40 sedan bridge forum

Morning everyone - got the boat in the water last week - everything went well. I have a question about the transmissions. It is a CAT C7 backed by a Twin Disc transmission, all the controls are butter smooth, shifting doesn't grind or clunk, however there is about a 1+ second delay when I place the shifters in gear. Does anyone else find this same thing on theirs or is this something that can be adjusted? It makes for an interesting docking situation as the response is "lagging". Manageable, have to anticipate it, but wanted to know if that was normal? Thoughts?
There is a noticeable lag. I have never timed it, though. Maybe 1 sec. I have a different transmission with electric shift (ZF280).
 
There is a noticeable lag. I have never timed it, though. Maybe 1 sec. I have a different transmission with electric shift (ZF280).

Thank you Bill! - My FIL has a 02 480 DB and the shifts are instant, so we were wondering if it was something that could be adjusted. Maybe not?
 
The swabbie and I are thinking about moving up to a 480. We are looking at one Friday Morning. I love my 400, but this boat is the "one I want". Any advise on what I should be looking for when it comes to problem areas with the 480. If we pull the trigger on this boat, I will be listing my 400, which I personally think is one of the nicest ones around. I will keep everyone posted.
The Crime Scene
 
The swabbie and I are thinking about moving up to a 480. We are looking at one Friday Morning. I love my 400, but this boat is the "one I want". Any advise on what I should be looking for when it comes to problem areas with the 480. If we pull the trigger on this boat, I will be listing my 400, which I personally think is one of the nicest ones around. I will keep everyone posted.
The Crime Scene
Everyone I know who has one, loves them. It does solve the one thing I dislike about the 400DB - the tiny and unattractively geometric side windows. I'm sure you'll get tons of info out of the 480DB thread.
 
OK... so here's the long-awaited (maybe not?) concluding article on my stereo upgrade - thanks to everyone on this forum who helped me navigate it all. Photos attached, but, basically, I ditched my old Clarion XMD3 and 10 CD changer (I believe that was standard issue for SB400s in 2003?) in favor of a Clarion M608. I stuck with Clarion as I (foolishly) assumed everything would be plug and play (especially the flybridge remote cable) - note to the wise, it was not. The old remote was a 6 pin and the new one is 8-pin (and the new remote is physically bigger! - see my creative solution for drilling the bigger hole earlier in this forum).

The pictures paint a thousand words, but here's the highlights:
  • removed old Clarion units and created new MDF panel with cut outs for new head unit and switches
  • ran new wiring from amplifier (under port sofa) up through vacuum enclosure to new selector switches
  • installed new selector switches, which now enable me to select: Flybridge, Cockpit, Salon or Stateroom (individually or all 4) - ordered from Amazon
  • I still retained Sea Ray's wiring as it related to bridging the Subwoofer and having external speakers wired to "Front" and internal cabin speakers wired to "Rear", which enables me to turn up/down/off internal/external speakers as required
  • connected USB and AUX 1 and 2 cables from head unit to new face plates on MDF panel (face plates and short male-male USB cable ordered from China (AliExpress) for pocket change with free shipping!
  • ran new 8-pin remote cable from head unit to new fly bridge remote - easier than I thought it would be
  • installed Sirius XM antenna on suction mount on front screen and ran wiring behind trim back to receiver behind head unit (easier than I thought, too and works great!)
  • used "y-splitter" from head unit remote output/input to enable flybridge remote AND wireless remote to be connected to head unit - I like the flexibility of both
  • ditched legacy Panasonic marine speakers in cockpit and flybridge in favor of JL Audio (if you're only going to do one thing, do this!) - amazing difference in sound
The new selector switches and face plates look a little cluttered inside the stereo cabinet, but there is no additional exposed wiring.

Bottom line, I really like the way it all came out. The sound is great and the M608 packs a decent punch. No CD player (does anyone even use CDs these days?), but with excellent blue tooth audio, Pandora and SiriusXM, who needs anything else?

