New to me 97 Mirage

[bad_behavior]

Hi,
Real glad I found this forum. I recently purchased a 97 Mirage with a 175 xr2 engine. I'm also new to boating and thought it would be a fun little boat to learn with.
Well I've learned to put in new Switch boxes as well as a carb. Now I know what BOAT stands for. But ok still got a good deal and learning a lot through the restoration. I found a repair manual for the engine but search as I might, I can not find an owners manual for the boat. Anyone know where I can find?
I have a ton of more questions but will post later on.
Oh yea, pics coming soon or else it doesn't really exist.

Thanks!

 

[farrelltravis]

Welcome aboard! I used to have a Sugar Sand. I don't know where to point you for an owner's manual.

 

[Scottintexas]

glad to have you on board, any boat that old is going to require some up keep, maybe @Bilmon can point you to an owner's manual (if he's recovered from his weekend camping yet!)

 

[Scottintexas]

@bad_behavior update your profile with your location so it will show on your posts and put you on the member map,

 

[bad_behavior]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I added my location as well as an avatar pic. Hope to eventually add pics as I transform and bring he back to life.
While this is my first boat, (Sharing it with a friend) most of everything is pretty straight forward. There is one item that has me a little baffled. It's a small item on the transom (pic below) that I can't figure out what it does. Any info would be appreciated. Also on the dashboard there are several buttons lights bilge etc. One of them is labeled Acces. I believe when I first toyed with it, it sounded the horn, but that is no longer the case. Should that be the horn? I looked all over the boat, but can't find the horn to test. Any clues? THANKS!!!

 

[Speedling]

Little white thing with black tube is the pitot tube.
basically your speedo pickup.
no idea on the horn.
good luck and have fun!

 

[farrelltravis]

On my Sugar Sand, the horn was towards the bow and on the starboard side, along the gunwale. It looks like a black oval with serrations in it. That is the horn. Those type of marine horns are notorious for going out after a few years. Chances are since the "Acces" button sounded the horn previously, that switch is wired to the horn. Now that the horn doesn't work, you could see if you could remove the 12 volt power lines to the horn, and then hook them up directly to a 12 volt source. If the horn doesn't sound, then replacing the horn with a new one is an option.

Here is a link for a horn, so you can get an idea of what you are looking for (this one is white in color, but you get the idea of what it looks like):
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/895642474132252523?q=marine+horn&rlz=1C1FLDB_enUS603US603&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=614&site=webhp&bav=on.2,or.&bvm=bv.96952980,d.aWw&ion=1&tch=1&ech=1&psi=xludVZewAdSjyASR77qYBw.1436376006625.5&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX2Cz9rh3nuXCkjxt0hLO17ECvK2nTvk2IfHe3MFO5g9LMP5zim9sxCVH01Rmvt6IALN_MS2UXJOAOF9pHw0tZGbosW4qaV6doPeX-MmWmXamc4d50RIZAFPVH723AtCF6yEV9ew2i14HiO0XXhqmQw&ved=0CDwQpis&ei=yludVcyIIseeyATTh7HYCg

Also, since the horn is currently not working, you must keep a whistle or some other (auditory) signaling device onboard.

 

[bad_behavior]

THANKS!!!

 

[farrelltravis]

No problem at all.

 

[Scottintexas]

that pitot tube works off of water pressure and drives your speedometer, I'm surprised it's not facing down or forward, on the older yamahas that have them it's not uncommon for them to become disconnected behind the speedometer gauge soaking everything around and under it, once you on the water it would be good to double check it especially if some of your other dash switches have been messed with, it could get dislodged easily

 

[Bilmon]

glad to have you on board, any boat that old is going to require some up keep, maybe @Bilmon can point you to an owner's manual (if he's recovered from his weekend camping yet!)

All recovered and ready to go again

 

[Bilmon]

Welcome bad _behavior, don't know where you might find a manual but I'm afraid they aren't much help. One I got was just a little booklet of one size fits all general boating info that would pertain to any boat, checklists,basic rules of the road, stuff like that.Nothing model specific. Best bet is to just ask here, this is the friendliest, most helpful forum you will find. Your 175 is a pretty solid motor, same 2.5 block as my 240 and the 200 Optimax they have been around a long time but the older ones were known to have oil pump issues, they used a plastic drive gear that was prone to break so keep a eye on your oil, also the stators were a common problem both have improved replacements. Good luck and stick around

Bill

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Sugar Sand jet boat service repair manual 90 120 175XR2&_itemId=110635066431

 

[Sugarsand gary]

Welcome aboard I also bought a sugar sand good motor I have a 200 optimax watch out for the seaweed.put a small rake on board.