New 1979 260 sundancer

[Vince_nj1]

That was my first boat as well. My experience wasnt the best. The boat was underpowered (single merc 260) and overheated often. I thought I had a water restriction somwhere, but I could never find it. I put a new impeller in the outdrive, I changed the water tube running between the out drive and the engine, I changed the manifolds. Nothing worked. I believe that with 100 gallons of fuel and 40 gallons water the total weight was well over 8000 lbs. Start adding friends and beer and it gets to over 9000lbs

I lost an engine and repowered the boat in 1990 with a brand new mecruiser 260, transom plate and stern drive and even the new engine ran hot. I believe I was running a 17 pitch prop. My friend had the same boat and he was running a 15 pitch. His didnt over heat. If I remember right, I think I tried a 15 pitch, but the I needed something like 3800 RPMs to get on plane and the boat would start to over heat if I went above 3500 RPMs. I went back to the 17 (I even switched to stainless steel) and just kept it below 3500.

It was my first boat and I did love it.. I just wish it treated me better. :smt089

Hopefully you will have better experience than I did.. My friend didnt have any over heating issues with his. (I started to think that my hull was water logged.. I never could figure out what the problem was.)

 

[sbw1]

I don't get the point that the boat needs to be run at 3800 rpms to plane. My 260 would cruise easily at 3000 rpms and do 21 mph. It was not a speed demon but was very responsive even when I sold it with 3800 hours on it. Never overheated or used a drop of oil. For its day, the design was pretty cool looking and the hull handled Lake Michigan chop nicely. We used to run across Lake Michigan with only a compass for navigation. We frequently missed our destination by a few miles but could figure where we were by landmarks and a chart once we could see land.

 

[keokie]

In the best of conditions, I found the 350 to be underpowered. Anyting under 3500 rpm and she was nearly falling offf plane, and she didn't really feel right until about 3800.

In less than ideal conditions (3800 ft elevation and heavily loaded) which is how I often use her, she required tremendous time at WOT to plane and nearly 4000 rpm to stay there. Changing to the 502 made it a different boat.

 

[Vince_nj1]

Thanks for the validation.. For a second there I thought I was nuts. My boat handled a lot different from my friends. I had 1979 26 Sundancer and he had 1978 Sundancer. The only difference was that mine had the venturi (leaned foraward) windshield.