40 sedan bridge forum

John, I had the factory 25’ of chain and 220’ of line setup. I recently swapped out the 25’ of chain for 138’ of chain. Mostly because my trawler buddies that anchor all the time (and who I anchor with a bunch) made me do it (ha!). So far I haven’t been in deep enough water to have to put out any of the line. Biggest difference I see is that the tide change swing takes much longer now and in mild/moderate conditions you don’t even feel like you are anchored. I tie off the chain to the boat with a 30’ line as a snubber.

No noticeable change in cruising performance with the extra weight on the bow.
 
I guess it depends on how/where you typically anchor. 100% of my anchoring, so far, has been in shallow water (less than 15' depth, and the majority of that in less than 10' water). So I don't have the need for over 100' of chain. But I can see wanting that extra security for deep water anchoring.
 
It almost seems to be a religious thing with my trawler buddies. I cited article after article that said 2x the length of hull as chain and the rest roope, is the ideal setup. But they just shouted louder “ALL CHAIN”
 
ZZ13 said:
It almost seems to be a religious thing with my trawler buddies. I cited article after article that said 2x the length of hull as chain and the rest roope, is the ideal setup. But they just shouted louder “ALL CHAIN”
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LOL. I don't trust anyone who's completely content doing 10 knots to get from point A to point B. ;)
 
Drafter said:
Had our new to us 98 digitized today for SeaDek on the swim platform, cockpit, and flybridge. Anyone have any pro, cons, pictures, or watch out for's that they could share?
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I put it down on the swim platform, aft area, and steps to the cockpit. I love the look........but......it gets hot. Extremely hot in 85+ degree full sun temps. In fact, I have to spray the swim platform down with the transom shower several times during the day before you can stand on it. I have a light tan color which you would think it would not be so hot....wrong. Both my wife and I agree that we would not do it again other than putting it on the steps. I have slipped down them a few times in the past prior to installing flooring. I am in the mid west and would hate to imagine how hot it would get in the Florida sun.

I got mine from TT Marine. He is the go to guy for boat decking material and has the plans for your boat. I did not need to measure anything. He sent it and it fit like a glove. Two guys can install it in less than an hour.

He also sent samples of about fifteen different products to choose from before I ordered.

My picture is pre-install of the decking.
 
The crime scene said:
I put it down on the swim platform, aft area, and steps to the cockpit. I love the look........but......it gets hot. Extremely hot in 85+ degree full sun temps. In fact, I have to spray the swim platform down with the transom shower several times during the day before you can stand on it. I have a light tan color which you would think it would not be so hot....wrong. Both my wife and I agree that we would not do it again other than putting it on the steps. I have slipped down them a few times in the past prior to installing flooring. I am in the mid west and would hate to imagine how hot it would get in the Florida sun.

I got mine from TT Marine. He is the go to guy for boat decking material and has the plans for your boat. I did not need to measure anything. He sent it and it fit like a glove. Two guys can install it in less than an hour.

He also sent samples of about fifteen different products to choose from before I ordered.

My picture is pre-install of the decking.
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If you purchased from TT Marine, do you have AquaTrak or SeaDek? TT Marine primarily sells AquaTrac which is what we purchased to cover the swim platform and walkway on our 260DA. Hot does not begin to describe the actual temperature. I have a pic I took in September of 2016. I took a IR heat gun and took temperature readings of the AquaTrak in 90* outside temps. The picture shows the heat gun at 160* +. It is so hot that you dare not try to walk on it without first wetting it. We would not do it again. We did carpet on the bridge steps of our 44DB and would like to put something on the swim platform, just not sure what yet.

Bennett
 
I've got SeaDek in the cockpit and on the upper swim platform on our 450DA. It is a bit warmer than bare fiberglass, but I don't find it objectional, given the anti-slip, easy to clean and much softer surface qualities, I much refer it to carpet or bare non-skid. We had a licensed SeaDek dealer scan, cut and install ours and I'd do it again in a minute.
 
bbwhitejr said:
If you purchased from TT Marine, do you have AquaTrak or SeaDek? TT Marine primarily sells AquaTrac which is what we purchased to cover the swim platform and walkway on our 260DA. Hot does not begin to describe the actual temperature. I have a pic I took in September of 2016. I took a IR heat gun and took temperature readings of the AquaTrak in 90* outside temps. The picture shows the heat gun at 160* +. It is so hot that you dare not try to walk on it without first wetting it. We would not do it again. We did carpet on the bridge steps of our 44DB and would like to put something on the swim platform, just not sure what yet.

Bennett
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I am pretty sure I have AquaTrak. It will be that last time I put that product on my boat due to the heat. I looked at SeaDek prior to buying AquaTrak. I liked the service from TT Marine, which swayed my billfold towards them. The decking I really wanted was twice the cost and had to be put on with glue and trowel, but eventually ended up with AquaTrak. BIG mistake on my part. I should have spent the extra money. Honestly, I am considering pulling up the Aquatrack and putting something else down.
 
