Dear 38 Sundancer owners....

R

rmilian340

New Member
Oct 17, 2006
39
Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Boat Info
340 Sundancer 2005
Engines
twin 8.1 Horizons
Greetings,

Just got back from the Miami boat show. To make a long story short, we looked at many boats in the 38-40 range and my
wife loves the 38 Sundancer.
Question for the owners of the newer 38:
How does the boat handle with the 8.1 engines?
What is the cruising speed and how many gallons per hour?
Do you recommend the diesels over gas?
Do you recommend the 8.1 HO over the standard?
How does handle in the rough?
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thank you all for your replies!

Rolando
 
Here are the test results with 8.1 engines.

testresults38DA.jpg


The boat dry weight is 19,400 lbs, and also because of that she does handle very steady in the rough.

The numbers from my Yanmar diesel engines (315HP) are a bit friendlier; I have a 360DA that has the same measurements and weight.
I think it's the same hull...with of course the new swim platform.
testyanmar.jpg

With my diesels you have a top speed (3800RPM)of 31 knots, and she reach that in almost 11 seconds.
As many will say this is a boat where you can go for gas or diesel engines.
This also depends how you use your boat... How many hours you will cruise your boat and if you like cruising on speed.
I love my 360 because of the smooth running of the diesels.

DSC01941-1.jpg


Peter
 
Hi Peter,

Looks like the diesels are a lot better on fuel burn! I average
100 hours a year and about 300 hours on the gen.
Do you wish you had more horse power or does your boat feels like it has enough power?

Best regards,
Rolando
 
Gas v. Diesels

I know this subject has been beaten to death here, but when I looked at the engine choices for the 38 DA, it showed that the fuel consumption for the 8.1's was about 8 gallons per hour more than the diesels. If you go to the Mercruiser web site, the difference was even smaller and the diesel engines weighed about a 1,000 pounds more combined. And of course, it was north of $40K delta for the diesels.
 
HokiesFan and Rolando,

The boat handles great in the rough. The combination of 10 tons weight and a 21 degree deadrise will tame anything short of offshore conditions. I've been in the bay where the wind and waves would have scared me in my 300 and we just plowed right through it. That's when I discovered that my canvas had many "issues." I also lost my flagpole. That was just dumness on my part. I thought for sure it would stay in!

I got my 38 in October '06. I did many fuel burn trials and basically concluded that she gets exactly 2/3 of a mile per gallon at any cruising speed between 20 and 27/28 MPH. I tend to cruise at about 22/23 MPH, turning 3400 RPM, burning 34 GPH. This is per my Smartcraft. At no wake speeds I get about 1.5 MPG. We decided we could buy a lot of gas for the $40K the diesels would have cost. :smt017

This is my first inboard boat and I seem to be handling her just fine :thumbsup:
 
I am relatively new to boating but some friends of mine just purchased the new 380 and take delivery in April. We were at the dealer and they were showing it to me. I thought it was a beautiful boat. However, I did notice what may be a severe design floor in the transom door set up. If you allow the door to swing free in the open position it bangs against the transom. Quite hard I might add. Other than that, I know nothing about comparing the engines but from an aesthetic standpoint I think it is loverly.
 
rmilian340 said:
Hi Peter,

Looks like the diesels are a lot better on fuel burn! I average
100 hours a year and about 300 hours on the gen.
Do you wish you had more horse power or does your boat feels like it has enough power?

Best regards,
Rolando
Click to expand...

Hello Rolando,

More than enough! she drives like a sports car.
Don't underestimate the power from the Turbo of a diesel engine.

I don't want to get too deep into a discussion about fuel burn. but this 8.1 numbers are test results from boattest.com http://www.boattest.com/oem/test-results.aspx?ID=1077&lp_id=32&from_gi=yes
I know the total fuel burn from my 2 Yanmar's is about 36GPH at top speed (31knots), and about 20GPH at cruise (24 knots)
I even think when you could test drive them both, you would think the diesel has more power.
This comes because the diesel has bigger props (21"X 24"X 1.75" and gas are 21"X 22.5"X 1.5") and the diesel engines more torque, so when you put her in gear you feel more direct your power.
I had many bigger (330DA) gas boats, and this is my first diesel, but now I know the difference I would even buy a 260 with diesels.
The diesel engines are also smoother and more quit than the gas engines.
As for the $40K more... you get them back when you sale her.
I even think at the time that you want to sale (about 5 yrs :grin: ) the resale value is even bigger because gas prices are rising (I know)
As for the weight of the engines, I think that this is special because Yanmar are light weight high rpm engines, so they weigh the same as the 8.1 engines.
One more argument is about safety... I don't have to say more I think.

So when you can afford it, go for diesels.

Maybe Dom will shims in, he had made a move from a 380 with gas to a 410 with diesels a little bigger but it goes about the difference in driving.

Success Peter
 
My neighbor, Gale Winds on CSR) has the 38DA. I just traded in a 380DA. Although similar, they are more different than the same... :smt017 .....anyway....GW's 38DA has the 8.1 HO 420HP engines. With those engines, the boat is amazingly quick. When he hits the throtles, you'd better be holding on....even with full load and 4 POBs. My 380DA, with 8.1S 370HP, was no slack either. We both traveled togehter, and usually would gas up together when on trips. My 2002 380DA would generally use LESS fuel than the 38DA....not much....but still less. The 8.1 HOs will rev higher...From memory, about 5200 RPM...my 370HP 8.1s would rev about 4800.....

