2000 460 Sundancer

45Gunner

Active Member
Sep 22, 2019
191
Boynton Beach, FL
Boat Info
2000 460 Sundancer. Garmin 8612 XSV, GHC 20 Autopilot, GMI 20, 215 VHF, GC 12, Fantom Radar.
Engines
Twin 450 Diamond Series 6CTA 8.3M Cummins.
This coming Tuesday is the Survey and Sea Trial of a 2000 460 Sundancer with twin Cummins Diamond Series 6CTA 8.M engines. This boat shows nearly new and has only 750 hours total time. I am concerned about the low usage but I'm told it spent most of its life on a lake in Colorado.

I'm very comfortable with the Surveyor but would like some input from 460 DA owners as to what to watch out for. Any shortcomings you may have found/discovered with your boat that you may want to pass on? What to watch out for? Things to avoid? 8KW Westerbeake generator with 350 hours also very low time. What we do know for sure is that it is due for bottom paint and the cockpit ice maker apparently failed some time back and was never replaced. We will most likely replace it with a refrigerator and I have already lined up a yard to do the bottom paint. We did not "steal" the boat but I think the owner is happy to get what I'm paying and I'm happy to pay it if the survey proves the boat to be in as fine shape as it looks.

When we did our first inspection of the boat we discovered the electric sofas would not retract back into the sofa position from the bed position by themselves. Forum members have told me that it needs a little "help" to retract. Has anyone had the motors for the sofas fail completely?

I'm having the pre-purchase jitters as the broker is different from all the brokers I have used before. He is more like a used car salesman or a snake oil salesman, always in motion, always talking and moving very fast, whereas all the other brokers I had dealt with were low key, mellow guys.

We have looked at not less than 50 boats up and down the east coast and I have researched maybe close to another 1000 boats via Boat Trader, More Boats, and etc.

My wife and I had put a deposit on another boat that looked to be well kept and maintained. The survey discovered a major termite infection which resulted in structural damage. We walked away from that boat. We were dejected and disappointed yet happy and elated that we had a good surveyor. (I would have liked to used that same surveyor but he was not available on the day everyone else was.) We are trying not to get excited about this beautiful boat until after a successful survey. The suspense is making us crazy. Any and all input is appreciated.
 
I would say your doing all the right things. The survey will tell you most of what you are worried about.

As for hidden things that a 460 has. I cant think of any. Like anything you look at if it is in good cosmetic order and then I would wait for the survey to tell you the rest.

I would recommend you spend the day looking at all the post under the
460 DA Owners Thread
that will give you a really good idea of what us 460 owners have had to replace, repair or upgrade. This is what i did when I purchased my 460 and I learned a whole lot about the 460 model by just reading what owners had to say.

If you do move forward on the purchase I would budget for Both engines, drives, gen to be serviced oil, filters, fuel, impellers and coolant I also would go ahead and bite the bullet and do the 1000 hr service while the boat is out of the water. Do you know if the 500 hr service was done? That way you will know everything is fresh and new to you.

If the boat was on a lake in Colorado it most likely was sold by Sundance Marine in Grand Junction CO. This dealer is a great dealer and service center and they can most likely give you most of the history on the boat if you call and ask them.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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Start the survey at the side vents. Also start reading Tony Athens articles about care and feeding of the 6CTA's - that's time well-spent.
 
I think if you read the owners forum above you will know more then you care to know about the 460. It’s a great boat but I’m always voice of reason. Understand the boat is 20 years old and hours on a diesel really don’t tell you much. You most likely need all new hoses, clamps, aftercoolers, bilge pumps, air conditioners and other typical things of a not oft used 20yr old boat; like toilet rebuilds and electronics. The sofa is no big deal at all but the boat definitely has some level of deferred maintenance and you can only kick the can so far before it just has to be done.

if you want to talk on the phone shoot me a pm and let’s talk about any specifics and I can be available during your survey so you have an honest opinion on your side.

There are 4 big deals on the 460. Engines, generator, and cored hull structure. Make sure the engines reach wot rpm of 2650 and the generator functions as it should. Then make sure you 100% trust your surveyors opinion on hull moisture.

Wish you the best on a faboulous purchase and welcome to our corner of the world!

josh
 
As Josh, Roller and J C point out, trust your surveyor to do the job. The hull is a 2000 model so it will have balsa core in the hullsides. Moisture level readings should be taken with particular attention to the areas below the engine vents and the ports. Stanchion deck mounts sometimes. It's not uncommon to get a bit higher reading at the stem just under the bow pulpit. Also have a good look at the cleanliness of the bilge, the thru-hull areas and that will probably tell you the care it has (or hasn't) been given.
Also go into the mid cabin and power the couch forward in the upright position. Check for a floor hatch behind the port side of the sofa. Your overflow bilge is in there. Expect to see a bit of crud but not a lot.
Good luck and I hope it works out well for you. You have some knowledgeable owners and others on the 460 forum.
 
I would say your doing all the right things. The survey will tell you most of what you are worried about.

As for hidden things that a 460 has. I cant think of any. Like anything you look at if it is in good cosmetic order and then I would wait for the survey to tell you the rest.

I would recommend you spend the day looking at all the post under the
460 DA Owners Thread
that will give you a really good idea of what us 460 owners have had to replace, repair or upgrade. This is what i did when I purchased my 460 and I learned a whole lot about the 460 model by just reading what owners had to say.

If you do move forward on the purchase I would budget for Both engines, drives, gen to be serviced oil, filters, fuel, impellers and coolant I also would go ahead and bite the bullet and do the 1000 hr service while the boat is out of the water. Do you know if the 500 hr service was done? That way you will know everything is fresh and new to you.

If the boat was on a lake in Colorado it most likely was sold by Sundance Marine in Grand Junction CO. This dealer is a great dealer and service center and they can most likely give you most of the history on the boat if you call and ask them.

Good luck and keep us posted.
Thanks. Very helpful.
 
Appreciate all the comments. Indeed, all good advice. The meticulous cleanliness of the boat is what attracted me. Even the engine room is amazingly clean. I would like to think that an owner that was this concerned about cosmetic appearance was also as meticulous with the care of his engines. We will find out on Tuesday. Thanks everyone for the responses.
 

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