40 sedan bridge forum

Does anyone have a picture of...or part number for the trim tab switch on a 2002+ 400DB - one side of my switch broke this weekend and I didnt take pictures...thinking it would be easy to find...my bad!

Thank you in advance.

Do you mean this?
C273800E-3602-41FD-B530-2F8A5FE3D568.png


Sea Ray P/N 157487

Did you break the switch itself or the panel cutout that goes around the switches?
 
Last edited:
actually...one of the actuators inside the switch broke...well at least I assume as the port side went "limp".

Is that a taylor part?

Mike

Wow. I don’t know. And neither the parts manual or the part says. I googled that part number and came up with nothing, either. This is the point where I normally call MarineMax...
 
Wow. I don’t know. And neither the parts manual or the part says. I googled that part number and came up with nothing, either. This is the point where I normally call MarineMax...

I think it may say bennett...i may have found the replacement...BTW..40.00...hmm
 
I've had it! It took me 5 tries to get the boat into it's slip last weekend. We had a pretty nasty headwind that was bouncing from port to stbd and giving me fits. As soon as I was lined up the bow would veer off and I'd have to abort. Us gas engine boats don't have the prop authority you diesel luckies do so when I'm in danger, I need to get away before it gets worse. I simply can not crab walk it into a decent wind. So...

Thrusters. Anyone got any insight? I'm researching and I REALLY don't want to be the guy that "needs" thrusters but this is season three and this boat does not respond well in a good blow. Any input is appreciated.

-Andy
 
I've had it! It took me 5 tries to get the boat into it's slip last weekend. We had a pretty nasty headwind that was bouncing from port to stbd and giving me fits. As soon as I was lined up the bow would veer off and I'd have to abort. Us gas engine boats don't have the prop authority you diesel luckies do so when I'm in danger, I need to get away before it gets worse. I simply can not crab walk it into a decent wind. So...

Thrusters. Anyone got any insight? I'm researching and I REALLY don't want to be the guy that "needs" thrusters but this is season three and this boat does not respond well in a good blow. Any input is appreciated.

-Andy

No worries. First day I brought mine home we had mid 20 knot winds. Took me about six tries to get her in the slip. And that’s with diesels! It’s getting better each time. Bow thrusters would make things easier at times, but I don’t think they are needed on this boat. At least not with diesels. But with gassers, maybe so...?
 
Thrusters. Anyone got any insight? I'm researching and I REALLY don't want to be the guy that "needs" thrusters but this is season three and this boat does not respond well in a good blow. Any input is appreciated. -Andy[/QUOTE said:
Bridge boats can be a bear around the docks in wind. Doesn’t sound like you’re having fun. There’s a reason all the newer boats have thrusters. Put the pleasure back in your boating.
 
I think it may say bennett...i may have found the replacement...BTW..40.00...hmm
Mike, Bennett's replacement for those older flat switches are a sleeker style with curved actuators. The new switch pair panel is slightly larger than the old. The previous owner of my boat replaced them and just pushed it into the cutout as far as it would go and called it done. So it's not quite flush with the gelcoat. So, you will have to slightly enlarge the cutout if you want to flush fit the new ones.
 
I've had it! It took me 5 tries to get the boat into it's slip last weekend. We had a pretty nasty headwind that was bouncing from port to stbd and giving me fits. As soon as I was lined up the bow would veer off and I'd have to abort. Us gas engine boats don't have the prop authority you diesel luckies do so when I'm in danger, I need to get away before it gets worse. I simply can not crab walk it into a decent wind. So...

Thrusters. Anyone got any insight? I'm researching and I REALLY don't want to be the guy that "needs" thrusters but this is season three and this boat does not respond well in a good blow. Any input is appreciated.

-Andy

Either version of the boat (gas or diesel) can be trying in certain conditions. A thruster can help, but it's an expensive add in that also may not help under certain conditions.

I placed rolling dock wheels on the finger piers of my dock (Taylor Made) which goes a long way in helping me dock in my slip.
 
Thanks CaptRonn and PMC. My boat is bone dry in the bilge (jinx) even in those bunks. But I didn’t realize the sump WAS the forward bilge alarm. And yes, it’s a silent alarm. We run the AC a fair amount, so this make sense. And yes, sloshing around when first getting on plane would do that. Thanks for clarifying! All the same, I am going to visually check those locations once more, just to be sure.

Just to add to what CaptRonn and PMC already stated. My boat does the same thing. When I get on plane, that FWD alarm goes off for a few secs. It is loud and is disconcerting. Not the sound I want to hear as I'm getting up on plane. The audible FWD bilge alarm is the sump pump that can be found under the stbd side bunk in the port side state room...just aft of the vacuflushes. Mine has water in there when the alarm goes off. As the bow rises when going on plane, any water in that bilge area sloshes to the back and sets off that fwd bilge and sets of the pump and alarm.

I'm still trying to track down where the water is coming from. It's fresh water, and I boat in salt, so it's either rain water from a bad window seal, or a leaky fresh water hose fitting, or overflow from the sump box. I'm leaning towards a faulty window seal.
 
Either version of the boat (gas or diesel) can be trying in certain conditions. A thruster can help, but it's an expensive add in that also may not help under certain conditions.

I placed rolling dock wheels on the finger piers of my dock (Taylor Made) which goes a long way in helping me dock in my slip.

I have two sets already...

Seriously, I just can't get the hang of a crosswind with gas motors. I drove a diesel and the prop authority is much greater. I don't have the time to wait and hope that my props will eventually spin the boat agains the wind and sometimes, it just won't. I've been driving 40' twins for 8 years now and this one for 3. I think I'm more than willing to throw in the towel on this. I know when to not leave or return but currently, that's quite often.
 