I hope this helps anyone thinking of doing anything similar - I learned a lot doing it, so message me here or PM if you have any questions?

Cheers,
Simon
 

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I need some advice about the proper price point for my 97' sea ray 400. I've have it listed for $119,900 for about 9 months but don't seem to get much traffic. i know its not a new boat but i put one new reman cat engine in and a new gene. Its got good guts so i thought it would sell quickly. Have I priced it incorrectly?
 
Shayne, obviously we can't see the boat but I wouldn't think 119 too high for a clean '97 400 with diesels. Salt water boat, well cared for, with good engines...shouldn't be too hard to move.
 
I need some advice about the proper price point for my 97' sea ray 400. I've have it listed for $119,900 for about 9 months but don't seem to get much traffic. i know its not a new boat but i put one new reman cat engine in and a new gene. Its got good guts so i thought it would sell quickly. Have I priced it incorrectly?


Get the comps for what they have been selling for in the past year. Asking versus actual selling price are two very different things. If you have the price too high it will deter many buyers.

If you want to move the boat put the price where it's competitive.

Also, I am assuming you have it with a broker? That could also be a problem especially if the broker is trying to hold out for top money and turning away potential buyers.
 
Thanks guys. I will check the comps. Its not new but its a lot of boat for that price. I was thinking maybe the broker wants to find the buyer himself so he does not have to share the comission.
 
Thanks guys. I will check the comps. Its not new but its a lot of boat for that price. I was thinking maybe the broker wants to find the buyer himself so he does not have to share the comission.

If the broker is not doing what you want, fire him.

Quality brokers are far and few out there, with the rest being just a step below the "buy here pay here" used car salesman.

If your broker had your interest in mind, he would have pulled the comps, showed them to you and came up with a price for the boat that would be competitive. Many of these brokers put ridiculous prices on boats with the hopes of finding a neophyte in boating who will take the bait, and make them a nice commission. Another problem area with brokers is quite frankly many of them know absolutely nothing about how to sell anything. Phone messages go non returned, emails are never answered and unless someone walks in the door with a suitcase full of cash and is willing to pay the asking price, they won't give them the time of day.

I sold my last boat myself, and bought my present boat from an individual and bypassed the whole broker experience.
 
My port fuel gauge does not work. Have grounded out the sending wire and the fuel gauge moves hard right. THerefore i believe the sending unit is bad. Where do i find a replacement ? Is there a part number?
 
My port fuel gauge does not work. Have grounded out the sending wire and the fuel gauge moves hard right. THerefore i believe the sending unit is bad. Where do i find a replacement ? Is there a part number?

Are you reading any resistance across the sending unit terminals ( wires detached) ?

You could have a stuck float. The way to test a sending unit is to remove it, place it on an ohmmeter and move the arm looking for a resistance change.
 
Any 400 DB owners have a 4' radar array on their boat? If so, can you share some pics? My old (original) radar is starting to crap out and a guy at my marina is selling a Raymarine with a 4' open array. I'm interested, but worried that it will look a little too big and awkward on this boat. So, pics would help. Thanks.
 
Hello all, thanks all the hours of interesting reading along with the vast amounts of knowledge from this forum!
I recently purchased a 1997 400 DB!
Gas, fresh water entire life, one owner, 450 hours!
I know you guys will chastise me, I bought it without a survey.....
 
Any 400 DB owners have a 4' radar array on their boat? If so, can you share some pics? My old (original) radar is starting to crap out and a guy at my marina is selling a Raymarine with a 4' open array. I'm interested, but worried that it will look a little too big and awkward on this boat. So, pics would help. Thanks.
I helped RayO remove his shortly after he bought the boat. He put the new Raymarine Quantum in its place. The array looked fine. The mount for it was about a foot shorter than the mount for the domes, since the motor housing under the array makes up that difference in height. RayO had to have an extension made for his mount to mount the Quantum at the same height as those of us with factory installed domes. So your existing mount is probably too tall for the array to look streamlined with the rest of the boat.
 

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