Official 280 Sundancer Thread

Well, after years of considering a 270 sundancer to replace our old 268, looks like the focus has turned to a used 280. I like the variety of power options, and the fact that so many are equipped with A/C and many with a gen. We are dedicated trailer boaters, so this model packs a lot of desired capabilities into the optimum sized package. Really liking that early model years are presenting within our budget. Let's say 2003-2006 is lining up as a possibility. I'm looking seriously, and am presently kicking myself for not acting faster to work a deal on two boats that were sitting on nice triple axle trailers, one of them locally. I naively thought the COVID situation was stagnating the market and that I could drag my feet; wrong!

Realizing many of my questions have likely been asked and answered within the forum, my apologies for cutting my thread time to a mere two hours; please humor me with kind responses, even if you are mildly annoyed!

Owning a twin 4.3 classic Sundancer now, I am quite aware of the points to consider in the single vs. twin debate, and I could go either way on this next boat. Except, if I purchased a 496 equipped vessel, I'd prefer to add a kicker for back-up in some of the tidal waters I cruise. I have never seen one mounted on these boats, and I cannot envision a graceful way to do so with that large platform out back. Maybe I'd be better off with a tender packing some h.p. that could pull me out of danger. I currently have a 10 ft.(too large) Zodiac RIB with the classic "sleeper mod" two-stroke Evinrude, which is a 15 h.p. dressed in a 9.9 hood. It hauls butt with four people aboard, and has towed the 268 several miles when needed (proof that twins are not infallible). Maybe a similar concept in a smaller size dingy could provide my piece of mind on a 280? Or is there a decent way to mount a kicker on the boat? The goal being to stay of rocks and reefs until a tow boat can respond. Or maybe limp home, depending on the situation. I have to remind myself that modern fuel injected powertrains are much less apt to leave you stranded, but that does not eliminate the other two things that have stopped me in the past; driftwood strikes and stern drive bottom mapping (yes, I have used my drives to determine what lies below instead of a depth finder or chart - you're not an adventurer if you haven't!). I'd love to hear of any auxiliary kicker installs that don't disgrace these beautiful boats.

I have seen enough posts stating the performance specs on 280s with a 496/B3 combo and 4.3/A1 set-up, but aside from a top speed of 45-50 mph, I can't find data on boats with twin 5.0/B3s; my interest is efficient cruise speed and mpg. I can only assume they pop right up on plane and handle very nicely. Any share of 5.0 performance info would be appreciated.

Also pertaining a twin 5.0 boat, do you think 350 Mag MPIs could be easily fit where the 5.0s used to sit? Well, I am pretty sure the physical fit is a no-brainer, but I'm not sure about fuel and ignition interface a well as all wiring, controls and accessory connections. I saw one boat listed for sale with a seized 5.0. Frankly, ever since my dad bought a 305 powered Reinell in the 1970s, I have never understood the point of carrying the mass of a small block V-8 in a smaller displacement. Mind you, a 2000s 305 is more powerful and efficient than yesterday's carbureted 350, it still holds true that "there's no replacement for displacement" and "there is no substitute for cubic inches" (unless you count turbochargers, superchargers, ultra-high compression, nitrous oxide, gas turbines, etc); but hey this is a sedate cruiser that does not need anything radical. However, I feel that twin Mag MPIs would rock, and be pretty economical in a 280. If I can buy a take-out engine for less or similar to a rebuild of the 5.0, it's worth considering. Would I run mismatched engines for a season or two until I find a second 350 Mag MPI? Maybe. Obviously odd, but with careful power management it should be doable. Before I rebuilt one engine in my 268, it probably had a 50 h.p. split between sides. Not really an issue unless at wide open throttle, which resulted in a manageable asymmetry. When ready, I could then pull the good running 5.0 and sell it to fund the Mag MPI. This whole thought of introducing 350 Mag MPI power into a 280 is reliant on purchasing the boat at a huge discount, commensurate with having a failed engine. Just food for thought. Madman crazy idea, ultimate cool, or somewhere inbetween?