I have two sets already...

Seriously, I just can't get the hang of a crosswind with gas motors. I drove a diesel and the prop authority is much greater. I don't have the time to wait and hope that my props will eventually spin the boat agains the wind and sometimes, it just won't. I've been driving 40' twins for 8 years now and this one for 3. I think I'm more than willing to throw in the towel on this. I know when to not leave or return but currently, that's quite often.

When I was looking for 400DB's before I found the one I purchased I inquired about the cost of adding a bow thruster, as many I was looking at didnt have them. I found the quotes to range from 8K - 15K. I ended up factoring that into my purchase price when considering ones without. It does seem that in the south, there are more boats and therefore more competition to help drive the price down, but I never had a quote in the north anywhere for less than 9K (that was with Chicago Yacht Works).

I will say that even with the diesels..it has been my experience that if the wind is crossing my dock faster than 20kt I dont like to go out unless I am certain that I have some dock help when I pull back in.

Mike
 
I don't know if they are much different, but they have held up better.
It may be the pump body is easier on them? I have changed them about 6 weeks ago just because they had 600 hrs on them and I was starting to be concerned about them possibly not lasting for our trip back up north. They looked like new, no cracks, checks or sign of any wear at all. I have been going a little longer each time I change them as they have always looked like new when they came out. The noticeable difference in wear is at the tips of the vanes. the sherwoods would wear a flat spot on the vane tip, the smx are still round at change time. zz13 has also had a set of smx that he ran for a long time that held up well. Water quality can play a role in longevity also so your mileage may vary. The one thing about them that I really like is that they are spline drive instead of key. It makes install a snap. I coat the vanes half way up from the end that goes into the pump body first with silicone grease, hold the impeller up to the pump body, push and twist. As soon as the splines align, it slides right in. No key to install or have to worry about falling out and into the pump when removing. When installing or removing on hard to access pumps that alone can be worth it. I changed over to them when I felt that the original Sherwood pumps were near end of life.
In this picture below of one of my Sherwood impellers that was 2 years old and had about 150 hrs on it, note the flat wear spots on the tips. I have not seen that on the smx even after many more hours. The "set" isn't as bad either. Again, just my experience.
View attachment 70618
Great write up. Thank you. I did't realize you changed the whole pump. Was it difficult to replace the pumps. I have the Cat 3116s. The starboard side should be a snap. Port side is a bear to get to.
 
I have two sets already...

Seriously, I just can't get the hang of a crosswind with gas motors. I drove a diesel and the prop authority is much greater. I don't have the time to wait and hope that my props will eventually spin the boat agains the wind and sometimes, it just won't. I've been driving 40' twins for 8 years now and this one for 3. I think I'm more than willing to throw in the towel on this. I know when to not leave or return but currently, that's quite often.

I had the same issue when I first got my boat. The handling was much different (i.e. worse) than my previous Sea Ray's (37 & 38 Sundancer's - also with gas engines). Do you back into your slip? If so, make sure you are docking with your stern into the wind. I typically "line up" a few slips over and approach the slip at an angle, in reverse, and slowly correct my course as I near the slip. Most importantly - when you pivot, let the engines bring your nose around into the wind rather than let the wind swing your nose. It gives you much better control. It is a slower process than lining up in front of the slip and hitting reverse, but it works every single time...without a thruster.

I hope this helps. If it doesn't make sense, shoot me a PM and I will send a diagram of my approach.
 
Great write up. Thank you. I did't realize you changed the whole pump. Was it difficult to replace the pumps. I have the Cat 3116s. The starboard side should be a snap. Port side is a bear to get to.

Unfortunately, the pump is not available for Cats. The supplier of the smx pumps caters to the Cummins market. They do sell some things that can be applied to any Diesel engine but most of their stuff is all about Cummins.
 
I had the same issue when I first got my boat. The handling was much different (i.e. worse) than my previous Sea Ray's (37 & 38 Sundancer's - also with gas engines). Do you back into your slip? If so, make sure you are docking with your stern into the wind. I typically "line up" a few slips over and approach the slip at an angle, in reverse, and slowly correct my course as I near the slip. Most importantly - when you pivot, let the engines bring your nose around into the wind rather than let the wind swing your nose. It gives you much better control. It is a slower process than lining up in front of the slip and hitting reverse, but it works every single time...without a thruster.

I hope this helps. If it doesn't make sense, shoot me a PM and I will send a diagram of my approach.

Makes sense, except for the part where you make sure the wind always faces your stern. I think that might actually be an Irish toast. There is absolutely no guarantee that my bow will be able to spin into the wind once I'm committed. That's why I'm installing a thruster.
 
Makes sense, except for the part where you make sure the wind always faces your stern. I think that might actually be an Irish toast. There is absolutely no guarantee that my bow will be able to spin into the wind once I'm committed. That's why I'm installing a thruster.
Have you looked at a company called ( jetthusters.com )? These seem less intrusive to the boat, one central pump and uses a type of thru hull fitting instead of a tunnel through the whole boat. They just seem like a better retro fit type system.
 
Have you looked at a company called ( jetthusters.com )? These seem less intrusive to the boat, one central pump and uses a type of thru hull fitting instead of a tunnel through the whole boat. They just seem like a better retro fit type system.

I have seen those. I like the idea. I'm just not sure of their proven record.
 
Unfortunately, the pump is not available for Cats. The supplier of the smx pumps caters to the Cummins market. They do sell some things that can be applied to any Diesel engine but most of their stuff is all about Cummins.
Rats!
I noticed there was no mention about Cats. I was hopeful I was on the wrong site. I will keep looking.
Thank you.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,861
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top