260 Sundancer Thread.........Comments questions and answers

[skibum]

Could the water be coming in from the blower vents under the louvers? Especially the intake (starboard) louver vent? It must be a 4" hole there. With more people on board, the lower the deadrise, which might allow water to splash up into the louver and be sucked in (if you keep your blower on). Just a thought :huh:

I'm going to dry my bilge out and lift up the lower end of the starboard blower tube with something temporarily to see if water collects in the loop I create. Worth a try :huh:

Uhhh... the blower should blow out. The water should be repelled from the hole by the airflow, not sucked in.

I have been getting fresh water in my bildge, and I found the (another) culprit. The table mount on the engine hatch leaks. The fresh water was dripping down on the engine when I hosed down the deck. I broke my usual routine of checking the fluids before rinsing her off, and did it afterwards. I noticed water on the engine cover when I opened the hatch. That egg carton foam on the underside of the hatch has a backing that holds water. SR cut an "X" in the foam to allow room for the cup in the table mount to pop through. I reached up, and folded one of the little wedges back, and about 1/2 of a cup of water came out. The foam was dry below that spot.

When you guys are taking these larger crowds out, are they swimming and getting back on board wet? You might also have leaking table mounts. The water on the engine may be drying out due to the heat before you get a chance to look in the ER. I'm pretty sure that's why I never noticed it before. The engine heat during the ride home would dry out any water that landed on it while folks were swimming, and I would check the fluids before washing the deck so it was still dry. When I changed my routine and washed the boat first, the engine had cooled and stayed wet long enough for me to see it. I had noticed a few inexplicable salt spots down there in the past, but it wasn't so many that it concerned me.

Testing the leak to see how bad the leak is is a different story. Someone has to get in there with the hatch closed and someone else needs to hose down the deck. All I have to do now is find someone that I am absolutely certain will open the hatch after hosing down the deck with me in there. All of my friends are wise guys. :lol:

Michael

 

[dsteele1]

Uhhh... the blower should blow out. The water should be repelled from the hole by the airflow, not sucked in.

I have been getting fresh water in my bildge, and I found the (another) culprit. The table mount on the engine hatch leaks. The fresh water was dripping down on the engine when I hosed down the deck. I broke my usual routine of checking the fluids before rinsing her off, and did it afterwards. I noticed water on the engine cover when I opened the hatch. That egg carton foam on the underside of the hatch has a backing that holds water. SR cut an "X" in the foam to allow room for the cup in the table mount to pop through. I reached up, and folded one of the little wedges back, and about 1/2 of a cup of water came out. The foam was dry below that spot.

When you guys are taking these larger crowds out, are they swimming and getting back on board wet? You might also have leaking table mounts. The water on the engine may be drying out due to the heat before you get a chance to look in the ER. I'm pretty sure that's why I never noticed it before. The engine heat during the ride home would dry out any water that landed on it while folks were swimming, and I would check the fluids before washing the deck so it was still dry. When I changed my routine and washed the boat first, the engine had cooled and stayed wet long enough for me to see it. I had noticed a few inexplicable salt spots down there in the past, but it wasn't so many that it concerned me.

Testing the leak to see how bad the leak is is a different story. Someone has to get in there with the hatch closed and someone else needs to hose down the deck. All I have to do now is find someone that I am absolutely certain will open the hatch after hosing down the deck with me in there. All of my friends are wise guys. :lol:

Michael

Michael - good input. I'll take a look at all of those things. :grin:

The blower does blow out on the port side louver but fresh air is pulled in from the other 4" black hose on the starboard side which gives you a fresh air flow through the bilge.

Don

 

[Nehalennia]

Michael and Don,
For you guys with the newer body styles; does your table mount just screw in like mine did. When I bought the boat the table mount had all 6 screws stripped out of the engine hatch.

So, a friend of mine is a machinist. He made me a nice 1/4" aluminum ring, 5" inside Dia and 7" outside.

I then drilled and tapped it for the bolt pattern and it sandwiched the hatch nicely.
Here's some pictures

 

[dsteele1]

Michael and Don,
For you guys with the newer body styles; does your table mount just screw in like mine did. When I bought the boat the table mount had all 6 screws stripped out of the engine hatch.

So, a friend of mine is a machinist. He made me a nice 1/4" aluminum ring, 5" inside Dia and 7" outside.

I then drilled and tapped it for the bolt pattern and it sandwiched the hatch nicely.

Nicely done Todd! :smt038 I want one of those!!!!

Only thing I would suggest is that you use longer machine screws with washer, lock washer and nut on each. You probably used thread lock though I'm sure.

Someone probably smashed into the table and ripped the screws right out of the hatch cover! Sweet! :wow:

 

[Nehalennia]

Nicely done Todd! :smt038 I want one of those!!!!

Only thing I would suggest is that you use longer machine screws with washer, lock washer and nut on each. You probably used thread lock though I'm sure.

