40 sedan bridge forum

Another update. It's 20230223_141427.jpg 20230302_100358.jpg 20230303_114537.jpg 20230307_083507.jpg 20230309_151655.jpg getting close!
 
Big maintenance below the waterline this week. Been fighting a vibration in my port shaft for a while. While out, I had my new to me props reconditioned and balanced to 3000 r.p.m., new cutlass bearings on both sides, and the port shaft taken to a machine shop to check for trueness. Turns out the shaft was true to 5/1000's which should be pretty close to factory spec. They got it to 1-1 2/2 thousandths, and only charged me $85. Should have taken them both in.... Will have the engines checked for alignment as well. Looking forward to getting it all back together, and hope like hell my vibration is gone. Not sure what else I can replace. It costs too much to get it out of the water and this deep into it without checking absolutely everything. Anything that I could be missing while it's apart?
 

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Big maintenance below the waterline this week. Been fighting a vibration in my port shaft for a while. While out, I had my new to me props reconditioned and balanced to 3000 r.p.m., new cutlass bearings on both sides, and the port shaft taken to a machine shop to check for trueness. Turns out the shaft was true to 5/1000's which should be pretty close to factory spec. They got it to 1-1 2/2 thousandths, and only charged me $85. Should have taken them both in.... Will have the engines checked for alignment as well. Looking forward to getting it all back together, and hope like hell my vibration is gone. Not sure what else I can replace. It costs too much to get it out of the water and this deep into it without checking absolutely everything. Anything that I could be missing while it's apart?
What did the wear look like on the cutlass bearing? That is an indicator on strut and shaft alignment or an indicator that the strut is twisted.
Have someone hang a string from the hull down in back of the strut close to the centerline of the strut. Then stand back and eye that string against the strut. You can easily tell if the strut is bent to one side or the other.
That shaft needs to be happily centered in the shaft log without forcing it. Then the engine needs to be moved to that shaft location. The couplings should easily mate together and final alignment should have no more than 0.006" gap on any side. I strive to be as close to zero gap as possible as it's that gap that causes the shaft to bow and develop vibrations when the bolts are tightened. After the boat is back in the water for a week re-perform the alignment. The boat's shape changes and consequently alignment will also change.
Most importantly is to locate the prop on the shaft without the key and mark that position. Then install the prop with the key and ensure it returns to that mark. Vibrations and eventually a failed shaft will occur if the key is interfering with the seating of the prop on the shaft. Actually the same should be done with the couplings. I sent the couplings out with the shafts and props to get them trued and lapped to the shafts.
The school of hard knocks.
 
What did the wear look like on the cutlass bearing? That is an indicator on strut and shaft alignment or an indicator that the strut is twisted.
Have someone hang a string from the hull down in back of the strut close to the centerline of the strut. Then stand back and eye that string against the strut. You can easily tell if the strut is bent to one side or the other.
That shaft needs to be happily centered in the shaft log without forcing it. Then the engine needs to be moved to that shaft location. The couplings should easily mate together and final alignment should have no more than 0.006" gap on any side. I strive to be as close to zero gap as possible as it's that gap that causes the shaft to bow and develop vibrations when the bolts are tightened. After the boat is back in the water for a week re-perform the alignment. The boat's shape changes and consequently alignment will also change.
Most importantly is to locate the prop on the shaft without the key and mark that position. Then install the prop with the key and ensure it returns to that mark. Vibrations and eventually a failed shaft will occur if the key is interfering with the seating of the prop on the shaft. Actually the same should be done with the couplings. I sent the couplings out with the shafts and props to get them trued and lapped to the shafts.
The school of hard knocks.
This is great information. Thank you very much. Good to have folks on the thread with a Ph.D. in OCD! I've got a pic of the starboard bearing that was running smooth, but not the port that was vibrating. I know that they were replaced yesterday, so I'll see if I can get the yard to dig it out of the trash and see if it was wearing unevenly.
 