The new 38DA is a great boat, with few design quirks that take some getting used to....like the transom door, for example. Oh, and if you're looking for the HWH....it's behind the referigerator...and if you are wondering how you access it for winteriziation or just to drain it...look under the stairway...that grill pops out...

As for Diesel v Gas...I have struggled with that argument since I purchased my 380DA...I have no real world experiense with Diesel to speak well on the subject ....YET.....you would be best starting a new thread on that one.....my opinion is that the 36-42 size boats are in the gray zone....darker shade of gray as get closer to the larger size...but none the less...still gray...the answer, IMHO, it depends......
 
OSD9, your old 380 is similar to a new 38 in weight, but really a much bigger boat. The new 38 is really a replacement for the 360. I guess the 380's lighter because there's no hardtop. I think it's even quicker to get on plane than my previous boat. That was a 300 with Bravo III's and it would just pop right up. Anyway, I agree you better be holding on.

You know, Clarks Landing (my dealer,) still can't tell me where the hot water heater is :smt017 I just put 6 extra gallons of pink stuff when winterizing 'cause I couldn't find the heater to bypass it. That's good information for next winter.
 
RiverGalsMan said:
You know, Clarks Landing (my dealer,) still can't tell me where the hot water heater is :smt017 I just put 6 extra gallons of pink stuff when winterizing 'cause I couldn't find the heater to bypass it. That's good information for next winter.
Click to expand...

Don't feel bad...Marine Max couldn't tell us either...as a matter of fact, when GW took deliver of 38DA....Sea Ray themselves couldn't tell us...at least not the person on the other end of the phone.....We found the HWH and then we told the local dealer where it was....we still haven't told them how to accss it for winterization/bypass/drain.....they told us to remove the referigerator......so we tried that.....but guess what...some engineer or production manager forgot about the lower stair....unless you get out your jig saw, you ain't getting the fridge out either....anyway, we figure they should have learn somethings on thier own......Don't be afraid to pry out that screen under the stairway.....it's NOT a return for the AC...once you have it off, it's a piece of cake to drain and or bypass....
 
Don't feel bad...Marine Max couldn't tell us either...as a matter of fact, when GW took deliver of 38DA....Sea Ray themselves couldn't tell us...at least not the person on the other end of the phone.....We found the HWH and then we told the local dealer where it was....we still haven't told them how to accss it for winterization/bypass/drain.....they told us to remove the referigerator......so we tried that.....but guess what...some engineer or production manager forgot about the lower stair....unless you get out your jig saw, you ain't getting the fridge out either.

Reading this thread makes me feel somewhat better about the access issues on my Tiara. You really have to wonder about the people that come up with these designs.
 
Pete,
In the pic u posted. what is that blk box directly under the steering ram? Also those red caps on the stb side

Rob
 
Robski97 said:
Pete,
In the pic u posted. what is that blk box directly under the steering ram? Also those red caps on the stb side

Rob
Click to expand...

Humm....
That is a stern thruster :cool:

Very sharp view Rob.
That red caps are the caps from 2 huge 12v batteries for the 24V stern thruster.
The former owner did order it with this option.

I would never spend this amount of money, but I must say it's very easy docking.

Peter.
 
Greetings,

Thank you all for your replies! I called the salesman this morning to get a quote on both, one with diesels and one with the HO 8.1.
Lets see what happens.

Rolando
 
The Sea Ray web site is no longer showing the diesel engine option. I'm curious to see what you here from your dealer.
 
Reading some of this I now feel much better about the access of items on our 340 ... even though the bilge is a #$@!*&$$ to work in, I at least can make visual contact with everything and if I despair, our marina has a guy who can even change the dripless packages without removing anything from the bilge :thumbsup:

Other than some items deepin the bilge, the 340 is a dream to service !!
 
rmilian340 said:
Greetings,

Thank you all for your replies! I called the salesman this morning to get a quote on both, one with diesels and one with the HO 8.1.
Lets see what happens.

Rolando
Click to expand...

Sounds great...best of luck and keep us posted. You will love the 38 it has a very nice layout and access to everything in the bilge a p piece of cake. There is plenty of room down there. And now that you know where the HWH is, and how easy it is to access it, winterization will also be a breeze.

One other thing about the new 38, and I guess the 40DA and 44DA also, there seems to be a TON of UN-utilized space under the swimplatform. I know that Cruisers has hatches with bins in their swimplatforms. Sea Ray really should consider the same. Either way, if you get energetic, you could always cut in a few and use that area for storing fenders, lines, cleaning stuff, etc....it is accessible from the the engine compartment, but it would just be soo much easier from topside.....
 
38 Sundancer's

When are you guys going to post some pictures of your new 38 Sundancers? I'm dying to see them.

Also, what problems can you alert me to that I might expect to find on delivery? Eight or ten eyes are always better than two.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Greg
 
My previous boat was a 2001 380 DA. It had gas engines.... I know the "new" 380 is lighter but I wish that boat had diesels. It was actually more expensive to run from point to point than my 480 is. (speed and cost of fuel difference). It's not like you lose the cost difference either. When you sell the boat, the cost difference in diesel is still higher so the asset of "diesel" is not money down the drain. The argument of "I can buy a lot of gas for $60K" is just flat out silly. People that believe that argument should live in a mobile home vs. a real house because the house is more expensive. hmm... I like that comparison... gas = mobile home. diesel = real house. :grin:
 
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