2006 290 Sundancer A/C unit removal

[jerryd5515]

I have a 2006 290 Sundancer with a rusted A/C pan. I received a SS pan from Cruisair and was ready to install it this weekend, but I cannot get the panel removed above the A/C unit. The v-berth bed/couch consists of three cushions and I have removed two of them, but the 3rd cushion is attach to the panel above the A/C unit. Half that panel is carpeted and half is the 3rd cushion. The carpeted area has 6 screws exposed, that I have removed. I can lift this panel slightly, but something is holding down the panel where the cushion is attached. I can find no other screws that are holding down this section of the panel and it does not move as if it were attached by sliding under a clip at the edge. I talked to the service guys at our local dealership and they were no help. Does anyone know how to remove this panel?

 

[Cincy Aquaholic]

Sorry, but I haven't tackleed this yet. Can you get any pics of your progress? Not sure exactly where its still being held but if I get into this project I'll let you know.

 

[everthing's irie]

I've not tried to remove the unit but I don't know why the cushion is attached. It should not be. It should lift out. Once its removed I think I remember seeing several screws on the platform base.

I think this is going to be a big job. How bad is the pan?

 

[jerryd5515]

Here are two pictures with the two forward cushions removed. You can see two of the screws in each picture and once I remove the black strips, another screw is under each of them. I find no way to remove the cushion attached to this panel.

 

[HUMPH]

My guess is that there is a way to get that cushion out. Maybe it has velcro or those connectors like an auto door panel. It has to come out somehow. On my 320 they have screws you can't see so really look around. Sometimes you have to pull fabric back to access screws, there are angle brackets with screws where you wouldn't expect them. My guess from your picturee though is that cushion needs to be removed.

 

[jerryd5515]

With a flashlight, I can see that the gold cushion fabric is stapled underneath a board that is attached to the carpeted panel. I have good arm strength and could not pull the cushion board up from panel. I stuck a long cresent wrench under the edge and put a lot of force on it and still it did not budge. I will take a nail pulling breaker bar with me next weekend and use it with a hammer. I could not find any other screws and spent an hour trying to get this thing off. Is there a Sea Ray number you can call to get answers from the experts?

 

[HUMPH]

I don't recommend that much force. There is a way to remove it so I would ask (nicely) a local dealer to see if they can answer your questions. It can't be that Sea Ray designed a cushion that can't be removed otherwise how did they install it? I would imagine that is one of the last items installed. Look where it does not make sense for screws and you may find them. NO CROW BARS!

 

[jamesgang]

Sea Ray does hide screws! We tried several times to remove a cushioned seat from the small settee in our boat to gain access to a small storage area underneath. Just could not find what was holding it on. Then one day I saw a picture where someone else had removed their seat cushion so we knew there had to be a way. So, very determined this time, we tackled it again. We pried & pulled and finally were able to lift the front edge up enough to see where the screws came out of the seat and went into the wood frame. We cut those screws (leaving enough shaft to grasp w/pliers so to twist the rest of the screw out of the frame) and could then raise the front edge up enough to do the same with the back edge screws. Basically we had to cut the seat loose. We found there were 4 screws holding this small seat cushion down, hidden under the vinyl fabric. We could feel the screw heads now and ended up cutting a tiny slit in the vinyl just enough to get the screwgun tip on the screwhead and backed the screw out. Those screws were about 4 inches long. Amazingly the only damage done was the holes left in the frame (wood filler & gray paint) and the 4 tiny slits we cut in the vinyl (duct tape -what else?) It still amazes me how they got that seat fastened down like that and underneath the vinyl. So anyway, that's where the chips/snacks/buns are stored now.

 

[jerryd5515]

Thanks for the info James. I will be back at the boat Thur-Sun with an arsenal of weapons to remove that seat.

 

[Cincy Aquaholic]

Is there access from the two storage compartments at th foot of the main berth down by the floor?

 

[jerryd5515]

There are screws on the back wall for the table pole and just inside the top, there is a board running the length of the two door openings that has three screws in it. I removed them and they were short. Only long enough to attach that board to the one above it. I could not pull it down after the screws were removed. It must have adhesive between it and the board above. I thought there might be screws behind it, but could never get it off. At that point I was not willing to apply a lot of pressure to remove it...now look out. I am very mechanical and this has me stumped.

 

[jerryd5515]

OK. I finally found the screws. On each end of the cushion was a very tiny slit, I put a phillips screwdriver in there and found the screwheads. Once these two 4 inch screws were removed and the cushion lifted, they exposed the remaining screws holding the panel down where the A/C unit was mounted. Then I followed Carter's instructions for pan replacement and the job is finished. Thanks for everyone's input.:thumbsup: