Thinking of selling my 2002 410 Sundancer

JVM225

Well-Known Member
Apr 8, 2008
6,560
New York
Boat Info
2002 410 Sundancer, Monaco Edition.
Engines
3126 Cats.
The thought of selling my boat and getting something else has recently crossed my mind.
I really love the 410, but I’d like to get something with less canvas to deal with, and have even started to consider something like a Back Cove or similar style boat as a change.
I’m torn because I’m not really looking to make a significant size change one way or the other, my 410 is pretty much dialed in, I was lucky enough to find a good boat when I bought this one, and I’m not sure I’m ready to start the whole shopping process over again.
Some find the shopping process enjoyable, but I’m not that crazy about it, especially after chasing around the Northeast and endless phone calls to other parts of the country only to be disappointed.
On the other hand, the thought of not dealing with the canvas every time I arrive and leave my dock, and having one less level to deal with when going in and out of the cabin is starting to appeal to me at nearly 67 years old.
Thoughts?
 
The thought of selling my boat and getting something else has recently crossed my mind.
I really love the 410, but I’d like to get something with less canvas to deal with, and have even started to consider something like a Back Cove or similar style boat as a change.
I’m torn because I’m not really looking to make a significant size change one way or the other, my 410 is pretty much dialed in, I was lucky enough to find a good boat when I bought this one, and I’m not sure I’m ready to start the whole shopping process over again.
Some find the shopping process enjoyable, but I’m not that crazy about it, especially after chasing around the Northeast and endless phone calls to other parts of the country only to be disappointed.
On the other hand, the thought of not dealing with the canvas every time I arrive and leave my dock, and having one less level to deal with when going in and out of the cabin is starting to appeal to me at nearly 67 years old.
Thoughts?
Garwood 003.jpg

One of the must haves for our boat change was also less canvas. Also wanted to get out of the sun after many years of boating. As we get older, convenience becomes more important. We wanted a hardtop, A/C at helm, wide walk arounds on the sides, easy plug ins for shore power, a queen sized bed, comfortable cockpit seating and salon seating in a hull that was up to the challenges that Lake Michigan offers up. The 32 open checked those boxes and many more making it a great choice for extended living aboard in the North Channel.
 
haha I was going to say the same thing

@JVM225 my two cents is just to think about the work needed to bring whatever you get up to your standards. When I bought our 410 last year it passed everything with flying colors, great condition, etc, but I still found heaps of stuff I want to change/clean/update/fix/polish after just a few months of use. I enjoy it, but it is a lot. I think back to my old boat and how it took me about 2 years to get it to a point where I considered it 'done' (we all know boat projects never really end) but it sounds like a hardtop/enclosure would be enough of a reason for you to move on to something different
 
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The thought of selling my boat and getting something else has recently crossed my mind.
I really love the 410, but I’d like to get something with less canvas to deal with, and have even started to consider something like a Back Cove or similar style boat as a change.
I’m torn because I’m not really looking to make a significant size change one way or the other, my 410 is pretty much dialed in, I was lucky enough to find a good boat when I bought this one, and I’m not sure I’m ready to start the whole shopping process over again.
Some find the shopping process enjoyable, but I’m not that crazy about it, especially after chasing around the Northeast and endless phone calls to other parts of the country only to be disappointed.
On the other hand, the thought of not dealing with the canvas every time I arrive and leave my dock, and having one less level to deal with when going in and out of the cabin is starting to appeal to me at nearly 67 years old.
Thoughts?

What in particular is the issue with your canvas? I leave mine up year round and I can roll up windows or entire panels as necessary. It takes a little time, but I'm not lifting large panels of canvas. Just curious if a redesigned canvas package would alleviate that particular issue. Even if expensive and it got you a couple years, might be worth considering. You can also add AC/Heat to the 410's cockpit. I wouldn't call it ideal but it works.

As far as levels, there is always going to be some up and down just getting in/on any boat, but to get rid of stairs, you'll definitely have to get away from Sea Rays. Unfortunately about everything that tickles my fancy has stairs...

Of course no matter what boat you end up with, there are ALWAYS tradeoffs.
 
Just curious if a redesigned canvas package would alleviate that particular issue. Even if expensive and it got you a couple years, might be worth considering. You can also add AC/Heat to the 410's cockpit. I wouldn't call it ideal but it works.

My neighbor did that with his 410. He added a drop curtain that went to the floor directly behind the aft-facing bench. The aft bench was fitted with a matching cover, and he added an AC/heat unit under the fwd bench. It achieved his low-maintenance goal, but on a sunny 90º day, it would be a dry 89º even after running an hour under the navy-blue canvas top. It worked pretty well on cloudy or less extreme days. I wish I remembered the size of the unit.
 
