40 sedan bridge forum

That does look great, thanks! He put a lot of work into making that look pro. My thoughts on the benefits of a hardtop were initially to reduce the amount of canvas that needs to be replaced every 5-7 years. Some thoughts about the possibility of putting in a sunroof, overhead displays/electronics, and dome lights got my mind moving. Probably better thermal capacities as well. But it is a significant undertaking to build and probably cost prohibitive to buy/have built. Any other benefits of the hard top that would make this more motivating?
When I was considering building one it was to customize the shape and design of the bridge enclosure to make it look less of an odd appendage. I was going to go with hardened windows and avoid the flexible glass windows. I figured if I ever did do it I would be destined to own it for the rest of my boating life and I decided I still want to move up in side of five years so not enough time to amortize the build.
You hit all of the benefits of a hard top
As far as I can tell. If you own and use the boat enough it’s probably worth it but it would need to last two canvas/glass lifetimes to pay for itself.
 
My wife would like to have a hydraulic swim platform, so here we go.... Did anybody out there replace the stationary swim platform with a hydraulic swim platform?

Mine came with the old school TNT, with telescoping aluminum tubes powered by 3 hydraulic cylinders per side. Its a chore to keep up (literally...). But its tough to beat the convenience of launching the PWC or just lowering it to chill and swim. Its a big platform too.

TNT does offer a much more logical design these days that was in the $16k range using the existing platform. I bet there are some other options out there as well. Its a pretty simple concept.

I've run with the PWC on the platform and on the bow. Its under 500lb. For long trips I do like it on the bow as intuition suggests putting weight up front may be better - and I worry about stressing the old platform if it gets rough (TNT warns to tow the craft if seas are rough). The boat planes and cruises close to normal with it on the platform and frankly I struggle to tell which is better - but you do notice it.
 

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Mine came with the old school TNT, with telescoping aluminum tubes powered by 3 hydraulic cylinders per side. Its a chore to keep up (literally...). But its tough to beat the convenience of launching the PWC or just lowering it to chill and swim. Its a big platform too.

TNT does offer a much more logical design these days that was in the $16k range using the existing platform. I bet there are some other options out there as well. Its a pretty simple concept.

I've run with the PWC on the platform and on the bow. Its under 500lb. For long trips I do like it on the bow as intuition suggests putting weight up front may be better - and I worry about stressing the old platform if it gets rough (TNT warns to tow the craft if seas are rough). The boat planes and cruises close to normal with it on the platform and frankly I struggle to tell which is better - but you do notice it.
How do you get a 500 pound pwc on the bow?
 
Did any of you guys ship over the road when you bought your DB? They're pretty scarce in our area, so I have to widen the search. Bringing up on her own bottom would be preferred, but even that limits our options. I can't necessarily take a week or more to make a run back home.

I understand the bridge comes down, prop and rudder maybe off, windshield? Seems like a hassle waiting to happen on the other side especially with the marina talent around here.
I did. It's not quite as bad as you might think. I had to do a lot of the work myself but am willing to give tips. With a good trailer, the props, rudders and shafts all stayed on. Everything below the upper fiberglass comes off. Windscreen and down including the helm. Most of it is plugs and is easily reconnected. The rest is all bolts and a buttload of caulking.


-Andy
 
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Hi all,
Does anyone have a SR 40db cockpit bench seat for sale?
 
One of the things identified in my survey in April was a horn that didn’t work. So that was today’s project. Armed with this thread (and another one I found on CSR ... thanks, Bill!) I dove in, thinking it would be a quick one. Bwahahaha!

