93 290 Sundancer advice

[stnick]

I'm considering buying a local (Tn river) 2 owner 1993 Sundancer 290. Do you know of any areas of concern I need to look at closely? Here are some facts on the boat:
415 hours
Single 454, Bravo
Full Canvas
Heat/ AC
New Gen (1hr)
Trim Tabs
Thanks in advance for helping me with this.

Nick Nichols

 

[Don Sr]

It;s a must to have the boat professionally surveyed. Have the boat professionally surveyed. Don't forget!!

Here is a link I just posted a few minutes ago. It will give you some stuff to look for.
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/sundancer_290.htm

 

[Quint4]

Hello,
I love my 290 and the 454 bravo is a good match for the boat. (Bravo I, II, III ?)
The standard answer is hire a god surveyor to check it out. Here is a list of things that come to mind :
1 - Drain the outdrive oil and check for water in the oil and excessive metal particulate ( a pressure test is also in order)
2 - Prop okay? paid $650 for my BII prop (not cheap)
3 - Compression check the engine while warm. All cylinders should be above 100 and within 10% of each other
4 - Canvas in good shape? You will get serious sticker shock if it needs replaced (3 to 4K)
5 - maintenance records available?
6 - freshwater boat ? this would be a good thing.
7 - have someone hold the steering wheel firmly, now try to move the outdrive side to side...does it move more than a half inch or so? gimble ring possible wore out.
8 - refrigerator work? I put a new one in last year...$750...no kidding.
9 - is it in the water? does the bilge have water in it? if it does you may have a leak.
10 - check that all gauges work. My fuel gauge did not work. I changed the sending unit in the top of the fuel tank. It was very tough to get at....very tough.
11 - when was the last time the exhaust was serviced, as in manifolds and riser inspected and gaskets changed? this is the biggest killer of marine engines and is often neglected
12 - is the transom solid ? remove a few screws from the trim tabs.....wet wood revealed? (of course reseal with 3m 5200 when you put them back). take lots of time at the transom...any sign of moisture penetration near through hulls... inside or out?
13 - sea trial the boat.....should reach 4600-4800 rpm at wide open throttle.
14 - when were u joints / gimble bearing / all bellows last serviced or replaced?
15 - when was impellar last changed? (bravo water pump is on engine, not in outdrive) watch temp gauge....should not go above 170
16 - confirm AC works...run it while checking generator (must be in water of course to run AC or generator)
17 - my boat will plane at about 3400 rpm around 23-24mph
16 - trailer? what is your tow vehicle? you are looking at about 12k lbs of boat and trailer....not your run of the mill bowrider....and a 9' beam means technically you need a permit to haul it.

I will probably think of 10 things I forgot to mention....but this is a good start for you...good luck with it.

 

[stnick]

Quint4,
Thank you for the very detailed reply and for sharing your vast knowledge with me.
It is a Bravo 2 and is a fresh water only local boat. Owner just put a brand new $700 prop on. The Bimini is in good shape but the clear plastic on the sides is yellowing and will need to be replaced. I talked with the mechanic that winterized the boat and installed the brand new westerbeke gen and he says the drive gimbal bearing has play in it. He advises 1k plus to repair. The owner is willing to go 50/50 with me on the gimbal and the canvas and anything else that we find. That seems very fair to me. No trailer. I hope to sea trial this week depending on the weather.
Thanks again and I have pics but not sure of the restrictions on this site.
Nick

 

[Quint4]

Post some pics ! The generator is a very pricey addition ...probably in the 8k range to have one installed by a qualified person (good to have). 1k to replace a gimbal bearing sounds high, is he doing bellows while he is at it?
"Drive gimbal bearing has play in it" ....sounds like gimbal ring to me. Anyway, while the drive is off be sure to have all bellows checked as well as shift cable and u joints. A good mechanic will check your drive alignment also prior to re-installing it. Good luck , they are great boats and a timeless design.