Owners Manual

[A300Capt]

Ok, as a first time MC owner as of last year. We are spending big bucks on these boats. Some over 100k and we get an owners manual that is about what i get for my scag mower.
Isnt it time for MC to step up and put out a quality manual that goes into some detail besides just saying "See your local dealer".
what do ya think guys?

[Jim@BAWS]

Ok, as a first time MC owner as of last year. We are spending big bucks on these boats. Some over 100k and we get an owners manual that is about what i get for my scag mower.
Isnt it time for MC to step up and put out a quality manual that goes into some detail besides just saying "See your local dealer".
what do ya think guys?


There are certain things that dealers are trained to do along w/ special tools and software that owners do not have. That is why it says "SEE DEALER"

MC owners manuel is WAY above the competition

Jim@BAWS

[Tomsinamerica]

Jim,

It may well be better than the competition but it's still pretty worthless.

True success isn't based upon being better than the next guy - it's being the best you can be. and if the MC owner's manual is as good as it gets then that's just damned scary.

I understand that a lot of things need to go to a dealer with the technical knowledge they possess but still... it's pretty worthless.

[bigmac]

Ok, as a first time MC owner as of last year. We are spending big bucks on these boats. Some over 100k and we get an owners manual that is about what i get for my scag mower.
Isnt it time for MC to step up and put out a quality manual that goes into some detail besides just saying "See your local dealer".
what do ya think guys?

What kind of detail are we talking about? The owner's manual that came with my boat was reasonably complete relative to basic maintenance procedures. There is also Indmar's owners manuals.

[A300Capt]

i know that. As an owner we don't really care how they compare to other boat manufacturers, we just want better manuals. We don't want to spend all that money and then expect to get alot of our questions answered on a forum. Especially when i call a dealer and they dont know or say "bring the boat in in two weeks and we'll see".

[JohnE]

I just call my dealer when I have a question. Much better and quicker than anything else. Then again my dealer has a great service dept. and personally takes many calls himself.

And if I'm really in a bind I just call his cell.:D

[SkiDog]

I just call my dealer when I have a question. Much better and quicker than anything else. Then again my dealer has a great service dept. and personally takes many calls himself.

And if I'm really in a bind I just call his cell.:D

Yea, thats all well and good. But he can't provide you with the best damn CUBAN sammich known to man, like my dealer can! So there!:D

[88 PS190]

I'm fine with the manual they come with,

For my 88 I found a transmission manual for the velvet drive which covers that fully, then I have manuals that cover the ford 351 to as much depth as I would need to work on the engine, since its really not different except for the manifolds. And what else is there really to need? The trailer is the same as any other trailer.

And anything else you could ask here or call your dealership.

[davomaddo]

I would like a more tech manual. However, MC does a pretty good job based on what they are up against. Their audience includes everyone from the guy who has never driven a boat before to the guy who has had 10+ prior boats and does all the mechanical himself.

The Indmar manual is where you should be looking for a lot of the tech stuff.
I think the indmar manual could be improved a lot.

[PT 1999 ProStar]

How about just getting a manual??? I've had my '99 since 2000 and never received a manual. Can anyone direct me in the right direction to getting an owners manual for a '99 Prostar with a LTR motor????

Thanks

PT

[russlars]

I also have a '99 with the LTR and I was able to purchase a manual from MC. I can't remember if I called them directly or if I got it through my dealer though. It is fairly basic and pertains to all of the boats/motors offered in '99.

[TMCNo1]

How about just getting a manual??? I've had my '99 since 2000 and never received a manual. Can anyone direct me in the right direction to getting an owners manual for a '99 Prostar with a LTR motor????

Thanks

PT


Rite cheer, http://www.mastercraft.com/knowledge/owners_manuals/

[ProStar200]

Damn Harold, your fast.

[Hrkdrivr]

Why is the poll closed? Hit a nerve w/someone?

I was disappointed with the manuals too. The boat manual is for every boat they made that year; a lot of non-specifics. The transmission manual is the same, covers all the Hurth models.

