410 Sundancer/Express Cruiser and 400 Sundancer/Express Cruiser **Official Thread**

[Gingerly]

Any one know the part number for a 2000 29 Amberjack?

A part number for the whole boat? Pretty sure you just listed it. =p

FWIW, this thread is specific to 400/410 DA/EC's. You probably need to search out a different thread/group to get a good answer to your question, whatever that may actually be. Or just hit up fpmarine dot com.

 

[Stee6043]

Hey fellas, any chance any of you guys have ever successfully stored the base for our salon table under the master berth bed? I have an electronic version of my owners manual, it mentions this possibility, but I can't make out exactly how that thing is supposed to fit in there. The photo is too grainy. The actual manual that came with the boat didn't have this info in it.

Anyone have a photo or description of this voodoo like process? I've sat and stared at the underside of that bed for about 30 minutes now and cannot, for the life of me, see how it all works.

Thanks in advance!

 

[dtfeld]

Mine fits under the hatch for the AC. So you have to pull up the mattress and then the hatch...PITA It stores the table, but the 30lb base is still a problem.

 

[Stee6043]

An adjacent question to the one above:

Do you guys have table bases that look like this? I wonder if I have something non-original perhaps...

 

[Stee6043]

Mine fits under the hatch for the AC. So you have to pull up the mattress and then the hatch...PITA It stores the table, but the 30lb base is still a problem.

Yeah here is the photo I have. Upon closer inspection it looks like "maybe" a 4 footed base might be face down between the drawers and the divider?? If that's the case my base is not the one they intended to fit in there.

 

[Strecker25]

We have the round base of similar size, it doens't fit under the master. I put it under the salon couch in the forward storage, it barely fits as it rides up the hull side.

 

[Stee6043]

We have the round base of similar size, it doens't fit under the master. I put it under the salon couch in the forward storage, it barely fits as it rides up the hull side.

Hmm...that's where my central vac is located. Is your vac someplace else or do both fit in there?

 

[RollerCoastr]

Yeah here is the photo I have. Upon closer inspection it looks like "maybe" a 4 footed base might be face down between the drawers and the divider?? If that's the case my base is not the one they intended to fit in there.

View attachment 145011

Yep - that's where the 5-footed base goes. It straddles that little bulkhead behind the drawers face-up.

In the space on the stbd side of the drawers there's a circle cut-out for the post, and halfway up a strap to hold it in-place.

The table top of course just slides into the track under the bed platform - insert it so the velcro strap on one end can secure it through the bracket under the table.

 

[Stee6043]

Yep - that's where the 5-footed base goes. It straddles that little bulkhead behind the drawers face-up.

In the space on the stbd side of the drawers there's a circle cut-out for the post, and halfway up a strap to hold it in-place.

The table top of course just slides into the track under the bed platform - insert it so the velcro strap on one end can secure it through the bracket under the table.

I figured there was an 83% chance I'd feel like an idiot after I learned how this was supposed to be done. I just knew it...

So you're saying the fricken post will disconnect from the base? Lord help me...sometimes I wonder how I've survived this long.

@RollerCoastr this is by far the lowest cost advice you've ever given me. I'm going to take this a win. Truly appreciated.

You guys are the best....but I think I'm going to pretend this never happened.

 

[dtfeld]

Learn something new around here everyday!

 

[RollerCoastr]

So you're saying the fricken post will disconnect from the base? Lord help me...sometimes I wonder how I've survived this long.

I know the feeling - TRUST me.

I 'rasteled and pulled and fought that post more times than I can to admit before I realized that if it's being stubborn, just pound on the top side of it with your fist from each direction and it'll come right out.

 

[Strecker25]

Hmm...that's where my central vac is located. Is your vac someplace else or do both fit in there?

ours is under the stairs going into the cabin.

 

[Stee6043]

My welcome to the 2023 boating season = my fridge is kaput. Time to start researching the soul crushing amount of disassembly this is going to involve.

Ugghhh…

 

[Strecker25]

My welcome to the 2023 boating season = my fridge is kaput. Time to start researching the soul crushing amount of disassembly this is going to involve.

Ugghhh…

Same! Just died this morning. Compressor is on but the lines appear frozen, the plates are 45* but the main line coming into the freezer is 23* so it’s just iced and not circulating

I put an order in immediately for an isotherm 195 to see how long the backorder really is. I don’t want to, but I’d do another norcold if it’s our only choice as we cannot go a full season without the fridge.

