Fatherof4 Posted August 4, 2020 Report Share Posted August 4, 2020 Hello all. Been doing some upgrading to my 96 18.5 MA. I've only had it a year, but, I am in love with it, and will have it forever. Dropped it off yesterday and getting an new Yam 150SHO mounted on it this week. The latches on all my lids are shot/rusted. Its a DRL model by the way. Looking to replace the latches. The ones on it now are small and round, about the size of a dime. I guess some sort of key was used. I like the bigger latches, but, I guess I will have to cut a bigger hole out for them, which could be a challenge. I guess I am looking for advice, those that have replaced the latches, what did you go with and where to get them. Need quite a few, probably in excess of 8-10. Thanks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inshore1 Posted August 5, 2020 Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 Awesome boat and awesome motor choice! Gemlux makes some of the best latches I have found. I replaced all 12 on my MA and love em. I can’t help you with the cut outs as mine were a direct replacement. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2020 what did your latches look like? mine are round and very small. its more or less just a locking mechanism, not a way to pick the latches up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplec Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 Re did my 96 few years back. Those OEM latches are a Southco product. I think officially they are Southco's Vise Action Compression Lock. This place is local to me and I picked them up from him. https://www.uglyfishinc.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=+VISE+ACTION+COMPRESSION+LATCH+&Submit=Submit He has tons of stuff not shown on website so I would say call him if you cant source them somewhere local to you and he will know or email him a photo. He is quick to reply usually. I cant remember if its the large or small model. I replaced mine in stainless version. Changing sizes wasn't my best option as I had already installed Seadek and wasn't excited about a re-do on it. I only had this particular latch on the rod lockers though so only needed two. The key part number is Southco E3 15-32 I know for sure as I have ordered extras and have that paperwork. Keep me updated on that re-power. It is on my list one day. Im surprised you found one in stock. My local dealer says no 150 or 175 SHO to be had until October in the county. Guess the Covid crush rush sold lotsa Yamahas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inshore1 Posted August 6, 2020 Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 FO4, mine is an 06 and came with the standard 2 1/2” holes for the latches (lift and turn style latches). The Gemlux latches were a direct replacement for the factory latches which I believe were Southco (or at least that’s what the previous owner had on it). I’ve noticed some of the earlier models had the half moon cut outs that weren’t latches, but more of something to be able to lift the hatch with. I don’t know which ones you have but can obviously cut out any size for whatever latch you would like to put in. I hope that helps ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 Thanks everyone. Mine are exactly like the pics above. Just old, and very rusty underneath, with rust flaking off. I would love to cut new holes, just with the hole already there, to make a smooth, perfect cut, could be a challenge. Might be a project over the fall/winter. As far as the motor, I have a client/friend, that owns a local boat place and an authorized Yam dealer. He had a left over, from last year, 150sho, still in the box. Rode by yesterday, and it is coming along. Kinda worried about the extra weight. As it is about 100lbs heavier than the Johnson 2 stroke that was on there. He said I would never tell the difference. Time will tell. Super excited. Getting all new Yamaha gauges, new hydraulic steering ram as the old one wouldn't fit, etc. It's weird, I bought a brand new offshore boat 2 yrs ago, and I am more excited about this engine on my MA than when I bought my first brand new boat. I just sold the offshore a few weeks ago. Crazy high prices, couldnt pass it up. Really excited to just have the Maverick. Time to check off some species on my bucket list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2020 And triplec, what kind of latches do you have for your other hatch doors? Looks like yours is a DRL model, as is mine. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplec Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 On 8/6/2020 at 12:55 PM, Fatherof4 said: And triplec, what kind of latches do you have for your other hatch doors? Looks like yours is a DRL model, as is mine. Thanks again. Mine is a DRL model. All my hatches have as OEM a Southco grabber catch latch on the inside. WIll post up a pic tomorrow but this is it 👇 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 Wow. I have never seen a latch like that. So, how do you open your hatches? Seems hard to grab that one little section to open the doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplec Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Those on inside mounted. I would have thought if our boats are the same year model yours would be set up the same way But could have been ordered differently. I a, 2nd owner snd original purchaser ordered a lot of custom features on this one to include all 3 wells plumbed with pick up pumps, lots of pop up cleats and few other unique things. Could be he did something different on hatches too. Do your other hatches have compression latches like the rod lockers? Mine all have a small finger recess and those Southco latches as hidden catches. The rod lockers are the only hatches that are securable with the compression cams. Without locking them they dont secure the lockers in rough water as they rattle a but so it would be handy to have something new and improved lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Man. Your boat is a Beauty. Looks to be in better shape than mine. And yes. All mine have the small lockable latch. Not one of those black latches anywhere. So, I will have to replace like 10 of the small south o latches. The finger part is just hard to pull up. So I was wanting to get a different turn style latch that would be easier to grab and open the hatch doors. As a matter of fact, most of my inner hatch is separating from the doors. So I am going to have to remove all doors and silicone adhesive them all back together. Some of my lid doors are kind of warped as well. Yours