Upgrades (exterior and interior) on 2007 260 Sundancer

marc421

New Member
Oct 31, 2013
11
CT
Boat Info
2007 260 Sundancer. 6.2 320 HP, Bravo III.
Engines
MX6.2 MPI 320hp Bravo III
So this was my second season with my 2007 260 SDA and I decided to do a few upgrades this year.

IMG_0874.jpg.png


Last year I added a custom teak step and grate from http://goodalemarine.com/steps/ he does incredible work.

Step:
IMG_0826.jpg.png



Grate:
grate.jpg.png


Together this was about $550, but very well made and adds a great touch, may require supplying him a template - like I did.

I changed out the OEM black steering wheel with a woodgrain model from: http://greatlakesskipper.com/dino-1...-woodgrain-aluminum-boat-steering-wheel-w-hub

IMG_0855.jpg.png


The center Sea Ray piece I found on ebay.

I like knowing where my trim tabs are when I'm operating the boat, so with some help from my mechanic I installed the Bennett Control Indicator Kit, its not insanely hard but the boat has to be pulled and it can have its issues.

IMG_0856.jpg.png


Inside, I also upgraded both the galley and head faucets (head faucet still acts as sprayer shower) neither worked when i got the boat, and in the galley I wanted something more modern and lower profile.

IMG_0851.jpg.png


IMG_0850.jpg.png


This season I went a little further with the upgrades in the cabin -

I struggled with having enough storage so I discovered these netting setups from http://www.organizedobie.com/products.php?product_id=3160

Aft-Berth:
I installed a large one in the aft-birth ceiling which allows me to stow the v-berth cushion somewhere out of the way.

IMG_0830.jpg.png



Mid-Cabin Closet:
I also installed two in the mid cabin closet for charts and odds and ends.

Interior side of closet door:
IMG_0832.jpg.png


Inside wall:
IMG_0833.jpg.png


Head Floor:
Over the winter I created a template of the head floor and sent it over to a local Flexiteak dealer - http://apfmarine.com

For about $118 they constructed me a Flexiteak custom mat, I easily installed it with the included epoxy.

IMG_0849.jpg.png


Adds a great touch to the head that the simple all white floor didn’t have, completely waterproof as well.

Stereo Panel:
I don’t own a single CD anymore, let alone many CDs to necessitate a 6-disc changer - so I removed the factory installed one (the Clarion still has a CD slot). To cover the cut-out I had a solid black seaboard faceplate created here: http://www.boatoutfitters.com/cut-to-size-black-king-starboard including a one-sided beveled edge.

IMG_0845.jpg.png


Onto the face-plate I installed a RAM mount http://www.rammount.com/ and mounted an iPad Mini 4G/Wifi 64GB that i picked up for $210 on http://buy.gazelle.com/gazelle-certified-electronics

Through a neat grommet the iPad connects to the stereo’s aux input giving me Pandora, a music juke box and second video player. The aux cord is still accessible to other devices.

IMG_0842.jpg.png


I also installed a dual USB DC power port for an additional charging station.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LULJIW4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

IMG_0841.jpg.png


Considering all the movies I’ve acquired in the last 2+ years are either digital or Blu-Ray it just made sense to upgrade the Boyo OEM DVD player to a Blu-Ray model while the panel was out.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CW6YZC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had a local plastic shop fabricate a custom seaboard bezel around the Blu-Ray player to finish off the install (helps to give them a detailed diagram).

IMG_0844.jpg.png


Lastly my 260 came with the factory ≤10” TV which aside from being small had terrible sound (single separate speaker).

First I took down the TV then the vinyl unit that Sea Ray had created:

IMG_2066.JPG.png


Originally I was attempting to figure out how to retro fit the previous set up with another automotive drop-down TV - but in the end I realized that required way too much redesign, rebuilding and even vinyl work.

IMG_2148.JPG.png


I decided to lose the entire vinyl/plywood setup and once i confirmed there was enough heft in the ceiling to accommodate the screw depth (there is) - I decided to use a traditional ceiling mount with 1/2” self tapping screws and some epoxy:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CO72X6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This allowed me to upgrade to a 12V 15.6” Slim LED. with built-in speakers, much larger screen and better sound. And at less than 2” thick it clears the open closet door easily and at less than 4lbs it doesn’t add a lot of weight to the mount. It even allows me to connect my iPad through HDMI. http://www.majestic-global.us/led-tv/30-15-led-tv-with-usb-mmmi.html

It took a little customizing to the back plate due to the slope of the ceiling to get the TV to sit close to straight.

IMG_0860.jpg.png


IMG_0867.jpg.png


This mount is substantial, and has its own locking mechanism.

IMG_0869.jpg.png



Using the original power wire I installed a marine grade DC socket in the closet for the TV
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003EET3XY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

IMG_2147.JPG.png


The TV has no big brick for 12V just a simple lighter plug and all that hides up in the ceiling of the closet.

I also drilled a hole and added a grommet in the ceiling panel of the closet to run an HDMI cable for connecting any other device, like an iPad to the TV easily.

IMG_0871.jpg.png


I enclosed the wires in a plastic loom to run from the wall neatly.

IMG_0865.jpg.png


I also patched any small holes in the vinyl with a vinyl repair kit from the previous install.

That's it!

Screenshot-5-8-15,-11-00-PM.png


I hope that was all at least entertaining - I’ve spent a lot of time trying to find the upgrades everyone has done to their 260 - So I thought I’d share mine and put them all together here. A lot of pre-planning helped make a lot this all pretty painless.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Fantastic!
Thanks for sharing.
 
Very well done and a great post.
 
Very nice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You've inspired me to make some improvements as well. Great job. Thanks!
 
Great Job! I'm always hesitant drilling and cutting into factory stuff, but your work looks awesome, like factory!
 
A lot of nice upgrades. Thanks for sharing.
 
Those are great upgrades that you should be proud of and enjoy for a while. Now it's time to look for a bigger boat! :)
 
Thanks for the kind words. I really enjoy fiddling with the boat despite knowing I'll never see a return on these "upgrades" - it makes me happy to do.
 
Great upgrades, thanks for the links as well! I was thinking about replacing a similar pop down tv in the aft cabin of our 320 and you just gave me some great ideas.
 
Looks great! Where did you get the head faucet?

Honestly, Home Depot, sorry i cannot find the link.

I converted both the head and galley sinks fittings to standard home plumbing sizes so that I'd have more flexibility in faucet options and can swap them out later easily.

It is slightly longer than I'd like, reaching the far edge of the sink, I'd suggest a shorter "throw" - also you'll want to confirm the sprayer will fit in the holder (this model does).
 
Love the all the ideas very nice of you
is it possible to modify existing TV enclosure for mounting your new setup?
return on investment is the enjoyment you receive!!
 
Last edited:
where did you get the t.v. ?

very nicely done btw, i am stealing the cargo net idea in my aft cabin as it is just a place for the kids to nap right now and a storage hole,
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,948
Messages
1,422,805
Members
60,930
Latest member
Ebrown69
Back
Top