HELP!!!! 2007 Sea Ray sundancer 260

[rodwood5]

I recently purchased a 2007 Sea Ray Sundancer 260. I have had the boat out about 5 times and am ready to take it back to the MArina!!!

When taking the boat to plane with Trim Trabs up(neautral position), avfer shortly getting on plane, typically between 20-26 miles per hour. around 3000 rpm, the boat will suddenly fall off plane in an extreme list to the starboard side. This "lean" is so extreme you feel like you need to jump off.

Typically I have not trimmed up the outdrive prior to this happening. Has any one else had this experience? If so is it fixable?

Looking for advice.

Thanks

Rod

 

[Sweet Dreams]

YEP..had that experience NUMEROUS times 2 days ago when we took out our new 07 260 for the first time! Thought we were about to slingshot out a few times too. LOL. As I understand it, this behavior is typical and you have to learn to use the tabs. Its definately a "feel" thing and a need to constantly be one step ahead on the tabs of what you are about to do with the driving/steering. Just use one or two taps and WAIT! Also heard of an automated trip tab adjuster that you can have installed. Think its Bennett Trim tab adjustor.

 

[Dave S]

Rod

Do not despair. You are going thru what a lot of us went thru because no one ever told us how to operate our particular model boat properly before we had them out on the water. And we have had this discussion in several threads before so you may want to search some of them out. The most recent thread is here http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18962&highlight=list

In that thread I gave my advice on the newer 260DAs and I have copied it below. I think this will help out of you follow my suggestions.

Dave

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First off I will make this disclaimer right up front. This advice only applies to 2005-2008 260DAs. If you have an earlier model 260DA or almost any other model Sea Ray, except maybe for the newer 240DAs, you will usually use your trim and tabs in a much different way.

Before attempting to come on plane make sure your tabs are fully retracted regardless of your load. In other words DO NOT USE YOUR TABS TO COME ON PLANE .......EVER.

Make sure your outdrive is trimmed fully down before taking off. Just before the boat starts to plane you will feel it list to port or starboard a bit. As soon as you feel that list, begin trimming the out drive up gradually until it straightens up. (It will straighten right up too if you do it quickly and no one will even notice a list when you really get good at it:grin:). Keep on trimming the drive until the boat is fully on plane then trim the drive up or down for the most comfortable ride. I find on mine that many times I have to trim all the way up to the trailer-stop (that's the spot right before you have to press your red trim button down real hard to go into full up trailer trim......never do that while underway:smt009)

Now that the boat is on plane use your trim tab to balance the load side to side. Notice I said TAB. It 's important you trim only for the side that is listing when underway. If you change course direction and the boat start to list to the other side, first retract the tab you were using and then use the other tab to balance the boat again. Never try to use both tabs simultaneously unless you are below planing speed and are just trying to plant the bow.

If you follow these simple steps, all you 2005-2008 260DA owners will be very happy how your boat performs. If you do it any other way........................well................... .....let's just say you won't like what happens. :smt043

 

[Nehalennia]

Welcome aboard Rod.
Hang in there.

 

[rodwood5]

Thanks so much Dave. So, you too have experienced the severe lean? Mine ALWAYS occurs to the Starboard side.

And let me tell you, it is enough to make you want to jump!

I will give this a try.

Rod

 

[Sweet Dreams]

Welcome aboard Rod.
Hang in there.

LOL...literally! :smt043:smt043:smt043

 

[Dave S]

Thanks so much Dave. So, you too have experienced the severe lean? Mine ALWAYS occurs to the Starboard side.

And let me tell you, it is enough to make you want to jump!

I will give this a try.

Rod

Oh yes........that severe lean is real scary! You will feel like you have a completely different boat Rod if you follow these few simple guidleines. And like I said, don't be afraid to trim that drive all the way up to the trailer detent if need be. These newer 260DAs seem to like a lot of trim when on plane.

Dave

 

[danward12]

We bought our 275 searay (260) back in 2007 it has been abit of a lemon since we bought it starting with loosing oil from the trim reservoir to just last week the Air Idle valve coming up as faulty on the smart craft. The week before the smart craft instruments stopped working but that seems to be working again now. The problems started on the Searay convoy from Fremantle WA to Mandurah where the boat shut down in the open ocean. The mechanic thought the gear box had a problem. The gimble ring was replaced and all was ok for a while. We had a trip to Rottnest when the same problem happened, checked down into the bilge area to find the bilge was full of water up to the first pulley of the engine.
We found the float switch on the bilge pump was not working but no one had any idea where the water had come in from.
The mechanic took the boat out a few times and the problem would not happen again.
Well it did, on the way down to Mandurah the bilge filled up aggain.
We had to have the boat Anti-fouled as we changed our mooring from dry dock to being moored. While the boat was on hard stand water leaked from the depth sensor underneath for 4 days. The water was leaking in through the sensor and sitting between the bottom and inner skin. The mechanic said the sensor had never been sealed in the hull. Also the rear bung was the same.
Now these are sealed the boat wants to list to the Port side which it had never done before. Can anyone tell me is this because the hull had water in before and was acting as ballast which was stopping it listting and now the problem has been sorted the boat wants to list?
Also due to the excess water (SALT) in the bilge is now causing problems with the electrics on board.

Sorry if I have bored everyone but I need to get this off my chest. Any feedback would be great.

 

[Zorba]

Welcome to the 260 Lean Club. Follow Dave's advice and all will be fine.

 

[Spot]

Since I have never driven a 2005+ I wonder what they changed on the hull? I love my 260.

1999-2003 all the same right

2003-2005 different?

2005+ all the same?

I hope if have the years correct?

