New to Sea Ray Forums

Seevee

Member
Dec 3, 2015
238
St. Pete, FL
Boat Info
280 Sundancer 2004
Engines
4.3 Merc Twins, Alpha One, Kohler 5kw
Hi,
New to the forum, and shopping for a 280 Sundancer (posted in the cruiser section).

Forum question: How can I get the earliest post to show up first in a thread? (like other forums do).



Seevee
 
Welcome, and good luck in your hunt!

From the top right of the page, choose Settings
From the left menu, choose General Settings
Scroll down to the Thread Display Options section/Thread Display Mode and choose your preference--oldest first, newest first, etc.
 
Questions:

I just found out that the 4.3 with the Alpha ones have the water pump in the outdrive. And it needs changing every year or two, requiring pulling the lower drive. How hard is this? (sounds like a pain).

OR, has anyone just by passed this and added a pump on the engine?
 
Annual drive removal for service (for Bravo III drives, it is 2X a season) is mandatory for boats run in salt water. Lubrication of the coupler splines, propeller splines, and resealing the drive are saltwater specific needs that you cannot get unless you remove the drive and service it. The seawater impeller replacement is almost a freebee from a labor standpoint during the drive service.

If that level of maintenance bothers you, then you need to either go look at outboard boats or look a boats a little bigger, like 30-34 ft Sea Ray with inboards.
 
It does not bother him. He has owned two cruisers with sterndrive power. His question was just about the Alpha drive water pump, which he is not familiar with.
Salt water change every two years minimum. Fresh water, you may not need to change for several years.
 
Welcome aboard
 
Amen to Banagy's comment. You do have to understand that we have one basic rule on CSR.....if you don't post pictures it didn't happen. We all like to see pics of OP's boats, where they boat, their families having fun, etc.
 
Annual drive removal for service (for Bravo III drives, it is 2X a season) is mandatory for boats run in salt water. Lubrication of the coupler splines, propeller splines, and resealing the drive are saltwater specific needs that you cannot get unless you remove the drive and service it. The seawater impeller replacement is almost a freebee from a labor standpoint during the drive service.

If that level of maintenance bothers you, then you need to either go look at outboard boats or look a boats a little bigger, like 30-34 ft Sea Ray with inboards.

Thx for the update, actually found a Youtube video of how to do it, and looks easy, but have to have the boat out of the water or have a raft to work on (which I'll probably make). With the impeller (water pump) on the engine was a bit of a PITA but not that hard to change annually.

Never pulled outdrives more than once every 3 or 4 years and never had an issue (that wasn't an operator issue), but religiously flushed them, had FWC and/or a Salt Away system.

thx.
 
Amen to Banagy's comment. You do have to understand that we have one basic rule on CSR.....if you don't post pictures it didn't happen.

Well, he did not post pictures, because it DID NOT happen yet. He has not officially purchased the 280DA yet. I suspect when he does, then you will see pictures.
 
I am in a salt water area and see a lot of drive related repairs at our marina, which is the local Sea Ray dealer. Almost nobody keeps an outdrive boat in the water but those who do usually face significant repair costs at some point in their ownership primarily because they neglect to remove the drive and service the coupler and seals. A coupler repair requires removing the engine and drive and a few hundred $$ in parts quickly turns into a few thousand $$ repair. Seawater in the gear case usually spells several more thousand $$ in bearings and gears.

My point is only to encourage you to not under estimate the value of a regular haul out and drive service. A few hundred $$ each year is a lot cheaper than the tow home and a major repair of a coupler or gear case.
 
Annual drive removal for service (for Bravo III drives, it is 2X a season) is mandatory for boats run in salt water. Lubrication of the coupler splines, propeller splines, and resealing the drive are saltwater specific needs that you cannot get unless you remove the drive and service it. The seawater impeller replacement is almost a freebee from a labor standpoint during the drive service.