Someone probably smashed into the table and ripped the screws right out of the hatch cover! Sweet! :wow:

I didn't use locktite, but it's not going anywhere.
I can ask my Buddy Greg if he can make another one.

 

[Dougbb]

Dave,

Sorry for the delay...traveling. The alarm goes off and just defaults to the "Check - Paddle" screen. When I hit "check" it just goes back to the previous screen but never says why the alarm went off in the first place. I am suspecting that it is the RPM warning, although it never says. In any event, it is the "blinking" alarm that stays on in the upper right of the screen, as your edited post susggests.

I tried bringing it up on plane at a slower rate, and that seemed to delay the alarm, but when I hit 3500 rpms it went off, that's why I suspect it is the RPM warning. Is that RPM enough to trip the warning? Seems low to me.

I guess I'll have to call the dealer. Not sure how they will service it since they are about a 2 hr cruise away, and a 20 mile drive. Since I am a new owner with a used boat, guess I'll have to feel my way around that one.

 

[Dave S]

Dave,

Sorry for the delay...traveling. The alarm goes off and just defaults to the "Check - Paddle" screen. When I hit "check" it just goes back to the previous screen but never says why the alarm went off in the first place. I am suspecting that it is the RPM warning, although it never says. In any event, it is the "blinking" alarm that stays on in the upper right of the screen, as your edited post susggests.

I tried bringing it up on plane at a slower rate, and that seemed to delay the alarm, but when I hit 3500 rpms it went off, that's why I suspect it is the RPM warning. Is that RPM enough to trip the warning? Seems low to me.

I guess I'll have to call the dealer. Not sure how they will service it since they are about a 2 hr cruise away, and a 20 mile drive. Since I am a new owner with a used boat, guess I'll have to feel my way around that one.

Doug

All the warning screens are shown on pages 2-10 thru 2-14 in your Smartcraft Manual. I see no reference to "check paddle". An excessive RPM signal is supposed to give an "overspeed" warning. If you are actualy seeing "check paddle" then it could have something to do with the paddle wheel in the Outdrive which is what is used for computing your speed on the speedometer. You mention you hit "check". Can you explain that since I am not aware of a "check" button or function like that on the instruments. Also, does the blinking fault reset itself if you turn off the ignition and then restart?

 

[Dougbb]

Dave,

When the "Check Paddlewheel" screen comes on during the alarm, I hit the middle button (which I forget it's name) and it takes me back to whetever screen it was previously on...in my case it is usually the depth screen I keep it on. Then I see the alarm blinking in the upper right of the screen.

And yes, when I turn off the engine and restart it, it goes off...no blinking alarm. It's frustrating because I can never isolate the alarm to a specific problem.

 

[Dave S]

Doug

This one will take a technician to resolve. There is something about the paddle wheel (for the speedometer) that Smartcraft doesn't like. The good news is it's probably nothing that affects the engine operation so if it's not fixed right away it's probably not too serious. But keep in mind if he needs to get to the paddle wheel in the outdrive you will have to get hauled out.

Dave

 

[eddiemorales]

Dave,

Sorry for the delay...traveling. The alarm goes off and just defaults to the "Check - Paddle" screen. When I hit "check" it just goes back to the previous screen but never says why the alarm went off in the first place. I am suspecting that it is the RPM warning, although it never says. In any event, it is the "blinking" alarm that stays on in the upper right of the screen, as your edited post susggests.

I tried bringing it up on plane at a slower rate, and that seemed to delay the alarm, but when I hit 3500 rpms it went off, that's why I suspect it is the RPM warning. Is that RPM enough to trip the warning? Seems low to me.

I guess I'll have to call the dealer. Not sure how they will service it since they are about a 2 hr cruise away, and a 20 mile drive. Since I am a new owner with a used boat, guess I'll have to feel my way around that one.

Stupid question but worth to ask, Have you checked you Engine Oil level lately? I had this exact, identical error. It turned out I was 2 quarts low!!!! Worth checking...

 

[dsteele1]

Anchor and Water Heater
Alright! I've officially joined the "Disappearing Anchor" clan! :smt013 One minute I'm nicely anchored in our secluded cove, swimming and cleaning the algae from the stern drive and tabs, when a large set of boat wakes hit the boat and POP! What the &*Y%^&^% is that :wow: Oh well - must have been a large catfish hitting the boat...

An hour later I go pull up the anchor... "This is easier" I'm thinking. Next: "You've got to be kidding me". No anchor on the end of the line and the shackle is missing. Sweet! :smt021
Weird thing is the boat DID NOT move at all for over an hour! Question: What's the best way to make sure the shackle screw bolts don't don't back out - 3M 4200, locktite, ??? :huh:

Also: My Water Heater did not work while on shore power: The fresh water system is full of water, hot water faucets flow with cold water nicely. I switch on the Water Heater breaker, open the Hot Water faucets and no hot water. Ran them for 10 minutes and no hot water! Any ideas! :huh: :smt100

 

[Dave S]

Your shackle bolt should be safety wired with a piece of stainless wire. That will keep it from unscrewing. Mine came that way from the factory. On your water heater, did you give it an hour or so to produce hot water after turning it on? It's not an instant unit and will take some time to heat the water in the tank.

