EC vs Dancer (diesels) - What are the differences?

[Steve S]

I am currently looking to upgrade to a bigger boat for use on Lake Michigan (Chicago area) and I am considering moving to something like a 40' EC.

If I go that big I have settled on diesel power and in searching around I have noticed a few EC's and more Dancers available with the Cat diesels.

What are the pros and cons between the two models diesel powered?

Are the Dancers still "V" drives in that size?

I have read in the forums that the EC handles very nicely and gets up and moves pretty well. What about the Dancer?

Any tips and info would be appreciated.

Thanks!

-Steve

 

[katricol]

With the dancer you get another cabin, with the express you get a bigger eng. room. The express is straight drive, the dancer v-drive. Both are good boats....just a little different. I suggest you look at a 410 as the upgrades to this platform made a nicer boat in my opinion. I would go diesel however I have read that the gas engs. also do well depending on sea state and loading.

 

[Steve S]

Thanks Katricol! :thumbsup:

Having only had i/o drives previously... what is the maintenance on the straight drives vs the "V" drives? I would like to get an idea of the total maintenance difference between the two.

As for the usage... I don't have an "Admiral" right now :smt038 ... it would just be me normally but I would entertain friends and take my daughters family (3 people) and my mother out regularly.

I would want a ship that handles well and is relatively smooth. Do the Dancers handle as well as Frank W. says the Express Cruisers handle???

-Steve

 

[Searaybio270]

Steve,
I have been on my friends 38 ft and my other friends 40 ft dancers. Both very nice boats. I have the 400 EC. Yes, i don't have the extra room in the cabin, however, both my wife and I along with my dancer owners like that. The deck is bigger giving me more room when I take out friends or people I want to intro to boating. We don't have diesels. The boat is powered by 7.4 mercruisers and as you know it has straight drives. Sure the diesels would be better in that I would have more power than the gassers. But the upfront cost will surely outweigh the cost of gas usage.
It is a tough decision but either way is fine. I also looked at the 410 and that is a nice boat as well.

Good luck keep us posted.

 

[katricol]

The maintenence would be about the same Steve, except if you do your own work you'll have more room in the ex eng. room. The ex will handle "better" because the engs. are further forward closer to the center of the boat. Dancers also handle very well...not as good but not a dea-breaker difference. It really depends on which one you like better in much the same way some people like bridge boats and some like cruisers.

 

[fwebster]

Don't buy the EC just for handling. There isn't enough difference to turn around for. The COG is slightly further aft on a Dancer and once you realize where the boat pivots, one handles as good ans the other.

There is no real difference in maintenance cost between inboards and v-drives. There is no maintenance except for an annual transmission oil change. You spend more maintaining a single engine 210 Monaco outdrive than I spend on twin v-drives.

Read the thread from last week started by douglee25 on the 400EC
http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37846&page=2

Note the comments and limits on engine access on the EC vs. the DA....post 17 & 34. The access isn't that great once you see a 400 and see its limits.