420/44 DB Owners Club

Thanks J. Have to admit I saw you were looking at the same boat. It is a nice boat and I came from a 320 too. Good luck to you.
 
Congrats. We where kicking the same boat around recently , we'll see. Enjoy!!!'


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As mentioned previously, I'm buying an 05 420 DB. In the spring I'll do a sea trial and then some short excursions but my inaugural trip in May will be a 500+ mile journey through the Great Lakes (west coast to east coast). I imagine this is pretty unusual to start out with such a trip, so I'm looking for advice. Im coming from a 320 and a 260 before that.

I've got a captain lined up to give me some basic training on the vessel.

I plan to read manuals this winter on the mechanical and electronic systems.

I plan to have engine service performed by cummins and load test the batteries.

I plan to update paper charts and the chip in the C120 and load navionics on iPad and iPhone as backup.

I plan to route the trip with plenty of contingencies and fuel locations and some site seeing.

I'm thinking 4 days minimum and 5-6 days more realistic.

What other things should I be thinking about?

Thanks.

Scott
 
Sounds like you pretty much got it covered. Add carrying spare filters and knowing how to change them to your list. You need to have them on the boat anyway.
Enjoy the trip and take your time if you can. Never know when you might get back to that area.
 
Make sure you flush and sanitize your fresh water tank well and fill it before your trip. Depending on when you leave, the fuel stops may not have their dock water on yet. Also, make sure your hot water heater is not bypassed before your turn it on. You'll need a hot shower if its a 4+ day trip. Pack a few gallons of fresh water for drinking.
 
sb in gp said:
As mentioned previously, I'm buying an 05 420 DB. In the spring I'll do a sea trial and then some short excursions but my inaugural trip in May will be a 500+ mile journey through the Great Lakes (west coast to east coast). I imagine this is pretty unusual to start out with such a trip, so I'm looking for advice. Im coming from a 320 and a 260 before that.

I've got a captain lined up to give me some basic training on the vessel.

I plan to read manuals this winter on the mechanical and electronic systems.

I plan to have engine service performed by cummins and load test the batteries.

I plan to update paper charts and the chip in the C120 and load navionics on iPad and iPhone as backup.

I plan to route the trip with plenty of contingencies and fuel locations and some site seeing.

I'm thinking 4 days minimum and 5-6 days more realistic.

What other things should I be thinking about?

Thanks.

Scott
Click to expand...

Since you didn't state I don't want to assume, so here's the quick list of basic items I would add:

Technical
1. Make sure all necessary maintenance is done (all oils have changed, fuel side - racors and 2ndries fileters, raw water-impellers). If none of this was done recently, then you'll have to do it before the trip.
2. Ask your Cummins surveyor to give recommendations on what must be done before the trip and what can wait until you get home.
3. Have your toolbox on board to handle basic repair, including changing fuel filters and impellers, cleaning seastrainers....
4. Spare parts - the list can be long, but basic items are: 2 sets of racors and secondaries filters, engine belts, impellers, oils (engine and trainy), etc...
5. Make sure the batteries are all good and alternators produce charging power. Don't forget bow thruster batteries.

Safety Equipment
1. Make sure to have spare (usually a handheld) VHF.
2. If you don't have a life raft, then bring well functioning dinghy.

The Trip
- Ask yourself, when will be next time you'll do the same trip? If not in the near future, then don't miss the opportunity. Make the family vacation trip out of it, instead of just a delivery trip.
- Granted, the boat is new to you, but you're experienced captain and it's just a pleasure getting to know how 420DB handles. Before your big trip, take few trips to the boat to get to know her systems, take care of necessary maintenance items and do a couple of short runs to get basic handle on her. Don't be too proud and use that bow thruster (I assume she has one).
- Read the cruising guide and post questions on the board regarding the ports along the way.
- Review your route on Active Captain to get reviews and any trouble spots info.
- Allow more time and visit at least "must see" ports along the way.

Bon Voyage.
 
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You should ask the Cummins technician to replace the sea water impellers and to clean the heat exchangers and aftercoolers. Unless you know this service was done within the past year, it is very likely that an 05 model may need it. It would be better to spend the maintenance $$ on the front end of the trip rather than getting 100 miles into it and figuring out your engines are overheating under load.

