300 Sundancer questions.

Hi all, looking for some advice, or common sense. I have been up and down the ladder of Searays from 240 to 340. Recently returned to the 280 from the 340. I am finding storage and size to be a little too small. I am not looking to take on the expense or overhead of a 340 again, but have looked at a 300 that I can get at a good price. Question....10-12 thousand dollars worth going from a 2006 280 to a 2005 300? Looks and equipment are identical minus the difference in size. This is a disease I will never conquer!! Please help to talk me in or out of this decision. Thanks, Mark
 
searay495 said:
Hi all, looking for some advice, or common sense. I have been up and down the ladder of Searays from 240 to 340. Recently returned to the 280 from the 340. I am finding storage and size to be a little too small. I am not looking to take on the expense or overhead of a 340 again, but have looked at a 300 that I can get at a good price. Question....10-12 thousand dollars worth going from a 2006 280 to a 2005 300? Looks and equipment are identical minus the difference in size. This is a disease I will never conquer!! Please help to talk me in or out of this decision. Thanks, Mark
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Cabin layout is one difference of the 300 over the 280. 300 has essentially the same cabin layout as the 320/340 just less elbow room. Mid-berth is actually a place you can sit and still interact with others in the cabin. 300 also has sidewalks, which I love having (over center window bow access). Great for cleaning the side of the boat, the radar arch, and tying up. If you do your own engine work, the 300 is worth it just for that (spacious engine room). 300 burns about 6-8 more gallons per hour over the 280 with twins.

You still gotta decide for yourself - I'm not going to tell you which one to buy.
 
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Hey Jeff, looks like a great boat, my problem is I have the 280 to sell first..Know of anyone looking?
 
No, not really, giving boating a break for a while.

Its brokeraged at the local Marine Max, maybe you can trade??
 
Either one or both of my bilge blowers suddenly now sounds like a jet engine. Just started during a ride to DC and back today. I figure I'll just replace them both since I know they both have been run for over 1200 hours (number of hours on the genny). Have nay of you replaced yours on the md-2000s 300DA? Do I need an advanced college degree to get these out? Is that them at the top of the transom where the hose comes from the vent?
 
ZZ13 said:
Either one or both of my bilge blowers suddenly now sounds like a jet engine. Just started during a ride to DC and back today. I figure I'll just replace them both since I know they both have been run for over 1200 hours (number of hours on the genny). Have nay of you replaced yours on the md-2000s 300DA? Do I need an advanced college degree to get these out? Is that them at the top of the transom where the hose comes from the vent?
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Hey Bill,
Charting new territory yet again! Haven't changed mine out but saw some threads here about doing so. There was a lot of discussion about using the same type as the original vs those that are rated for full time use. The latter typically have squirrel cage style motors vs the fan blade style and are also more quiet. That said, they are a bit more expensive as I recall too.

I don't run my blowers full time but have at times while the generator is on. Some blowers that are more quiet would certainly be nice while sitting in the cockpit with the generator on. It's already loud enough.

Might be worth a look even if you end up with like-kind replacements for the originals in the end.

James.
 
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JimFromMD said:
Hey Bill,
Charting new territory yet again! Haven't changed mine out but saw some threads here about doing so. There was a lot of discussion about using the same type as the original vs those that are rated for full time use. The latter typically have squirrel cage style motors vs the fan blade style and are also more quiet. That said, they are a bit more expensive as I recall too.

I don't run my blowers full time but have at times while the generator is on. Some blowers that are more quiet would certainly be nice while sitting in the cockpit with the generator on. It's already loud enough.

Might be worth a look even if you end up with like-kind replacements for the originals in the end.

James.
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I'll go remove the fans tomorrow. I'm sticking with the direct replacement Rule Turbos for around $30. These lasted 10 years, so that's good enough for me and I am hoping for a quick and easy replacement process. Their sound levels don't bother me. They just seem to blend in with the noise of the genny or the engines.

Crossed over the 700 hour mark on the boat today.
 
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Here are my figures from replacing the Rule Turbo's with Squirrel Cage blowers:

Before with Rule Blowers: 62.5 dBa peak
After with Jabsco Blowers: 51.5 dBa peak

So that is 11 dBa peak decrease. That is more than a 50% reduction in perceived sound level. (or more dependent on which study you read about perception of sound)

The big difference between the Rule Turbo and the Jabsco Squirrel Cage blowers are that the Jabsco are rated for 10.000 hours. The Rule blowers have no such rating. On my old Bow Rider - I had to replace the rule blowers twice while I had it due to the low height of the intakes - so salt spray would migrate down to the blowers - making them rust very quickly. That is of course different on a Cruiser where the intakes sit higher.

