260 Sundancer Thread.........Comments questions and answers

Welcome Otter007! I know you'll love this boat. Can't talk to 496 as I have 350 and I don't have a radar...BUT I know lots about the 'lean' you bring up. I read Dave S's post on this thread (see link below too), though only after I went out a few times and really wanted to give up on her altogether trying to right the lean. Follow his guidance on how to bring the boat to plane and then cruising...after that, just practice, practice, practice.

There is a wealth of information here on this model and I recommend searching this forum before posting questions as 9 times out of 10 the answers will be here already;) I've read the entire thread a couple of times....

http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/21656-HELP!!!!-2007-Sea-Ray-sundancer-260?highlight=celery
 
Otter007 said:
I am a newbie to this forum so be gentle. I just purchased a 2005 260 DA and have a few questions for you veterans. My boat has the 496 engine and I am wondering about pros and cons to this engine. I understand that this boat has a tippy sensation and is quite sensitive to the trim tab adjustments - any pointers or suggestions? Also, this boat has the JRC 1800 radar chartplotter system. I was using a Lowrance HDS7 2nd Gen in my previous in my previous boat and have never had radar. What do I need to know and what will I be missing between the two?

Thanks in advance
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Congrats on the new boat, you're gonna love her. The 260 is an awesome boat that I got much enjoyment out of. With the 496 you're going to go like a bat out of hell. I had the 350 Mag and she was quite quick to plane and cruised right around 28~30 MPH (conditions dependent). You should enjoy much quicker plane and and a higher top end with the 496. The likely down side is the increased fuel consumption, but still much better than the ~40ghp that I suffer through!

The tippy sensation isn't really that big of a deal IMHO. Once you figure your boat and the use of the tabs you'll be fine. There is an excellent write up in this thread somewhere that discuss this in much more detail. I'd suggest that you take the time over the next few weeks (or whatever) to go from page 1. You'll gain 10 years of ownership knowledge in just a few days. It truly is a wealth of information... take notes on things for later on that are of importance, in this thread there are many.

Can't really help on the radar since I don't have any familariaty with either of the two systems.

Enjoy!
 
Welcome Otter007. I have never been on a 260 with the 8.1, but have only heard good things about it. What you give up in gas money, you will more than recoup in performance. As I am sure you have, I had heard all of the leaning and bow steering issues with the 260 before I bought mine. In fact, during my sea trial, my surveyor asked the PO to go to WOT. It was obvious that the PO was somewhat scared to do this, but he did. As the RPMs and speed ramped up, all of a sudden, the bow "dug in" and the boat swerved to one side. It was severe enough to throw you down had you not been sitting. I bought the boat and from the first time operating myself, never experienced this. As the boat starts to come up on plane, I start trimming the OD. Get the bow out of the water and the problem is non-existent. As for the tabs, I have used mine rarely. Once when I had 8 people in the boat I took off with them all of the way down and it really did help to get on plane and one another time when I had a hard wind pushing against the startboard side.

i have also done a U-turn at WOT and she will lean way over, but not to where it bothered me. My wife got a little excited for a moment, but even she realized what was going on and we were all good.

As is stated above, read the Dave S. posts. I have read and re-read his thoughts and they are well worth it. As far as the radar goes, I neither have any experience there. You will love the boat-we do.

Bennett
 
Mine has a 496HO. The larger engine will give you a couple of extra MPH, but seeing 36+ GPH on the Smartcraft gauge will make you want to slow down a little for sure. The #1 advantage to having the 8.1 is that you can put as many people on the deck as you can fit, and she'll still get up on plane with ease.

bbwhitejr said:
i have also done a U-turn at WOT and she will lean way over, but not to where it bothered me. My wife got a little excited for a moment, but even she realized what was going on and we were all good.
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That was the biggest lesson that I had to learn. Regardless of how it might feel to you, the 260 knows how it needs to ride. Every now and again it will do something that I think I might need to correct for, but I just fight off the desire to do so and let the boat ride the way it wants to. She always pulls through.

I have taken to riding with a slight touch of down tab on both sides. I find that it does help stabilize the ride. No too much, though. I'll start with adjusting the drive trim to get it up on plane and stable, then I give her a little down tab on both sides, and then trim the drive up a little more to pull the bow back up to where it was. This seems to give me the best ride. It may be due to the extra weight of the bigger engine that makes this work for me, so it may not suit everyone.

Best of luck, Otter!
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm very happy that I found this forum. I'm incredibly excited to get out on this boat. It was put in the water today and I am going to have my sea trial on Tuesday. Thanks for the kind words. I've made it to page 22 on this forum and have learned a bunch already thanks to you guys.
 
Otter007 said:
Thanks for all the replies. I'm very happy that I found this forum. I'm incredibly excited to get out on this boat. It was put in the water today and I am going to have my sea trial on Tuesday. Thanks for the kind words. I've made it to page 22 on this forum and have learned a bunch already thanks to you guys.
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Hi Guys,

Time to get the boat ready...it's been a long winter! Welcome Otter007 and I agree, please find Dave S.'s posts on outdrive trim and save yourself a lot of consternation.

Has anyone installed a 110 outlet in the cockpit area above the sink? Just wondering what the easiest way to snake the wires (over or under).

Also, any advice on underwater lights? They're so expensive, but soooo cool.
 
I have pulled wires all over mine. I put a TV mount on the arch above the sink and installed an antenna connection as well as a 12 volt plug and a USB plug there. Your biggest friend will be a 25' snake. I bought one at HD. Were it me, I would come off of the 110v plug behind the driver's seat, up over the arch, and down to the sink. Always leave a string whenever you pull a wire for next time! There are 3-inspection holes in the arch, and removing the glovebox beside the helm seat gives great access. Remove the seat cushion on the single seat behind the driver and there is another inspection plate against the starboard side of that storage area.