On a new to you boat, order a case of Racors and get 3-4 extra Cummins fuel filters. If you get a bad load of fuel along the way, or if the tanks are full of microbial growth, you can go thru a case of filters in a day.

Are there locks on your route? Take extra lines and fenders.

Good luck and have fun...........
 
Thanks guys. Impellers, Racors, and fuel filters were changed by Cummins October 2012 and have 136 hours on them.

Before the trip I'll have Cummins:

Change the oil and filters
Replace impellers, Racors, and fuel filters
Clean the heat exchangers and aftercoolers

What kind of job is it to clean the heat exchangers and aftercoolers? Just wondering how much to budget.

I'll check the flares and pickup some extra Racors and Fuel Filters too.

Scott
 
Guys,

While I have your attention :grin:

The smartcraft on the new boat shows 621 hours on port engine and 47 hours on starboard. Broker said something about owner not sure how this happened, may have been caused by an accidental ROM flash done during service. Basically it was a shrug, with a "no big deal" kinda answer. So my BS meter is going off.

I received the records direct from local Cummins and they seem complete and show that both owners used Cummins for regular maintenance. Cummins also shows these as the original motors that went into service in 2005, so there was not a replacement.

Based on advice from a surveyor friend, I got the seller to sign off on a list of about 10 open-ended disclosure statements, which came back clean.

Any other ideas? Should this be a concern? Can Cummins reset them so they are the same?

Scott
 
sb in gp said:
...What kind of job is it to clean the heat exchangers and aftercoolers? Just wondering how much to budget.
Click to expand...

Roughly $5K with replacement of all hoses and clamps.

I have other opinion on this task. When I was facing similar situation I decided to do just those items that were necessary to do the trip. After you do a complete mechanical survey your cummins tech should have VERY good idea about the health of the engines and the genny. He will be the best person to make the call if the big job like aftercollers/heat exchangers can wait until you get home. I left this project for my local cummins tech and wanted to establish a relationship with him. I'm using only him ever since.
 
sb in gp said:
Guys,

While I have your attention :grin:

The smartcraft on the new boat shows 621 hours on port engine and 47 hours on starboard. Broker said something about owner not sure how this happened, may have been caused by an accidental ROM flash done during service. Basically it was a shrug, with a "no big deal" kinda answer. So my BS meter is going off.

I received the records direct from local Cummins and they seem complete and show that both owners used Cummins for regular maintenance. Cummins also shows these as the original motors that went into service in 2005, so there was not a replacement.

Based on advice from a surveyor friend, I got the seller to sign off on a list of about 10 open-ended disclosure statements, which came back clean.

Any other ideas? Should this be a concern? Can Cummins reset them so they are the same?

Scott
Click to expand...

No need to worry at this time. For now, ignore what seller/broker said. Collect all the service data and pay attention to the hours when the service was done. Find the last service recording the hours on the engine in question. Talk to cummins and ask for their opinion on this and see if it makes sense.

Yes, of course Cummins can reset everything back to normal to match the hours. This brings up another question, if the hours were accidentally flushed why didn't Cummins correct it right away? Makes no sense to me. There's definitely missing piece of the puzzle here. Someone is not telling you something that would bring this to a closure.
 
sb in gp said:
Based on advice from a surveyor friend, I got the seller to sign off on a list of about 10 open-ended disclosure statements, which came back clean.
Click to expand...

Scott, I'm curious what the disclosure statements were you used - if you don't want to post here, would you PM them?

This,
 
Is the Cummins Tech capable of checking and correcting the engine alignment?
 
Looks like I'll be transporting a 2006 44 DB about 500 miles. Does anyone have the sea ray transport instructions for this model?

Scott
 
I only have them for the 400DB. Send the HIN to sea ray, they will send very detailed information on how to transport, what to remove and in what order etc.
 
Scott,

PM John Hampton, he transported his 44DB and had good experience, as far as I recall.
 
Tomco said:
Scott, I'm curious what the disclosure statements were you used - if you don't want to post here, would you PM them?

This,
Click to expand...
Scott could you PM this to me also? Ian looking at the same boat as you, and you snatched a great one right out from under my nose:) also interested in you approximate cost of transporting. I found another fresh water boat near, but will have to transport overland to SWFL.
 
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