If that level of maintenance bothers you, then you need to either go look at outboard boats or look a boats a little bigger, like 30-34 ft Sea Ray with inboards.
What do you mean by resealing the drive?
 
I am in a salt water area and see a lot of drive related repairs at our marina, which is the local Sea Ray dealer. Almost nobody keeps an outdrive boat in the water but those who do usually face significant repair costs at some point in their ownership primarily because they neglect to remove the drive and service the coupler and seals. A coupler repair requires removing the engine and drive and a few hundred $$ in parts quickly turns into a few thousand $$ repair. Seawater in the gear case usually spells several more thousand $$ in bearings and gears.

My point is only to encourage you to not under estimate the value of a regular haul out and drive service. A few hundred $$ each year is a lot cheaper than the tow home and a major repair of a coupler or gear case.

Frank,

Thanks for the info. I have no problem with taking care of maintenance, either doing it myself or hiring it done. Maintenance is generally the most expensive thing with a boat. I've budgeted $3 to $4K a year for the 280, which I hope is reasonable. (My old 270 Sundancer budget was $2K and other than a major engine rebuilt, did the job nicely, and I hired out everything). I'm also an aircraft mechanic and understand the importance of maintenance, but aircraft maintenance is cheaper than boat maintenance except for a few very expensive things.

I have a very good boat mechanic that can do all the simple stuff that works a lot cheaper than I do, and is quite competent... except for major things.

Any items of importance, please mention. I'll have all the manuals for the drive and the engine (as well as the rest of the boat) but will probably have someone else do the bulk of the work.
 
quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by Gofirstclass
Amen to Banagy's comment. You do have to understand that we have one basic rule on CSR.....if you don't post pictures it didn't happen.



<<<<<Well, he did not post pictures, because it DID NOT happen yet. He has not officially purchased the 280DA yet. I suspect when he does, then you will see pictures.>>>>

Well, tried to load a pix, will see if it turned out.

Edit... it failed to upload, 100x100 48kb.... what am I doing wrong.

Tried three times... I'm missing something....
 
Last edited:
Changing the Alpha I water pump is easy, you do have to pull the drive, but no big deal. I have found that the 2yr interval is fine, almost overkill in clean freshwater - I've started going 3yrs and have yet to have an impeller failure. The last one I pulled out was 3yrs/150hrs and it was still in very good shape. I think most people that replace them every year do it because they are already paying to have the drives serviced and adding the pump is not much more $$. If you do the job yourself and don't have to pay to have your boat hauled, it's a 1hr job and $35.

As far as sterndrives in the water, the single prop drives (Bravo I/II, Alpha I, Volvo SX) seem to fair better (much better if the props are aluminum vs ss) than the Bravo III and Volvo Duoprop. I think the 280 you mentioned with Alpha I's would be a best case setup for a sterndrive kept in the water.
 
All,
Spend this afternoon on the boat, going over things, operators manual, operations, checking things.... a few dumb questions:

I can't get the Nav lights on. The anchor lite comes on, but when I push the Nav lite button, only the anchor lite stays on. No red green or rear white. Am I missing a switch or something?

Is there a switch to turn the panel lights on, or is it just adjusting the intensity. Couldn't get them on either.

Where is the water pump switch and level indicator. Book says in main panel, but not there on this boat. Need to figure that out, because tomorrow I'm checking the hot water heater and want to be sure there's water in there.

And, when one fills the water tank, and turns the pump on, does the hot water tank always fill, or is there another switch? And when the hot water tank is full, can one add more water to the main tank?

Thanks much!
 
A few more dumb questions on the 280:

Is there a coffee maker hidden somewhere? I can't find one.

The stereo doesn't come on, is there a separate switch for that?

And when the water pump is on (when I find the switch), does that fill the head after flushing, or do I need to turn on the switch next to the potty. This on has the macerator. Also, how does that work?

Where is the water pump located... there's suppose to be a filter on it to change.

Does anyone have a good parts source for this boat? There are a number of little things I'll replace. Cup holder, aft shower door, windlass control covers in front, windlass hatch actuator......plus a lot of consumables.... plugs, filters, etc.