[PT 1999 ProStar]

Russlars and TMCNo1 thanks fellas for the info. I will check out web-link.
Russlars quick question for you - since you have the LTR as well does you water pump "dance around" alot while in use. I have the "new" bracket from MasterCraft but it still moves alot and vibrates alot. Any thoughts?
Thanks

PT

[Thrall]

FOund my 06 manual to be way better than the 96. Gives complete winterizing instructions.
I'd like to see a readily available service manual. I understand that the dealers need to have business, but I've been maintaining and repairing all my own vehicles, equip, toys since I was about 8 years old. Plus, the nearest dealer is 2-1/2 hrs away and I'm too cheap to take it in anyway!:D

[JohnE]

Why is the poll closed? Hit a nerve w/someone?

I was disappointed with the manuals too. The boat manual is for every boat they made that year; a lot of non-specifics. The transmission manual is the same, covers all the Hurth models.

When you add a poll to a thread you choose when the poll will close. So you'd have to ask the OP.

Plus the poll should have never been opened without an UMP option.;)

[TMCNo1]

When you add a poll to a thread you choose when the poll will close. So you'd have to ask the OP.

Plus the poll should have never been opened without an UMP option.;)

And might I ask, who is UMP?

[Bouyhead]

Ok, as a first time MC owner as of last year. We are spending big bucks on these boats. Some over 100k and we get an owners manual that is about what i get for my scag mower.
Isnt it time for MC to step up and put out a quality manual that goes into some detail besides just saying "See your local dealer".
what do ya think guys?

MC should get on board and offer a manual in DVD format. Pretty sure the auto industry is going this way soon.

[cmw]

MC should get on board and offer a manual in DVD format. Pretty sure the auto industry is going this way soon.

What happens if you keep your boat for awhile. Mine is a 1990 so would I have to still own a beta machine to view the manual. I may be old school, but I like to have manuals in hand while I am working on my vehicles. Now if they offer both, that would be good since I know I am a dying breed.;)

[davemellenthin]

Most of the manual are listed within this site which is great. If I have a 2001 prostar 19 skier which one would you recommend since all I can find is the 1998 and then it skips to 2003? thanks for the advice in advance.

[JimN]

One reason for not supplying a service/technical manual is that, during the warranty period, a manufacturer wants to know what is going wrong and in theory, their dealers will submit every warranty job for reimbursement with this info. In practice, this doesn't always happen because some dealers don't keep up on their paperwork. If this was left to some boat owners, they'd never find out what needed repairs and there would be no guarantee that the repairs would be made at all, let alone during the warranty period. One thing I would guarantee- those same boat owners would scream if MC denied the warranty claim after a catastrophic failure when maintenance schedules aren't followed. Also, in the surveys MC has done, the average income of their customers is high enough that they don't expect these people to do the service on their own boats. There are those who want to, some who have no faith in their dealers' abilities and some who just don't want to pay the price.

Bottom line- manufacturers don't want their customers doing their own service and we have seen people who have apparently never worked on a car motor but they want to service their boat. They don't know how a motor works, yet they think they can handle diagnosing a problem with fuel injection/electronic accessories. Many people aren't qualified for this, even if they know how a motor with a carb works, mainly because they don't understand electronics and this is where most of the problems lie. Well, that and not following the maintenance schedule. Incorrectly performing service procedures also voids the warranty, and for good reason.

What car manufacturer supplies a service manual? NONE! How technical is the owner's manual? It's not. Sure, a car or truck service manual can be bought but what percentage of boat owners will actually understand what they need to? I would bet that most people who want to diagnose a minor electrical problem on a car, truck or boat don't know how to wire a relay or what it actually does and they certainly won't have most of the tools for what these need, especially for diagnostics.

No offense to those who actually know how to work on a car or boat but if I was a manufacturer, I wouldn't want my customers working on my products, either. A repair done wrong or not at all can be dangerous and if someone is injured or killed, who's at fault for it? The manufacturer, if course.

It's also obvious that a boat owner doesn't want to drive 6 hours to the dealer for service work and because of this, I think some way to certify independent servicers should be implemented. That way, MC has people they see as acceptable working on their boats, MC boat owners don't need to wait as long/drive so far/search for info/hunt for parts/accessories/have so much to complain about.

[JimN]

Most of the manual are listed within this site which is great. If I have a 2001 prostar 19 skier which one would you recommend since all I can find is the 1998 and then it skips to 2003? thanks for the advice in advance.

There's no difference in the TBI motor within that range, really.

[jipster43]

Who reads the owner's manual?!

JP :)

[JimN]

Who reads the owner's manual?!

JP :)

RTFM would have no meaning if people read them.