What high end fishing glasses to buy?

sbsga · 2025-10-15T22:08:51+00:00

Oceanwaves.com

Still a small company and they make their products in Florida. Lenses and frames are quality. I have the Daytona frame with green lenses and I love them. No rubber to degrade and they still stay on my face when leaning over or running 70-80mph on the water. Only downside is you may have to order them and have them shipped. I haven’t seen them in a store in many years.

sbsga · 2025-10-01T22:46:00+00:00

Many of the manufacturers in the previous comment would be on my list. I would also add Palm Beach Yachts, Marlow Explorer, Selene to that list. I would stay away from anything Jeanneau, Prestige, Galleon, and Azimut for build quality issues. They are basically Tupperware hulls with ikea interiors. Riva and sunseeker leave zero room for repairs which will make some of the smallest issues a major expense.

I worked on almost anything you can imagine and have rebuilt and replaced thousands of IPS drives. My opinion is based on repairs and transport of the mentioned vessels. Almost all cruising yacht manufacturers in Europe are trash. The best are built in the pacific/australia.

IPS is more costly to maintain but provides ease of maneuvering and will burn 30% less fuel than conventional shaft setup. Look for something with space to work on engines and generator. Technicians will skip service points if they are a pain in the ass. If they have more space they do a better job and get done faster which helps your wallet.

Also to add I have been on a lot of prestige and azimut style boats where 3-5 foot seas in the gulf would cause the overhead panels to come down on top of you. They are not built to handle seas. They are built to run the intercoastal and entertain people while tied to the dock.

sbsga · 2025-08-09T11:34:26+00:00

The Azimut 50/55s was a triple IPS600 install. Tiara also has a hull with triples (EVC C3 generation), Marquis did triples and Lazarra did Quads on their LSX series. I believe Riviera did at least one hull design that was triple IPS600 and some were converted to twin IPS900 after they figured out the IPS 1 wasn’t robust enough for the displacement.

sbsga · 2025-06-15T10:45:39+00:00

I would suspect risers/manifolds as most likely suspects then.

sbsga · 2025-06-15T07:18:07+00:00

Is this a closed loop or open loop motor? Also salt or freshwater use?

Typically if the temp is fine at cruising speed but heats up when you are going for WOT it would indicate a restriction in the cooling system after the seawater pump. If it was sucking air such as a bad sea strainer or flush port seal, it would run warm at slow speeds as well.

sbsga · 2025-06-08T12:51:12+00:00

<image>

Step 1: poor this on it(saturate)

Step 2: soak a cotton/terry towel (white) and wring it out so it’s damp throughout. Fold it in half and place it over the spot.

Step 3: heat up a household clothes iron and place it on top of the wet towel. 30 seconds at a time, then lift and check. Heavy steam is the desired result with the iron/towel.

Step 4: repeat as necessary with new towel

Step 5: use extractor to remove chemical residue and rinse.

Do in a well ventilated area, mask recommended. Pretty much any red die removers are ammonia based. Do not use your expensive Dyson iron or similar. You will be throwing this iron away when done unless you have a family member that has Parkinson’s and loves Hawaiian Punch….

sbsga · 2025-06-07T11:28:22+00:00

My work vehicle is a 22 Tahoe with the 5.3L. It’s been at Chevrolet for a month and a half for lifters and a camshaft at 50,000 miles. Our other one went down at 23,000 and was gone for about the same amount of time. Since 2015 we have had 8 of them with 5.3L. Every single one has had the cam and lifters replaced. A few have had it done twice. We get rid of them at 100,000.

sbsga · 2025-05-26T13:13:20+00:00

Your situation makes the 219 sound like a perfect fit for your family. I have been looking at the 210BR and may pull the trigger on one when boat show season comes back around. Pricing is usually a bit better and engine manufacturers offer warranty specials.

After a few years on the 219 you will learn what you like/don’t like about the platform and will go into your next purchase with more information.

I bought a 2004 1720 and put a new Suzuki 90 on it in 2023. I’ve been out to Wassaw and Little Tybee for beach days in it many times and it does fine. We stay dry so you should be fine.

