2007 Utopia dash rattles

[ramkam02]

Anyone know how to fix the upper dashboard from rattles. It appears there are 4 lower screws at the black base under the steering wheel. There is one main bolt in the front under the gray plastic. It is just floating causing the dash board to lift when hitting waves. Any advise would be great..

 

[JrFiero]

Wow, another member with a 2007 Utopia! Great!
I had that same issue. You need to devise some method that makes the front bolt clamp the hull - big washers or something like that. A mechanic who replaced my steering cable fixed mine, but I've had it off since then. Hard to get to to work on but once done it's satisfyingly quiet. Unfortunately I don't know what the original configuration was - maybe you can look at the passenger side to see how that one is set up.

Jonas

 

[ramkam02]

Jonas, thanks for the advice. I actually finally figured it out and double bolted down that screw with a lock washer and rubber gasket. Of course I have had the boat for sale for a little time and now it is sold. It is a great boat that really runs out well with the twin 155’s.

 

[JrFiero]

Damn, I wish you still had it! I've only had mine since March of this year and it's been a pain almost ever since. I just pulled the batteries out if it today, and I have two different hold down arrangements and I wondered which was original. Having another one to refer to would have been great!
May I ask why you sold it?

Jonas

 

[ramkam02]

Jonas,
Loved my boat, only big expense was the throttle cable breaking. Whole unit was 2300.00 installed. I can try to assist you with any questions on yours. I am looking to maybe go bigger but still love jet boats. If you were facing your boat from the front the front the original battery holder is on the right hand side in the engine compartment. Also remember that this boat had three grounds to it that should be attached to the battery as well. When I bought only two were on the battery.

 

[JrFiero]

My boat has two batteries, sounds like yours had one, and the wiring diagram shows only one. Mine are wired in parallel, not one per engine.
That probably explains why I have two different tie downs. The 2nd battery, left as you face the boat from the front (I'd call that the right or starboard battery) has a plastic box with a strap holding it down to two metal brackets. Looks like it should have a top, like a battery in an open runabout. Since it didn't have a top, and has no drain holes, it was full of water around the battery!
The engine and other grounds were connected to the battery in the original location, but the ground cable to the 2nd battery wasn't, so it wasn't doing any good, nor was it charging.