40 sedan bridge forum

Anybody close to their boat that can measure the side windows for me? I have a 97 Sedan Bridge and I am wanting to order some blinds for the windows. I need across the top, across the bottom and height. My boat is two hours south of me. I had the measurements but the blind company shot me an bid of over two grand for two blinds......and they kept, or lost, my measurements. I am going to order blinds and cut the angles on the slats myself.
 
Bill, That is a good idea, actually just received that toggle/USB rocker switch you sent me the link to. Does one ever get through with upgrading?
My mother in law asked me a while back: When will you be done with all of the projects on your boat? I took it as a nice way of saying....When will you be finished pooring money into this endless hole? I looked at her and said....Never! I will keep going, and then at some point replace it with another, and start all over again!
 
So this happened today...
I was helping a friend winterize his Carver 355 aft cabin. We were starting the genny to warm up for a second so that we knew it would immediately fire when adding antifreeze to the strainer. I was standing on the factory plywood battery box when he hit the genny starter. The battery exploded as soon as he hit the switch. The battery was in a plastic battery box inside the boats plywood battery box. I have heard of batteries exploding, but in 35 years of boating certainly had not seen it. It sounded like a shotgun going off! Was this due to the battery being in a box within a box and having poor ventilation?? My 400DB's batteries are exposed in the engine room just in trays with tie down bars. What is factory? The plastic boat box pretty well contained the explosion, but I wonder if it also contibuted? I would hate for one to explode exposed now. Pic of the aftermath attached.
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Anybody close to their boat that can measure the side windows for me? I have a 97 Sedan Bridge and I am wanting to order some blinds for the windows. I need across the top, across the bottom and height. My boat is two hours south of me. I had the measurements but the blind company shot me an bid of over two grand for two blinds......and they kept, or lost, my measurements. I am going to order blinds and cut the angles on the slats myself.
Anybody close to their boat that can measure the side windows for me? I have a 97 Sedan Bridge and I am wanting to order some blinds for the windows. I need across the top, across the bottom and height. My boat is two hours south of me. I had the measurements but the blind company shot me an bid of over two grand for two blinds......and they kept, or lost, my measurements. I am going to order blinds and cut the angles on the slats myself.

Just a thought for your consideration - we did away with the salon curtains and blinds altogether. We just have an exterior black mask around the entirety of the salon. It keeps the interior cool, provides plenty of ambient light, opens up the space and the black mask gives the exterior cleaner lines (IMHO). Heres a photo...
 
Does anyone have the part number of the three step boarding ladder? My 1998 is missing the three boarding steps that attach to the sliding mechanism. It looks like it was manufactured by GG Schmitt.
 
Does anyone have the part number of the three step boarding ladder? My 1998 is missing the three boarding steps that attach to the sliding mechanism. It looks like it was manufactured by GG Schmitt.

941344 LADDER, SWIM 3-STEP SS CONCEALED REV GUDGNS
1225580 LADDER, SWIM HDWR KIT FOR MRP #0941344

Also try this:

http://www.ggschmitt.com/ladders.htm
 
So this happened today...
I was helping a friend winterize his Carver 355 aft cabin. We were starting the genny to warm up for a second so that we knew it would immediately fire when adding antifreeze to the strainer. I was standing on the factory plywood battery box when he hit the genny starter. The battery exploded as soon as he hit the switch. The battery was in a plastic battery box inside the boats plywood battery box. I have heard of batteries exploding, but in 35 years of boating certainly had not seen it. It sounded like a shotgun going off! Was this due to the battery being in a box within a box and having poor ventilation?? My 400DB's batteries are exposed in the engine room just in trays with tie down bars. What is factory? The plastic boat box pretty well contained the explosion, but I wonder if it also contibuted? I would hate for one to explode exposed now. Pic of the aftermath attached.View attachment 52448
Wet cell lead acid batteries do need adequate ventilation for sure. We just had a 24 volt battery in a Cessna 172 explode upon extended engine cranking. It was a manifolded battery With a ventilation hose on the manifold lid with a slight kink in the hose. First time I ever saw one do that in 30 years of working on and flying airplanes.
 
941344 LADDER, SWIM 3-STEP SS CONCEALED REV GUDGNS
1225580 LADDER, SWIM HDWR KIT FOR MRP #0941344

Also try this:

http://www.ggschmitt.com/ladders.htm

Thanks for the info. I reached out to GG Schmitt and got a quote for a replacement ladder for $500 plus shipping. Has anyone replaced their ladder with a less expensive aftermarket unit?
 
View attachment 52450


Just a thought for your consideration - we did away with the salon curtains and blinds altogether. We just have an exterior black mask around the entirety of the salon. It keeps the interior cool, provides plenty of ambient light, opens up the space and the black mask gives the exterior cleaner lines (IMHO). Heres a photo...

That is a nice look. I have tinted my windows all around and like the look. The Swabby says we are getting new blinds. When we are in the slip, there is a big boat next to ours that can look into the windows if the curtains are open. Me says..... "I don't care". She says....... "new blinds". Honestly, our curtains are getting bad shape. I like the look of the blinds that have been posted several times. I just need the measurements of the window and trying to save driving a couple hours for a few measurements.
 
Wet cell lead acid batteries do need adequate ventilation for sure. We just had a 24 volt battery in a Cessna 172 explode upon extended engine cranking. It was a manifolded battery With a ventilation hose on the manifold lid with a slight kink in the hose. First time I ever saw one do that in 30 years of working on and flying airplanes.