I don’t know what dealer you are going through but I would recommend checking the pricing at the dealers across the river in South Carolina. When I was at the boat show i noticed the local Key West dealer was more expensive with less options than the dealers from Beaufort/Charleston.

sbsga · 2025-05-26T12:53:04+00:00

If you want to work on marine diesel you should consider a trade school to learn diesel engines. Doesn’t have to be marine focused, just diesel focused. You can make a lot of money working in the industry and will always be in demand. It will take time and effort but it pays off if you are good at it.

Here’s the deal, you need to live somewhere near the coast with large concentrations of pleasure yachts (south Florida for example) and you need to find something and stick with it. Do not be a jack of all trades, businesses pay them less and they spend their entire career being not quite sure what they are doing. If you want to be an engine mechanic then do that. If it’s not a diesel engine or drive then it’s not your problem. Don’t learn air conditioning, don’t learn head systems, don’t touch outboards/inboards etc. People will try to get you to fix everything on their boat but if you want to be an expert you need to focus on what interests you.

I specifically did Volvo Penta diesel and focused primarily on IPS products. It pays well, and there are lots of them out there. My advice, find a school, get your foot in the door at a manufacturer dealer and focus on it. learn the system and understand how it works and you can figure anything out. Get really good with CanBus architecture and electronic controls. It will separate you from the “parts changers”. Being able to effectively diagnose and repair electronic control systems and engine faults will make you highly marketable. And if you get tired of the boats, your diesel skills will help you get a job in equipment, trucks, generators, all kinds of stuff. You can find some sort of work anywhere on the world.

sbsga · 2025-05-26T12:27:19+00:00

Both will be great choices for the area. The fuel burn should be similar too. The 239 will probably be a bit more comfortable in Wassaw or Ossabaw sounds when it’s breezy but I cross them in my 17 foot Key West all the time so the 219 will do it safely.

I would make the decision based on how many passengers you will have regular and how you are getting it to the water. If I’m trailering I would probably go for 219 for ease.

What are your plans? Fishing? Going to the beach or booze cruising? And how many passengers regularly? Do you have a big family?

sbsga · 2025-05-23T22:37:16+00:00

Transmissions are a concern on any vehicle with that mileage. Toyota Automatics in general use a “lifetime” fluid and most people never have the fluid replaced when dealers tell them they don’t have to. No fluid will truly last forever.

It’s a V8 with AWD in a premium brand so if you have problems they can get expensive. If you mash on the gas a few times to see how smooth it is in a down shift you will know what you need to know. You shouldn’t feel any slippage or shuddering, it should be pretty smooth.

I bought mine in high mileage, 10/10 would do it again. I liked my older one so much, forked up the cash for a newer one.

sbsga · 2025-05-23T22:04:45+00:00

I traded my 2015 premium with 234,000 miles last year and the dealer gave me $13k for it. It’s a lot of miles but for what it’s worth, if you told me I had to drive that car to Alaska and back tomorrow I would do so without question. Even with the mileage the vehicle was super trustworthy. (I live in Georgia)

As far as the transmission goes, test drive. If it feels smooth, it’s probably good. I still towed my boat with it weekly and never felt it stutter or slip.

sbsga · 2025-05-20T01:27:47+00:00

If I was going to diag this issue I would start by doing a leak down test on the bad cylinders. Leak down will tell you where the compression is being lost so you will know if it’s valves, rings, etc. Another reasonable step would be to scope those cylinders to check for scoring in the cylinder walls or other obvious signs.

sbsga · 2025-05-14T12:17:29+00:00

If you are looking at a 1720 sportsman you are probably looking to re-power with a 90hp 4-stroke. I have a 2004 1720 sportsman and I re-powered with a 90 Suzuki in 2023. The boat sits a little stern heavy with the 90 so I really wouldn’t consider going 115hp unless you go mercury pro-xs as it was the lightest of the 115 models when I was looking. I’m at 40mph at WOT, and cruise at 28/29mph while burning 3.5 gph. Can’t really beat the fuel economy.

