Official 1980's Weekender/Sundancer 300 thread

I got a quote from this company but it's low on my priority list. FWIW: a lake friend installed DIY last summer on his 80s 260 and it's awesome; color match was flawless (his is a grey-ish/mushroom-ish color, not the warm white/ivory I've seen on so many). The only thing that's been a major adjustment is how his Admiral pulls up from the water: she's short and curvy, so pulling up by putting her fingers through the vents on the platform is very different than reaching for the transom mounted grab handle.

http://www.swimplatforms.com/showImages.php?mk=370


P.S. Glad to hear your dockmates are helping you toe the line. I'm sure the limitations are excruciating, but the better the rehab, the better your odds for the long term!
 
It's been a very busy spring for boat repairs. I had both gimble rings replaced. Painted both drives. Replaced the 3 thru hulls on the starboard side and the one on the port side. Had to remove and straighten a support bar for the extended swim platform. Replaced the generator battery today and removed the rub rail on the port side as I have a leak that is coming in between the two windows right at the rub rail. This made a real mess of the material on the inside. I also waxed one half of the boat. I still have a Snake River tank level system to install and I have to clean and reseal the boat top.
I will be so happy when all of this is totally finished and I can relax and have a nice drink on the boat.

Ken
 
How did you manage to reach the thru hulls on the starboard side aft of the gas tank? I'd like to change mine, but unless I pull the engine again, I don't think I can reach.
I know what you mean about busy prelaunch. I added a bow pulpit and windlass along with the wiring, added extended drop fin trim tabs, replaced both outdrive water pumps and zincs, painted outdrives and bottom and replaced a couple of broken hinges in the cabin also washed and re waterproofed the camper top, SO FAR. I've still got to run her, wash and wax and THEN I'll be ready for water.
 
I thought I'd share this little item I discovered. My starboard trim limit sender was acting up at the end of the season and wouldn't let me trim up unless I used the trailer button. I was going to just cut off the old one and solder and heat shrink on a new one to get me by until I do bellows next season. I noted four small screws on the round 'puck' sender so I thought I'd take them out and see what I could find. Low and behold, the cover comes off and there is an O-ring to seal the cover on. This exposed a small copper wiper with two contacts on it and two copper plates that the wiper moves on to make contact. I cleaned the green off the copper bits with some emery and put back together with some ultra black Permatex on the O-ring to improve the seal and the thing WORKS! I don't know for how long, but I like this fix better than an underwater electrical splice. We'll see how it holds up. I always thought those units were sealed, guess not.
 
SCORPIO said:
How did you manage to reach the thru hulls on the starboard side aft of the gas tank? I'd like to change mine, but unless I pull the engine again, I don't think I can reach.
I know what you mean about busy prelaunch. I added a bow pulpit and windlass along with the wiring, added extended drop fin trim tabs, replaced both outdrive water pumps and zincs, painted outdrives and bottom and replaced a couple of broken hinges in the cabin also washed and re waterproofed the camper top, SO FAR. I've still got to run her, wash and wax and THEN I'll be ready for water.
Click to expand...

I had the young mechanic lay on top of the motor and undo the hoses. He managed to get a channel lock on them and I turned them from the outside using a vise grip. To install he held the nut up to the hole I moved it around till centered. I put 4200 on the thru hull and screwed them in from the outside. The fellow on the inside had to only hold the nut. The thru hull has two small cut aways in them so I used a washer to tighten them.

Ken
 
My wife and some of our friends find the swim ladder on the 300DA to be a bid too short to comfortably exit the water. Has anybody found a way to lengthen that ladder by a step or two so that it will still fold up but yet offer easier egress from the water? I'm trying to think of a way to add at least one more step that would then fold into the footprint of the existing ladder for stowage. I don't want to install a fold up under platform ladder since it would likely be so close to the water that it could be partially in it all the time and therefore be subject to marine growth. Also, I don't want to drill a bunch more holes in the platform to mount that ladder.
Anybody else find the ladder a bit lacking, and what did you do about it?
 
SCORPIO said:
My wife and some of our friends find the swim ladder on the 300DA to be a bid too short to comfortably exit the water. Has anybody found a way to lengthen that ladder by a step or two so that it will still fold up but yet offer easier egress from the water? I'm trying to think of a way to add at least one more step that would then fold into the footprint of the existing ladder for stowage. I don't want to install a fold up under platform ladder since it would likely be so close to the water that it could be partially in it all the time and therefore be subject to marine growth. Also, I don't want to drill a bunch more holes in the platform to mount that ladder.
Anybody else find the ladder a bit lacking, and what did you do about it?
Click to expand...
Do you have tools/skills to fabricate, or have a local resource who can? If you removed the last rung with its curved corners--and possibly the wooden rung, too--you could bolt a short telescoping ladder into the existing vertical frame. Depending on overall length and number/thickness of rungs, it might still fit under the rub rail when collapsed and folded against the transom.