FeLizDream said:
Bill, Post a picture when you finish this project.
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Here you go Fernando. We were replacing a worn sisal rug at home so I cut out an unwalked on section of it. We got lucky that it matches the new ceiling accent we put up and is a great material for our cat to scratch on. Now the factory galley floor suddenly looks crappy. Ha!
422CF2A4-815D-4EF4-94E3-873C37085611.jpeg
 
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I have SeaDek and it is impossible to walk on it from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm. I wish I knew this before installing it.
 
ZZ13 said:
Here you go Fernando. We were replacing a worn sisal rug at home so I cut out an unwalked on section of it. We got lucky that it matches the new ceiling accent we put up and is a great material for our cat to scratch on. Now the factory galley floor suddenly looks crappy. Ha!View attachment 51785
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Wow, that looks really nice,
 
EE48E3AA-BDFC-4D5F-AB66-203ABE3C6362.jpeg
Does anyone knows what kind of drippless is this?, my port drippless shaft is leaking when running at cruising speed, doesn’t leak at the marina, starboard is the new tides. It is possible to replace or fix it in the water? And what kind is this one? Looks like the PO replace the startboard and this is the original I suppose, not sure, looking for advice.
See picture attached.
 
FeLizDream said:
View attachment 51830 Does anyone knows what kind of drippless is this?, my port drippless shaft is leaking when running at cruising speed, doesn’t leak at the marina, starboard is the new tides. It is possible to replace or fix it in the water? And what kind is this one? Looks like the PO replace the startboard and this is the original I suppose, not sure, looking for advice.
See picture attached.
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That’s the older Tides Strong Seal. I recently had both mine replaced in Ft Pierce with the newer Tides Sure Seal. At 15 years, it’s dead. Don’t spend money trying to stretch out the life of it. Tides guidance is replace lip seal at 5 years and replace entire unit at 10 years. Next planned haul, just have it replaced. That’s my 2 cents.
 
ZZ13 said:
That’s the older Tides Strong Seal. I recently had both mine replaced in Ft Pierce with the newer Tides Sure Seal. At 15 years, it’s dead. Don’t spend money trying to stretch out the life of it. Tides guidance is replace lip seal at 5 years and replace entire unit at 10 years. Next planned haul, just have it replaced. That’s my 2 cents.
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Great, Bill
Thank you for the information
 
There is a new seal in a seal carrier just up the shaft. Unfortunately, whoever installed the spare seal, installed the red plastic installation tool inside the new seal in the carrier. My guess is that the new seal is permanently stretched and will leak like a sieve if it is installed now.

The red tool is included with the new seals to allow you to put it on the shaft inside the new seal for installation over the keyway in the shaft in order to prevent cutting the new lip seal on a burr in the keyway on the shaft as the new seal is installed on the end of shaft. Once the seal is positioned and the hose clamps tightened, the red tool is removed and discarded. There is no need to use the installation tool on a replacement seal from a seal carrier like the one in the photo. The seal carrier is removed, the seal is slid down the shaft into position, the seal carrier is reinstalled at the seal, t hen the seal carrier is used as a driver to install the new lip seal.
 
techmitch said:
Just trying to learn, but isn't that a new seal already on the shaft further up, just sitting there waiting to be slid down and installed after removing and cutting off the old one?
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In theory. But, the “new seal” was most likely slid onto the shaft at the same time the system was installed at the factory 15 years ago. So it’s as old as the system. Plus the shafts get grooved and the carrier gets worn. I tried swapping in the spare seal on mine at the 15 year mark and that helped for about two days. The installers lined up the tubes so that the new seals were on a new spot on the shaft.
 
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ZZ13 said:
In theory. But, the “new seal” was most likely slid onto the shaft at the same time the system was installed at the factory 15 years ago. So it’s as old as the system. Plus the shafts get grooved and the carrier gets worn. I tried swapping in the spare seal on mine at the 15 year mark and that helped for about two days. The installers lined up the tubes so that the new seals were on a new spot on the shaft.
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I also replaced a bad seal with a "new" 18-year old spare seal that was already on the shaft in the carrier. I guess I got luckier. I swapped it out last spring, before I launched the boat from winter lay-up, and it was good to me all season. No issue. Maybe I'll get another 18 years out of it! ;)

So between Bill and I, we're batting .500. Feeling lucky?! :)
 
ZZ13 said:
In theory. But, the “new seal” was most likely slid onto the shaft at the same time the system was installed at the factory 15 years ago. So it’s as old as the system. Plus the shafts get grooved and the carrier gets worn. I tried swapping in the spare seal on mine at the 15 year mark and that helped for about two days. The installers lined up the tubes so that the new seals were on a new spot on the shaft.
Click to expand...

Can you explain the installation tool left inside the new seal? You would think that after installing several hundred thousand Tides seals, they know to remove and discard the "Red Hat".

The fact remains that it is very doubtful that the seal in the carrier isn't stretched so much that it won't leak.
 
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