Getting Serious about a 400 Sedan

NaughtyDog

NaughtyDog

Member
Sep 29, 2013
210
Surrey, B.C.
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge
AB 320 VS RIB w/25hp Merc 2-strk
Engines
3126 Cats, propped @ 22x23
After selling our 280 Sundancer after 6 years (our first boat) we are now getting serious about purchasing a '00-'02 400 Sedan Bridge, Sea Ray of course! Living in the Pacific Northwest, we don't have many local options available to us and none with the preferred 450hp Cummins. Our wish list includes: Bridge plan A, 2 stateroom floorplan, dinette, cherrywood option, bow thruster, hydralic swim grid, and the Cummins. I have noticed some in the NorthEast that would be in our price range.
My first question would be...Am I missing anything you would recommend as a must have?
My second question is...Has anyone transported a 400 Sedan Bridge from coast to coast? Any idea of the cost? Who would you recommend to talk to? My understanding is that the bridge would have to be broken down and I have to say I have some serious concerns about doing this to a 12-14 year old boat. Does it every go back together the same? If you've done it, would you do it again? What problems did you run into? I know, so many questions...! Thank you in advance for all of your shared knowledge!
:smt115
 
I would PM Mike, Go First Class. He transported his 55 across the country. He has a ton of advice on the whole process from finding the boat, seeing it, surveys etc.

Good luck!

Mark


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Florida to Vanvouver by ship through the Panama Cannal. You ship it whole and it arrives ready to go. Some one at our marina shipped a 40 foot Phenex about 5 years ago for 22K
 
The key here is your access to qualified shops to remove the bridge and then re assemble. You have Lake Union Sea Ray. I did talk with one of their guys about my boat, they have the experience to put things back correctly.

For me, I moved my boat North via the delivery process on her own bottom due to the inexperience of the yards in the SF Bay Area with this process. No one had done this on a 400 DB.

I would think there are qualified yards in the Northeast that should be able to remove the Bridge without much grief. But, talk with Sea Ray. They will email you a pretty detailed list/diagram of what is involved. And what equipment/trucks are required. Find someone that has done this before and can warrant their work. If you can ship via the Panama for 20K, that would be a bargain based on my research, but anything is possible. The quote to ship my boat via truck from SF to Seattle was just under 10K, not including prep and assembly. The actual cost to travel up the coast was just under 9K for the trip. I did hire two captains so we could run 24/7, so that added some expense.
 
Nauty Dog -- Not sure of your budget but there are 3 400DBs on the West Coast. The '03 is a bit higher priced but has everything you are looking for. The other 3 are in the low 200s with the Cat packages. As SR400DB said you could bring one up the coast for a lot cheaper that $20k+. Below are the links to the 3 on YW. Good luck

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...untington-Beach/CA/United-States#.UntEEV3TmUk
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...untington-Beach/CA/United-States#.UntEo13TmUk
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2001/Sea-Ray-400-Sedan-Bridge-2487393/Vancouver/Canada#.UntEy13TmUk
 
AMFM3 said:
I would PM Mike, Go First Class. He transported his 55 across the country. He has a ton of advice on the whole process from finding the boat, seeing it, surveys etc.
Click to expand...

Just in-case GFC doesn't chime in here, one of his key strategies was to send his home-based re-assembly crew out to Michigan to perform/oversee the DIS-assembly. I witnessed much of it. That strategy was a stroke of genius IMO.
 
Thank you all for the responses thus far. I have PM GFC and am awaiting a reply but Rollercoastr's suggestion about sending the assembly crew for the disassembly is intriguing. Shipping it whole by water would probably be best if it fit the budget. And thank you for the links NorCal, I'll make sure these are on the "radar". As for SR400DB, since you already have the boat I'm looking for, why don't you just sell me yours? LOL!:grin: Seriously, I will talk to Sea Ray in Lake Union as well as my local dealership, M&P Mercury here in Vancouver.

Thanks again everyone and I'm sure I'll have more questions as I narrow down the search. I'll try not to be too much of a pain in the stern. :smt101
 
Well we did it, we now have an accepted offer on a 2001 400DB. Now comes the stressful part...seatrials, surveys, mechanical inspections, not to mention the final inspection from the admiral! I had seen on some previous posts that there was a member who had access to the original factory specs for CAT diesels, can't seem to find the original thread. If anyone knows and can direct me to that member it would be appreciated. I have the engine ser# for the 3126TAs for our potential purchase.
Also looking for a solid referral for a good CAT mechanic in Vancouver, B.C.
Thank you!
 
Congrats,cant you sleep now?I am waiting for survey results today myself and have been awake on and off all night.Sleeping pills just dont work on excitement.
 
Your owner's packet that was furnished with the boat has a Caterpillar owners/maintenance manual.....looks about like a 60's era Sears & Roebuck catalog......that has more Cat specs in it than you as an owner will ever read or understand.

If the owner's packet is missing, then you need to insist that it be located and furnished with the boat. Sea Ray includes owners info for every component they purchased from a vendor and installed on the boat from electronics to engines, to bilge pumps, etc. Without those manuals, you will be constantly searching for model numbers and manuals as you get familiar with, repair or replaced items on a 10+ year old boat.

