a 2 stroke Yammy.

We had a high floor in it to maximise the level floor area (they used to come out with a high or low floor, or no floor).

Fished Moreton Bay and its rivers, Jumpinpin and Sunshine Coast most of its life, but got as far north as Cairns and various places in between. When we lived at Noosa we took it over the bar numerous times to fish Laguna Bay and the reefs off Sunshine Beach. It handled the bar no worries on reasonable days with a bit of slop, but didn't attempt rough days.

We mainly fished with 2 in the boat or two plus dog (labby). It could fish ok with 4 adults but 3 adults was a bit more comfortable. Yours doesn't lose space due to the console so you'd go fine with 4 adults I think, especially if you have the high floor.

Once we had kids we fished with 2 adults, 2 kids and the dog comfortably enough.

The 40 pushed it along with plenty of pace with 2 or 3 in it and it flew if there was only one or one plus dog :).

Plenty of room for crab pots.

It even went well loaded to the gunnels (seriously) with camping gear.

It was a safe boat, it handled rough waters and following seas well, but it was a WET WET WET boat. That was our only complaint about it but we knew that before we bought it. Pretty much everyone will tell you that they are one of the wettest boats around...but they will also tell you they are very safe and stable in the rough. Both are true IMO.

We hope that you have as much fun with yours as we had with ours.

NOW...you need to post some pics Jack, that is the rule around here: no pics = it doesn't exist.

Here are a couple of ours, one from years ago (complete with the labby in the front) and one from just before we sold it:

Tim and Trace

[Jack1991]

85285852848528385281Thanks85280 for the insight!! It's hard to find almost ANYTHING about the 1986 Clark on the web at the moment.. I think mine must have the high floor as there 85279seems to be alot of deck for a 4.3. Mine doesn't have the rail up aroudn the front but a very valuble asset I'm sure. It also looks like someone has85278 fitted a length of steel to the outside of the front of the boat to try and stop splashing of water maybe?? I'll see if I can upload some pics!! :D85277

[Jack1991]

Oops, not sure what happened there but they still load up when u click em'

[Shawn 66]

Hi Jack,

Agree with all the other comments about replacing the impeller.

We had a 1986 4.3 Clarke Abalone for 26 years, ie from 1986 (new) until March this year. I'm guessing that we wouldn't have been much older than you are now when we bought it (early and mid 20s). We loved it. We sold it because we only do estuary fishing these days (Trace doesn't like going outside) so we treated ourselves to a boat that was specialised for that task. However the Abolone is still in the extended family crabbing the local rivers :).

It was a centre console model but like yours it had a 40 on it. First a 2 stroke Evenrude then a 2 stroke Yammy.

We had a high floor in it to maximise the level floor area (they used to come out with a high or low floor, or no floor).

Fished Moreton Bay and its rivers, Jumpinpin and Sunshine Coast most of its life, but got as far north as Cairns and various places in between. When we lived at Noosa we took it over the bar numerous times to fish Laguna Bay and the reefs off Sunshine Beach. It handled the bar no worries on reasonable days with a bit of slop, but didn't attempt rough days.

We mainly fished with 2 in the boat or two plus dog (labby). It could fish ok with 4 adults but 3 adults was a bit more comfortable. Yours doesn't lose space due to the console so you'd go fine with 4 adults I think, especially if you have the high floor.

Once we had kids we fished with 2 adults, 2 kids and the dog comfortably enough.

The 40 pushed it along with plenty of pace with 2 or 3 in it and it flew if there was only one or one plus dog :).

Plenty of room for crab pots.

It even went well loaded to the gunnels (seriously) with camping gear.

It was a safe boat, it handled rough waters and following seas well, but it was a WET WET WET boat. That was our only complaint about it but we knew that before we bought it. Pretty much everyone will tell you that they are one of the wettest boats around...but they will also tell you they are very safe and stable in the rough. Both are true IMO.

We hope that you have as much fun with yours as we had with ours.

NOW...you need to post some pics Jack, that is the rule around here: no pics = it doesn't exist.

Here are a couple of ours, one from years ago (complete with the labby in the front) and one from just before we sold it:

Tim and Trace
Post Removed

[Chas & Clarry]

Oops, not sure what happened there but they still load up when u click em'


Hey Jack

This is how to attach photos so we can view them :
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?103565-Attaching-photos-files-to-posts


That has f@@@ed me

AH Shawn, sorry mate...didn't mean to be insensitive to your sadness, early days, hope you're OK.

