About to pull the Trigger on a 40DA

[Ziggy87]

Looking at a 2006 40DA with diesels. Currently have a 2006 320 and just need more room. We have looked at a number of styles and have really decided to stay with the cruiser style. Meets our needs the best. We hope this will be our last boat for awhile. :grin: Three boats in 7 years gets expensive!

I am looking for any thoughts/experience with this model/year or 2005 39 (same basic boat). What do you like, what would you change, what should concern me?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JV II]

Great boat with diesels. Nice upgrade in size over the 320. Love the design. Not sure what price range you are in, but a dock neighbor just got a 2005 420DA, which is basically the same as a 2012 45DA, except the depreciation brings it down quite a bit closer to a 40DA (~$250,000). The 420DA gets you a much larger boat for not much more money. Two staterooms, two heads.

 

[gerryb]

Mike, we've had the same boat you are looking at for 1 year. We generally love the boat. It always gets compliments for her looks and style. One of the best looking dancer hulls as well as cabin and cockpit designs. It is a well built boat and can handle the rough stuff if needed. I don't like the fact that it is a SLOW boat, again in my opinion. The QSBs are great - reliable and very easy to maintain - but underpowered IMO. Also, I think the running gear is a bit undersized for tight quarter maneuvering. We have to bump-up the rpms to 800 or 850 when moving around the dock to get a bit better response and 'bite'. Normal idle is somewhere around 700rpm. Fuel burn is good however, especially at lower speeds.
I don't like having to come around the back to get to the foredeck. I've always been able to walk through the windshield and straight up. However, i don't recall seeing any 40' boats that allow for that since the weight of the arch will be supported from the front.
I would have liked more storage everywhere. Cabin, cockpit and transom lockers are not 'huge' by any stretch. Galley layout is great. Everything is where you expect it and as with most Sundancers, of great fit and finish. We have mattress toppers on both master and aft cabins. Bow cabin is nice especially the pocket door but storage is rather limited. You will love the separate shower and head of course if your family takes showers aboard. (check the water manifold btw as ours had many of the seals leaking.)
Bottomline is that it's truly a great boat with super reliable diesel engines, but perhaps a bit slow given what I have been used to with our prior boats.

Edit: i hope one day someone starts a thread specific to the 390/40 Sundancer hull model!

 

[almostenuff]

Mike, I have to agree with GerryB on just about everything. Personally, I like the walk around for cleaning her though. Mine is nearly brand new and I'm considering selling her, since we're moving to Florida and moving to a large center console.

 

[Ziggy87]

Thanks for the thoughts. Interesting on the speed. I actually thought it was pretty good given the burn rate! We actually have the smallest engines on our 320, so speed has never been great. We had the 40 cruising at the same speed as the 320. Of course the wife likes to go slow, so not much of an issue. Also, we are river boaters, so the power should work out fine. As far the walk around, it is wider than the 320, so I am pretty happy. I have gotten pretty good balancing.

 

[Escapade]

We made same jump 320 to 390 / 40. One complaint- that helm can get very hot in the late day sun. With out cockpit air you have to be creative w/ fan to keep comfortable. We run w/ boats same size or more and wish we had a bit more speed but, as with speed so goes the fuel. Fit finish is impeccable. Keep an eye on your shower / a/c sump as they will require some bleach water to keep them from coming to life. The bilge is spacious from the 320 and keeping her clean is easy. A camper top will extend that MN season in comfort. We had ours designed w/ ease of set up / take down in mind. It really extends the living space on cool evenings. One other thing, Switch out your cockpit lights w/ amber LED's and keep the insects at bay. Enjoy the New Vessel! Mike

 

[stephens013]

My 400 DA is a little older but basicly the same hull. Great boat. You might consider installing larger trim tabs should you have her out of the water for a survey and things are looking positive. I increased mine tabs by 30%. It made a significant difference on planning perfoarmace. She gets on plane faster and I can run with bow lowered by at least 5 degrees at any given speed. Incresed fuel performance only marginally; but then every bit helps.