None of the above is addressed in the owners manual. The manual is fairly poor for descriptions (but my other SeaRays were just as bad).

Overall, a pretty nice boat... small, but economical and easy to handle and maintain. Can't go too far wrong with this boat.
 
It will help if you'll update your profile details to show the year/model as well as your engines, etc. I'm not seeing the other thread you mentioned to know what you're inspecting/what you ended up getting. Also, it may be easier to use a site like Photobucket when you want to share pics--publish there, post links here. Alternately, you'll get more storage/pic capacity if you become a contributing member to CSR.

But a couple of thoughts to start, before knowing your specifics....please forgive if I'm way off base due to major differences in year/model.

All,
Spend this afternoon on the boat, going over things, operators manual, operations, checking things.... a few dumb questions:

I can't get the Nav lights on. The anchor lite comes on, but when I push the Nav lite button, only the anchor lite stays on. No red green or rear white. Am I missing a switch or something?

Is there a switch to turn the panel lights on, or is it just adjusting the intensity. Couldn't get them on either. Do you mean dashboard lights? Mine require only that the ignition breakers be on; I don't have separate controls to adjust intensity.

Where is the water pump switch and level indicator. Book says in main panel, but not there on this boat. Need to figure that out, because tomorrow I'm checking the hot water heater and want to be sure there's water in there. My water pump switch is a breaker at the helm panel; in the cabin panel I have a switch that turns on the indicator lights when I toggle it.

And, when one fills the water tank, and turns the pump on, does the hot water tank always fill, or is there another switch? And when the hot water tank is full, can one add more water to the main tank? That's how mine works--I have no controls specific to the water heater. If I've drained both hot and cold water completely, and my pump is on, then the water heater takes on water as I fill, and both it and the main tank are full when I'm finished. If I use water only from the hot tap, it refills from the main tank automatically and then I can add more to the main tank if I wish to do so.

Thanks much!

A few more dumb questions on the 280:

Is there a coffee maker hidden somewhere? I can't find one. If you've investigated every nook and cranny in the galley and cockpit, I'd say you don't have one, even if there might have been one built-in at some point. A PO might have removed it/modified its space to add a larger microwave, create more storage space, install A/V components, etc.

The stereo doesn't come on, is there a separate switch for that? I have a breaker in the helm panel that controls the head unit, as well as a "stereo mute" switch in the dash that controls the cockpit speakers.

And when the water pump is on (when I find the switch), does that fill the head after flushing, or do I need to turn on the switch next to the potty. This on has the macerator. Also, how does that work? Depends on what model you have. For example, mine is a raw water electric flush with a push button that simultaneously draws raw rinse water, activates the macerator, and sends waste to the holding tank--it's not connected to my fresh water/pump system.

Where is the water pump located... there's suppose to be a filter on it to change. Assuming you have an aft sleeping area, pull up all the cushions if you haven't yet; see if your steps come open/can be pulled up; and see if you have panels in the cabin floor that will open. You're likely to find plumbing components like seacocks/strainers for head and/or AC, water pump, and sump pump for the shower and/or AC, etc. in compartments like these.

Does anyone have a good parts source for this boat? There are a number of little things I'll replace. Cup holder, aft shower door, windlass control covers in front, windlass hatch actuator......plus a lot of consumables.... plugs, filters, etc. Need to know year to source an accurate parts manual. The Owner Resource section of the Sea Ray site has a lot of documents for 1990s and later; 80s and earlier are a little spottier. Parts manuals for engine and/or generator would be through other online sources.

None of the above is addressed in the owners manual. The manual is fairly poor for descriptions (but my other SeaRays were just as bad).

Overall, a pretty nice boat... small, but economical and easy to handle and maintain. Can't go too far wrong with this boat.

My first few times on the boat I did exactly what you're doing--read all the documents cover to cover, opened every obvious cabinet, drawer, door, and panel I could find, and figured out some of the less obvious compartments, too.

