2001 310 dancer side decks

[Lummimark]

Surely my wife and I are not the only balanced impaired people who are looking to buy a sundancer. What solutions are available to make us feel more secure walking forward on a 2001 310 sundancer?

 

[Strecker25]

Surely my wife and I are not the only balanced impaired people who are looking to buy a sundancer. What solutions are available to make us feel more secure walking forward on a 2001 310 sundancer?

our 290 was much like a friends 310 - there is a good secure handle on the arch to grab hold but once you're past the windshield you can only use the bow rail. It's low (knee height) on those boats so be prepared to bend down especially when away from the slip. Good deck shoes or bare feet, and never socks, and be cognizant of any sea conditions around you so you don't get bounced.

 

[b_arrington]

Wait, you have side decks???

My 2006 270 AJ had ZERO side deck. All front access was via a walk-through windshield. I have a family member with a 1998 270 DA. It has a "side deck" that's only a few inches wide - maybe the width of one shoe? One has to traverse that VERY carefully. More often they will go forward via their walkthrough windshield as well. Going via the windshield means there's really nothing to grab onto until you get to the bow.

For your boat, the side rails are quire low and the only real place to grab is the canvas top. It seems like you might have a few options:

• Replace the rail system with something taller (major $$, not practical)
• Add some type of extension to the top of the rail via a series of clamp-on brackets. Run a line / wire between the tops of the new brackets.
• Add a series of hand-holds on the inboard side. Add another fixed handle on the side of the arch higher up than the stock one, and maybe sew some fabric loops into the edge of the canvas top?

 

[Strecker25]

Wait, you have side decks???

My 2006 270 AJ had ZERO side deck. All front access was via a walk-through windshield. I have a family member with a 1998 270 DA. It has a "side deck" that's only a few inches wide - maybe the width of one shoe? One has to traverse that VERY carefully. More often they will go forward via their walkthrough windshield as well. Going via the windshield means there's really nothing to grab onto until you get to the bow.

For your boat, the side rails are quire low and the only real place to grab is the canvas top. It seems like you might have a few options:

• Replace the rail system with something taller (major $$, not practical)
• Add some type of extension to the top of the rail via a series of clamp-on brackets. Run a line / wire between the tops of the new brackets.
• Add a series of hand-holds on the inboard side. Add another fixed handle on the side of the arch higher up than the stock one, and maybe sew some fabric loops into the edge of the canvas top?

our 290 only had the side decks and no walkthrough. They're small near the arch but widen considerably towards the front. The same era 310 was similar.

 

[Little Ducky]

I cuss a little if I have to go out front of my 98 290 DA.

Most of the time it has to do with the windless screwing up and it needs a little attention when I'm out and about.

At the dock I have fingers on each side so washing is a pretty easy task.

Otherwise no one ever goes out front.

I miss the walkout windscreen of my 2011 260 DA.

 

[Lummimark]

I'm largely concerned with setting fenders and lines coming into a dock. I don't see any other reason to go out front regularly.

 

[Fill Ess]

The 2002+ 300 has side decks. It's one of the reasons I chose this model over one with the through-the-windshield style. They are not that wide wide but it's okay for me. I guess I wouldn't mind if it was one of the kind where the steps are next to the cabin door, not part of it.

 

[b_arrington]

I'm largely concerned with setting fenders and lines coming into a dock. I don't see any other reason to go out front regularly.

Some of the suggestions I made could help, then. I was on a mooring with my 270 AJ for a long time. I regularly had to hustle to the bow to pick up the mooring line, so I was on the front deck quite a lot.

 

[Happy Hour IV]

this is not limited to the 310 or others. I think the manufacturers sacrificed side deck space to enlarge the interior space. I have a 1988 340 dancer. The channel that creates the top of the side glass in front of the arch was just about where I would grab except the eisinglass and canvas started there. But it was perfect for adding a stainless grabrail. Drill two holes and mount.
I can now step out holding to the grab rail at the back of my arch, reach out to the added grab rail and then reach to the transition of the side glass to the front glass. never without a hand holding on to something solid, you may be creative with your layout

 

[Lazy Daze]

Mark, this would take a little homework, trial-n-error and some fab work... but you might look into a grabrail that runs from the arch down to the deck in front of the windshield.