First of all, WELCOME! We're glad to have you here! Engine controllers are usually "reversible". You may have to open it up to move things around. Think about where the electrical, throttle, and shifter cables will have to be run if you move it. If your pedestal still has the factory smoke...

That looks so much better. Great job! Russ is right about the terminal fuse and Overeasy is right about the length. You need a fuse on the house battery for sure. ABYC does not require a fuse on a dedicated start battery. I've heard valid arguments on both sides of the question. I chose not to insta...

Thanks for the good words. It was postponed until next month.

If you are comfortable with the condition of the oil then perhaps it is something under the flywheel. I had a problem with mine where the covering on the exciter coil started coming apart. It was my own fault caused by severely overheating the engine. The heat melted the wiring inside the coil in ad...

Herschel,
I just saw this and I'm so sorry to hear you are sick. I'm in Windermere for another day or two. Is there anything I can do for you?
Bill

PhysicsTeacher wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 8:41 am This works OK for me:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kdKB4RXs8NzeB1i36

Cheers,

Kelvin

That's where I keep mine although I opted for them matching white PVC and white zip ties.

If his nose confirms my suspicions, the fix is well within the skills he's already demonstrated. If it turns out to be water in the oil then the fix is changing a gasket that is just a little past where he's already been OR the block is cracked and it is probably unfixable. I'm pulling for the easy ...

Chance on Lake Weir


Molly on the St Johns south of Jacksonville

The part that jumps out at me is "oil came gushing out". That's not supposed to happen. It sounds like there was too much liquid in the crankcase and it came out when you pulled the dipstick. A stuck float in one of your carbs and a gas tank tank under pressure from a hot day sailing could...

The ONLY benefit of mountain lake sailing is low humidity. It's a virtual desert here. 80 degrees feels nice with no humidity. Downside is T-Storms popup out of nowhere. Requires CONSTANT monitoring of weather radar. Deep lakes turn into monster waves with t-storms. We haven't done an overnight in ...

Some folks have expressed concern with pressurizing the ballast tank too much. Just something to consider.

He's planning on putting it inside the aft dinette seat. The stock X came with a cooler in this spot. If you remove the cooler you are looking at the inside of the hull with just a hint of ballast tank along with (at least) one of the stringers. There are passages in that area that would allow air t...

Welcome aboard! I think you will find this to be a very friendly and very helpful site. Looking forward to hearing more about you.
Bill

According to the manual, a 26X should be going around 8 mph to drain the ballast. I suspect the 26M is very similar.

I don't have any doubt that a 20hp engine can get either boat up to 8 mph.

It's great to have the stars align. Last week we had a perfect day. Which is rare for mountain lakes. We had perfect steady wind the whole day with 80 degrees and no humidity. PERFECT day. THIS is why we do this. https://i.postimg.cc/30C6bsLz/sailing2025.jpg I suppose when they align in one spot th...