Quite a fun adventure, isn't it? :smt101 :grin:
 
It will help if you'll update your profile details to show the year/model as well as your engines, etc. I'm not seeing the other thread you mentioned to know what you're inspecting/what you ended up getting. Also, it may be easier to use a site like Photobucket when you want to share pics--publish there, post links here. Alternately, you'll get more storage/pic capacity if you become a contributing member to CSR.

But a couple of thoughts to start, before knowing your specifics....please forgive if I'm way off base due to major differences in year/model.





My first few times on the boat I did exactly what you're doing--read all the documents cover to cover, opened every obvious cabinet, drawer, door, and panel I could find, and figured out some of the less obvious compartments, too.

Quite a fun adventure, isn't it? :smt101 :grin:

Thanks MUCH for the detailed response, that was very helpful. The boat is a 2003 Sundancer, twin 4.3 MPI, Alpha 1. I spent more time on the boat, and found out a lot of things:

No coffee maker
Dashboard lights have an intensity control, and believe they come on with nav lights (from other posts). Mine are out of service.
Water pump switch is on the helm, and works fine. Need to fill to see how that goes.
Lav in the head is fresh water filled, and will work only on the battery, not in the water. Still learning about the macerator.
Stereo has a switch in the main panel, can't find a mute switch, but is inop for now.
I found a parts manual on line, but the bulb section is very inadequate, looking for a better source.
The SeaRay site has the owners supplement, but not the full manual. Will contact them when they open after their holiday break.

Thanks again... starting to learn this boat. Need a few more inspections and buy it.... or whatever, if there's some issues.
 
Thanks MUCH for the detailed response, that was very helpful. The boat is a 2003 Sundancer, twin 4.3 MPI, Alpha 1. I spent more time on the boat, and found out a lot of things:

No coffee maker
Dashboard lights have an intensity control, and believe they come on with nav lights (from other posts). Mine are out of service.
Water pump switch is on the helm, and works fine. Need to fill to see how that goes.
Lav in the head is fresh water filled, and will work only on the battery, not in the water. Still learning about the macerator.
Stereo has a switch in the main panel, can't find a mute switch, but is inop for now.
I found a parts manual on line, but the bulb section is very inadequate, looking for a better source.
The SeaRay site has the owners supplement, but not the full manual. Will contact them when they open after their holiday break.

Thanks again... starting to learn this boat. Need a few more inspections and buy it.... or whatever, if there's some issues.
Glad you're finding a lot of helpful info--sorry for the misfires, as there's definitely a HUGE difference between my vessel and the one you're considering. But how do you mean "will work only on the battery, not in the water"?
 
Glad you're finding a lot of helpful info--sorry for the misfires, as there's definitely a HUGE difference between my vessel and the one you're considering. But how do you mean "will work only on the battery, not in the water"?

The water in the head will work only with the pump on, which means it's fresh water, not sea water. Of course will work on the water, too.

You have a 1989 300 Sundancer? Yes, probably a huge difference. I've enjoyed all of the Sundancers I've owned/operated. Some great, and some needed improvement. I really like the walk thru windshield, which I had on my last boat... works GREAT for single handling. Unfortunately SeaRay took a long time before incorporating that into the 290 and not sure if the 300 (310 today) ever did that, but it didn't have the port lounge, which is a necessity for me. I've spent a lot of time on a 450 Dancer, is fairly economical for a big boat, very nice cabin, and plenty of room in the cockpit. Just a bit big and awkward for our waters that cater to smaller boats... places to park, etc.

I loved my 310 Formula, but the cost of operation was more than the 450 Sundancer (however a LOT faster). Those big 8.1 Volvos on the Formula are EXPENSIVE, and no support here.

Had a 270 Sundancer, and probably should have kept it. Reliable, easy to own/operate and we drove the heck out of it. Only downside was no genny.

Lots of options.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,861
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top