We just purchased our first boat,...

[rickyhill16]

We just purchased our first boat, a 1987 Seville 19.  My wife and I want to be sure we are going to be boat lovers before plunging in on a bigger purchase.

Anyway I am looking for an owners manual for our boat.  I have already sent info to Mercury requesting a maintenance manual for the motor.

I am also looking for a mooring and trailer cover.  Any recommendations for a good but reasonable dealer?

Regards.

Rick Hill

newbie at boating

[wingless]

Good luck w/ your boat.

It may seem counter intuitive, but in many ways a larger boat is much easier to handle. Two engines, spaced far apart w/ large propellers make low-speed turning and tight maneuvering much more responsive.

Take a Power Squadron or USCG Boater Safety Course. Do it as a family activity.

Get and read a recent copy of Chapman Piloting. Then read it again.

Don't yell, have fun and most important, ensure the wife is fully capable of handling the boat. My wife has ZERO excuse to dispose of me at sea, then bat her eyelashes and claim she was not capable of saving her incapacitated husband.

IMO the person responsible for handling the boat should abstain from alcohol until the boat is tied up for the day. There is waaay too much responsibility and waaay too many things that can go wrong. Almost every boating problem is alcohol related.

Get a towing service, like Sea Tow or Boat US. Any broken-down tow back will be over $1K, so the annual service is well worth the cost.

After I learned how to handle my 2000 380DA we would practice w/ the wife docking the boat into an empty marina. She can dock as-well (or better) than any guy.

Don't be discouraged when upcoming repairs are quoted at a higher cost than was paid for the boat, that may be the time to move on.

The Mercury engine service manual may be purchased from many locations, new or used. What is the engine?

The Sea Ray manuals are available on-line, on this site.

https://ownersclub.searay.com/sroc/SROC_Tech_Resources?feedtype=POPULAR&dc=All&criteria=ALLQUESTIONS#show-documentation

Enter: 1987 Seville into the search bar.

Is your boat the Cuddy Cabin, Closed Bow or Bow Rider?

IMO, the most important Sea Ray document is the Wiring Diagram. If that isn't found on that site, then submit an inquiry to Sea Ray, because lots and lots of documents were made unavailable when they switched to this site.

Any competent canvas shop can fabricate the requested covers. Seek local recommendations to have the best option for success.

IMO the ONLY way to not fully drain the bank account (for normal people) is to attain proper mechanical skills, the proper tools, the proper documentation (including the ABYC manuals) and do-it-yourself. I have rebuilt every system on my boat and upgraded many systems to be at-least as-good as when it left the factory.

[KyleGT]

I second taking a boater safety course.

As for covers, for a boat of that age and value, I probably wouldn’t bother with having a custom cover made. Not worth it in my opinion. For my ‘89 160, I just bought one of those generic trailerable covers (for example, fits 16’-19’ vhulls) from a local store called Farm & Fleet. Mine is made by Classic Accessories and is actually pretty good quality for what it is. It sells on Amazon for about the same price.
Now when I get a nicer, newer boat, if it doesn’t come with nice covers, then I’d probably have some made.

A engine service manual is going to come in handy far more than an owner’s manual will be for the boat itself. If I recall, the one for my ‘89 is very generic and not very useful.

Good luck and welcome to the Sea Ray family!

[RML_L]

I have a 2010 SR 175 Sport with a rear sunpad, a somewhat rare configuration. Anyway, I was able to get an exact fit cover from Great Lakes Skipper off of EBay (they also have their own online website). Good price, perfect coverage, and a nice "Sea Ray" logo silk-screened on the windshield lets the neighbors know my boat status . . .

[RML_L]

Also, I got my manual from the SR website. Not sure if they go back to 1987, however. Try EBay or RNR Marine.

[----]

If you live where it freezes, have someone show you your 5 drains and your intake manifold plug on your 4.3L. Drain them and lower your leg to drain. Also "Drain" means putting a wire up the 5 plug holes to ensure all water and rust come out.