420/44 DB Owners Club

Jeff Carrick said:
Not sure how to jump right in so here it goes. I know this is off topic from the previous posts, however my 06 44 Sedan Bridge is listing at the dock about four inches to the starboard side. Not sure why. I just brought it to its home marina, about ten miles from where I purchased it and Water was also making its way up the starboard cockpit engine hatch drain hole. I’m thinking the two issues are related? Saw some posts from several years ago and several owners had the issue but there was no conclusion. Thoughts?
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I too have a slight list but noticed that loading and water tanks help to balance it out. We also mount our rib with the motor to port. I’ve instructed the admiral to load the bulk of our crap (provisions) to port as well. As for the water coming in through the day hatch drain
, it occurs in rough seas as water rushes in through the drain. You can fix this by installing check valves. There is also a thread regarding water getting trapped in the center hollow portion of the bilge. Don’t think this would cause a list though.
 
Sold my 340 DA last week and just had a survey done on a 2004 420. What a boat! If all goes well ill be bringing it home this weekend. I got a lot of pointers from reading through this thread......thanks!
 
BEH said:
Very interested in following this thread.
I’ve been watching the listings on Yacht World but with the border closed can not do anything else.
Was yours listed on Yacht World?
Good luck with your boat.
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It is listing as in leaning to the starboard side
 
Irie308 said:
I too have a slight list but noticed that loading and water tanks help to balance it out. We also mount our rib with the motor to port. I’ve instructed the admiral to load the bulk of our crap (provisions) to port as well. As for the water coming in through the day hatch drain
, it occurs in rough seas as water rushes in through the drain. You can fix this by installing check valves. There is also a thread regarding water getting trapped in the center hollow portion of the bilge. Don’t think this would cause a list though.
Click to expand...
I filled the fresh water today(and it was pretty empty) but there was no noticeable change. It’s a difference of about 4 inches. Haven’t loaded anything yet as she just came home Saturday.
 

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BEH said:
I understand that.
What I ment was I watch the 44DBs advertised in Yacht World.
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Oh. My bad. We used a broker here in Fort Lauderdale that made the process very easy. I can shed his number if you like.
 
Jeff Carrick said:
I filled the fresh water today(and it was pretty empty) but there was no noticeable change. It’s a difference of about 4 inches. Haven’t loaded anything yet as she just came home Saturday.
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The 44DBs are notorious for stringers full of water in them. The stringers are hollow with no wood, so it really doesn’t hurt anything, but it is very annoying. I have some drawings that SR sent me over the past few years as I chased water in the stringers. The female FW fittings and clamps are notorious for dripping/leaking. The clamps are brass and over time they loosen up and leak. I wound up replacing 85% of them through out the boat. I cut a 6” inspection hole in the stringer in front of the washer and removed probably 20 gallons of FW. Found the shower mixing valve in the Master head was dripping and had been for a while. PM me your email address and I will send you the drawings from SR.

Bennett
 
hwyltg said:
Sold my 340 DA last week and just had a survey done on a 2004 420. What a boat! If all goes well ill be bringing it home this weekend. I got a lot of pointers from reading through this thread......thanks!
Click to expand...
hwyltg,
Hope your survey goes well! We just bought our 2004 420 in June and have loved it. Great boat, great forum.
BJ
 
bbwhitejr said:
The 44DBs are notorious for stringers full of water in them. The stringers are hollow with no wood, so it really doesn’t hurt anything, but it is very annoying. I have some drawings that SR sent me over the past few years as I chased water in the stringers. The female FW fittings and clamps are notorious for dripping/leaking. The clamps are brass and over time they loosen up and leak. I wound up replacing 85% of them through out the boat. I cut a 6” inspection hole in the stringer in front of the washer and removed probably 20 gallons of FW. Found the shower mixing valve in the Master head was dripping and had been for a while. PM me your email address and I will send you the drawings from SR.

Bennett
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How do I pm?
 

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Jeff Carrick said:
I filled the fresh water today(and it was pretty empty) but there was no noticeable change. It’s a difference of about 4 inches. Haven’t loaded anything yet as she just came home Saturday.
Click to expand...

Tim posted this while ago (post #468):
"The 44DB has a known list to starboard. On my former boat ('07 44DB) it was "cured" by SR by adding 400 pounds of lead in under the outboard single berth..."
 