 

[dsteele1]

Your shackle bolt should be safety wired with a piece of stainless wire. That will keep it from unscrewing. Mine came that way from the factory. On your water heater, did you give it an hour or so to produce hot water after turning it on? It's not an instant unit and will take some time to heat the water in the tank.

Thanks Dave. My shackles have no SS wire on them at all. Just a through bolt threaded on one end and compressed on the other end to form a finger handle. That's all ???? I'll check again when I get back to the boat to see if I'm missing something. The water heater isn't instant on - I didn't know that. How much water does the tank hold?

 

[jg300da]

Typically those water heaters hold 6 gallons.

 

[dsteele1]

Can anyone give me the dimensions ( width and height ) of your 2006 260 Sundancer transom-door walkway opening. I won't be at my boat (which is an hour away) for a while.

I have a crazy idea I want to try of putting a small Air Conditioner 16" wide in the opening with the camper canvas up to cool down the cockpit in our 100+ degree Texas temps. It only weighs 40# and could easily be stowed in between the cockpit seats on the starboard side.

I plan on making some sort of custom polyethylene open cell rigid foam structure to seal the opening around the unit. Crazy ideas are flowing.... yes, I have a 5KW genny. :grin:

Update: 8/1/08

OK> I bought an 8000 BTU portable air condition that was 12" wide (fit very nicely in the starboard niche behind the arch in between the seats), tested the load on the generator with the cabin AC, refrigerator, fans, lights, and portable AC units all running (no problem for the generator at all), installed the camper package (took 4 hours of dying in this 102 degree heat and humidity, snaps not lining up and zippers not stretching for enough) and taking the boat out to a nice cove to test the new AC unit.

Observations:

1. 102 degree sun plus plastic / black fabric canvas equals one hot sauna!!!! :wow: AC showed an inside temp of 104. :smt089

2. Switched on the generator and AC unit: After 15 minutes of sweating my #$)*^%! off, the AC working it's butt off - the temp read 106 degrees! The AC was actually making more heat the it could dissipate out the exhaust hose!!!!

All in all I lost 4 lbs., felt like I was in an aquarium looking out from the inside and found that this experience was a total waste of 9 hours! :smt013 :smt043

AC unit is already boxed up and ready to go back to Circuit City.... :smt009

 

[Kurt]

You might look at room ac units that look like a average sized suit case. Home Depot, Lowes, Best Buy, Circut City sell them. We have one that we use in our 240. It sits on the floor and I vent it out the aft port and run a 5/8 drain line into the bathroom drain. It is 5000 BTU, they make up to 10K. At 7pm 90 degrees it took 30 minutes to drop the temp to 68.

 

[dsteele1]

You might look at room ac units that look like a average sized suit case. Home Depot, Lowes, Best Buy, Circut City sell them. We have one that we use in our 240. It sits on the floor and I vent it out the aft port and run a 5/8 drain line into the bathroom drain. It is 5000 BTU, they make up to 10K. At 7pm 90 degrees it took 30 minutes to drop the temp to 68.

Sounds like just the ticket... do you have make and model? I and others would love to some pics of your setup. I'll take a look online.

 

[Kurt]

http://www.haieramerica.com/en/category/Home_Comfort/Air_Conditioners/Portable
This is what we use in our cabin since we bought our 240 as is factory close out without air. It has been a life saver. It takes me bout 5 minutes to get is set up. It sits in the walkway to the aft and I run the exhaust out the aft port. The exhaust doubles to dry our towels and swim suits over night. You will be happy with one probably at least 7000 in the salon.

 

[dsteele1]

http://www.haieramerica.com/en/category/Home_Comfort/Air_Conditioners/Portable
This is what we use in our cabin since we bought our 240 as is factory close out without air. It has been a life saver. It takes me bout 5 minutes to get is set up. It sits in the walkway to the aft and I run the exhaust out the aft port. The exhaust doubles to dry our towels and swim suits over night. You will be happy with one probably at least 7000 in the salon.

Cool. I know of these units - I have a Sunpentown portable 12,000 btu AC in my workshop at home that weighs about 100#. You have yours in your cabin. Do you think it would work in the cockpit near the aft doorway inside a full camper canvas package? You say you run the exhaust out the aft port - where exactly do you mean? Do you use the flexible exhaust tube and route it somewhere? How much does yours weigh?

 

[charlieft]

My water heater gets the water hot in less than 5 minutes. I don't turn on the water immediately though. If you turn it on then wait 5 minutes or so and the water is still cold then there's something wrong.