I wish my 40 Dancer ___________?

[JediJD]

We sea trialed an '08 40 Dancer yesterday (it had never been owned) with twin 8.1 gassers. The price was right, but the boat seemed to be a little light on toys...no Axius, no satellite, no radar, no depth recorder, no redundant display (did have the E120). It had central vacuum, which the "Only Mate" liked. Ice maker deleted and replaced with another fridge. Seemed like TV's everywhere. Performance seemed acceptable...cruised nicely at high 20's at about 3900 rpm...32 gph total from the gauges.

I think I can drive a two engine boat without Axius, and I am going to be fresh water for the overwhelming most part (hopefully a trip to the Bahamas next year included). What "stuff" would you absolutely not live without on a boat this size. My question is, if you had one of these how would you fill in the blanks to the question "I wish my 40 Dancer ____________?

I drove it with the Isenglass in place and hated that part...as a relatively short guy, my preferred line of sight was directly at the windshield frame...but I can fix that with seat adjustments (or perhaps sit on phone books...just kidding). Does everyone drive with it in place?

Stuff I should be thinking about but I'm not?

This is a big step up for us...and I have read every post on the subject and am still bewildered.

 

[tobnpr]

"I wish my 40 Dancer HAD DIESELS."

Boat must have been running on fumes to be cruising in the high 20's- unless you mean miles per hour and not knots. Fill up the fuel and water tanks, put six people on it and then take a look at the performance numbers.
If it's going to be a lake boat, with limited cruising, gassers will be OK but you'll quickly grow tired of the fuel bill. Resale on a 40' gas boat is gonna be tough, as well.

 

[K-9]

oil burners only,w/Radar/autopilot/axis..the boat did not sell because it is not setup right

 

[fc3]

Forget the Bahamas without diesels. Actually, unless you are strapped for $$$ a 40 footer really should have diesel power. You'll have an easier time with resale when that time comes and you'll recover price of the diesels, too. Gas engines are a mistake.

 

[RollerCoastr]

I helped a friend find an '07 40 this spring. His isin came down once, and hasn't been down since. Something about the re-installation process nearly causing a divorce...

Radar and sounders are must-haves if you ask me.

Even if the "high 20's" is mph, 32 gph is impressive enough to be in question. That would translate to about .84 mpg. I would expect more like .75 at best.

Still, I'm not in the "have to have diesels" group, particularly when Cummins B Series aren't exactly going to turn a 40 into a performance boat.

Doesn't the seat pedestal adjust for height on that boat? I thought it did.

btw, Axius is the stern-drive alternative to Zeus. So that's not applicable to a 40DA.

 

[RollerCoastr]

Frank, we're not seeing peope "recover prices" anymore.

 

[gerryb]

Radar and electronics are no big deal and can be installed later incluiding cockpit air. Axius - not needed. Two things that this boat 1) doesn't have, 2) are NOT going to be installed later, 3) would be appreciated by the owner and 4) will hurt resale value: hard-top and diesels.

 

[fc3]

Frank, we're not seeing peope "recover prices" anymore.

Try to sell a gas 44DA or 420DA without loosing your shirt, pants and underwear. At least the diesels are selling, maybe slowly and not at great prices, but they're doing much better than the gassers.

 

[tdappleman]

Curious as to what the boat was priced at - if it's light on features and has gassers - it will certainly explain the price being lower than maybe you are seeing in other places. It would really depend on what you plan to use the boat for.

What would the range of this boat be? You mention fresh water usage as the primary but maybe Bahamas - how does the boat get from fresh to the ocean or ICW?

 

[chuck1]

IMHO - One point about the gas/diesel, if you plan to keep it on Allatoona I don't think you can purchase diesel on the lake???? I heard you had to get it trucked in and meet them at a bridge so they can drop a line to your tank. If you are going to keep it on the ICW/ICWW or the TN River, by all means go with diesel.

 

[Southpaw II]

IMHO - One point about the gas/diesel, if you plan to keep it on Allatoona I don't think you can purchase diesel on the lake???? I heard you had to get it trucked in and meet them at a bridge so they can drop a line to your tank. If you are going to keep it on the ICW/ICWW or the TN River, by all means go with diesel.

:thumbsup: Exactly. This would be a "lake boat" only. And, that's why it hasn't sold yet.

 

[JediJD]

It is a hardtop.

