410 Sundancer/Express Cruiser and 400 Sundancer/Express Cruiser **Official Thread**

I will check the greenwires this week. Are those the ones mounted on the transom?

There is a junction block on the transom where they all get tied together. They come to that block from everything in the bilge. Look at your through hulls, motors, water heater etc. for the other ends of them. Basically, they go to everything metal and/or electrical (12 & 110 volt), everything in the bilge is bonded together, and then it is all also bonded to everything on the 110 side. I believe all of the green wire is 10 gauge. All of those connections should be kept clean and tight.
 
Last edited:
There is a junction block on the transom where they all get tied together. They come to that block from everything in the bilge. Look at your through hulls, motors, water heater etc. for the other ends of them. Basically, they go to everything metal and/or electrical (12 & 110 volt), everything in the bilge is bonded together, and then it is all also bonded to everything on the 110 side. I believe all of the green wire is 10 gauge. All of those connections should be kept clean and tight.
Yup - everything metallic must be bonded together and checked to less than 1 ohm resistance. One bonding wire (usually a 4 gauge) ties to the DC negative buss bar. The AC ground also is tied to the bonding system. And, last but not least is the boat grounding plate (usually called a Dynaplate) must be bonded with a very large wire (like 4 gauge) as that is your VHF reference to earth and the major component of the boat's lightning protection.
 
Hi have a 1000$ question. 2003 410 Sundancer 3126Cats 350hp new to me last year. The most I can get a WOT is 2650rpm @ 29.5mph have props at shop they are dead on 22x23 ( was hoping they were off making it a easy decision ) should I have them made to 22x22 or keep them stock 22x23 ? Or tell “Admiral” less stuff :) Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
When I bought my boat, I had props repitched to 22x22 and got 2825. Close enough for me.

Assuming you have a clean bottom, the engines are running well, clean fuel filters, etc, a good prop guy will know how to tweak your props to get you an additional 200 rpm @ WOT.
 
Yobub. You should have strainers for each engine intake just like you do for your A/C. All I do remove those baskets, and my marina has an acid wash station where we can boil them if they're really bad. Usually I can get them clean with an old toothbrush, some Simple Green, and water. As for the scuppers, I just use whatever I can fit up there to loosen the debris, but remember once you put the boat back in the water they're headed straight towards your strainers again. I even found a live 3" long fish in one of the strainers once. No telling how long it had been in there.

-Tom
The raw water strainer baskets in the bilge are no problem - they are clean. It was the scuppers on the hull that I was trying to get into. I ended up taking a screwdriver and carefully prying out growth. I think it solved the problem for now.

I looked at the interior and didn't see an easy way to pull off the seacocks to get in from the inside. When I looked at pictures online it seemed like the intake had a scupper on the outside with a pipe that passed through the hull, and the seacock would be attached to that pipe (so could be removed), but it looks like the seacock intake pipe is bonded to the hull. There is a small plate there with three phillips head screws, but it has to also be bonded.

I generally don't like messing with things that can sink the boat, so I think I will leave it as is.
 
Hi have a 1000$ question. 2003 410 Sundancer 3126Cats 350hp new to me last year. The most I can get a WOT is 2650rpm @ 29.5mph have props at shop they are dead on 22x23 ( was hoping they were off making it a easy decision ) should I have them made to 22x22 or keep them stock 22x23 ? Or tell “Admiral” less stuff :) Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Make sure the tachs are accurate before you go crazy. Get someone in the bilge to check them against a digital tach while you run the boat. I need to do that too, but seriously considering new Aetna digital tachs instead.
 
Make sure the tachs are accurate before you go crazy. Get someone in the bilge to check them against a digital tach while you run the boat. I need to do that too, but seriously considering new Aetna digital tachs instead.
Thanks for your advice I don’t have Aetna’s but should have done this first I guess to get a true reading. The props are at Henry Smiths in Algonca Mi already I must call Bill tomorrow and tell him to leave them at 23 or change to 22 which would get me to 2800 assuming the tacs are good.
 
