320DA exhaust hose routing

[CJ Martin]

As part of our pre-2007 preventative maintenance, I had our boatyard inspect my risers (we're right at the 5 year point) and also asked them to check all the hoses, etc. for anything I may have missed last year. I'm an avionics guy, I'm still learning the more mechanical things. The good news is that the risers look like brand new inside.

One thing that my mech did find was a pretty serious kink in both exhaust hoses - the ones that run from the muffer to the hull side (above water) outlets. Right now there is just one long hose run coming out of the top of the muffer and heading for the outlets. The kinks are right where the 90 degree turn is. He recommended adding fiberglass elbows to make that transition, and then back to the current hose. He told me he would insure the elbow was lower than the risers as he didn't want to create a backflow potential. In fact it shouldn't be much higher than the existing setup.

This all makes perfect sense to me but I'd like to see what the experts here think. Our 320 is a 2002, are they still built this way (i.e. without the elbow)?

-CJ

 

[Skip]

Chris,
I recommend calling SR Service, 1-800 SRBoats. Take them through this before you spend any $$. Shoot me an e-mail; I have a contact at Merritt Island that will be able to help as well.
Of course, when you get your 420DA, there will be no kinks in the 10" diameter howitzer tubes that are the Cummns exhaust. I digress, and please, tell the Admiral I am kidding!
Skip

 

[JC3]

Skip, Now youve done it. CJ wont sleep all nite just thinking about that 420DA. :grin: JC

 

[Cap10Pat]

I would try to confirm your existing setup to make sure it is the way Searay built it and that something else isn't wrong or changed. But the fiberglass elbows sound like a good idea to me. I have them on mine and they work fine. Make sure the mechanic double-clamps them and that hoses are not stretched. Those elbows don't have a lip on them to help keep the hoses on. Also, I find that noise escapes through the fiberglass, probably more than through rubber hose. So, you may also want to have him wrap the elbows in fiberglass soundproofing and foil. Your's are after your mufflers and mine are after my manifolds, so it may not be as bad.

 

[CJ Martin]

Cat'n Pat - yeah, my mech told me the exhaust might be a bit "throater". :smt001

In other news - had a bit of a setback today. According to my records, the raw water impellers on the mains had not been changed in the last two years, so I added that to the work order. Well the bad news (so far) is that the starboard pump is badly worn. Also they are a royal pain to get to on the 320DA - heads up 320 owners. We'll find out what the port side looks like tomorrow. <fingers crossed>

I am glad we found it now and not halfway to Baltimore. I should be able to get the winter labor rate and the parts guy is promising to cut me a deal - he's been very good to me in the past.

Break Out Another Thousand...

-CJ

 

[CJ Martin]

If my bride was any good at picking lottery numbers, I'd already have my 420 Skip. :grin:

We're several years out before we can make that step. It is fun to dream though.

-CJ

 

[fwebster]

Chris,

Sometimes it is more about finding the right boat, a seller who needs to sell and developing a strategy for negotiating than it is about luck..........

 

[CJ Martin]

Frank,

True, true. We would have never thought we would have been in a 320 so soon - we started three years ago with a 260. Skip's 320 kinda fell out of the sky and we just couldn't pass her up.

Who knows what the future will bring?

-CJ