New guy, first boat ever!
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2025 4:22 pm
Hello ladies and gents, just found this board since purchasing my first ever boat- a 2000 Wellcraft 186SS with the 4.3 Mercruiser.
Hoping to tap into some of the knowledge here, and learn a new hobby! I'm a long time auto racing enthusiast and mechanic and my wife and I decided since we live in the sunny state of Florida that its time we get a boat!
I found a beautiful 2000 Wellcraft 186 in phenomenal condition with just 300 hours on the clock, it appears to have been very well maintained and so far I have only found some minor wiring issues that I have to correct. The "UP" trim button does not work, and someone seems to have wired it to a small aftermarket switch that they mounted on the dash, and of course the bellows are shot from setting so that it my first undertaking. Any tips or tricks? Its the Alpha one Gen 2 stern drive.
Thanks!
Hoping to tap into some of the knowledge here, and learn a new hobby! I'm a long time auto racing enthusiast and mechanic and my wife and I decided since we live in the sunny state of Florida that its time we get a boat!
I found a beautiful 2000 Wellcraft 186 in phenomenal condition with just 300 hours on the clock, it appears to have been very well maintained and so far I have only found some minor wiring issues that I have to correct. The "UP" trim button does not work, and someone seems to have wired it to a small aftermarket switch that they mounted on the dash, and of course the bellows are shot from setting so that it my first undertaking. Any tips or tricks? Its the Alpha one Gen 2 stern drive.
Thanks!