Also, Cat serial numbers only get you part of the way with Cat engines. Whenever you need parts you usually have to have both the engine serial number and the "arrangement number" (AR#), both are on the valve cover label, because Caterpillar made the 3126 in many different configurations and hp ratings. For that reason, asking for specs is a very general question because the engines came in 350hp, 385, hp and 420 hp ratings......and each has its owns specs. and Sea Ray used all 3 hp ratings. Generally, idle speed is 725-750 rpm, WOT is 2800 rpm, max rated cruise speed is 2400 rpm, oil pressure should be around 50 psi under load at cruise speeds and temperatures will run between 180 and 195 degrees depending upon which thermostat the engines have in them.
 
1956olds said:
Congrats,cant you sleep now?I am waiting for survey results today myself and have been awake on and off all night.Sleeping pills just dont work on excitement.
Click to expand...
Well I made it through the first night but I'll have to restock the liquor cabinet now! Good luck on your survey results, pls share your findings. What is the vessel?
 
fwebster said:
Your owner's packet that was furnished with the boat has a Caterpillar owners/maintenance manual.....looks about like a 60's era Sears & Roebuck catalog......that has more Cat specs in it than you as an owner will ever read or understand.

If the owner's packet is missing, then you need to insist that it be located and furnished with the boat. Sea Ray includes owners info for every component they purchased from a vendor and installed on the boat from electronics to engines, to bilge pumps, etc. Without those manuals, you will be constantly searching for model numbers and manuals as you get familiar with, repair or replaced items on a 10+ year old boat.

Also, Cat serial numbers only get you part of the way with Cat engines. Whenever you need parts you usually have to have both the engine serial number and the "arrangement number" (AR#), both are on the valve cover label, because Caterpillar made the 3126 in many different configurations and hp ratings. For that reason, asking for specs is a very general question because the engines came in 350hp, 385, hp and 420 hp ratings......and each has its owns specs. and Sea Ray used all 3 hp ratings. Generally, idle speed is 725-750 rpm, WOT is 2800 rpm, max rated cruise speed is 2400 rpm, oil pressure should be around 50 psi under load at cruise speeds and temperatures will run between 180 and 195 degrees depending upon which thermostat the engines have in them.
Click to expand...
FW, these would be the 350hp and I'm praying I won't be disappointed with the performance at the sea trial tmrw. I'll request the owners pkg and those AR# as suggested, service records should be available as this owner has had her for the last 8 years and professionally maintained during this tenure so I'm quite hopeful. What add'l info should i be looking to get once i have the AR#s? Thank you for the reply and your assistance.
 
Congrats on the new ride. Hopefully the survey and sea trial go well. Take plenty time reviewing the service records. Look for a maintenance log with supporting invoices for past work. The 350's should push the 400DB to 26-27kts with a cruise around 20-21kts. It will feel slower than your Sundancer from the bridge but drop down to the cockpit at cruise and you will appreciate the power and speed much more. We used cruised at 25-26kts in our 330DA and have adjusted fine to the new pace. Good Luck!

There are several new 400DB owners on here this fall. We are going to have to put together a directory with some basic boat/owner info. What do you all think?


Bill G
 
I am purchasing a 370 express 1992,cummins 6bta's quicksilver 8.0 genny.She passed the survey,few small details to repair no major issues.Slight moisture at two stancions on fore deck dry everywhere else .I am awaiting a pdf copy.The surveyor is port captain on the nautica queen in cleveland,135 ft dinner cruise boat.I think he had to work today at least the lunch trip,i cant beleive he runs until newyear in lake erie.
 
NaughtyDog said:
FW, these would be the 350hp and I'm praying I won't be disappointed with the performance at the sea trial tmrw. I'll request the owners pkg and those AR# as suggested, service records should be available as this owner has had her for the last 8 years and professionally maintained during this tenure so I'm quite hopeful. What add'l info should i be looking to get once i have the AR#s? Thank you for the reply and your assistance.
Click to expand...


The most important thing you can do is to be sure you get a Caterpillar servicing dealer to do an engine survey for you before you buy the boat. Cat does a very compressive analysis on surveys and when done you will know about all there is to know about the health of the engine's systems. This isn't a quickie either. Cat usually spends about 8 hours on the boat checking the engines and will accompany you on the sea trial to check the engines under load.
 
I don't know the difference between the 3126 or the 3116. I have the 3116's. They are 350hp. My performance , full fuel, full water is WOT 2800 rpm doing 24 to 25 kts. That's not a very efficient speed. At 2300 rpm I do around 19kts. My combined usage is about 1 mpg. I just bought this boat in Oct. so I'll have better numbers next year.
 
Congratulations on your new toy Naughty Dog. I got the same boat with 3126 cats a couple months ago and was worried big time for the first two weeks regarding performance. However after scrubbing the bottom and replacing filters, I can now cruise at 20 knots on 2400-2500 rpm and top 24 knots wot at 2600. This are with full gas tanks and water. Not bad.

I still wish I had 450hp engines though.

Lit
 
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