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mike o
09-27-2007, 08:46 PM
Hi, I bought a 1995 sweet 16 last may. Ive owned alot of boats, outboards but mostly straight inboards ... this 16 a blast. Questions : its a late build in 1995 4.3 L merc / 4 barrel. Does this years motor have the vortec heads + whats the HP? (2) the alpha 1 outdrive .. Im not sure whats the gear ratio is... the # on the drive are 184r / OF516738. (3) not sure about the prop, #s on it are 48-16320 A4 23 p, (4) was this boat built with any vinylester resin. thanks for helping.... mikeo

skifastinvt
09-28-2007, 08:31 AM
Hi Mike,

I just bought a 1995 sweet 16 too. The boat is from NH, I'm on Cape Cod. It's a mercruiser v-6 like yours. Unfortunatly, I don't have an answer for you about gear ratio, but curious about your vinylester resin inquiry. I am dealing with a clear coat (at waterline) peeling issue. Perhaps I could ask you a few questions about your boat to get some answers?

Al

mike o
09-28-2007, 12:16 PM
Hi, I hope you mean the (gelcoat) . ifs its bubbling below the water line you have an osmotic problem which is not good. which all vinyl ester hulls dont have because of the chemical nature of the resin prevent. some boat builder use a barrier layer behind the gelcoat of vinly ester resin, let the resin kick, then switch to an polyester for the rest of the lay-up to save money, which is fine... If it is a thin clear coat like an automotive clear coat... thats not to good either. Im a boat builder of 28 years (composite canoes). My last boat, before the 16 was a ski nautique that developed a serious blistering problem, thats why I asked my vinyl ester question. mike o

skifastinvt
09-28-2007, 02:43 PM
Mike,

I'm pretty sure it's not a osmotic blister problem. My best guess is that the red sides were painted-repainted and topped with a clearcoat at some point. It seems that the clear has failed and water got behind it and made it bubble. You can actually peel the clear coat off the red hull in small strips. What remains is smooth red (painted-it think) surface. The bottom of the hull (white) is perfect! I bought the boat with the expectation of re-painting the red at some point. What I'm trying to figure out now is what was the boat painted with/who did it. Both previous owners say they didn't do any work on it. With the exception of the failed clear coat, the paint job (if it really is paint) is nearly perfect. The only way I can tell it was painted is that you can see little bits of red on the white caulking on the underside of the rub rail (where it was masked). The job was so good, I wonder if Donzi painted the red sides and stipe in the factory. Let me ask you..are your donzi logos/pin stripes on the deck placed on the surface (could you peel them off if you tried, or are they below the gel?

smokediver
09-28-2007, 04:06 PM
Hi, I bought a 1995 sweet 16 last may. Ive owned alot of boats, outboards but mostly straight inboards ... this 16 a blast. Questions : its a late build in 1995 4.3 L merc / 4 barrel. Does this years motor have the vortec heads + whats the HP? (2) the alpha 1 outdrive .. Im not sure whats the gear ratio is... the # on the drive are 184r / OF516738. (3) not sure about the prop, #s on it are 48-16320 A4 23 p, (4) was this boat built with any vinylester resin. thanks for helping.... mikeo
I think that is a 175 horse motor.. for sure NON - vortec . Outdrive ratio is probably 1.84 to 1 ... the vortec heads have center bolt valve covers and the intake bolts are not staggered but run straight ...

mike o
09-28-2007, 08:15 PM
thanks smoke driver the the reply. speedo's pinned at 60. alone, trimmed out. hope its more than 175................

Speed-Racer
09-28-2007, 08:29 PM
A 4.3 4-barrel was 215 I believe....and the speedo always lies...:yes:

That boat runs good with a 4-barrel better yet a v-8!

mike o
09-28-2007, 09:28 PM
thanks speed racer, I like that #... I wanted a v8. but this boats was to mint to pass up. It has a fort walton fl. dealer sticker on the transom. I read a older post by rootsy that was interesting ... he said the 4.3 is faster than a v8 because of the lighter 4.3 motor. thats why Im trying to id the prop to find out what the pitch is. michael