Tim and Trace

[Shawn 66]

Hey Jack

This is how to attach photos so we can view them :
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?103565-Attaching-photos-files-to-posts




AH Shawn, sorry mate...didn't mean to be insensitive to your sadness, early days, hope you're OK.

Tim and Trace

,
G'Day Tim and Trace ,
No need to appologise Tim . I was a fair way into writing a reply to your post when bloody work rang . I do not know what happened , however it seems that I have hit submit with only those 4 words being saved . Will we see you two out there today ?
Shawn

[Jack1991]

8530785306853058530485303853028530185300

I did everything that the link you sent me said to do but they're still not working :(



There we go, hope this time works!!

[Fed]

Attaching pictures doesn't work in the 'Quick Reply' box you need to 'Go Advanced' and then it will work.

[Chas & Clarry]

,
G'Day Tim and Trace ,
No need to appologise Tim . I was a fair way into writing a reply to your post when bloody work rang . I do not know what happened , however it seems that I have hit submit with only those 4 words being saved . Will we see you two out there today ?
Shawn

Thanks Shawn...and no, won't be out today....bloody work interruptions for me too this weekend. Will almost certainly be out there next weekend though. Hope to see you!


Attaching pictures doesn't work in the 'Quick Reply' box you need to 'Go Advanced' and then it will work.

Yep, what Fed said. We are keen to see the photos when you get there!

Tim and Trace

[Jack1991]

8536285361853608535985358853578535685355Ok, 3rd time lucky... here's some pics of the new boat!!

[Jack1991]

Attaching pictures doesn't work in the 'Quick Reply' box you need to 'Go Advanced' and then it will work.


Thanks mate thats what I was doing wrong!!

[mattooty]

Love the setup mate. Really user friendly, lots of space always make a huge difference.

You say that you're tell-tale is working with the earmuffs on, have you tried a new set of ear muffs? My motor stopped pumping water with the ear muffs on one day and I went into panic mode big-time! Shut her down, did as you did, checked for blockages and was about to replace impeller and water pump but first tried running the engine in a huge tub. Turns out it was just the ear muffs that weren't getting the water in properly through the intake and it runs like a charm.
If you can find one of those big black plastic barrels and cut it off at about a meter in height then fill it with water and tilt your engine into it you will be able to check.

[Jack1991]

Love the setup mate. Really user friendly, lots of space always make a huge difference.

You say that you're tell-tale is working with the earmuffs on, have you tried a new set of ear muffs? My motor stopped pumping water with the ear muffs on one day and I went into panic mode big-time! Shut her down, did as you did, checked for blockages and was about to replace impeller and water pump but first tried running the engine in a huge tub. Turns out it was just the ear muffs that weren't getting the water in properly through the intake and it runs like a charm.
If you can find one of those big black plastic barrels and cut it off at about a meter in height then fill it with water and tilt your engine into it you will be able to check.



No, the tell-tale isn't working at all... with ear muffs on, and the guy I bought it from said that it had stopped working mid-trip, so he had to turn around and get back home before he cooked the engine. A few people have told me to go back it into the water at the ramp and give it a go, or as you said put it in a big barrel of water.. Looks like I'm off to dads place across the road to borrow his ear muffs and grab a half 44 drum!! Thanks for the advice

[Chamelion]

Wow, you're quite game purchasing a boat that has a motor in which it stopped pumping water and the previous owner didn't get it fixed... I definitely WOULDN'T start the motor. I'd take it straight to a marine mechanic and have it checked over and serviced. Otherwise you're risking 4k of motor.

[Chas & Clarry]

Good photos Jack, Fantastic amount of space in that setup. Hope you get the motor running soon.

Enjoy!

Tim and Trace

[Jack1991]

Wow, you're quite game purchasing a boat that has a motor in which it stopped pumping water and the previous owner didn't get it fixed... I definitely WOULDN'T start the motor. I'd take it straight to a marine mechanic and have it checked over and serviced. Otherwise you're risking 4k of motor.


The guy I bought it from is my partners step-dad :P He wouldn't have sold me a cooked motor, or I'll straight around there to show him the bill (he sold it to me as nothing wrong except the impeller and said that the engine wasn't damaged). Even so, I think the boat is probably worth 4-5k and I only paid 3k so I suppose I can afford to spend $1000-$2000 and still come out with a good boat at a good price :)

[Chamelion]

Oh, in that case, you're laughing imo.. I'd have paid 3k in a heartbeat!

[Jack1991]

Oh, in that case, you're laughing imo.. I'd have paid 3k in a heartbeat!

Yep, as soon as he said he wanted to get rid of it I asked him whether he would do a better price for me and he gladly dropped 2k from what he was asking. :D