 

[dtfeld]

@Stee6043 @Strecker25

I felt you pain late last year when mine died. But this really isn't a hard project physically (financially is another thing altogether!!). Getting the old one out is all about stripping everything off the old fridge. I was able to lift the carcass out of my boat by myself. Its maybe 1-2 hours of work.

Same is true of the new fridge going back in. Remove the doors trim etc, and its a 5 minute job for you and a buddy ()or at least its easy on the 410, not sure what the door arrangement is on the 400). Good luck. Hopefully you can find a fridge in stock.

Whole project can be done in a 3-5 hours (if all your doing is replacing the fridge).

For the record, we're loving our Nova Kool. I stressed over which fridge, but this was a winner. Pros in my mind is its a lot bigger (deeper by about 4"-5") than the old Norcold it replaced, the doors seals are great (no defrosting/barely any build up yet after 3 months) and I love the fact the fridge is on top as we use the fridge 10X than the freezer).

Bottom line I should have done this project much sooner. having a fridge that really works is a game changer.

 

[dtfeld]

An adjacent question to the one above:

Do you guys have table bases that look like this? I wonder if I have something non-original perhaps...


View attachment 145010

We have a round disk. That looks like a toe stubbing machine. My guess is they changed at some point between the 1999 and 2001 year.

 

[dtfeld]

Look what popped up on my computer just now...

Big Brother must be listening in on me...

 

[Stee6043]

@Stee6043 @Strecker25

I felt you pain late last year when mine died. But this really isn't a hard project physically (financially is another thing altogether!!). Getting the old one out is all about stripping everything off the old fridge. I was able to lift the carcass out of my boat by myself. Its maybe 1-2 hours of work.

Same is true of the new fridge going back in. Remove the doors trim etc, and its a 5 minute job for you and a buddy ()or at least its easy on the 410, not sure what the door arrangement is on the 400). Good luck. Hopefully you can find a fridge in stock.

Whole project can be done in a 3-5 hours (if all your doing is replacing the fridge).

For the record, we're loving our Nova Kool. I stressed over which fridge, but this was a winner. Pros in my mind is its a lot bigger (deeper by about 4"-5") than the old Norcold it replaced, the doors seals are great (no defrosting/barely any build up yet after 3 months) and I love the fact the fridge is on top as we use the fridge 10X than the freezer).

Bottom line I should have done this project much sooner. having a fridge that really works is a game changer.

Any chance you can share exactly which model you went with? I was leaning toward another Norcold but they don’t appear to be in stock anywhere.

Those Isotherm units are spendy!

 

[Sgrochow]

My welcome to the 2023 boating season = my fridge is kaput. Time to start researching the soul crushing amount of disassembly this is going to involve.

Ugghhh…

It’s a PITA. The cabinet that the fridge is in has to come out. The top trim piece that runs from the door across to the microwave has to be removed, that’s held on by Christmas tree fasteners. The microwave has to come out, there are screws behind it that hold the cabinet in place. If you replace with the Norcold direct replacement, you’ll have to remove the two vertical vinyl trim pieces at the top of the stairs. Mine were pretty beat, so I sliced it up, found the screws and removed. Recovered with 1/4 foam backed vinyl and reinstalled. Used Dap almond caulk and it was a good match.


Also took the helm passenger seat off. Undo 6 or 8 nuts and it pops right off. No chance of damaging during fridge install and you won’t have to lift the new one over it.

When reassembling, I left the screws that hold the fridge cabinet to the stairs out. This way the stairs can be removed without taking the fridge out of the cabinet.

Came in handy when I replaced the sanitation hose and ac lines, they run under the steps.

 

[dtfeld]

Any chance you can share exactly which model you went with? I was leaning toward another Norcold but they don’t appear to be in stock anywhere.

Those Isotherm units are spendy!

@Stee6043

I put in the Nova Kool RFU-9200. Its a dual compressor model that is exactly the same dimensions as the RFU-9000, but it has a second compressor for the freezer. I did that as my crew likes ice cream/frozen things and I wanted to be able to keep that on board especially in the summer. Its a lot more expensive, but I didn't want to regret not getting the second compressor, as while not difficult, it is a big job. It's a buy once, cry once decision. No regrets.

The RFU-9000 has one compressor, but it has a freezer plate and a fridge plate. I talked to the guys at Nova Kool before I purchased and they said I could expect about a 20* differential between the fridge and freezer with a single compressor. So if fridge is 36*, freezer would be 16*, good enough for most things, but not ice cream. Ice cream needs to be in the single digits. The dual compressor did not disappoint it was at 2*-3* until i left the door open. DOH!!