Official 400EC thread

I think you are correct on the engines...mine are 340 MPIs, first year for them I think. 1996. The 380s also feature closed cooling. Later boats have westerbeak gen sets as I think the mercruiser units were out of production by then.

Sweet spot on my boat is 32-33 hundred at 20-21MPH....with supplied 20X21 3 blade props. Moving up to 4 blade Veem props in a week or two. Looking for idle maneuvering improvements and mid range RPM/Speed. 4400 is WOT and I am never there..


Got to WOT this week....4200+ with stock props, one dinged. I think with some trim adjustments could have gotten to 4400....but I know now I am very close. discovered on exam that I have velvet transmissions not Hurth like the sea ray people told me. Apparently my build sheet at Sea Ray is incorrect.....the sage continues...
 
Does anyone have any suggestions or replacement ideas for the galley door on the 94 EC.... i had some new slides made from a machine shop.... still hard to slide ....this system just sucks....would like to upgrade to a truck style system if possible... anyone with experience or ideas would be greatly appreciated...
 
I want to buy a used Sea Ray Cockpit Table. These tables have vertically adjustable pedestal, lead weighted bases, and a fiberglass top with molded drink holders. If you have a lead on one of these please let me know.

Ken
 
Has anyone replaced the bilge blower hoses? I have one of mine that split and it is difficult to reach and/or splice (too stiff from age), so I was thinking of removing and replacing it. I just can't see the end where it goes into the base of the radar arch. Trying to reach up from inside the engine room is impossible. Also, mine is "blocked" off by a box of some kind so I can't reach it from inside the starboard storage shelf (where the bolt holding the rear facing seat back is located). Does the panel at the lower side of the radar arch come off? How is it attached?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
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Just thought I'd share....this microwave is a pretty much plug and play fit as an upgrade, and is on special at Best buy for the next couple of weeks for $75. Also here are a couple of pics of my tv set up - i didn't want to drill the bulkhead or door so settled on these as a 'no drill' alternative. The tv's are 32 inch Roku tvs, again from Best buy, they are about $150. The arrangement over the stateroom cabinet door is just a couple of stainless towel hanger hooks screwed to a piece of aluminum angle, then the bracket on the back of the tv is straight off a small tv wall bracket and hooks over the angle. Felt pads on the bottom of the brackets on the tv round the installation out. We put the tvs on the bed when we are under way, takes about a minute all up.
 
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Just thought I'd share....this microwave is a pretty much plug and play fit as an upgrade, and is on special at Best buy for the next couple of weeks for $75. Also here are a couple of pics of my tv set up - i didn't want to drill the bulkhead or door so settled on these as a 'no drill' alternative. The tv's are 32 inch Roku tvs, again from Best buy, they are about $150. The arrangement over the stateroom cabinet door is just a couple of stainless towel hanger hooks screwed to a piece of aluminum angle, then the bracket on the back of the tv is straight off a small tv wall bracket and hooks over the angle. Felt pads on the bottom of the brackets on the tv round the installation out. We put the tvs on the bed when we are under way, takes about a minute all up.

Nice set up...Everything looks good!
 
OK......We pulled the boat for a stripe/decal removal, buff, wax, bottom inspection and paint. I had ordered new 4 blade props for the 400. My son had hit a log, damaging the port side prop enough to cause a noticeable vibration. I picked up a pair of Veem Conquest bronze machined props. My stock OEM props were 20X21 1.5 inch. New four blade props were calculated at 20X18 1.5 with medium cup. Better idle maneuverability and faster on plane time was predicted. After all the work was done I launched and tested the props. Engines are Mercruiser, 7.4 EFI with 525 hours, fresh from service, plugs, wires cap and rotor.

First thing I notice was the increased speed at idle and the idle maneuvering are much enhanced. Placing the transmissions in reverse, the response from the boat was instant. Popping up on plane was a breeze, faster and so smooth. Fuel tanks were full and water tank had just been topped off. I am very pleased.

This week I take her to WOT. Before new props was 4200 with dinged prop and 27mph. I will get posted next weekend, the WOT speed. I don't expect a big difference if any. Very impressed with the new 4 blades, and my contractor that did the rest of the work was fantastic and finished the job a day early and the boat looks like new. Getting the old 3 blade props repaired and reconditioned this week and tuck them away. Will report back next weekend.
 