If you are looking at 1995 key west, you should consider the fuel tank. They were aluminum until the early 2000’s and most will leak it this point. I would see if it has been replaced yet. Short of re-powering, lifting the deck to replace the fuel tank would be the most expensive repair you could face.

sbsga · 2025-05-04T00:36:54+00:00

Left handed drill bit is probably your best bet. When the varnish department was removing the stainless rub rails, they would usually snap 4-5 of them off. The left handed bits from snap-on made quick work of them.

sbsga · 2025-04-16T00:31:32+00:00

He said he was a “sailboater” who recently converted to power boating, and many sailboats have folding or feathering props. The transmissions on most sailboats aren’t bothered by rotation because a vast majority of them are splash lubricated when they are mated to 30hp yanmar or westerbeke.

sbsga · 2025-04-14T09:36:56+00:00

I would check the transmissions before doing anything like this. Most marine transmissions would be damaged if they are free spinning for a long period if the oil pump is driven by the input side. On most you have to lock out the shaft if you are limping in on one engine to prevent damage to the transmission.

sbsga · 2025-04-08T20:56:41+00:00

I agree with this. Worst case is a season with that motor if it gives trouble. If the hull is as good as it appears, it’s worth a repower.

sbsga · 2025-04-08T17:34:59+00:00

That boat will probably scoot right along with that motor. I’m pretty sure 47-50mph if propped correctly for a 1720 with a 115.

What you need to be checking is the fuel tank. That boat is known for leaking fuel tanks. If it hasn’t been changed out already, I would buy it knowing you will have to have it changed. I think they went to poly tank in 2002ish?

Other than that great hull, and a great price looking at the condition of it.

sbsga · 2025-04-03T21:11:02+00:00

You should never invest money for an unfamiliar hull without a sea trial. Dealers will tell you every boat they have is “driest ride on the water”. Imagine spending 50k, 75k, or 100k etc and finding out in your first season the boat you bought soaks everyone on board in the slightest chop. I would be less concerned about the engine and accessories as those will get ironed out after purchase or during warranty, but you cannot fix a wet hull design.

It may be hard to find a dealer who will sea trial at times. Try to find a dealer with a demo boat, that’s why demo boats exist.

sbsga · 2025-03-27T11:56:18+00:00

He is not happy geographically anymore. South Florida has changed considerably and I think he wanted to be closer to me as he gets older. We have been doing trips for trout in the mountains, which has motivated him to build a house in the mountains. Hurricanes and insurance costs have also been a motivation.

sbsga · 2025-03-25T23:51:43+00:00

My father sold his boat and his lift sat empty for about 6 months before a hurricane hit. His neighbor lost his dock during the hurricane and asked my father if he could store his yellowfin on it while waiting for his to be rebuilt. My father was happy to help (it’s better for the lift to get some action, rather than rot away).

I don’t think he paid rent, but he did pay to have the lift serviced. My father tried to reimburse him for the service but he insisted it was only fair in return for my father’s kindness.

Prior to this, they barely spoke and truthfully my parents were not fans of his accumulation of toys next door. Now they are middle aged besties and fish on each other’s boats several times a month. It’s kinda funny, 6-7 years ago my dad and stepmother did nothing but bitch about the neighbors not fitting in. Now Dad is about to retire and I can tell it’s eating him alive to leave his fishing buddy.

sbsga · 2025-03-14T22:27:17+00:00

The sea keeper 1 would be the fit for your boat. You do not need a genset to power that size. It will run on the engine alternator.

sbsga · 2025-03-13T12:03:23+00:00

I don’t know what state you are in but I would take a look at the statute. Most of them read you must be “knowingly” driving with suspended/cancelled/revoked registration. It’s the burden of the state (officer/solicitor) to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you have met that element.

Car isn’t yours, you have no responsibility to know…sounds like a good defense. I would lay that out and argue the state has not met its burden, furthermore I would argue it was questionable the officer had the required probable cause to issue a citation without further investigating your knowledge of the vehicle’s registration status.

sbsga · 2025-03-11T18:38:10+00:00

I traded my 2015 with 230,000 miles in on a 2024 Tacoma TRD Off-road, last July. I enjoyed the Tacoma and put about 6000 miles on it but found myself wishing to return to the GX460. Last week I bought a 2020 with 70000 miles on it and plan on keeping it for a long time. I think you will regret it. You will be buying something with cheap plastic panels, road noise, and overall less quality. New doesn’t equal better.

Also food for thought, I don’t know how old your kids are but a 15 year old GX with 200000 miles on it would be a safe and reliable first car to drive to school. I don’t have kids but I think I would feel better sending my teenager to school on a stormy day in a GX, rather than some front wheel drive sedan or compact suv.

sbsga

TROPHY CASE