2007 Sea Ray 300 Sundancer

[Pagoda]

Hello. New to this Forum and to this boat. It has the two Mercruiser 5.0 engines with the Bravo III outdrives. I have noticed that the boat has a slight list to the port side (just sitting still in the water) and I'm not sure why this might be. It has fuel tanks on each side, the generator slightly offset towards the starboard side, fresh water tank and waste water system on the port side. In my mind, it seems as though the weight distribution from these systems would seem a bit heavier on the port side but I expect that Sea Ray had set the boat up to float level. Any thoughts or experience?

Also would like some advice on setting up the trim for the boat. This is our first cruiser and my experience has only been with runabouts, where I would trim down to start then trim up once on plane to get the boat running where it "feels comfortable". This boat is much different. I tend to think I should start with trim tabs up and outdrives trimmed down, get the boat on plane and trim the outdrives for optimum performance, and use the tabs only to offset passenger/ load distribution to achieve a level ride. Doesn't seem to quite be the magic formula.

Also, there is no trim indicator for the tab positions so its difficult know when they are fully up or deployed. This would seem important at starting up to go on plane?

Sorry for all of the questions but thanks in advance,
Harry

 

[1hot87gt]

Hey Harry. Congrats on the new boat. This was our first season with our new to us 2004 300 DA, ours also has twin 5.0's and Bravo 3 drives, so I'll share with you what I've observed so far.

First off, I've noticed the same exact thing as she sits at her slip. An ever so slight list to the port side. I'm glad you posted this, now I know I'm not crazy. As to what could be causing it, I'm at a loss. I agree with you that you would think Sea Ray would have had this set perfectly balanced from the factory, it is a high quality boat. The only thing I can think is that the batteries that we are running are a bit heavier than what they came with when they were built. I think my boat has group 27 batteries currently in it. I thought I read somewhere that these boats came originally with group 24 batteries, slightly smaller and I assume therefore slightly lighter. Multiply that times 4 batteries and in my mind that's what's causing the slight imbalance. Check your batteries. I'd be curious what they are. The group 24 to group 27 or even 31 is a popular upgrade. I may be totally off base but that's all I can come up with.

As far as what I've observed with the tabs and the drives. I will tell you that I am super impressed with the performance of this boat. For a boat this size and weight she gets up and goes and is quite nimble. With that said, she doesn't like a lot of drive angle. When I come out of the hole, my drives are all the way down. Then once she planes off, I bring the drives up ever so slightly just to lift her hose a little bit more out of the water. At that point you will notice an ever so slight increase in RPM's. Stop there. Any more angle to the drive and she will start cavitating. Mine likes to cruise and seems happiest between 3500-3800 rpm's which on my GPS puts me between 28-30 mph under most sea conditions.

As far as the trim tabs, honestly, I don't use them much. I have used them a couple of times like you said to balance out the side to side, but she normally rides pretty level. Boat is probably about 15k pounds with fuel, water, passengers and gear, that plus the fuel tanks mounted out towards the sides, makes her a very stable and great riding boat. The last trip of the season earlier this week she was having a bit of trouble getting up on plane, I think due to a whole season of slime on the bottom and growth on the running gear, I used the tabs to force the nose down which helped her plane off immediately. Once on plane I raised the tabs back up to their full up position.

Finally, as far as trim indicators. Yeah, I don't have them either. But since I also don't use them that much, it's not that big a deal. From all the way down to all the way back up is about a ten second count. So if I use them, but am not sure where I left them, I just press tab up and count to 10, then do the same for the other side. That way I know both are completely back to full up position.

Hopefully this helps you. Good luck with the boat. We love ours. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out. This is a great community of boaters for the most part and a very valuable resource.

 

[Pagoda]

Hey Harry. Congrats on the new boat. This was our first season with our new to us 2004 300 DA, ours also has twin 5.0's and Bravo 3 drives, so I'll share with you what I've observed so far.