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Before and after. Almost done. Just gotta cover the two panels with vinyl to match the wall above it. Stained panel pops off and center panel swings out to get at storage. Trying staining to match before I fork out the big bucks for the matching veneer from Restoration Marine.
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This came up long ago but I can’t find it in here. Rear cockpit ceiling light replacement. I’ve done the LED bulb thing. But I have one fixture that seems to eat them up. And they are all weathered (rusty). So for the effort to remove, sand, buff and paint the rings, I think I’m going to replace them. Who else has replaced the overhead lights in the rear cockpit? What did you select? Obviously, I want something marine rated. 12v. And that uses LED’s. Prefer something that will mount right in with no sawing, cutting, etc. needed. Links would be appreciated. Thx.
 
This pic of a random boat made me think flexible solar panels above the cabin windscreen would not look too bad . Just a thought
 

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This pic of a random boat made me think flexible solar panels above the cabin windscreen would not look too bad . Just a thought
I wonder what the math would be? That is, what sort of electricity would solar panels of that size produce, and what benefit would that have? And is the cost of that setup worth the benefit? Obviously, different answers for everyone but I’m curious what a panel setup like that could produce…
 
This came up long ago but I can’t find it in here. Rear cockpit ceiling light replacement. I’ve done the LED bulb thing. But I have one fixture that seems to eat them up. And they are all weathered (rusty). So for the effort to remove, sand, buff and paint the rings, I think I’m going to replace them. Who else has replaced the overhead lights in the rear cockpit? What did you select? Obviously, I want something marine rated. 12v. And that uses LED’s. Prefer something that will mount right in with no sawing, cutting, etc. needed. Links would be appreciated. Thx.

crickets…?
 
I wonder what the math would be? That is, what sort of electricity would solar panels of that size produce, and what benefit would that have? And is the cost of that setup worth the benefit? Obviously, different answers for everyone but I’m curious what a panel setup like that could produce…
I’m not an expert so I’ll probably be corrected here, but skipping thru google and some reliable panel sites if you could squeeze on two modern 300 w flexible panels these would produce 160ah over 5 hours of sunlight which would easily charge a typical agm deep cycle and then some, or it would mostly charge from zero, a 200ah lithium which is a big chunk of power
 
Getting prepped to fix windshield leaks. ZZ13 posts have been a really big help. Still just a few questions.
1 Are 55 feet of Taylor Made seal trim needed for just the front windshield or will it also be enough for the side windows also.
2 Can the old seal trim be reused?
3 In addition to OSI Quad Max sealant should Dow 795 or 3M 08609 be considered?
4 How many tubes of sealant are needed for the front windshield?
5 Should the seal trim be replaced while the sealant is still soft or after it has cured?
Many thanks in advance. Hope to get the job finished while still shrinked wrapped.
 
Getting prepped to fix windshield leaks. ZZ13 posts have been a really big help. Still just a few questions.
1 Are 55 feet of Taylor Made seal trim needed for just the front windshield or will it also be enough for the side windows also.
2 Can the old seal trim be reused?
3 In addition to OSI Quad Max sealant should Dow 795 or 3M 08609 be considered?
4 How many tubes of sealant are needed for the front windshield?
5 Should the seal trim be replaced while the sealant is still soft or after it has cured?
Many thanks in advance. Hope to get the job finished while still shrinked wrapped.

1) 55’ is for the three windshields. Not the sides. Also it’s NOT “seal trim”. It’s just trim. The seal is made by the sealant. The trim is cosmetic only. That’s why caulking the hell out of the trim rarely stops the windshield leaks once they start.

2) unlikely. You’ll destroy it getting it off.

3 and 4) can’t answer. I didn’t do it myself. I determined the risk/reward was too high risk. Drop one windshield and your boating is done for a year while you wait for a replacement. Plus, I’m no expert in windshield replacement. But you know who is? Windshield replacement companies. I had one do mine and it was done in 3 days (including delays for wind). Highly recommend writing a check for this one.

5) wait until the sealant underneath is dry. The trim is cosmetic only and does not need to bond to the sealant.
 
Thank you Scoop!
As to dropping the window as I think I understand it the windshields stay in place while old sealant is replaced. Don't want to jinx myself as there doesn't seem to be a good source for replacement!
 