don’t appear to be doing that. I have put a small fortune in this boat. And it’s fine. Just yours seems to be in better condition. How long you owned yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 How do you like your backrest? I really want to get one. How tall and wide is yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplec Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 13 hours ago, Fatherof4 said: Man. Your boat is a Beauty. Looks to be in better shape than mine. And yes. All mine have the small lockable latch. Not one of those black latches anywhere. So, I will have to replace like 10 of the small south o latches. The finger part is just hard to pull up. So I was wanting to get a different turn style latch that would be easier to grab and open the hatch doors. As a matter of fact, most of my inner hatch is separating from the doors. So I am going to have to remove all doors and silicone adhesive them all back together. Some of my lid doors are kind of warped as well. Yours don’t appear to be doing that. I have put a small fortune in this boat. And it’s fine. Just yours seems to be in better condition. How long you owned yours? Thanks! I love the ole MA thats for sure. My neighbor bought it new in 96 as a bass rig and I watched it sit next door for years while trying to buy it lol. He ordered it without a pole platform for that reason. I have owned it about 14 years I think. I bought it with 100 some odd hours on it. Thankfully he ordered it with a Yamaha hour meter but I knew the history and knew it wasn't much. I have put almost 700 more hours on it since then. It has been under a cover its entire life either his pole barn or my air conditioned shop. I think that helps with the look for sure. Sea Dek makes her look younger than 25 too but even its been down 12 years. Luckily never had to put a wrench on the Yamaha except for service which is not much on the 2 stroke as you know. I run clean fuel, yamalube in the oiler and ring free and so far so good. II know its life is not what it was and thats why Im very interested in your re-power. 10 hours ago, Fatherof4 said: How do you like your backrest? I really want to get one. How tall and wide is yours? My back rest is the Birdsall Marine one. I came OEM with the bass boat style seats and those to move to much to suit me so I years ago I had Sandy sew me up some cushions and added those and have had them redone few times. I just had the back rest recovered last summer to match the new cushion. I keep going thicker and denser on foam and the back reset was looking dingy so matched it to seat. The back rest is their 48" model with 16" arms. I had them not install the arms so I could do it in the shop as I wanted to land the pads between the big and small hatches that cover the rear storage. There is room for their 60" one as my cushion is 65" but it interferes with walking the gunnel to the stern. I can step over the cushion easy enough but figured that backrest would be too much of an obstacle. It provides support for 3 folks if need be. Super roomy for 2. I did reverse mount the pads to and use their forward mounts to get the back rest as far forward as possible to provide max support. Getting old ya know....need all I can get 😀 I also swapped out the knobs the send for round head allen bolts as I have a Yeti 50qt that doubles as casting platform in winter and it fits perfectly back there between the platform legs and the smooth bolts allow it to slide better to load and unload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 Yeah, thanks for that. I have had Sandy make me some cushions as well, and yes, I went thick as well. I'm soon to be 53. Very interested in the back rest, and will order one soon. I like it smaller like yours to not get in the way. Good tip on the mounting info. Will probably order one over the winter and install it then. Thanks again for all the help. No idea why mine did not have the latches like yours, but, it doesnt. And I have, like 7 of the Southco latches. Dont really need them all to lock, a I have trouble fitting a 7ft rod in there. As I have broken the tip off one of my rods trying to fit it in. Have not tried putting my fly rod in there yet. Did you know if your latches are the small or big ones? I'm trying to decide if its worth cutting bigger holes for a different latch and easier to pull the lid open or not. Will figure that out over the winter as well. Will be a good project. Will keep you posted on the 150sho. Should get it back in the next few days, then will have to break it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplec Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 52 minutes ago, Fatherof4 said: Dont really need them all to lock, a I have trouble fitting a 7ft rod in there. As I have broken the tip off one of my rods trying to fit it in. Have not tried putting my fly rod in there yet. Did you know if your latches are the small or big ones? I have an answer for putting about 6-8 rods in each hatch from my bass tour days 😆 Rod Slix will keep you from ever breaking a tip. Thats one brand out there and there a bunch... we make our own now from the same material. We keep it on hand to encase our vac and power lines in the workshop so they slide over tools and the floor better. If you just need a few hit amazon up. If you have a way to sew or seal one end you can make your own. I also modified the rod locker OEM rod tubes. I don't like the corrugated material thats OEM and replaced it with PVC and made it longer as once the OEM tubs are removed it opens the rod locker aft end to the anchor locker so longer fly rods will then fit on the starboard side. I just removed the tubes all together on the port side as thats where all our spin gear goes so were in and out of that one a lot plus thats the easiest side form me to access where I keep the boat for pre-trip rigging etc. you def have to put something over the rod for sure though if you do as the glass and foam in the front of the locker is just formed around the tubes so when you removed the corrugated tube material it leaves a rough glass/foam edge thats only accessible from anchor locker so its hard to smooth or sheath with anything. Prob doesn't make sense but few photos for you that may help lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatherof4 Posted August 11, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 Wow, Impressive. Thanks for the tip. I've only had mine a year. Lots I want to do to it. Just a little at a time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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