It it will be a little time consuming, but not hard at all.

Bennett
 
hi all,
I have a 2005 260 and my problem is the carpet right by the step keeps getting wet. we have checked under the step , there are no leaks at all. all the hoses are intact. I think it is from condensation when the air conditioner is on at night. I have a friend who has the same issue. The rug is not soaking wet but it does get damp in that area. In the winter months it does not seem to happen? of course we are not using the air at that time.
Has anyone replaced the carpeting with flooring?? I think that is my next thing.

i also need to replace my marine radio? any suggestion for a good fit without defacing boat. I have a ray marine 215 now. It works fine but the microphone is shot, and you can not get replacement. if you or anyone you know have a 215 microphone, i would be glad to purchase.
 
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The air conditioner drains into the sump under the trash can in the stairs. The sump is what all of those hoses you were looking at attach to. Take the lid off of the sump by removing the 4 screws holding the top on. You will find a Rule bilge pump and a Rule float switch. Check to make sure that the pump works by manually operating the float switch (should have a knob on it that you turn by hand to test it).If the float switch sticks, the sump holds more standing water than it normally would and it will slosh out of the sump. There is no seal on the lid, so the water can easily escape. Also, check the seal on the port light above the microwave. You can adjust the little set screws on the 3 arms that you turn to hold the window shut. I've had the wet carpet in front of the stairs from both of these issues before.
 
odyssea 2005 said:
hi all,
I have a 2005 260 and my problem is the carpet right by the step keeps getting wet. we have checked under the step , there are no leaks at all. all the hoses are intact. I think it is from condensation when the air conditioner is on at night. I have a friend who has the same issue. The rug is not soaking wet but it does get damp in that area. In the winter months it does not seem to happen? of course we are not using the air at that time.
Has anyone replaced the carpeting with flooring?? I think that is my next thing.

i also need to replace my marine radio? any suggestion for a good fit without defacing boat. I have a ray marine 215 now. It works fine but the microphone is shot, and you can not get replacement. if you or anyone you know have a 215 microphone, i would be glad to purchase.
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Take a look at this posting I did many years ago. It may help you to determine the source of your water leak.

http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/5575-Best-way-to-find-water-leaks?highlight=leaks
 
Just purchased today a 2000 260 sundancer 7.4 with bravo 3 with 340 engine hours for 23k. They were asking 25 got em down 2k. Just waiting for test ride and surveyor to check it out then I can go pick it up so exited !!!
 
Bennett, I just got a 2011 260 Sundancer. Not getting power to fm radio and inverter (remote switch below fm radio doesnt light). Have you had any experience pulling out the access panel that house radio/dvd and inverter switch? I tried to pull out radio, but wires dont seem long enough..Also inverter switch is to big to push through cutout. THinking that this whole panel pulls out with components attached (however wires seem like there isnt enough slack, and I didnt want to force). Any idea how to get to the wires and to the rear of these components? p.s. Im assuming inverter box is back there some where.
thanks i advance for any leads. Karl Lezette
 
klezette said:
Bennett, I just got a 2011 260 Sundancer. Not getting power to fm radio and inverter (remote switch below fm radio doesnt light). Have you had any experience pulling out the access panel that house radio/dvd and inverter switch? I tried to pull out radio, but wires dont seem long enough..Also inverter switch is to big to push through cutout. THinking that this whole panel pulls out with components attached (however wires seem like there isnt enough slack, and I didnt want to force). Any idea how to get to the wires and to the rear of these components? p.s. Im assuming inverter box is back there some where.
thanks i advance for any leads. Karl Lezette
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Hi Karl,
I pulled some pics up of a 2011 and your radio is mounted above your AC/DC breaker panel it appears. My radio is mounted in a different location. However, I have had the face off of the breaker panel. I believe you are correct that the entire panel should come out with the components installed in it. It has to if one part is to large to push back through the hole. My only suggestion would be to remove the screws and maybe take a very long pair of needle nose pliers and try to pull on each wire one at a time until you can get some slack. Like a lot of things, sometimes it seems like SR built the boat around the radio. Likely a wire tie/tie wrap bundling the wires together with no slack. How they did it....Sorry I cannot be more help. Good luck.

Bennett
 
i had same problem it turned out to be the porthole windows were not sealed to the fiberglas.water would collect in area behind interior walls and sit in cavity toward back of boat then when i took out and throttle back water would come forward and soak carpet in front of head.
 
no worrys 2 said:
i had same problem it turned out to be the porthole windows were not sealed to the fiberglas.water would collect in area behind interior walls and sit in cavity toward back of boat then when i took out and throttle back water would come forward and soak carpet in front of head.
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Mine leaked when I first got the boat. Carefully adjust the plastic "dogs" to tighten the seal. Every spring I take a toothbrush and a some cleaner and clean the rubber seals on the inside then apply a little silicone grease to the seals and no more leaks and rubber seals stay nice and pliable.

Bennett
 
Does anyone know if the 2005 260 DA had a balsa cored hull below the waterline?
 
Hey Folks - I'm BRAND NEW to this group/forum and just sold my prior boat. I'm looking to buy a 2001 260 with the 5.7L and Bravo III. I have a first viewing on Saturday this week but looking to move fairly quickly. This isn't my first rodeo, but first vessel with more of a real cabin and all that comes with it (actual galley, head vs porta potti, etc). Any ideas what to look for, specific to the 260?

FWIW - the boat has 860 hours on it, used in fresh water only, has the modern style spoiler/arch and a triple axle trailer. For 22k, seems like a great deal. The upholstery will need to be redone in some areas from what I can tell and looks like could use a good detail/cleanup.

Thanks in advance!
Adam

Thanks in advance!
 
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