342 Owners: Several things I'm looking for

[DiamondTP1]

Been awhile gang. Changed wives but still have my Rinker! Brand loyalty at its best eh?

Up in the 1000 Islands. The weather is just perfect. The gas prices not. Traffic down everywhere so a good thing if you're not into a lot of waves! lol

Several things I need help with:

1. I picked this boat up used. Have taken care of all the engine things from salt to fresh. Now for the aesthetic things. The deck pad. All the snaps and vinyl extensions have broken off. Where can I get some to replace them that I can sew in?

2. Owner's manual for a 342 Rinker? The former owner wasn't kind enough to give me one.

3. This is a big one on her list! lol We use the deck alot and this round table just isn't getting it. I need a rectangular deck table with or without cup holders. The Sea Ray has one that is almost a polished fiberglass material that is nice. She doesn't want one of the cheap plastic ones, you know the same material as on our round ones.

4. The head has a stench that just won't go away. Gone through two cases of chem clean and cleaned the tank a couple times. Any ideas?

5. There is the slightest leak from the head when you flush that runs along the front lip of the shower entry.

6. Getting some backk up in the shower drain and have never used the shower. Any ideas how to clean the line?

7. All the deck inside speaker material is split, torn, and broken. Probably from the salt air. Any idea where to get 6 Kenwood or the like replacement speakers at a good price that isn't distorted like these?

8. SHE, I repeat she, burned a ciggie hole in the galley bench seat. Any idea where I can find the vinyl skins to replace the material? I'd like to redo the whole galley and go to a finer grade vinyl or leather in white instead of this off white.

That's about it for now.

[ParkRode360]

Can only help you with some, but here you go:
1) I got a set of snaps from Rinker -- cost about 5 bucks and 5 for S & H.  Just call Rinker or email customer service.  Conversely, you can have your canvas guy use standard snaps when he sews the straps on, etc.
2) There's a generic manual on the Rinker site (http://www.rinkerboats.com) that you can download.  As far as I know Rinker doesn't provide a specific manual for each model -- one of the adventures of owning a Rinker!
3) You can check West Marine, Defender, or Boatfix for other table tops and mount them to your pedestal. I'm taking measurements of mine so I can do something in wood to make a custom tabletop.  The only two tabletops I've seen from Rinker are circular and oblong, and they're not that big.
4) If you've "really really" pumped out the head (I had a layer that wouldn't come out, which raised a stench this spring), then Babyboomer has a charcoal filter design that you can make -- search the site for "filter" and it'll come up. I had found that my problem was that the vent was slightly plugged (which finally opened up when I did the "really really hard" pump of the head), and it's fine now.  Two other things to check -- make sure your waste vent doesn't have a kink or crack in it and check the waste line from the head to the tank -- I've heard of people taking a damp rag, run it along the line, then smell -- if it's funky, replace the hose.
5) Need to know more -- do you have an electric head? Vacuum head? Is the leak coming from the flush valve or elsewhere?
6) Try cleaning the shower sump -- there should be a box with a bilge pump in it down around your keel area, but I'm not sure of the location in a 342. After you clean it, I"ve been putting a little white vinegar down the drain every other month -- haven't had a problem with the sump yet.
7) Most likely eBay or overstock.com.  If you want marine quality, try Marine Electronics Unlimited, Defender, or Boatfix.
You can likely get skins from Rinker, but it's sure to be more cost-effective to use that same canvas guy in (1) above to get higher-quality skins made to order.

Good luck -- sounds like you have some busy weekends ahead!

[DiamondTP1]

Wow! Awesome work and thanks. I was under the impression from when I was here two years ago that virtually nothing could be ordered from Rinker. I do not have a canvas guy persay because even though I'm 5 years on the tops, I've been able to sew every zipper seam back on as every one has unstiched itself from the tops in the past year. The next project actually is "cutting in" some screen material for all the tears on the back flap screen. Seems whoever made these tops didn't think far enough ahead to realize if you put a zipper for an eisenglass panel against screen material, it will eventually fray and tear the screen.

On the shower sump, I just came to realize the shower sump breaker keeps kicing at the galley panel.

Maybe you have an idea what is causing it?

[ParkRode360]

Bad pump?  I'd check the sump to see if hair, etc had hardened up.  If it hadn't been used for awhile, soap scum can turn into concrete.  There's another thread on the boatd (under Tech Tips, I think) that talks about having to replace the pump versus replacing the whole sump.

[Rinker342]

What year is your 342?  It is hard to inspect anything associated with the waste tank because it is hidden from view.  There is an inspection plate under the port u-lounge.  You have to literally lay in the storage space and shine a flashlight into the area to see anything.  If you have to replace something, it will be very difficult.  You can get to some of the stuff through the engine room, but will probably have to remove the generator exhaust to get in there.

The shower sump is located under the aft cabin bunk.  Just lift up the cushion on the port side and you'll see it.  I agree that something is probably clogging it.  

Good luck and let us know "next steps".

[jstubble]

I have a 2003 rinker 342 and have cracked speakers as well - there are 6 speakers on your deck and they are kenwoods.  They do not make that version anymore.  However...the replacement model is:

Kenwood KFC-1652MRW watertight marine speakers. Kenwood's 6 1/2" watertight marine line of speaker features waterproof cones and UV resistant grilles and frames

General Features:

Watertight
120 Watts Max Power
2 way speakers
160mm White Injection-molded P.P.Cone Woofer
25mm PEI balanced dome tweeter
Gold-plated input terminals
Supplied with a Pair of Grills (White colour)

They cost around $50/set.  Ebay usually has good deals on them.

INSTALLATION NOTE:  The new speakers are the same diameter, but they have 6 holes instead of four, so you'll need to drill new holes in your fiberglass to install them.

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[Dream 'Inn]

Just to add to the speakers comment, I picked up 4 speakers at Best Buy, with the same ratings as the Kenwoods I used to have for $28 total.  They sound fantastic and left more money for the gas tank.  The brand was Dynex, yeah, sounds cheap, but they really work great.  & the way I've seen speakers go, in 4 years I'll have to replace them no matter what they are.

[02-310]

For the slight leak out of the head, does it matter how much water is left in the bowl after flushing is complete?

There is a table thread that was start late last year and I know that I replaced that frisbee table that came with my boat with a table that I made for about $100.  Here is a link to thread with pics to the table I did.  http://www.rinkerboatowners.com/forum/v ... f=4&t=2588