skipperhub
Well-known member
Hello,
I purchased a 2002 Parker 2520 a little over two years ago. The boat is equipted with two Yamaha 115hps. One is an "02" and one is an "03" acording to the serial numbers. They both had less than four hundred hours on them and the condition of the boat itself was like new. Another old guy like me had been taking good care of it with very little use and running it in brackish water.
I and my wife run a charter service called Saltydawg Adventures. (Ecology tours to the barrier islands) We are very pleased with the boat's configuration , it's handling, the solid construction and generally every aspect of the vessel.
I have been treated very fairly by both the Parker dealer in my area and the factory when I made a couple of requests for information and parts.
My experience with my engines has not been the same. It took me about five years to realize that I was not getting my money's worth at Authorized Yamaha repair points. I had a single Yamaha on my last boat. Yamaha motors, in my opinion, are first class quality. After market service however, has left me with a low opinion of that aspect of Yamaha ownership.
I guess I asked for it. I always stated to the repair points that I was interested in one thing. When I hit the starter the engines would crank and make a round trip every time.
The technology has come so far in the past fifteen years, especially with the four strokes and the injected two strokes, that is not to much to ask for.
I ended up being charged the proverbial arm and leg for very little service.
I have never looked past the cowling of an outboard motor but I purchased a repair manuel particular to my engines. I did my homework and my own service for the first time last week.
I found that probably the last two or three visits to Yamaha repair points did not so much as get the water level checked in the batteries.
I found that the lub points on the tilt/trim were also being ignored. I also found that I paid top dollar expecting to get top quality in replacement parts and got vehicle grade fuel/water seperators.
I was told by the last guy that the bolts holding my trim tabs were frozen in place and it would require drilling the bolts out and approximately a hundred dollars a motor to get them replaced. I took the boat home and sprayed the bolts with "Blaster", let them soak overnight and very easily removed them and replaced the tabs the next day myself.
I am now wondering if they changed out lubricants like they were supposed to and what kind of lub they were using. The list goes on. I did some stupid things. I let them charge me close to forty dollars to replace the fuse for my nav lights. You would think that when you pay them close to a thousand dollars to service two engines they would stick a fuse in gratus!
My engines have always cranked quickly and run good. As long as they do I will not be returning to a Yamaha repair point until I think I need computer analysis for a real problem I can't handle.
If you have a good motor mechanic who is looking after you you might still look into a repair manuel to do a bit of homework so that you can at least double check behind him on the basics. I guess that advice would be for a complete mechanical greenhorn like me.
I had to buy a pump to inject gear lub into the lower unit. I had to buy a torque wrench for various settings. I bought a couple of filter wrenches before I found one I was happy with but the total cost was less than forty dollars for all the items which is a one time expense.
Sorry to intro myself with a lot of bitching and complaining but I wish someone had given me the heads up on engine servicing a long time ago.
New subject:
I am looking for a parker owner who has had their 2520/30 inspected by the USCG for use as a passenge vessel carrying more than six passengers.
The inspection is very time consuming and very expensive with requirements like paying for a section of the hull to be cut out and sent off for analysis.
I was told by the Inspection Officer that if I could find a like Parker already inspected it would reduce the time and cost considerably.
Any info would be greatly appreciated in this matter.
Thanks,
Capt Hub
I purchased a 2002 Parker 2520 a little over two years ago. The boat is equipted with two Yamaha 115hps. One is an "02" and one is an "03" acording to the serial numbers. They both had less than four hundred hours on them and the condition of the boat itself was like new. Another old guy like me had been taking good care of it with very little use and running it in brackish water.
I and my wife run a charter service called Saltydawg Adventures. (Ecology tours to the barrier islands) We are very pleased with the boat's configuration , it's handling, the solid construction and generally every aspect of the vessel.
I have been treated very fairly by both the Parker dealer in my area and the factory when I made a couple of requests for information and parts.
My experience with my engines has not been the same. It took me about five years to realize that I was not getting my money's worth at Authorized Yamaha repair points. I had a single Yamaha on my last boat. Yamaha motors, in my opinion, are first class quality. After market service however, has left me with a low opinion of that aspect of Yamaha ownership.
I guess I asked for it. I always stated to the repair points that I was interested in one thing. When I hit the starter the engines would crank and make a round trip every time.
The technology has come so far in the past fifteen years, especially with the four strokes and the injected two strokes, that is not to much to ask for.
I ended up being charged the proverbial arm and leg for very little service.
I have never looked past the cowling of an outboard motor but I purchased a repair manuel particular to my engines. I did my homework and my own service for the first time last week.
I found that probably the last two or three visits to Yamaha repair points did not so much as get the water level checked in the batteries.
I found that the lub points on the tilt/trim were also being ignored. I also found that I paid top dollar expecting to get top quality in replacement parts and got vehicle grade fuel/water seperators.
I was told by the last guy that the bolts holding my trim tabs were frozen in place and it would require drilling the bolts out and approximately a hundred dollars a motor to get them replaced. I took the boat home and sprayed the bolts with "Blaster", let them soak overnight and very easily removed them and replaced the tabs the next day myself.
I am now wondering if they changed out lubricants like they were supposed to and what kind of lub they were using. The list goes on. I did some stupid things. I let them charge me close to forty dollars to replace the fuse for my nav lights. You would think that when you pay them close to a thousand dollars to service two engines they would stick a fuse in gratus!
My engines have always cranked quickly and run good. As long as they do I will not be returning to a Yamaha repair point until I think I need computer analysis for a real problem I can't handle.
If you have a good motor mechanic who is looking after you you might still look into a repair manuel to do a bit of homework so that you can at least double check behind him on the basics. I guess that advice would be for a complete mechanical greenhorn like me.
I had to buy a pump to inject gear lub into the lower unit. I had to buy a torque wrench for various settings. I bought a couple of filter wrenches before I found one I was happy with but the total cost was less than forty dollars for all the items which is a one time expense.
Sorry to intro myself with a lot of bitching and complaining but I wish someone had given me the heads up on engine servicing a long time ago.
New subject:
I am looking for a parker owner who has had their 2520/30 inspected by the USCG for use as a passenge vessel carrying more than six passengers.
The inspection is very time consuming and very expensive with requirements like paying for a section of the hull to be cut out and sent off for analysis.
I was told by the Inspection Officer that if I could find a like Parker already inspected it would reduce the time and cost considerably.
Any info would be greatly appreciated in this matter.
Thanks,
Capt Hub
