420/44 DB Owners Club

[bbwhitejr]

If I remember, the Vessel View can be calibrated. On our 44, it was almost perfect. If it said it would hold 100 gallons, it did without spilling and would be full.

Bennett

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Thanks Irie!

Thanks Bennett!

 

[RBB]

My 2006 44DB bleeds out the breather vent a lot. In fact it almost starts immediately. How is it a guy can remedy that.

 

[Irie308]

My 2006 44DB bleeds out the breather vent a lot. In fact it almost starts immediately. How is it a guy can remedy that.

That’s the left over fuel sitting in the vent line from your last over fill. Air pressure pushes it out when you start fueling. You have to try to not top off and keep fuel out of the vent. They used to make a vented bottle that went over the vent to catch the overflow but not sure if it was effective.
https://discountracor.com/shop/accessories-and-funnels/davis-no-spill-fuel-recovery-system/

 

[Alex F]

...Noting that the fuel will flow out of the overflow when it is full, what happens when you hit the throttles with topped up tanks. Is there a check valve at the tank that keeps the fuel from surging back out when accelerating?....

I don't think the fuel will be spilling out just by hitting the throttles. Catching decent beam seas will make you spill some fuel out of the vent for sure. If there was a check valve, it would work the other way around, preventing sea water entering the tank. I never inspected one very close, but I'm almost positive that it's a facing down open port with a screen.

That’s the left over fuel sitting in the vent line from your last over fill. Air pressure pushes it out when you start fueling. You have to try to not top off and keep fuel out of the vent...

I'm able to catch it prior spilling out of the vent pretty well. The trick I use is watching the gauge (turn it on and off couple times during long fills). Once it's at about 7/8s I know I'll need another 20-30 Gallons, so I start listening right at the fill port. Within a min (with 25-30GPM pumps), as the air is getting pushed out of the tank you can clearly hear the change in tone. As soon as you hear that, stop. You're full right before spilling out of the vent. Another 10-20 seconds and you're spilling fuel. Note that in order to hear the change in tone, you have to keep the fuel flowing none stop. If you do it like filling your car at a gas station clicking on/off, you'll never catch it.

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Yes, the Davis catch can works well. Kinda hard to get on the 44 DB. Mark, the PO, made a catch can with straps that went outside of the can quite a bit. But...he always seemed to like to get the tanks full to the top. It is kinda hard to get the catch can on the side opposite of the dock. You would have to hang off the side of the boat quite far.

I prefer to be a little below overflow level. I am never out of fuel or anywhere close. Last fill up we put on 220 gallons...would not go too far with what is left in the tanks. Kind of the 1/3 out, 1/3 back and 1/3 reserve.

Having said that in the Puget Sound, we blasted past many fuel docks.

The sound of the tanks getting full does make a very different sound. Makes sense to pay attention.

Cheers!

 

[RBB]

That’s the left over fuel sitting in the vent line from your last over fill. Air pressure pushes it out when you start fueling. You have to try to not top off and keep fuel out of the vent. They used to make a vented bottle that went over the vent to catch the overflow but not sure if it was effective.
https://discountracor.com/shop/accessories-and-funnels/davis-no-spill-fuel-recovery-system/

So by letting the pump kick off by it’s self is overfilling the tanks.

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Hey All,

I just remembered an interesting thing from our return home last Monday and Tuesday. When I fired the engines up the Starboard engine idled at 620 instead of the normal 650. I was puzzled.

So we had a 35 mile run and it was the same when we got to our stopover harbor in Kingston. So I got the Starlink up and running and did some searching.

On one of the diesel forums there was a thread about this same thing. The guy called a mechanic and it cost him $300 for 10 minutes of the mechanic being on the boat. He was embarrassed as it was so easy. He did not say for a bunch of posts as to what the fix was. Finally somebody yelled at him, IN CAPS, to tell the group what the fix was.

Turns out with your engines at an uneven idle, you run the engine speed up and down with the "cruise control" or engine speed increase/decrease switch until the engines are both idling at 650. It was only on one place on the entire internet!! From 2012 or 2014 or something. In the morning I did this while waiting for the engines to come up to temp before taking off.

Maybe everyone else knows this but I didn't and could not find anything except that one thread.

Hopefully someone else will find this tidbit here!!

Cheers!

 

[AEO]

Hey All,

I just remembered an interesting thing from our return home last Monday and Tuesday. When I fired the engines up the Starboard engine idled at 620 instead of the normal 650. I was puzzled.

So we had a 35 mile run and it was the same when we got to our stopover harbor in Kingston. So I got the Starlink up and running and did some searching.

On one of the diesel forums there was a thread about this same thing. The guy called a mechanic and it cost him $300 for 10 minutes of the mechanic being on the boat. He was embarrassed as it was so easy. He did not say for a bunch of posts as to what the fix was. Finally somebody yelled at him, IN CAPS, to tell the group what the fix was.

Turns out with your engines at an uneven idle, you run the engine speed up and down with the "cruise control" or engine speed increase/decrease switch until the engines are both idling at 650. It was only on one place on the entire internet!! From 2012 or 2014 or something. In the morning I did this while waiting for the engines to come up to temp before taking off.

Maybe everyone else knows this but I didn't and could not find anything except that one thread.

Hopefully someone else will find this tidbit here!!

Cheers!

Do you suspect someone accidentally knocked it ?