 

[rodwood5]

Dave:

Looking forward to getting out and giving it a try. I had the Marina pick it up to check it out as it just didnt seem right. Is there a reason it always tips to the starboard side?

Given the specific problem of listing hard to the right, on not to be an idiot, but do I press the right Trim up to bring the boat back to a level positon or would I hit the left top trim toggle?

Thanks again!

Rod

 

[Sweet Dreams]

Dave:

Looking forward to getting out and giving it a try. I had the Marina pick it up to check it out as it just didnt seem right. Is there a reason it always tips to the starboard side?

Given the specific problem of listing hard to the right, on not to be an idiot, but do I press the right Trim up to bring the boat back to a level positon or would I hit the left top trim toggle?

Thanks again!

Rod

What worked for me initially was...dont think about it. Simply "fix the problem" mentality. This may be wrong, but like I said, it worked for me. Go straight to the source so to speak. If you are listing starboard...go straight to the problem tab. Tap bottom right tab once. If you list to port, tap bottom left tab once. Or you could think of it oppositely. If port is high, hit top left tab button. Starboard too high, hit top right button. What you are trying to correct, hit the same side, same end button. I do realize I have some fine tuning to grasp. As Dave said I understand for fuel efficiency, we need to trim up the outdrive and MINIMIZE tabs. But for the first lesson, I think it is important to learn and get a feel for how the things work. Get this first and then adjust for efficency afterwards.

 

[skibum]

Press the top of the button on the side that you want to go DOWN.

You are listing to starboard, so the port side is high. Press the top of the left tab switch to level it out. This makes the starboard tab go down, which generates lift on the starboard side and lowers the port side.

Good luck,
Michael

 

[Sweet Dreams]

Press the top of the button on the side that you want to go DOWN.

You are listing to starboard, so the port side is high. Press the top of the left tab switch to level it out. This makes the starboard tab go down, which generates lift on the starboard side and lowers the port side.

Good luck,
Michael

If you hit the left top button, arent you controlling the port trim tab?

 

[chuck1]

If you hit the left top button, arent you controlling the port trim tab?

Nope, You're putting the port bow down, Don't think about the tabs think about the boats action.

 

[skibum]

What worked for me initially was...dont think about it. Simply f"ix the problem" mentality. This may be wrong, but like I said, it worked for me. Go straight to the source so to speak. If you are listing starbord...go straight to the problem tab. Tap bottom right tab once. If you list to port, tap bottom lect tab once...

Uhhh... If you start off with your tabs all the way retracted (up) like you should have, the bottom of either switch will not correct anything. The bottom of the switch makes the tab go up. If you start off with them up, then hitting the bottom of the switch is just a way to make sure that the tab on the opposite side is still up. It will not affect the ride in any way.

As Save said I understand for fuel efficiency, we need to trim up the outdrive and MINIMIZE tabs. But for the first lesson, I think it is important to learm and get a feel for how the things work. Get this first and then adjust for efficency afterwards.

I think you need to reconsider that. Listen to Dave. Just take a few rides and do not allow yourself to use the tabs at all. You should be able to get the boat 95% level without ANY tab. Once you can consistently level the boat AND have a feel for how she rides with no tabs, move on to lesson 2 - using the tabs. You are just going to make life harder on you, and scare the hell out of your passengers if you don't.

I have had my boat for 2 years as of this Thursday. My first 2 months were a bit shakey. I took the time to run her in various sea conditions, learning how the boat feels when she is riding good. Once I learned that, using the trim tabs becomes a simple matter of making a correction back to "normal" instead of trying to "force" the boat to ride the way that I think it should.

The only other advice I can give you is to relax, and let the boat run. It knows how to ride. Don't mess it up. This is most useful to understand when taking a wave or a wake from the side. The boat will lean. Just keep it pointed in the right direction, and let it roll. After a little while, you won't even notice it.

Michael

 

[rodwood5]

I am glad i asked this question, as i would have hit the top right button.

I do know that hitting both tabs bottoms brings them out oif the water/to a neatral position.

So to confirm hit top left to bring the port side down.....

Thanks again everyone!

Rod

 

[Sweet Dreams]

Uhhh... If you start off with your tabs all the way retracted (up) like you should have, the bottom of either switch will not correct anything. The bottom of the switch makes the tab go up. If you start off with them up, then hitting the bottom of the switch is just a way to make sure that the tab on the opposite side is still up. It will not affect the ride in any way.



I think you need to reconsider that. Listen to Dave. Just take a few rides and do not allow yourself to use the tabs at all. You should be able to get the boat 95% level without ANY tab. Once you can consistently level the boat AND have a feel for how she rides with no tabs, move on to lesson 2 - using the tabs. You are just going to make life harder on you, and scare the hell out of your passengers if you don't.

I have had my boat for 2 years as of this Thursday. My first 2 months were a bit shakey. I took the time to run her in various sea conditions, learning how the boat feels when she is riding good. Once I learned that, using the trim tabs becomes a simple matter of making a correction back to "normal" instead of trying to "force" the boat to ride the way that I think it should.

The only other advice I can give you is to relax, and let the boat run. It knows how to ride. Don't mess it up. This is most useful to understand when taking a wave or a wake from the side. The boat will lean. Just keep it pointed in the right direction, and let it roll. After a little while, you won't even notice it.

Michael

Ok, I stand corrected. And have alot to learn. Thanks

 

[rodwood5]

Zorba:

Where to do run your boat?

Rod

 

[Kendall]

Dave's guide works every time. No tabs are used during start. Start with the outdrive fully tucked....As soon as the boat starts to come on plane I trim the outdrive all the way to the trailer stop and there is never any listing. Once up and running I may use one side trim tab to even out the running if my passengers all want to sit on one side.....most of the time I nicely ask them to move and I don't have to use tabs at all.