410DA Purchase

I spoke with the Service Manager at MM this afternoon and had a very plearsurable conversation. They are over 50% through my list. Half of what is left has to do with normal Springization (paint, zincs, clean, etc, etc) . The other half needs the boat in the water or the weather to be warmer than it has been (hasn't been above freezing in about a week now, and we don't expect it to get warmer for at least another week). Anyway, we agreed on an official launch and delivery date: Friday, March 30....I'm feeling a little head cold already...I'll have to call in sick that day.... :grin:
 
Dominic: You already sounded sick in your post. I recommend you take off March the 30th to recover from your sickness. :grin: JC
 
Yes...it's been called "visual-analitis"...tranlation...I just don't see my a$$ going into work that day... :cool:
 
Dominic, I think its spreading. Iam for sure i will have it March 20th.
I hope the cure is a quick flight into FT Lauderdale then about 10 days on a 1998 450DA in the upper Keys. :grin: :cool: JC
 
JC3 said:
Dominic, I think its spreading. Iam for sure i will have it March 20th.
I hope the cure is a quick flight into FT Lauderdale then about 10 days on a 1998 450DA in the upper Keys. :grin: :cool: JC
Click to expand...

JC...sounds serious...you better go home now.....before you spread it to everyone......

Good luck with the closing.....24 more days till I take delivery.....but who's counting......can't wait....
 
Dominic, I just closed on the boat about 10 minutes ago! Have the flight already booked because i knew i might get that Disease your spreading :wink: . Iam so excited i can hardly stand IT!!!!!!!!!! :grin: JC
 
JC3
Congratulations. I've not run a 450 but by all accounts (OK, fwebster accounts) this is one SR got right.

If you do not have a lot of diesel boat helm time, just remember you have a whole lot of torque turning some big, four bladed props with someting like 26" pitch. Stand at the stern and watch how much water diesel torque moves at idle..then go look at the GPS--6 knots may not seem fast in open water, but around the fuel dock, in a narrow fairway, or approaching a slip at night it seems awful fast. Close quarters basics: In and out of gear, rudders amidships, and maneuver her with the shifters. Remember, 15+ tons of baot doesn not stop on a dime. Shoot me an e-mail or launch a thread and we can post some other lessons learned. I am sure my esteemed colleague from that rather nondescript engineering school in Atlanta has some perspective from his recent 450EB purchase.

Best of luck with your new boat!

Skip
 
OK...I figure I'll update here, as it pertains to the delivery of my 410DA purchase. I had a little back and forth in my own mind with regard to whether or not to have zincs put on the prop shafts. On Wednesday, in 70+ Degree weather, I was at the boat yard completing my electronics install and the shrinkwrap was off. When I was on the boat Sunday, the shrinkwrap was still on, and the yard is closed on Mondays. The yard workers told me they had taken the wrap off that day. That Wed I spoke with the Srvc Mgr and we discussed the zincs on the shafts, and I agreed to leave them off. After a few post here, I changed my decision, and on Friday, in the middle of snow storm, I called to let the SM know that I wanted the zincs put on the shafts. He said "no problem"....

Well, about an hour later, my buddies, who were at the yard to check on their boats during the storm, called to tell me that my boat was already in the water....I'm not sure when it was put in, but it had to be Thursday, as Friday was a wee bit on the stormy side. So when I had called back to say that I wanted the zincs on my prop shafts, the SM already knew the boat was in the water. No big deal.....

Then I started to thinking (dangerous) . My "List" calls for a Professional detail and wax of the hull for spring delivery. I know I didn't see any body down there in a storm with a PC 7424....So I call my salesman.....he said "they cleaned it and put a coat of wax on in January before they wrapped it"....So I say...."thanks, but you need to pull the boat and have a professional come down to the boat and detail my boat....as per the list...".....he is very agreeable and said that he will call the SM and take care of it.....

Now, I know I'm getting anxious, and maybe they had full intention of pulling and detailing but the bottom line is "you really have to stay on top of EVERYTHING...."

Again, don't get me wrong, these guys have been great so far.....very personable, very responsive and generally a bunch of good guys to work with.....but I just wish we could both stay tuned in to the same channel.

I've mentioned before, I would love for my "List" to be 100% complete upon scheduled delivery of 3/30, but if it's not, at least I will go home knowing I still have some hold back $$$$$.....

PS
Myself and my buddies will be making numerous trips to the boat yard over the next two weeks to....keep an eye on things.... :wink:
 
Dominic,

You are dealing with "profit center hero-ism" prevalent at big car retailers like CarMAx (I have examples) and big boat sellers like MM.

The service manager gave the sales manager a budget on your list when you traded so they knew their cost in your new boat. Now, your service manager is trying to show someone what a hero he is by saving money on your punch list. He let the "professional hull detail" slide in favor of a quickie coat of wax. You should insist that someone remove all the oxidation and winter crud with a pre-cleaner or buffing compound then properly wax the boat as the contract called for.