I'm getting ready to install a new VHF and new Chartplotter on my 400DA, and so I'm cutting a new Tecnografics dash panel. Right now my Bennett trim tab indicators are surface mount on the right hand side of the dash panel, in these little boxes.
Current Dash.jpg


I'm questioning whether that is the best positioning, and wondering where other people with this same layout have their trim tab indicators. I will be installing (left to right) the Garmin 742SX, RayMarine ST8001 Autopilot Display, and Standard Horizon GX2200 VHF. If I moved the trim tab indicators off of that panel it would free up room for me to add a Raymarine Tridata, which would be nice to easily see depth.

future dash.jpg


I've looked at a few pictures of this model, and it doesn't seem like anyone else has them in the same place.

I'm curious where you all have yours.
 
I'm getting ready to install a new VHF and new Chartplotter on my 400DA, and so I'm cutting a new Tecnografics dash panel. Right now my Bennett trim tab indicators are surface mount on the right hand side of the dash panel, in these little boxes.
View attachment 66608

I'm questioning whether that is the best positioning, and wondering where other people with this same layout have their trim tab indicators. I will be installing (left to right) the Garmin 742SX, RayMarine ST8001 Autopilot Display, and Standard Horizon GX2200 VHF. If I moved the trim tab indicators off of that panel it would free up room for me to add a Raymarine Tridata, which would be nice to easily see depth.

View attachment 66607

I've looked at a few pictures of this model, and it doesn't seem like anyone else has them in the same place.

I'm curious where you all have yours.
mine are not in the panel. I have both mounted below the panel to left of helm. Also mine do not have position indicator which I could really use.
 
.......o I'm cutting a new Tecnografics dash panel. Right now my Bennett trim tab indicators are surface mount on the right hand side of the dash panel, in these little boxes.
If I moved the trim tab indicators off of that panel it would free up room for me to add a Raymarine Tridata, which would be nice to easily see depth.

I don't have indicators on my vessel but like mtnandy said, I would put them below the panel and to the left or right of the wheel... Also, when I replaced my instrument panel, I did it in starboard. Since I pulled out all the old stuff and didn't need anything installed... I rest Ipads on it. My radio is mounted on Stbd wall, the Tridata is hidden and feeding data to both chart plotters, and the autopilot is remote below the steering wheel.
 
I'm getting ready to install a new VHF and new Chartplotter on my 400DA, and so I'm cutting a new Tecnografics dash panel. Right now my Bennett trim tab indicators are surface mount on the right hand side of the dash panel, in these little boxes.
View attachment 66608

I'm questioning whether that is the best positioning, and wondering where other people with this same layout have their trim tab indicators. I will be installing (left to right) the Garmin 742SX, RayMarine ST8001 Autopilot Display, and Standard Horizon GX2200 VHF. If I moved the trim tab indicators off of that panel it would free up room for me to add a Raymarine Tridata, which would be nice to easily see depth.

View attachment 66607

I've looked at a few pictures of this model, and it doesn't seem like anyone else has them in the same place.

I'm curious where you all have yours.

I'm in the midst of rearranging my helm. Below is a picture of my current setup. This month I'll be moving the autopilot all the way left, remove the course computer (the item on the far left now), putting 2 7" plotters in the center and leaving the VHF in it's current spot.

If I didn't mind a lack of symmetry and I didn't already have holes in my glass I'd consider doing something else with my VHF. Having the cord hanging over the throttles does drive me a little crazy sometimes. I suppose an easier solution to that would be to buy a "way overpriced" VHF with the option for a remote mic hookup :)

EDIT: And on trim indicators, I'd put them far left in the picture with your fingers. You need to balance the VHF :)

31665556928_b14280b248_c.jpg
 
EDIT: And on trim indicators, I'd put them far left in the picture with your fingers. You need to balance the VHF :)

My concern with leaving the trim tab indicators in the electronics panel is that the panel will ultimately be too thin between devices and crack if I don't leave some space. The devices will all fit, but in some spots I'll have less than a 1/2" of material thickness horizontally, and it doesn't see like that would support the weight of the chartplotter.
 
BTW - 100% agree with you on the VHF mic cable. My current VHF has the mic mounted remotely by my right knee, which is really nice. I looked, and I'd have to jump up about $300 to get a unit that let me do that again. Not worth it.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,946
Messages
1,422,757
Members
60,929
Latest member
Henchman
Back
Top