Short version: it took about 5 hours to remove the horns from the boat. And this is a 2003, where they are near the anchor locker. Seems two of the four screws holding the starboard into the hull were not giving up. After fighting with them and stripping them, I tried the screw extractor. That sort of worked on one. That, and pliers. Slow process. The other one (and, of course, the one hardest to reach - tucked under the deck far back toward the back of the horns) wouldn’t budge. And couldn’t get any plier or anything on it (Note to self: add several sizes of vice grips to the boat tool kit). I got it about 1/4” out, where it would move no more. Ultimately, by pulling on the starboard, I bent the screw and pulled it through and got the horns off. Since the screw was bent, I was then able to get pliers on it. It snapped off, so I’ll need a new hole when reinstalling. I think they were installed with something like 4200.

Anyway, here’s the assembly, removed from the boat. I post this so anyone reading can see what they are looking for when taking their horns off:
F752B810-2411-426C-88C3-BC5B69F81CC6.jpeg


Taking the horns off the angle brackets, I disassembled them to clean them. I think I found the reason they weren’t working. Salt.

84306EAD-6686-4698-B92D-5A982480F76F.jpeg


Got them all cleaned up. Now they are air drying. I’ll try to install them this week.

8993C8DE-B85C-45F0-AFCE-FFB0EC073ABE.jpeg


The compressor runs when I hit the horn button on the helm and air comes out the two hoses at the horns. So I’m optimistic this will fix them. But if they sound like the horns on my Dancer, I’m replacing them!
 
One of the things identified in my survey in April was a horn that didn’t work. So that was today’s project. Armed with this thread (and another one I found on CSR ... thanks, Bill!) I dove in, thinking it would be a quick one. Bwahahaha!

Short version: it took about 5 hours to remove the horns from the boat. And this is a 2003, where they are near the anchor locker. Seems two of the four screws holding the starboard into the hull were not giving up. After fighting with them and stripping them, I tried the screw extractor. That sort of worked on one. That, and pliers. Slow process. The other one (and, of course, the one hardest to reach - tucked under the deck far back toward the back of the horns) wouldn’t budge. And couldn’t get any plier or anything on it (Note to self: add several sizes of vice grips to the boat tool kit). I got it about 1/4” out, where it would move no more. Ultimately, by pulling on the starboard, I bent the screw and pulled it through and got the horns off. Since the screw was bent, I was then able to get pliers on it. It snapped off, so I’ll need a new hole when reinstalling. I think they were installed with something like 4200.

Anyway, here’s the assembly, removed from the boat. I post this so anyone reading can see what they are looking for when taking their horns off:
View attachment 74255

Taking the horns off the angle brackets, I disassembled them to clean them. I think I found the reason they weren’t working. Salt.

View attachment 74254

Got them all cleaned up. Now they are air drying. I’ll try to install them this week.

View attachment 74256

The compressor runs when I hit the horn button on the helm and air comes out the two hoses at the horns. So I’m optimistic this will fix them. But if they sound like the horns on my Dancer, I’m replacing them!
Looks like the reed is missing/disintegrated. Thin plastic film the diameter of the housing. It's the sound maker. Maybe yours is a different style than mine and I don't know what I am talking about. Wait! I see it in the first salty picture. You should be good to go.
 
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Looks like the reed is missing/disintegrated. Thin plastic film the diameter of the housing. It's the sound maker. Maybe yours is a different style than mine and I don't know what I am talking about. Wait! I see it in the first salty picture. You should be good to go.

Ha ha. Yeah. They are there. They are actually in great shape! They cleaned up well. No yellowing. Not brittle at all.
 
Looks like it’s my turn with a not functioning vacuum flush… My vacuum flush for the starboard toilet doesn’t come on anymore, if I bang on the tank where the pump is mounted to, it comes back on and shuts off when vacuum is reached but when I flush it doesn’t come back on and the same procedure starts all over again…. Any idea what this can be?
 
Looks like it’s my turn with a not functioning vacuum flush… My vacuum flush for the starboard toilet doesn’t come on anymore, if I bang on the tank where the pump is mounted to, it comes back on and shuts off when vacuum is reached but when I flush it doesn’t come back on and the same procedure starts all over again…. Any idea what this can be?