Stop this guy now or he'll let the fuel filters and generator service slide too. All it takes is telling him that you will withhold $20 per foot for the detail if he does not do it and his "hero crown" will melt.
 
Thanks for the reply Frank....I don't want to be a PITA with these guys, as I know they are going to be real busy in a few weeks around there. BUT.....I will Ab-So-Freakin'-Lutely NOT release a Penny of my hold back $$$$$ until the ENITRE list is completed to my satisfaction....below is an exerpt from the LIST that MM and I signed. Notice "ALL" in caps.....

.......The buyer will initial each item as it is completed. The Buyer will hold back a small portion of the purchase price ($XX,XX) and will release those funds to the Seller upon completion off ALL items listed below.......

.....A Spring commisioning item which includes a PROFESSIONAL DETAILING of the hull (not a yard hand with a can or turtle wax) is on the LIST.

Again, I'm not expecting any miracles, but I will not release the funds until "ALL" items are completed....
 
osd9 said:
PS
Myself and my buddies will be making numerous trips to the boat yard over the next two weeks to....keep an eye on things.... :wink:
Click to expand...

Got down to the marina earlier this afternoon.....sat on the boat...started up the RCOPs and let them just......Roar....for a while.....played a little and now I got a two day smile going on.... :grin: .....if it wasn't so cold (34F) and so windy I would have untied and taken her out for a spin......LESS than 2 weeks to delivery......
 

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I know all about weather induced boat trip cancellation. Got the family aboard yesterday but it was just too cold..so we put a movie in for the boys while my wife and I got the salon, master stateroom, and galley organized a little bit. We had to take the forward berth apart (mattress off, plus all bedding) to pull and re-paint the cruisair pan, so we had to the pleasure (!) of making that berth up again. It was good to be on the boat, but the remnants from Friday's sleet storm were still on the foredeck..about 1/4 of sleet...made it like an ice rink.
Discretion is the better part of valor. We will try again on Saturday, for an overnight cruise north on the river.
Skip
 
Dom, I know the feeling of waiting for delivery also, last spring we had closed on our boat and were just waiting for the final punchlist to be completed. We would go to our boat at the dealership and even sleep on it while we was waiting for "final-delivery". I was dying to fire up those Thundering......well you know!
 
I really enjoy starting up the diesels, especially with the hatch up. The whole boat shakes for a second until they smooth out. Love the sound.
As to the diesel smell..well, after 20 years around HMMWVs, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, 5 ton trucks, etc. it seems absolutely normal to smell diesel.
Still, what I like the most is the kick in the seat when the turbos spool up.
Awesome.
Four days and a wake up until the first real cruise.
regards
Skip

regards
Skip
 
We stayed last Friday night on the boat. My wife spent much of last week going down there every day to do cabin, galley, and bunk setups.

This weekend, I have to do some final DirectV setups, install an LCD TV in the salon, replace a bunch of burnt out bulbs, put a new inline filter on the shore water hose, general wash down, fix or diagnose the cockpit speaker controls, cockpit view camera on the radar arch, some cable connections between the helm and the salon, and probably some other stuff I've forgotten.

Then, a week from Thursday, a family of 4 is joing us (making 9) for a 4 day trip to SW Fl. Really looking forward to that trip.

After that, I'm hoping to somehow convince my wife to wear something very, very, small on a little ray-grabbing trip with her Prince Charming. If she won't do that, I'll just go fishing. :thumbsup:
 

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Well here's one for the record.....throughout this whole buying experience, the admiral has yet to be on the new boat with engines running......she has not yet been privelged to hear those Chambers Growl.......Actually, I've been holding off....she was very reluctant to go 'diesel' because she's "heard" that they smell and are loud. The smell is something I won't be able to help, if the wind is blowing the exhaust back, you are going to feel like you are behind a New Jersey Transit Bus... :grin: ... The sound....I can't let her hear that Roar with hatch up, or I'll be living on Skip's boat " bachelor pad"....
 
Dominic,
Cat's don't smoke or smell (much). If your wife kicks you out, you are welcome to spend time in ImpulseIII....just bring your polishing clothes :smt043 s!!!
 
W

Well, after hearing all of this excitement, I just wanted to hijack a part of this wonderful thread to say that I will be taking delivery of my tiny, little 400DA with those cute little gas, 7.4L 454 efi engines on 3/31 at around 1PM. Right now this weekends weather is supposed to be in the 60's so I am hoping for the same for next weekend when my baby is in the water. My engines don't thunder or roar and that's okay because they do growl as my signature says and if you know anything about corgi's once they get a jaw lock on you they never let go. YEEEHAW!!!!! :smt038 :smt043
Sorry for the hijack boys but diesels are not the only kids on the block. :grin:
OJ
 
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