Exploding batteries is really pretty common in boats. Batteries left on charge for an extended period of time will over-charge unless the boat as adequate isolation between banks and a low end charger that trickles down to 2A or so. Most Sea Ray boats have battery isolators and the chargers turn off when the batteries are fully charged. If the batteries continue to charge past the fully charged state, they will give off hydrogen gas which is highly flammable and explosive if there is inadequate ventilation in the battery compartment. Add a spark from any source like a loose battery connection and you get a pretty good bang when the top of the battery blows off. The most serious effect of an exploded battery is that they will blow battery acid everywhere.
 
Today I was able to remove all the plastic through hulls in preparation for my hull sides painting. It was certainly not pleasant wedging my body into the port and starboard corners of the engine room and I did get stuck a couple times but it will be worth it to have all stainless against the new paint.

I am having trouble finding the threaded through hull fittings that go into the two ac discharge shut off valves. Has anyone changed these over to stainless and if so can you share details?

View attachment 52229
I have been unsuccessful finding the through hulls in stainless so I reached out to the manufacturer of the valves, Forespar, to get plastic replacements. They sent me two of them at no charge. Not sure why we have shut off valves at the ac discharge but if they are necessary I will stay with the plastic.
 
I have been unsuccessful finding the through hulls in stainless so I reached out to the manufacturer of the valves, Forespar, to get plastic replacements. They sent me two of them at no charge. Not sure why we have shut off valves at the ac discharge but if they are necessary I will stay with the plastic.
They should actually be marelon, not regular plastic. Marelon will probably outlive the boat.

Shut offs are useful if flushing lines. You can turn one off to force all the flush liquid through the other line. Or, like me, just tap into the line you want to flush after the split coming from the pump.
 
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Anybody close to their boat that can measure the side windows for me? I have a 97 Sedan Bridge and I am wanting to order some blinds for the windows. I need across the top, across the bottom and height. My boat is two hours south of me. I had the measurements but the blind company shot me an bid of over two grand for two blinds......and they kept, or lost, my measurements. I am going to order blinds and cut the angles on the slats myself.
Here you go. Measurements taken from inside of boat. The bottom length is actually 92" but there is a trim overlapping the last inch.
 
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They should actually be marelon, not regular plastic. Marelon will probably outlive the boat.

Shut offs are useful if flushing lines. You can turn one off to force all the flush liquid through the other line. Or, like me, just tap into the line you want to flush after the split coming from the pump.

That makes sense. The marelon fittings were in perfect shape until I mangled them trying to get them unscrewed. I wanted to change everything to stainless for the aesthetics.
 
Took advantage of some warmer weather today (47) from last weeks (2) to get back into some winter projects.
Made good progress on installing new Plasteak cherry and holly laminate flooring. Really really happy how well this stuff lays down and looks. I did residential laminate planks in my old boat, and it was a nightmare dealing with the trowled down glue trying to flash and set up in the cold weather. This is click together with very tight joints and glued more randomly with Gorilla glue construction adhesive. Had a whole construction site set up on our dock.
 

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Just a follow-up. I pulled the door apart to find a part number (Home Depot cannot get the parts ). I re-assembled with the old parts , reversing the wheels and the door slides smooth again. I guess I bought some time.

Hi,

I have a 1997 Sedan Bridge and also need to fix rollers. My problem is getting door off. There seems to be a "lug" at the top right (Starboard side) to prevent the door being lifted off the bottom track. I can't work out how to remove the "lug". Can anyone assist? Thanks
 
Played hookie yesterday to take advantage of a warm 65 degree one day weather window to keep moving on my flooring project, and made some good progress. Got the refrigerator out in prep for a new one, and to give me the ability to work with the existing vinyl floor underneath it. The new laminate is about 1/4" thick, so I'm sure I'm going to have to trim the top of the cabinet a bit anyway to get a new one in. I don't want to have to rip a floor out in case the fridge craps out. Thank goodness SeaRay was able to get this seacock in behind the refrigerator....... That seems handy. The next step is the galley area. Trying to decide whether to go over the factory vinyl which isn't that thick, or ripping it up and dealing with the gluey mess. Disgusting carpet off of the stairs (mostly), and will wrap those with the same flooring material minus the holly lines. Plan to find some cool modern stainless or chrome register floor vents to replace the cheesey factory groove grill routed into the stair risers. Something like the attached image.
Best thing that happened yesterday......A local was crappie fishing on my dock. I told him that they hadn't been biting much for the last few weeks. He said, well....at least you're making some money today working. I had saws and materials all over the dock, ratty jeans on, ratty t-shirt.
I said, I wish, but no, this is my boat...
Don't think he was expecting that. A willingness to get my hands dirty is what bought that boat!
 

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Looks really nice. What are you doing about engine hatch opening handles? I'm sure you know, but in case you don't the seacock is the shutoff for the salon ac cooling line. As you can see it's accessible with the fridge installed via a panel in the cabinet.
 
I'm going with Perko stainless handles that I put in a few weeks ago. Just need to route out the laminate. Plan to do it this weekend. Makes sense on the cabinet access for the shutoff. I didn't notice that.
Also......I have an indirect lighting switch next to the salon door. Where are these??? Mine does not turn anything on or off that I've seen, and haven't found any indirect lighting in the salon??
 

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That switch is for the light on the galley stair riser. It's a three way switch. The second switch is in the companionway next to the master salon door.
 

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