Cant beat an 80s era sundancer

[joenofish]

My wife and I are crazy about our '86 300 Weekender. It has all the creature comforts, the previous owner took fantastic care of her. I just completed the engine and genny service, not difficult or expensive. I have been temped to look into a slightly larger Sea Ray (mid 80's vintage) but ours really does fit us well. We burn about 18-20 GPH ish with our twin 260HP Mercruisers running about 26 knots. If we move into a 340 or larger with big blocks, I'm told the fuel burn will approach 30 GPH. For us, the added fuel is not justifiable for the space we gain. In my opinion, it's tough to beat a nice old Sea Ray, they are built great, look great and ride nice. Good Luck!

 

[northshore]

Now there is a beautiful Weekender! -Wow

Thats what I'm hoping to land, something that's loaded and the previous owner took some pride in. I can probably do quite a bit beyond the routine stuff, but if I can get a hold of one that's been cared for - all the better. I've allready budgeted in to the process, traveling up to about 500 miles to find what I want and then paying to get it transported home.

 

[johngus]

I wish I could go with a 390 now but not in the budget.one day perhaps.gotta love that 14 foot beam!!!!

 

[Iprof]

I agree the 80's boats are way better design than anything new out there. Last summer the wife and I were on a 1994 440 and that will be our next boat once I retire and we sell the house, both are happening real soon. The reason we liked the 440 was because it reminded us of our 89 300 but on a larger scale. The lines are of the great boats of the 80's. But for now our 300 is a great boat for the 7 weeks we spend each summer on it in the North Channel.

Ken

 

[88dancer300]

:wow:These boats are great, but boy are they a pain in the azz to work below decks ! I'm in the middle of a new waste holding tank/ macerator job. I had to have a tank custom made due to the limited amount of room down there, next to the gennie. I have to remove the port side cockpit upholstered side panel to access the deck fitting for the pump out, I have to run a new 1 1/2" waste hose down to the tank, and might as well replace the vent line while I'm there. I also have to replumb and replace the duckbills in the poopie pump as well, and recharge the fart filter. You need to be a midget with 4 ft arms ! I just finished reinstalling the water tank and installing a new water heater next to the aft cabin....another back breaker. After all the bruises, cuts, scrapes and a broken back...theyre still awesome boats ! Cant wait to do the raw water pump impellers ! LOL

 

[SCORPIO]

I really DON'T miss the generator option I thought I wanted when I hear descriptions like yours Dave. Almost all the stuff you are having trouble getting to is easy on mine since I have no genny and my poop tank is in the bilge next to where your gen. is. The waste hose and vent are the same but my water heater is where your gen. is. Its still cramped down there but doable. I'm in the middle of a flare up of my lower back so I hope not to have to do too much bilge diving for a few weeks anyway.
We looked at lots of boats from several builders and liked the lines and layout of the 80s era Sea Rays the best. We started looking at the 340DA and then saw a 300DA at a marina and said that it would fit our needs actually better than the 340. So we searched for about a year and looked at alot of 300s till we found the one we liked.

 

[88dancer300]

The only downside of this boat is the captain/mechanic being 6' ft 4" 210lbs with 2 blown out discs and more arthritis than I have Advil for ! LOL

 

[Iprof]

My back is also killing me, I have been getting it treated twice a week since October. It has slowed me down a bit on the expansion of the swim platform but I did manage to get all the glass laid in that 18" by 9' hole I created by making it 18" deeper. I have the one insert of wood made and I will make the other tomorrow but it will have to wait till Monday to have the wood fully glassed in. Can't wait to see her back in the water Thursday or Friday. I added a smart charger and Link 1000 along with 2 golf cart batteries a couple of years ago anyone else do that? I have a snake river tank monitor system sitting in the garage to install.
I am also thinking on ordering a Simrad AP 14 auto pilot, my steering is a little stiff in the cold and I really want auto pilot.
Any one install an auto pilot on a 300 da.

Dave I did not realize you were that tall, you don't look it on CRS. :smt001
I'm only 5' 8" and I find it really difficult to work in the bilge.

Ken

 

[Turboqv]

pilot.
Any one install an auto pilot on a 300 da.
Ken

Yes i did! Its sweet coupled to the Chartplotter, works really well.

tried to post a pic but it says I am over my limit?

 

[Iprof]

I am looking at the Simrad AP 14R what did you install?

Ken

 

[Turboqv]

I am looking at the Simrad AP 14R what did you install?

Ken

Raytheon ST5000, very smooth a/p.

 

[88dancer300]

:smt038Well I finally got my new custom made poopie tank in. I had it made of 1/2" thick polypropolyene. Man that 1 1/2" sanitation hose is like wrestling a big snake ! I actually got my entire 6'3" self under the deck in a very small area where the tank is going, so I could plumb the poopie pump, no fun, I got stuck, bleeding like a stuck pig, but its in, 2 percocets later. (back is junk) I relocated the fart filter to a much more serviceable location, and hung it on some cool hangers I found at Home Depot.

 

[SCORPIO]

Looks good Dave! I know how you feel crawling around under the deck. I almost got stuck in my bilge at the boat yard all by myself. I figured I had to get out or I'd be in there for a VERY long time. I sacrificed some skin in order to get out. Are those pipe hanger hooks?

 

[electricaldoctor]

I am trying to understand all of the hoses here Mr. Pretzel Man. I understand the poopie in and poopie out hoses + the larger black hoses in and out of the poopie fart filter, but what is the smaller black hose all about?
That was a great idea relocating the fart filter. Where did you find these hangers at HD? They look like they were made for this job.

FYI: I really think that will want your poopie fart filter vent piping supported in such a way to avoid having any sumps in the line. These sumps combined with any moisture/water build-up in the piping will act like a trap and impede proper ventilation. Also, if any of this water gets back into you charcoal, then your venting goes down the toilet so to speak. Over filling the poopie tank will also compromise your fart filter. Don't ask me how I know about this!! Check this out http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/26622-Waste-Tank-Vent-Filter-Problems As you are probably well aware, a plugged fart filter can potentially cause your nice new poopie tank to collapse when doing the pump-out thing. For this very reason, I am going to install a relief check valve in the top of my tank in a few weeks. I will have to do a search on this to find the actual part number. Great looking project and more fun working with new materials rather than messing around with old poopie filled tank and pipes eh?

 

[88dancer300]

The larger black hose is the shop vac. Those pipe hangers are in the same aisle as the PVC pipe fittings at Home depot. When I saw them, I imediately new where I would use them! I would like to install that relief valve as well, dont want to implode my new tank.