I'm no expert, but when you bang on something and it works, you've unstuck something. Ruling out a clog in the line (because why would that be repetitive?), I'm thinking this is something mechanically stuck. That's either the pump or the pressure switch. If you can bypass the switch (connect power around it) you will see if the pump turns on and off properly. Power off the main relay first, disconnect the switch and then jumper around the switch. When you flip the relay back on, the pump should start. If it does, it's probably the pressure switch. Don't let the pump run too long if you test it this way, as it could build too much pressure and over-pressurize the system, potentially harming a component (tank, hose, fitting) in the system. You'll know right away if the pump starts, however.
 
I'm no expert, but when you bang on something and it works, you've unstuck something. Ruling out a clog in the line (because why would that be repetitive?), I'm thinking this is something mechanically stuck. That's either the pump or the pressure switch. If you can bypass the switch (connect power around it) you will see if the pump turns on and off properly. Power off the main relay first, disconnect the switch and then jumper around the switch. When you flip the relay back on, the pump should start. If it does, it's probably the pressure switch. Don't let the pump run too long if you test it this way, as it could build too much pressure and over-pressurize the system, potentially harming a component (tank, hose, fitting) in the system. You'll know right away if the pump starts, however.
Thanks Steve, that's good advice. I'll try it out, not looking forward braking my neck getting to it....
 
We store our dinghy on the bow but I've often worried about not having an emergency exit since the bow hatch is blocked by the dink. Does yours allow emergency egress? (how did you handle this situation)????

Nope. I just don't sleep very well. I've thought about that too as the hatch will only open an inch or two with the PWC on the bow. Not sure of the solution besides removing it at night - which is a bit of hassle. Any ideas?
 
Nope. I just don't sleep very well. I've thought about that too as the hatch will only open an inch or two with the PWC on the bow. Not sure of the solution besides removing it at night - which is a bit of hassle. Any ideas?
couldn't you place the PWC sideways, not in driving direction, behind the hatch? Just wondering, what would be the downside beside it may looks a little odd and the increased wind resistance... or maybe the bow david doesn't allow the location...
 
Thanks Steve, that's good advice. I'll try it out, not looking forward braking my neck getting to it....

Well, yeah. I didn’t mention the effort that would be needed to do this. Hope you’re 5’8” and 155lbs.
 
So... reassembled the “clean” horn elements today and tried blowing into the openings. Figured I’d hear something vibrate. Nope. So I connected it to the air tubes at the bow and went to the helm to test. Standing at the helm, I switched the horn on/off several times. From the helm, I could hear the compressor pumping each time I switched it on. But no horn sounded. As I said previously, I checked and there IS air coming out the tubes at the bow. Enough to vibrate a horn? I don’t know. But there is air blowing, so I’m sort of ruling out an air leak.

So what’s next? Do I try to get a new, stronger compressor? Do I give in and buy an entirely new horn? Open to ideas.


I guess I could take the horn home and try it on my garage compressor. It’s not a big one but it’s A LOT bigger than the one in the TV cabinet. I’m afraid I’d pop the diaphragms or something (if they are any good).
 
So... reassembled the “clean” horn elements today and tried blowing into the openings. Figured I’d hear something vibrate. Nope. So I connected it to the air tubes at the bow and went to the helm to test. Standing at the helm, I switched the horn on/off several times. From the helm, I could hear the compressor pumping each time I switched it on. But no horn sounded. As I said previously, I checked and there IS air coming out the tubes at the bow. Enough to vibrate a horn? I don’t know. But there is air blowing, so I’m sort of ruling out an air leak.

So what’s next? Do I try to get a new, stronger compressor? Do I give in and buy an entirely new horn? Open to ideas.


I guess I could take the horn home and try it on my garage compressor. It’s not a big one but it’s A LOT bigger than the one in the TV cabinet. I’m afraid I’d pop the diaphragms or something (if they are any good).
Mine toot just fine when I just blow hard into the horn itself.
 

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