Question about Navigation and Anchor Lighting. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I want to be sure I have this right. I finally got the boat back from the mechanic and spent a little time with her this weekend. She is a '94 400EC. She has the nav/anchor pole light that plugs into a socket above the windshield horizontally and makes a 90 degree bend to get up above the radar arch etc. It is a 3 pin setup and the fixture at the end of the pole has two lenses and bulbshas two bulbs. It didn't seem to be working so I have some troubleshooting to do, but my question is more on the overall lighting strategy for this boat. What are you guys doing for navigation and anchor lighting. Does the pole function as a 360 degree "all around" light and is that legal or are you using a mast head light + stern light? Everything that I can find to read on the topic indicates that boats over 12 meters (39' 4") need mast and stern lights.

upload_2018-7-9_16-36-0.png
 
Question about Navigation and Anchor Lighting. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I want to be sure I have this right. I finally got the boat back from the mechanic and spent a little time with her this weekend. She is a '94 400EC. She has the nav/anchor pole light that plugs into a socket above the windshield horizontally and makes a 90 degree bend to get up above the radar arch etc. It is a 3 pin setup and the fixture at the end of the pole has two lenses and bulbshas two bulbs. It didn't seem to be working so I have some troubleshooting to do, but my question is more on the overall lighting strategy for this boat. What are you guys doing for navigation and anchor lighting. Does the pole function as a 360 degree "all around" light and is that legal or are you using a mast head light + stern light? Everything that I can find to read on the topic indicates that boats over 12 meters (39' 4") need mast and stern lights.

View attachment 57629

I have the same boat and had/have the same light pole on the windshield (I relocated it to the arch, more on that later). The mast serves double duty as Navigation and Anchor Light. For Navigation, only the forward facing bulb illuminates to serve as the forward facing white light and the light on the transom serves as the stern light. For anchoring, both bulbs in the mast head light illuminate providing 360 degree visibility.

When I am carrying my dinghy on the transom, it blocks the stern light, so I leave the anchor light switch on and use the masthead light as the stern light (I guess that is not "legal" given the illustration, but I have not been stopped yet (knock on wood)).

Here is the best picture of the stern of the boat (I have with me now) showing the light pole being relocated to the arch. (Don't know why the picture is sideways):

Stern of Boat - July 2018.jpg


The second picture shows, in addition to our dog, the stern light on the transom:
Transom with Dog - July 2018.jpg
 
Thanks that is great information! Next question...anybody have a method to troubleshoot the masthead light? Everything else lights up as it should but I’m not getting anything at the pole. I pulled the bulbs and the filaments are intact so they seem good. Need to determine if the problem is in the pole or the socket.
I have the same boat and had/have the same light pole on the windshield (I relocated it to the arch, more on that later). The mast serves double duty as Navigation and Anchor Light. For Navigation, only the forward facing bulb illuminates to serve as the forward facing white light and the light on the transom serves as the stern light. For anchoring, both bulbs in the mast head light illuminate providing 360 degree visibility.

When I am carrying my dinghy on the transom, it blocks the stern light, so I leave the anchor light switch on and use the masthead light as the stern light (I guess that is not "legal" given the illustration, but I have not been stopped yet (knock on wood)).

Here is the best picture of the stern of the boat (I have with me now) showing the light pole being relocated to the arch. (Don't know why the picture is sideways):

View attachment 57664

The second picture shows, in addition to our dog, the stern light on the transom:
View attachment 57665
 
Thanks that is great information! Next question...anybody have a method to troubleshoot the masthead light? Everything else lights up as it should but I’m not getting anything at the pole. I pulled the bulbs and the filaments are intact so they seem good. Need to determine if the problem is in the pole or the socket.

Best bet would be to use a voltmeter and see if you are getting power to the posts in the bracket when the switch is turned on. Test each one when you switch on the Nav lights then the anchor light and see what you have. If you are getting power, then test the ground leg for continuity. If they check out, then test the pole itself, then the masthead light, etc., etc.
 
OK......We pulled the boat for a stripe/decal removal, buff, wax, bottom inspection and paint. I had ordered new 4 blade props for the 400. My son had hit a log, damaging the port side prop enough to cause a noticeable vibration. I picked up a pair of Veem Conquest bronze machined props. My stock OEM props were 20X21 1.5 inch. New four blade props were calculated at 20X18 1.5 with medium cup. Better idle maneuverability and faster on plane time was predicted. After all the work was done I launched and tested the props. Engines are Mercruiser, 7.4 EFI with 525 hours, fresh from service, plugs, wires cap and rotor.

First thing I notice was the increased speed at idle and the idle maneuvering are much enhanced. Placing the transmissions in reverse, the response from the boat was instant. Popping up on plane was a breeze, faster and so smooth. Fuel tanks were full and water tank had just been topped off. I am very pleased.

This week I take her to WOT. Before new props was 4200 with dinged prop and 27mph. I will get posted next weekend, the WOT speed. I don't expect a big difference if any. Very impressed with the new 4 blades, and my contractor that did the rest of the work was fantastic and finished the job a day early and the boat looks like new. Getting the old 3 blade props repaired and reconditioned this week and tuck them away. Will report back next weekend.


WOT report.....1/2 fuel and water, 2 people on board, 4400 rpm at 30mph....didn't play with the trim much but I think it could do better. Fresh bottom paint, new 4 blade props. New prop pitch is as follows, 20X18 with medium cup 1.5. The engines are 7.4 MPI 340 horse, raw water cooled mercruisers.

I took the old props to a local prop house. They were Nibral, 3 blade 20X21 1.5. two blades dinged on one prop. $370 to repair, refinish, clean and balance. They look like new. I guess I will keep them for spares.

Jon
 

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