First off, I've noticed the same exact thing as she sits at her slip. An ever so slight list to the port side. I'm glad you posted this, now I know I'm not crazy. As to what could be causing it, I'm at a loss. I agree with you that you would think Sea Ray would have had this set perfectly balanced from the factory, it is a high quality boat. The only thing I can think is that the batteries that we are running are a bit heavier than what they came with when they were built. I think my boat has group 27 batteries currently in it. I thought I read somewhere that these boats came originally with group 24 batteries, slightly smaller and I assume therefore slightly lighter. Multiply that times 4 batteries and in my mind that's what's causing the slight imbalance. Check your batteries. I'd be curious what they are. The group 24 to group 27 or even 31 is a popular upgrade. I may be totally off base but that's all I can come up with.

As far as what I've observed with the tabs and the drives. I will tell you that I am super impressed with the performance of this boat. For a boat this size and weight she gets up and goes and is quite nimble. With that said, she doesn't like a lot of drive angle. When I come out of the hole, my drives are all the way down. Then once she planes off, I bring the drives up ever so slightly just to lift her hose a little bit more out of the water. At that point you will notice an ever so slight increase in RPM's. Stop there. Any more angle to the drive and she will start cavitating. Mine likes to cruise and seems happiest between 3500-3800 rpm's which on my GPS puts me between 28-30 mph under most sea conditions.

As far as the trim tabs, honestly, I don't use them much. I have used them a couple of times like you said to balance out the side to side, but she normally rides pretty level. Boat is probably about 15k pounds with fuel, water, passengers and gear, that plus the fuel tanks mounted out towards the sides, makes her a very stable and great riding boat. The last trip of the season earlier this week she was having a bit of trouble getting up on plane, I think due to a whole season of slime on the bottom and growth on the running gear, I used the tabs to force the nose down which helped her plane off immediately. Once on plane I raised the tabs back up to their full up position.

Finally, as far as trim indicators. Yeah, I don't have them either. But since I also don't use them that much, it's not that big a deal. From all the way down to all the way back up is about a ten second count. So if I use them, but am not sure where I left them, I just press tab up and count to 10, then do the same for the other side. That way I know both are completely back to full up position.

Hopefully this helps you. Good luck with the boat. We love ours. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out. This is a great community of boaters for the most part and a very valuable resource.

Big help - thank you. I'll check the batteries. I have the boat getting the bottom repainted right now but should have it back in a week or so. We love the boat and can't wait to really spend some time in it. and I'm rally glad to hear your report on outdrive trim. I noticed when I pulled it for painting that both tabs were fully up, and I had run down the lake at the RPM range you noted and about 28 MPH. Thanks again!

 

[Coz]

Big help - thank you. I'll check the batteries. I have the boat getting the bottom repainted right now but should have it back in a week or so. We love the boat and can't wait to really spend some time in it. and I'm rally glad to hear your report on outdrive trim. I noticed when I pulled it for painting that both tabs were fully up, and I had run down the lake at the RPM range you noted and about 28 MPH. Thanks again!

Curious why you think it’s listing. Is there a reference point like the bottom paint or vinyl stripe? I ask because my bottom paint was not at the same level on both sides.

 

[1hot87gt]

It's just a visual thing. If I look at her in her slip, best opportunity to see her sitting, she is just ever so slightly listing to port. At least I know there is at least one other person who has noticed it so I know I'm not crazy. There is a vinyl stripe just above the waterline on both sides and of course the bottom paint line. It does appear the water creeps up just a tad higher on the port side which would also support the observation of a slight list to port. But I believe my bottom paint is even on both sides if I recall

 

[Harry Harris]

It's just a visual thing. If I look at her in her slip, best opportunity to see her sitting, she is just ever so slightly listing to port. At least I know there is at least one other person who has noticed it so I know I'm not crazy. There is a vinyl stripe just above the waterline on both sides and of course the bottom paint line. It does appear the water creeps up just a tad higher on the port side which would also support the observation of a slight list to port. But I believe my bottom paint is even on both sides if I recall

I think that they could be designed to list slightly to port since all the seating is on the starboard side?

 

[1hot87gt]

That's very true. Never thought of that. You could be on to something.

 

[Chillaxin']

FYI, our fresh water tank is centerline, in the aft cabin.
Mine starts listing to port at the dock when the black tank is at half or more, otherwise sits pretty even, no matter how much beer is in the galley fridge.

As for running on plane, I'm definitely running some port tab to fly straight. Runs port heavy. No outdrive trim, as we know she'll start cavitating.