Good discussion on the diesel. However, with the boat priced at close to half its $600k list, the gassers seem pretty attractive. We probably are going to be on the lake for the next five years, making this a transition boat and moving to diesel when we do salt water regularly.

My assumption is that a Dancer can be hauled to and from Lauderdale cheaper than a Bridge in a pinch. If we pull this trigger, we are going to try and deal in transportation to and from and participation in the Bahama's trip. Surely to god the 300 plus gallons are enough to get it there and back at least?

 

[tobnpr]

Yeah, the 300 gallons will get you there. "Back" depends on where you go, and the conditions in the Stream.
Like I said initially, no problem using it as a lake boat. But, you'd better be prepared to bend over five years from now when you sell, unless there's a lot of other 40 footers on the lake and you luck out and find someone else there to buy it.

Here's a point- I know nothing about this boat, just pulled it up on YW. But if it checked out clean, I'd much rather have this year-or-two old diesel with 45 hours for about the same money as the new one with gassers. Better equipped (even has cockpit air). Just my $.02

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007/Sea-Ray-40-Sundancer-1937375/Panama-City-Beach/FL/United-States

 

[douglee25]

I wish my 40 Dancer was really a 44 or 48 Dancer....

Doug

 

[Hampton]

...really got 32 gph at any speed on plane. It's not realistic. I'd plan on .65 mpg when clean and light.

 

[berth control]

Here's a point- I know nothing about this boat, just pulled it up on YW. But if it checked out clean, I'd much rather have this year-or-two old diesel with 45 hours for about the same money as the new one with gassers. Better equipped (even has cockpit air). Just my $.02

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007/Sea-Ray-40-Sundancer-1937375/Panama-City-Beach/FL/United-States

I'm nowhere near buying a new or even old POS 40 footer, but I agree with this idea. In five years, it will be easier to sell an ideally equipped boat that is six or seven years old versus a somewhat basic version that is four or five years old. In the mean time you enjoy the performance and luxury of a "nicer" boat, and it's new enough that things are not going to be breaking down due to age or use on either one. However, if you can't get diesel on your lake, I would go with the gassers hands down.

 

[fc3]

Here's a point- I know nothing about this boat, just pulled it up on YW. But if it checked out clean, I'd much rather have this year-or-two old diesel with 45 hours for about the same money as the new one with gassers. Better equipped (even has cockpit air). Just my $.02

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007/Sea-Ray-40-Sundancer-1937375/Panama-City-Beach/FL/United-States

Check the marina selling it. Frank W probably knows the owner & everything there is to know about that boat.

 

[bluebelly]

My question is, if you had one of these how would you fill in the blanks to the question "I wish my 40 Dancer ____________?


I have already owned both gas and diesel and I would not hesitate to go with the boat with gas engines. They will hold up just as well as a turbo diesel and they cost $60000 less upfront than gas and save you about $1100 per year on ad valorem and about 1000 per year on insurance. Not to mention diesel fuel actually cost more than gas on Georgia lakes. Definitely a hardtop with full camper package. A full camper package really makes the boat comfortable in the winter. A bow thruster is a must have if you are going to the coast because of the tidal current that you see there. Cockpit air cond really is worth it especially in the winter with the camper package. Radar and fish finder are easily added if you already have a raymarine e 120.

 

[Larry]

If the 40 DA your looking at is priced above 250K it is over priced, you can buy this boat with diesel and well equiped for about 300K. I am talking about actual sale price not asking prices. You will be much happier with diesel engines over gas in this boat, If your running this boat at 3900 RPM you will be burning allot more then 32 GPH with the boat loaded, closer to 38 GPH....

 

[fwebster]

The boat listed in FC3's post above is a one owner trade-in. The owner traded it almost immediately on a 48DA. The boat is about 6 slips down from me today, looks very good but will need a detail since its been in inventory for a while. The seller is a Sea Ray dealer who, like most other dealers, is dealing with drastic rule changes in his floor plan administration by his lender. They are not desperate, but this one has been on the book long enough that the bank wants their money and the dealer has better uses for his cash....i.e. new boats. They would rather turn this one into cash and floor plan a new boat. Don't make an offer or you might buy a boat!

Also, this dealer is one of the best in the Sea Ray system.......they don't play games and will do what they say when they promise, but more importantly, they can repair a boat or an engine if it needs it. I know, I've been a customer here for 20+ years.