Jeff Carrick said:
Not sure how to jump right in so here it goes. I know this is off topic from the previous posts, however my 06 44 Sedan Bridge is listing at the dock about four inches to the starboard side. Not sure why. I just brought it to its home marina, about ten miles from where I purchased it and Water was also making its way up the starboard cockpit engine hatch drain hole. I’m thinking the two issues are related? Saw some posts from several years ago and several owners had the issue but there was no conclusion. Thoughts?[/QUOT
Mine and every one I've ever seen lists slightly to starboard no matter how its loaded some slightly more than others.
Ive learned to not stress about it. Not sure what to make of the water coming up the hatch drain??
BTW where do you hail from? Not posted in your info.
Carpe Diem.
Click to expand...
 
Alex F said:
Tim posted this while ago (post #468):
"The 44DB has a known list to starboard. On my former boat ('07 44DB) it was "cured" by SR by adding 400 pounds of lead in under the outboard single berth..."
Click to expand...
Do you think that adding an additional freshwater tank and tying into the existing fill would be an alternative? At least the weight could be used for extended cruising?
 
Jeff Carrick said:
Do you think that adding an additional freshwater tank and tying into the existing fill would be an alternative? At least the weight could be used for extended cruising?
Click to expand...

I would definitely add something useful instead of just a "dead weight". The "something" is the tricky part, which is different depending on how the boat is being used. Those that do extensive cruising I'd consider custom build water tank, additional HWH, additional holding tank. You can also consider relocating bow thruster batteries to the PORT side. The issue of course is that you have limited space on the PORT side to add big items.

There are lots of options, just think of what makes most sense for you. Since you're new to the boat, my advice is to don't rush into conclusions. Use the boat, get to know it. Then think of how to address it. This is not a big deal in regards to overall boat's behavior. As an interim solution, switch your genny fuel feed to use STBD side. In case you don't know feed and return should be on the same STDB side. As you use the fuel it'll start leveling pretty quick, assuming you're using your gen often.
 
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Jeff Carrick said:
Do you think that adding an additional freshwater tank and tying into the existing fill would be an alternative? At least the weight could be used for extended cruising?
Click to expand...
I try to carry more fuel in my port fuel tank than starboard by feeding the genny from the starboard tank and having the bypass fuel go into the port tank. And visa versa when if it starts listing to port.

If I’m carrying full fuel (or if I’m not), I try to store at least 5 “reserve” cases of Corona beer (bottles) on board stowed under, in and around the port cabin until I reach my destination - That’s good for about 180lbs.
 
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bbwhitejr said:
The 44DBs are notorious for stringers full of water in them. The stringers are hollow with no wood, so it really doesn’t hurt anything, but it is very annoying. I have some drawings that SR sent me over the past few years as I chased water in the stringers. The female FW fittings and clamps are notorious for dripping/leaking. The clamps are brass and over time they loosen up and leak. I wound up replacing 85% of them through out the boat. I cut a 6” inspection hole in the stringer in front of the washer and removed probably 20 gallons of FW. Found the shower mixing valve in the Master head was dripping and had been for a while. PM me your email address and I will send you the drawings from SR.

Bennett
Click to expand...
I don't believe the "stringers" are hollow. Maybe a semantics thing. Stringers are the longitudinal beams (typically wood) that are encased in fiberglass. The captive cavities alongside the stringers in the 420s/44s are hollow in places. There also seems to be very small channels at the base of the stringers where they meet the hull that are formed when they are glassed-in. Small amounts of water is able to sneak into these channels and slowly weep out over time in various locations.

It seems these channels are also how water is able to get into the cavities alongside the stringers in the first place. This is an ongoing investigation for me and I am slowly eliminating all water from the engine bilges.

Water, from showers, leaking fittings, or otherwise, should not be in these encased areas. As an owner, I am not ashamed to say this is a deficiency in both design and construction, although not uncommon across many boat manufacturers. It can be mitigated, however, for the most part.

Regardless, none of this would involve a sufficient amount of water to cause a list, I don't think.

Strangely, I don't seem to have a list to starboard. The boat is basically as manufactured, with the exception I added two group 31 batteries to the port side. Not enough to correct a list if it existed...
 
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