Official 280 Sundancer Thread

stg099 said:
Just to clarify, I think your setup is working as intended. If I have my nav lights on, my anchor light comes on as well. If i turn on only the anchor light, it will engage by itself. That said, if I have the nav lights on, and try to turn off just the anchor light, it will stay on, as it's meant to be on when the nav lights are on.

The reason for this is that we don't have stand-alone stern navigation lights, so that anchor light serves as both a stern nav light and solo anchor light
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This is correct.
 
has anyone installed the vessel view harness on the 4.3 mpi? does anyone know where the smart craft junction box under the helm is? or where the yellow connector on the engines are? thanks
 
PeteL said:
This is correct.
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I verified last night it was indeed operator error. The nav and anchor lights work exactly as designed. Lesson to self, wait a couple seconds before you waste everyone's time with stupid questions.

New subject. I recently installed a new VHF radio so if anyone is interested in the original Ray Marine VHF radio it's yours for the taking. I live in the DC area BTW.
 
Instrument lighting: First time we've run our boat at dusk - is there a way to turn the lighting on/off and different levels?

Yes I did read the manual but the only thing I could find was in the calibration section where it talked about 'remote LCD lighting':

"If yes is selected, then lighting levels made on this SC1000 tach will effect any other SC1000 tach in the system. NOTE: All tachs will need to have this screen turned to “Yes” for this function to work".

There has to be an easier way than going into the calibration screen
 
I have now had my 03 280 for a few months. Love the boat, and the amenities we did not have on the Sundeck. My question or observation is when we have a few guests on board, the boat is slow to get on plane (they are usually aft), and wallows at 3000 rpm...if I send two or three people down below and forward, it hops on plane. I think that is normal. The other observation is the boat likes to go 30 mph....if I try to slow down a bit, it seems to come off plane. I have managed once to cruise at around 25 mph, but really had to pay attention to keep on plane. So is all of this normal and I just need to fine tune my technique? Have been very sparing in the use of tabs/trim. Maybe I need to be more aggressive?
 
PeteL said:
I have now had my 03 280 for a few months. Love the boat, and the amenities we did not have on the Sundeck. My question or observation is when we have a few guests on board, the boat is slow to get on plane (they are usually aft), and wallows at 3000 rpm...if I send two or three people down below and forward, it hops on plane. I think that is normal. The other observation is the boat likes to go 30 mph....if I try to slow down a bit, it seems to come off plane. I have managed once to cruise at around 25 mph, but really had to pay attention to keep on plane. So is all of this normal and I just need to fine tune my technique? Have been very sparing in the use of tabs/trim. Maybe I need to be more aggressive?
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Definitely use your drive trim and tabs. They are tools - use 'em! :) Always start off with the drive trim all the way down. If you have more weight in the boat, bury the tabs as well. HUGE difference. It's just something you'll need to get used to owning this style of boat. With the V8's and B3's - that boat is actually pretty darn quick. Once up on plane, trim the drives a bit, but still use your tabs - you'll be able to stay on plane at a lower speed.
 
Thanks I will try that this weekend. Appreciate the reply.
 
PeteL said:
I have now had my 03 280 for a few months. Love the boat, and the amenities we did not have on the Sundeck. My question or observation is when we have a few guests on board, the boat is slow to get on plane (they are usually aft), and wallows at 3000 rpm...if I send two or three people down below and forward, it hops on plane. I think that is normal. The other observation is the boat likes to go 30 mph....if I try to slow down a bit, it seems to come off plane. I have managed once to cruise at around 25 mph, but really had to pay attention to keep on plane. So is all of this normal and I just need to fine tune my technique? Have been very sparing in the use of tabs/trim. Maybe I need to be more aggressive?
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We have 5.0/B3's as well. Had 6 people on this past weekend 4 sat in the back - it took a minute but got on plane without tabs. I do keep my drive trim down. My boat does like it about 27/3400 rpm in a slight chop 1' to occasionally 2'. Anything below 23-24 mph and it starts to come off plane. anything over the 27-30 mph/ 3400-3500 and I'm just burning up gas.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Definitely use your drive trim and tabs. They are tools - use 'em! :) Always start off with the drive trim all the way down. If you have more weight in the boat, bury the tabs as well. HUGE difference. It's just something you'll need to get used to owning this style of boat. With the V8's and B3's - that boat is actually pretty darn quick. Once up on plane, trim the drives a bit, but still use your tabs - you'll be able to stay on plane at a lower speed.
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Trim out the drives to what level?
 
Captn TJ said:
Trim out the drives to what level?
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Just enough to loosen up the boat so it feels a little smoother. I never go by the dash gauge - the 'ol "seat 'o the pants" meter works every time.