 

[AEO]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced any issues with (fresh) water ingress into their external hull surfaces, deck or superstructure? Especially horizontal surfaces that have been through bolted or where equipment such as windlasses, radars, antennas and spotlights are installed. Are there any areas of 420/44DB notoriety?

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Do you suspect someone accidentally knocked it ?

View attachment 138792 View attachment 138792

Just the Starboard engine was at 620...the Port engine was at the normal 650. It is possible it got bumped but it usually controls both engines.

Anyhow, they are idling both at 650 now.

Cheers!

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced any issues with (fresh) water ingress into their external hull surfaces, deck or superstructure? Especially horizontal surfaces that have been through bolted or where equipment such as windlasses, radars, antennas and spotlights are installed. Are there any areas of 420/44DB notoriety?

I get water in the Starboard side...looks like it is coming from the stainless steel rub strip area.

I also get a more concerning leak behind the Starboard couch by the aft cushion. That one bugs me and I cannot figure out where it is coming from. I thought it was from the seam on the radar arch. I sealed it with some 5200. Still leaks.

I use a vacuum to suck out a bit of water in the bilge and a bunch in the keel. It's a bother...

 

[AEO]

Was thinking of changing out my Jabsco fresh water pump for a Shurflo and would appreciate your comments

Anyhow, they are idling both at 650 now.

Cheers![/QUOTE]

I get water in the Starboard side...looks like it is coming from the stainless steel rub strip area.

I also get a more concerning leak behind the Starboard couch by the aft cushion. That one bugs me and I cannot figure out where it is coming from. I thought it was from the seam on the radar arch. I sealed it with some 5200. Still leaks.

I use a vacuum to suck out a bit of water in the bilge and a bunch in the keel. It's a bother...

Just the Starboard engine was at 620...the Port engine was at the normal 650. It is possible it got bumped but it usually controls both engines.

Sounds like you have more than your fair share.. I’ve attached some info from SR regarding the rub strip leak that you may find interesting.

I was more curious about experiences with water ingress between the deck laminates but the lack of discussion on this subject leads me to believe our boats don’t suffer too badly from this.

 

[Alex F]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced any issues with (fresh) water ingress into their external hull surfaces, deck or superstructure? Especially horizontal surfaces that have been through bolted or where equipment such as windlasses, radars, antennas and spotlights are installed. Are there any areas of 420/44DB notoriety?

This thread might help:
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php...4-sedan-bridge-water-in-both-stringers.86004/

Does anyone have experience with Bostik 940? How does it compare to Boatlife LifeCaulk or LifeSeal or 3M 4200?

Was thinking of changing out my Jabsco fresh water pump for a Shurflo and would appreciate your comments...

I've been running Shurflo on my boat for years. If I recall, this is the version: https://marinepartssource.com/5-0-g...trFuUVCqB24QjFSuC8btu3hTWjB3rDcRoCH18QAvD_BwE

Shurflo offers repair kit, so when I had one failed years ago I replaced the pump but also used the repair kit and now have a working spare pump onboard.

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

AEO, thanks for the Transom Leak info. I think I will go after this next time we pull the boat.

I have never had an issue with the ShurFlo pumps. I had 2 on the Sundancer and the first one was replaced but it was not the issue. The dip tube had busted off so the pump could not get any water.

The ShurFlo on the 44 is working great. Small sample size though...

 

[AEO]

AEO, thanks for the Transom Leak info. I think I will go after this next time we pull the boat.

I have never had an issue with the ShurFlo pumps. I had 2 on the Sundancer and the first one was replaced but it was not the issue. The dip tube had busted off so the pump could not get any water.

The ShurFlo on the 44 is working great. Small sample size though...

Thanks for the info on the ShurFlo. I hear the 12V Aqua King ll model is both quiet and low cycling due to an internal bypass function that negates the need for an accumulator.

 

[AEO]

This thread might help:
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php...4-sedan-bridge-water-in-both-stringers.86004/

Does anyone have experience with Bostik 940? How does it compare to Boatlife LifeCaulk or LifeSeal or 3M 4200?



I've been running Shurflo on my boat for years. If I recall, this is the version: https://marinepartssource.com/5-0-g...trFuUVCqB24QjFSuC8btu3hTWjB3rDcRoCH18QAvD_BwE

Shurflo offers repair kit, so when I had one failed years ago I replaced the pump but also used the repair kit and now have a working spare pump onboard.

Thanks Alex. I’m going to switch over from my Jabsco as I’ve heard nothing but good things about the ShurFlo and yours and Bruce Seas positive feedback just confirmed it.

 

[AEO]

Does anyone have any info on what our decks are cored with? I seem to remember seeing a document on it but can’t recall exactly what it was

 

[Bruce SEA 993]

Just read the write up on the transom leaks...has anyone done this themselves?

It looks like a big job but not too technical...just a lot of work.

 

[NorCalRobert]

I get water in the Starboard side...looks like it is coming from the stainless steel rub strip area.

I also get a more concerning leak behind the Starboard couch by the aft cushion. That one bugs me and I cannot figure out where it is coming from. I thought it was from the seam on the radar arch. I sealed it with some 5200. Still leaks.

I use a vacuum to suck out a bit of water in the bilge and a bunch in the keel. It's a bother...

Do you think it could be the water tank fill that is leaking? Since it is in the area you are describing or maybe the water tank vent