 
Thanks KAZ. Do you have a specific model number for the Jabsco? Did you have to do/make anything special to be able to mount them in place of the Rule? I saw the other thread that discussed this, but I didn't see either of those two topics discussed.
 
I replaced the blower today. It was the port blower and was very easy to access (kinda got lucky as the starboard blower has a trim pump in its way). The blower had been replaced before as it was an Attwood Turbo 4000, and the original factory unit still on the starboard side is a Rule Turbo 240. West Marine (only a couple miles from my boat) only stocked their own brand, which turned out to be a rebadged Attwood Turbo 4000. Bought one and installed it. The new Attwood is clearly quieter than the original 10yr old Rule on the starboard side. Wonder how long this new one will last.
 
My 8lb 6 oz FH-250M Halon 1301 tank in the engine room has gone into the red. So I called around and all the Halon supply/banking places said the best idea is to replace it with the newer FD-250M tank. Reason being it would cost as much to refill as to purchase the new tank, and the new stuff is safer. But its a bigger tank to cover the same 250 cubic feet. Have any of you done this replacement on the 300DA to verify it fits and is straightforward to mount? I thought I ask here before I opened a general thread.
 
So I have some more info on the Halon tank replacement. The replacement is a Sea-Fire FD-250M. Its bigger than the factory tank that I am replacing. Its a little over 19" tall and almost 7.5" in diameter. I measured the area where it mounts and it is going to be a real tight fit, if it fits. The tank is mounted between two drive mounting bolts that are about 7" apart. So its close regarding the width fit. The curvature of the cylinder may just make it, but not really sure because the bolt ends stick into the bilge quite a bit. For height, the steering bar connecting the two drives is just below the existing tank. Its around 20" from the top of that to the bottom of the top of the bilge. But the throttle cabling for the port engine runs along that area at the top of the bilge. So again, possibly fit but not sure. Once I buy the tank I can't return it. Gotta think this one over some more. I may have to make a prototype and see how it fits in there.

Regarding price: $538 half price direct from Sea-Fire because I am replacing an existing Sea-Fire tank (that's their policy); $663 direct from online wholesaler. Full $1076 retail from local Sea Ray dealer.
 
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try to find some cheap drainage pipe at Lowe's or HD. might just be close enough to that diameter. good luck.


could always pad out the mounting location slightly if those drive bolts will hit the tank.
 
AFD said:
try to find some cheap drainage pipe at Lowe's or HD. might just be close enough to that diameter. good luck.


could always pad out the mounting location slightly if those drive bolts will hit the tank.
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Good idea. My only thought was a paper towel roll wound down to the right width with some material added to create the 19" length.
 
you could also use a jigsaw and cut out 2 circles the same diameter. then use that super cheap, thin gauge aluminum panels that they sell at hd or lowes. the plastic probably wouldn't wrap in that tight of a circle but the metal will.wrap the aluminum around the circles with some screws. easy. whole project might cost you $9 but would help you get exactly the diameter you are looking for.
 
I made the prototype. Its huge. Tried all sorts of ways to angle it into the existing space and no way it will fit. Back to plan A - see how much the halon banks will charge me to refill the existing tank. Thanks for your ideas AFD.
 
My Progressive Dynamics PD2030 charger/converter is not working. Has anyone changed their charger? If so, what did you replace it with? I've having trouble locating a dealer in Canada for Progressive Dynamics products.
 
Her Diamond 2 said:
My Progressive Dynamics PD2030 charger/converter is not working. Has anyone changed their charger? If so, what did you replace it with? I've having trouble locating a dealer in Canada for Progressive Dynamics products.
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Previous owner of my 300DA replaced the factory charger with a ProTech 1230iPLUS. Been working just great.
 
Her Diamond 2 said:
My Progressive Dynamics PD2030 charger/converter is not working. Has anyone changed their charger? If so, what did you replace it with? I've having trouble locating a dealer in Canada for Progressive Dynamics products.
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I have my PD2030 at a consignment place, but could get it back if you are interested in a used one. It was working when I removed it to upgrade to a stronger charger (increased my battery size) and went to AGMs.
 
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