Thank you Scoop!
As to dropping the window as I think I understand it the windshields stay in place while old sealant is replaced. Don't want to jinx myself as there doesn't seem to be a good source for replacement!

The sealant is under the window glass. You will need to remove the window, clean the underside of it, clean and strip the residue off the frame and then prep and reseal the frame to the glass.
If you are in the Chesapeake Bay area I also recommend the company that Scooper and I used. For the same reasons that SCooper said, I wanted someone that would seal this thing for 15-20 years again. I only wanted to deal with this one time after getting water in my cabin and the head in my master head once it started leaking.
Automotive Concepts 410-768-5000. The get commissioned to do large yachts under warranty when windows need replaced. They do it right.
 
The sealant is under the window glass. You will need to remove the window, clean the underside of it, clean and strip the residue off the frame and then prep and reseal the frame to the glass.
If you are in the Chesapeake Bay area I also recommend the company that Scooper and I used. For the same reasons that SCooper said, I wanted someone that would seal this thing for 15-20 years again. I only wanted to deal with this one time after getting water in my cabin and the head in my master head once it started leaking.
Automotive Concepts 410-768-5000. The get commissioned to do large yachts under warranty when windows need replaced. They do it right.
Close. When I dissected it the sealant sealed the edge and the top of the glass. Underneath the glass is an open celled foam cushion that isn’t a seal. It’s a cushion for the glass to sit on. Water goes through it. The big trough full of sealant really does nothing. It’s almost as if the window frame was designed to catch water in the trough and channel water out through a drain on the bottom. But it’s certainly not installed that way at the factory. Sea Ray filled the trough with sealant.

scoop gave you what I did. Also when you put the new trim on, put lots of sealant under the mitered cornea to glue the corner to the glass. This will hold the corner in place and help prevent it from pulling apart as the trim shrinks from the sun over the years.

The glass is not going to move. It’s wedged it with plastic tabs you will find under the old trim.
 
This came up long ago but I can’t find it in here. Rear cockpit ceiling light replacement. I’ve done the LED bulb thing. But I have one fixture that seems to eat them up. And they are all weathered (rusty). So for the effort to remove, sand, buff and paint the rings, I think I’m going to replace them. Who else has replaced the overhead lights in the rear cockpit? What did you select? Obviously, I want something marine rated. 12v. And that uses LED’s. Prefer something that will mount right in with no sawing, cutting, etc. needed. Links would be appreciated. Thx.

On my 420, I replaced all original lights & 20170426_201457.jpg 20170426_201545.jpg 20170426_201611.jpg 20170426_201635.jpg fixtures with Lumitec LEDs (4 color) and the adapter kit which fits nicely into the existing hole.

https://www.lumiteclighting.com/halo-orbit-adapter-kit-flush-mount-down-light.html
 
If anyone knows a person looking for a 1997, 400 Sedan Bridge with cat 3116s, new zincs, props trued, recent bottom job, new port transmission and synthetic hardwood floor in the galley, salon and dinette and GPS send them to me. I am about to list mine.

My wife is no longer able to travel in it due to health reasons, so we have to let her go. (The boat, not my wife) She (the boat) has been in fresh water either most or all of her life, I am third owner, not sure about the first owner. Kept on Kentucky Lake in TN
 
If anyone knows a person looking for a 1997, 400 Sedan Bridge with cat 3116s, new zincs, props trued, recent bottom job, new port transmission and synthetic hardwood floor in the galley, salon and dinette and GPS send them to me. I am about to list mine.

My wife is no longer able to travel in it due to health reasons, so we have to let her go. (The boat, not my wife) She (the boat) has been in fresh water either most or all of her life, I am third owner, not sure about the first owner. Kept on Kentucky Lake in TN

You may want to join the Sea Ray Sedan Bridge Facebook group and post a few pics there. Perhaps in the Sea Ray Owners group there, too. I know, we all hate FB. But the reality is more people use FB than CSR and it will get some good exposure there.
 
I will, thanks, I really love the boat and hate to see it go so I am having a hard time pulling the trigger on selling it but.....
 

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