FYI, re: "got on plane without tabs"... there's no reason NOT to use your tabs. They are there for a reason - use 'em! :)
 
Captn TJ said:
Trim out the drives to what level?
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You have to experiment.....at a variety of speeds use drive trim and see what effect you feel. There is no single right place overall....but there is for a specific rpm/speed. An example, when I take off I have the drive trim all the way down, at wide open throttle maximum speed it is trimmed up enough that if I back down to normal cruising speed without trimming back in the boat will start to come off plane because there is so much prop slippage. Once I'm cruising and above little trim tweeks is all it needs. The drive does not really move very much between all the way down and proper trim at WOT. Look at the drives when out of the water, move from all down to about 3 on your gauge, you'll see what I mean.
 
Thanks for all the replies about getting on plane. Had 5 on the boat Saturday, and got on plane easier with the trim tabs and engine trim down. Much better performance.

However, Saturday almost didn't happen. Got to the boat, and initially started the port engine. When I tried to start starboard ... both engines died. Then I had no power to either engine. (No tone, nothing)....called over to the marina staff and they came out. Checked breakers on the engines, and in the engine room. But we could not figure out why I had no power to both engines. Both ignition breakers tripped, and it appeared I reset them, but nothing. Not to be deterred, I worked backwards from the engines. I had power to everything else on the boat. The generator started. I had no reason to believe it was the batteries. I suspected the ignition switches. So I pulled the breaker panel to inspect and clean the breaker contacts and the ignition switches. It honestly did not look bad back there. But I hosed it all down with contact cleaner. As I tried to put the panel back in place, I noticed the starboard ignition breaker would not stay set. It would just flop between set and tripped....hmmm. I also noticed the port breaker reset more firmly after I shot some contact cleaner in there. i was able to start the port engine, but not starboard. If I hit the override, starboard would start, then immediately trip the breaker, and the port breaker would go too. I had the marina staff member hold the starboard breaker in and both engines started and ran normally. A quick trip to West Marine and a new breaker, and we were underway.

New problem I can only start my blower from the generator panel in the salon. The switch at the helm lights up, but will not start the blower. (after I secured the generator I tried to start the blower from the helm). Everything else on the port switch panel seems to work fine. Any clues on this?
 
If if you can start the blower from the generator panel chances are the touch pad is on the way out, common problem on sea rays. That being said ,is that the same panel that controls the tabs,on mine it is. So sometimes they work ,sometimes they don't. Sometimes you hit the button and it will just keep running up and down. Just something to keep in mind.
 
Ovmman said:
If if you can start the blower from the generator panel chances are the touch pad is on the way out, common problem on sea rays. That being said ,is that the same panel that controls the tabs,on mine it is. So sometimes they work ,sometimes they don't. Sometimes you hit the button and it will just keep running up and down. Just something to keep in mind.
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Tabs were working. Will watch the pad. Thanks
 
hey 280 owners, can you sleep 2 adults and 2 kids under the age of 11 comfortably on the boat?
 
jobofly said:
hey 280 owners, can you sleep 2 adults and 2 kids under the age of 11 comfortably on the boat?
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I think you can sleep 4 adults easily if they are all friendly...my kids are 16 and 14, no problems.
 
thanks guys, I have been thinking I need to go bigger to be comfortable staying on the boat for a weekend but the 280 might be the answer
 
att park.jpg

2002 280DA Twin 5.0EFIs, Original owner

First post; please be kind! Lost the OEM anchor, I believe it was a 14lb plough. Thinking about replacing it with a fast set 22lb and am curious if it will fit in the existing OEM anchor chute. The 22lb is 3-4" longer than the 14lb.

The boat is an hour away from the Delta, otherwise I would go out an measure before I purchased the anchor. Has anyone made this modification?

Thanks in advance,

Dan
 
EatonSuites said:
View attachment 59107

2002 280DA Twin 5.0EFIs, Original owner

First post; please be kind! Lost the OEM anchor, I believe it was a 14lb plough. Thinking about replacing it with a fast set 22lb and am curious if it will fit in the existing OEM anchor chute. The 22lb is 3-4" longer than the 14lb.

The boat is an hour away from the Delta, otherwise I would go out an measure before I purchased the anchor. Has anyone made this modification?

Thanks in advance,

Dan
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When I lost my anchor, I replaced it with this one:

http://www.marinepartdepot.com/wibeshau28.html

It is a 22-lb delta style anchor...from what I recall, it was very nearly the same as the OEM and a lot of 280DA owners purchased this anchor which you may be able to search out on this forum. It fits perfectly with no modifications necessary. Oh, and the polished stainless steel still looks great!

Note this was in 2016...it is now listed as out-of-stock, but hopefully they have a current model.
 
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