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I know this is heresy, the Sabre Salon Express 45, 48, or 54 don't have any canvas (unless you want a Bimini). After two years with our Sabre 38 I can say not having half a dozen bits to take off and re-install every time we use the boat is one of those hidden benefits.

Photo from Sabre website of the 2021 45 Salon Express:
Sabre-45-Salon-Express-1.jpg
 
Yep, I'll take it. Only half kidding. In the market for a 99-02 400/410. Send me the details please.
 
What in particular is the issue with your canvas? I leave mine up year round and I can roll up windows or entire panels as necessary. It takes a little time, but I'm not lifting large panels of canvas. Just curious if a redesigned canvas package would alleviate that particular issue. Even if expensive and it got you a couple years, might be worth considering. You can also add AC/Heat to the 410's cockpit. I wouldn't call it ideal but it works.

As far as levels, there is always going to be some up and down just getting in/on any boat, but to get rid of stairs, you'll definitely have to get away from Sea Rays. Unfortunately about everything that tickles my fancy has stairs...

Of course no matter what boat you end up with, there are ALWAYS tradeoffs.
C3B49088-512B-4AB9-94F5-014A419D1003_sRGB.JPG

I think there is an inverse relationship between a captain's age and his desire to work with canvas. (;-)
 
haha I was going to say the same thing

@JVM225 my two cents is just to think about the work needed to bring whatever you get up to your standards. When I bought our 410 last year it passed everything with flying colors, great condition, etc, but I still found heaps of stuff I want to change/clean/update/fix/polish after just a few months of use. I enjoy it, but it is a lot. I think back to my old boat and how it took me about 2 years to get it to a point where I considered it 'done' (we all know boat projects never really end) but it sounds like a hardtop/enclosure would be enough of a reason for you to move on to something different

That’s definitely on my mind. This one is dialed in and the next one would have to measure up to it with regards to condition. It was really hard to find a nice clean boat back in 2016 when we were searching for this one and I’m not looking forward to going through that again.
On the other hand, this might be the time to take on a different boat before too many more years pass and I won’t be able to put the physical work in that I want.
 
What in particular is the issue with your canvas? I leave mine up year round and I can roll up windows or entire panels as necessary. It takes a little time, but I'm not lifting large panels of canvas. Just curious if a redesigned canvas package would alleviate that particular issue. Even if expensive and it got you a couple years, might be worth considering. You can also add AC/Heat to the 410's cockpit. I wouldn't call it ideal but it works.

As far as levels, there is always going to be some up and down just getting in/on any boat, but to get rid of stairs, you'll definitely have to get away from Sea Rays. Unfortunately about everything that tickles my fancy has stairs...

Of course no matter what boat you end up with, there are ALWAYS tradeoffs.

Taking the drop curtain over the cockpit up and down every time I come and go to the boat with the cockpit table in place is a PIA, but the bigger pain is removing the Eisenglass panels on hot and humid days when the green flys are driving us nuts.
Also, for the way we boat, the idea of having the cockpit and salon on the same level with a wide opening between the two is appealing. That’s why the Back Cove’s and similar style boats are starting to appeal to me.
Especially since my sciatica had been really brutal these last few months.
Not sure I want to start over with a different boat though.
Tough choices!
 
I deeply despise canvas. And how much it costs to replace :)

Hopefully you'd be able to sell your boat at a significant premium based on the condition and the market. 'cause yer not going to find any raging deals when you try to replace it!
 
Based on my experience trying to find a good diesel 410 in the northeast just this past summer/fall I’d say this boat will go in a heartbeat and for a very nice number
 
Loved our Back Cove! Brad will be by shortly!
Ha ha! You knew I’d be by.

@JVM225 Of course I’m biased but Back Cove and Sabres are great boats. Having a hard top with real glass and no canvas sides is friggin awesome. My BC 34 had an aft drop curtain, but it such an improvement over the camper on my AJ. I can’t wait to get my new BC 37 up to Long Island - it has a full glass back. Just pull the shades and shut the door.
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PM me if you want to talk about them from an owner’s perspective - we can chat. For some reason I’ve been having a lot of individual conversations recently with folks looking to buy either a BC or a Sabre and wanting advice/input.
 
I've always found it surprising that the larger Sundancers didn't have at least a 3/4 covered helm/cockpit. I get it with like a 310 or so, at best they're really overnighters or weekenders, but on the larger vessels they have the equipment and endurance for longer voyages or stays away from the dock and it just doesn't make sense that you wouldn't have at least a Tiara-style mostly enclosed helm.

There's a handful of mid-2000s 400s and 410s on our lake and it just seems odd to see a relatively large vessel with so much canvas.
 

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