300 Sundancer questions.

Hello all! Just picked up a 2002 300, other than some mechanical maintenance needed, she's like new and I got her for a steal. Many years boating on various types of family "day boats", but this is my first and biggest. I'm enjoying the hell out of her and our first weekend on the boat was like a dream. Waking up in our slip was an experience! Not to mention the manuevrability of twin engines, in loving it. I've come from a few whalers and am very pleased to see that Sea Ray certainly lived up to my expectations in a more premium vessel. For a 15 year old boat, she certainly impresses.

At this point, I've only come up with one question. I've tried searching and searching and can't find my answer. How the heck does one remove the back panel "bulge" to the helm that is in the cabin to the starboard side of the hatch entrance? And will this area support a tv? I've seen it done but I make long runs on the Chesapeake in less than ideal conditions and am not too eager to crack any fiberglass, visible/structural or not. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'd like to get back there regardless of the ability to mount a tv in that location "safely". TIA.
 
I am missing one of the two outside cockpit tables that turns the back seating of our new to us 300 into a sun pad. I have the pad. Anyone happen to have a table they would be interested in parting with??
 
[QUOTE="RiverGalsMan, post:

Running... 46 MPH will all our stuff on board. We would cruise at around 3700 RPM, getting 1.2 MPG, doing 30-33 MPH (depending on tide and wind.) You're going to love the performance of this boat. The one thing I didn't like initially was that she really ran bow-high. I switched to all chain for the anchor and it fixed that right up. I never used tabs other than to adjust for passenger weight. I did try to tweak the performance with the tabs, but she would always feel best with no tabs and the drives tucked in. Again, you'll love the performance. :thumbsup:[/QUOTE]

when you went to all chain what was the total length you ended up with. what yr was your boat and motor set up
 
Hello - New to Club Sea ray - currently own a 270 Dancer However currently shopping for a 300 Dancer. Heading to Atlanta this weekend to look at our third option. Any advice as to what I should be checking to make sure it is a good boat????
 
You might get more targeted suggestions if you provide more info on what your looking at, like the year, power, drives, or shafts, etc.

For starters- the usual stuff that comes to mind... Look for soft spots on the deck, especially near the base of the windshield frame, windless, and hatch’s, inspect the stringers, and the transom too.

Look at all the canvas closely it doesn't last for ever, and it’s expensive to replace it, so you want to make sure you have a few seasons of use out of what's coming with the boat, otherwise, I would factor that into the purchase price.

Make sure the oil looks and smells good, and look under the oil cap too, make sure noting looks milky, like it’s been mixed with water. Make sure the things aren't very rusty, pulleys, ect. Make sure there’s no signed of water damage near the fresh water tank, usually in the rear cabin area, and water stains on the carpet in the rear cabin/mid birth.

I would suggest going to the helm and checking every switch and every button to see what works and what dosent work, then do the same in the cabin, start at the breaker panel, and go through each and every system. That’s usually an easy was to build a list of what’s working and what isn’t. Test the air conditioner and hot water heater, and not just for a minute or two, same with the genny, if it has one.

Finally, if you like what you’ve seen, get a good survey done.

Good luck.
 
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What suss1173 said
Plus ask for Previous service records, do a search on hull number for any accidents etc. If bravo 3 check the normal out drive stuff bellows, bearings , shift cables, Corroision etc. hire a surveyor that also performs engine diagnostics and compression test.
Motors and out drives are the big money if the boat is sound. Good luck

Sea ray sam 27 said:
Hello - New to Club Sea ray - currently own a 270 Dancer However currently shopping for a 300 Dancer. Heading to Atlanta this weekend to look at our third option. Any advice as to what I should be checking to make sure it is a good boat????
Click to expand...

Service records
 
Capt.G said:
What suss1173 said
Plus ask for Previous service records, do a search on hull number for any accidents etc. If bravo 3 check the normal out drive stuff bellows, bearings , shift cables, Corroision etc. hire a surveyor that also performs engine diagnostics and compression test.
Motors and out drives are the big money if the boat is sound. Good luck



Service records
Click to expand...
Thank you for the input - Looking at a 2006 with twin Mercruiser 350, bravo outdrives. they state professionally maintained, 2 new water pumps, outdrives cleaned and serviced, generator new impeller, new bilge heater installed 2017
 
How many hrs? It should be easy for them to show the records then. Manifolds and risers every changed? Mine is 2005 with 289hrs. And was running on hot side. This is were the surveyor comes in play. Engine surveyor can plug into and see the rpm the motors ran and hrs. At that rpm.
It was well worth it for me to use one
 
Sea ray sam 27 said:
Looking at a 2006 with twin Mercruiser 350, bravo outdrives. they state professionally maintained, 2 new water pumps, outdrives cleaned and serviced, generator new impeller, new bilge heater installed 2017
Click to expand...
In addition to what has been mentioned above regarding surveyors. I had to replace both cone clutches in my B3's at around the 500 hr. mark. It is difficult to check them without disassembly. My early symptoms prior to them failing was while at dock approach speed, shifting from forward to reverse there was a 3 to 4 second delay before the clutch engaged, if it engaged at all. When shifting from N to F or F to N then to R, if there is a hesitation, and a sudden "bang" when it engages, it is time to replace the clutches. I recall the cost to be + - $1500 / drive from a certified Mercruiser tech.

Good luck with the surveys, the 300DA with the 350 mags is a sporty boat. I've had mine since new, I still like it better than anything available today.
 
Well - we went to Atlanta and looked. It was disappointing. Way to many items to fix for the price of the boat. We are still on the search - not sure the guy was to excited to sell it or it had major issues. He forgot the keys so he could not start the boat - can we say - red flag!!!!
 
Sea ray sam 27 said:
Well - we went to Atlanta and looked. It was disappointing. Way to many items to fix for the price of the boat. We are still on the search - not sure the guy was to excited to sell it or it had major issues. He forgot the keys so he could not start the boat - can we say - red flag!!!!
Click to expand...
“forgot the keys” after traveling to go see it? I would’ve had to been restrained.
 
bajturner said:
I had this problem a couple times. The carpet in the lower cabinet on the starboard side of the mid-cabin also would get wet. I noticed it happened primarily when I did a thorough cleaning of the cockpit and helm floor with a hose.

The problem was with water getting through the screw holes from the L-brackets used to secure the helm seat / cabinet unit to the floor. I removed them all and properly sealed them...never had another issue.

In the process of finding this, I also noticed another possible problem area. Water can possible gather on the sill below the head portal and then make its way down the gunwale. This could happen during a shower, or if the portal was left open and it rained. I used clear silicone to seal the interface between the sill and the wall. This could result in water collecting in the bulkhead beside the water tank.

Hope this helps!
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Hi there, I noticed I really never came back with a proper update. So, all is good now. No water inside after the securing as per above in my post earlier.

Cheers, The Finn
 
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