Alternately, a fabricator could duplicate the existing contours to create a vertical frame with 2 rungs, a hair wider than existing, and flatten/curve the free ends to attach to the existing vertical frame in a hinged fashion, maybe even with pop out/lock in type bolts. You'd pull the whole ladder against the transom like you do now, then fold the new rungs outward and down and fasten with the webbing strap.

Personally I prefer telescoping or locking hinge type. If hinged but non-locking, I find them a little difficult to climb; when you first grab the sides and place a foot, the rung can swing back and forth and feel unstable.
 
Today I went down to the boat to check my batteries and the charging system. I decided to start the generator the start toggle switch is shot need to take it apart and see it's configuration. I start the generator from the bilge area and no water coming out the exhaust crap. Any one had a problem with the water pump on a Westerbeke 4.0 generator. It might also be the impeller not changed it in 9 years. Anyone have any ideas or a part number on the impeller.

Ken
 
I was told West Marine has the impeller kit.
 
Some pics of some completed projects prior to launch.
First is my bow pulpit/windlass install. I replaced the teak puplit with one from Plasteak that has built in anchor roller. I installed a Lewmar Profish 1000 windlass with wireless remote control and freefall option.
IMAG1206.jpg
Next is a swim ladder modification I made to add an extra step to the factory ladder. I couldn't find any fold up ladders that would fit in the old mounts and I didn't want to drill new holes in my platform so I found a used two step folding ladder from a Sea Ray on ebay and took it apart and used the top section. I was able to notch the step so it would fold up enough to allow the ladder to store upright in the original position against the transom. It worked well I think but is that stainless tubing tough to drill! I smoked a few bits getting the holes made, even using oil on the titanium bits!
IMAG1201.jpgIMAG1204.jpg
Lastly are a few pics of the boat shined up in my shop. On the one side shot, you can see my old International tractor in the reflection off the boat!
IMAG1196.jpgIMAG1193.jpg
Also visable in the ladder pic are my 22x12 drop fin Bennett trim tabs. Hard to see being black on black but they are on and should work well.
 
Your mods look great.

Ken
 
Last edited:
Thanks. They closed everyone in Ontario Canada but we are going on a road trip through the UP to visit our grandsons in Manitoba soon. Will take it with me.

Ken
 
SCORPIO said:
Next is a swim ladder modification I made to add an extra step to the factory ladder. I couldn't find any fold up ladders that would fit in the old mounts and I didn't want to drill new holes in my platform so I found a used two step folding ladder from a Sea Ray on ebay and took it apart and used the top section. I was able to notch the step so it would fold up enough to allow the ladder to store upright in the original position against the transom. It worked well I think but is that stainless tubing tough to drill! I smoked a few bits getting the holes made, even using oil on the titanium bits!
Click to expand...
Nice, especially how it rests against the step above when extended--no swinging under when someone tries to take a foothold!

Note to self: start eBay search for used folding ladder....
 
Note to self: start eBay search for used folding ladder....​
I might be able to help with that. I might change my platform as soon I'm cleared for work.

i go to the doc next week, and maybe work by the end of the week.​
 
Need some assistance identifying some electrical fuse panels. The first photo is of the fuse panel just below the dashboard. Anyone know what electrical components they support?
17214e92efd43ce56afd485753ce0da9.jpg


The second photo is inside the engine compartment on the forward wall of the compartment.
1a253170cf728c2085e20dc676c4952f.jpg


Should I replace these fuse panels and if so, what should I install in place of them?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Is there anything wrong with either panel? I wouldn't replace anything if it isn't malfunctioning. That second panel is a circuit breaker panel, not a fuse panel. It looks like it got a little splashed and dirty but appears ok. The one under the dash is like mine, I don't exactly know what those fuses protect but I plan to remove one fuse at a time and see what stops working then use a label maker and mark each one.
 
I removed a fuse at a time under the dash and made a diagram of which fuses controlled what. I let it go with all the other stuff I gave the new owner when I sold the boat last year. I did it about 10 years ago, but I don't remember it taking a real long time.
Have a friend pull the fuses one at a time while you check what doesn't have power with the fuse out since you know where everything that needs to be checked is and it will go much faster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,117
Messages
1,426,459
Members
61,032
Latest member
Brock340
Back
Top