Okay, I know this query is running long, so final question, I promise. For those that trailer their 280, do you pretend it's a legal width and just roll with it, hoping you do not encounter an astute police officer? In my mind, 106" is just 3" over the regulation on each side. It would take a keen eye to peg that is a violation, although trailer guide posts or side bunks could add a bit more to the legality excursion. I know taking a multistate journey with a wide load can be a real pain when permitting correctly, not to mention time of day and road restrictions. Thoughts on dealing with her wide hips on the road?
 
Finally was able to take my 280 out on a cruise after a long series of repairs. Everything went well except for a 2 beeps/min alarm that my mechanic (who was onboard at the time) said was either the gear lube bottles or the IAC. He increasingly believed it to be the IAC when we came in to dock and the starboard engine kept dying so I have an IAC on order coming tomorrow which I'll install.

New issue, had a little bit of water in the bilge after we came back. I had the AC running and suspected it to be that since the water level kept rising (to the point that the float switch turned on). Of course for some reason, both bilge pumps are not working. Tried the switch on the helm with no luck. Today, I popped them out (after draining/cleaning the bilge) and discovered one to be seized and the other to be full of oil. I'll replace them with new Rule 1100 pumps.

Did some searching on this thread and still have a few questions for the knowledgeable folks here. I know one pump is wired direct to the battery as the light on the helm came on even though all switches were off. How can I disconnect this from the battery so the wires are safe to work on? I believe I saw a wire going to the battery closest to the transom but just want to make sure it's the right one. Also, the new-design Rule 1100 calls for a 7.5A fuse compared to the 5A for the old version. Anyone know where/how this fuse is replaced?

As for now, the boat won't be put in the water until we have the bilge pumps in order.

The knowledge I've learned from CSR has been invaluable. Can't believe how well I'm beginning to know my boat.

Thanks

Glad to hear you got underway on your 280. I have a 2001 280 with twin 4.3’s. Why do you think your a/c is causing the water accumulation in your bilge?
My a/c condensate runs to a sump located under the galley steps. From there, it is pumped overboard using a separate bilge pump. If my sump pump fails, the water accumulated under the steps.
If you were only out a few hours and your bilge pump was kicking on, that is a lot of water. Was it the primary (lower) pump or the secondary (higher) pump?
Have you crawled in the engine room while sitting dead in water and looked for a leak? Through hulls of your boat will be the generator and a/c system, steering pins can leak, maybe the boats potable water tank leaking, water lines coming in from outdrives, etc?
 
I owned a 5.0 280 for 6 years, and glad to get rid of it. The 5.0's had plenty of power for that hull and are thirsty as hell, lucky if I got 1 mpg. What I didn't like about it was the rpm's it needed to stay on plane. Impossible at 2900 and the boats sweet spot was 3300. Problem with that is the boat is going too fast at 3300 and hammers like hell in the chop.
 
I owned a 5.0 280 for 6 years, and glad to get rid of it. The 5.0's had plenty of power for that hull and are thirsty as hell, lucky if I got 1 mpg. What I didn't like about it was the rpm's it needed to stay on plane. Impossible at 2900 and the boats sweet spot was 3300. Problem with that is the boat is going too fast at 3300 and hammers like hell in the chop.

I have not had mine very long, but we have similar numbers. With my 4.3’s, I run 28mph at 3300. That seems to be where the motors are most comfortable. Last weekend, in rough seas, I averaged 1.09 mpg, but I ran my generator the entire day, even while anchored off the beach. So my actual mpg will be a little higher - probably because I only have the 4.3’s with EFI. The V8’s or carb’ed engines would get less MPG.
I am not a long distance boater and primarily run day trips with occasional overnighter, so these issues are not a problem for me. I can see if I made long, days-long trips it would be less than ideal.
 
I boat in Nantucket sound. Most days have a rough annoying chop in the afternoon, that I would prefer to go slower in. I cracked the big mirror down below to give you an idea, how jarring the ride is. The boat in my sig stays on plane at 23 mph to give you an idea of the difference. Way more comfortable. That 280 would have done much better with 4 blade props for sure.
 
Glad to hear you got underway on your 280. I have a 2001 280 with twin 4.3’s. Why do you think your a/c is causing the water accumulation in your bilge?
My a/c condensate runs to a sump located under the galley steps. From there, it is pumped overboard using a separate bilge pump. If my sump pump fails, the water accumulated under the steps.
If you were only out a few hours and your bilge pump was kicking on, that is a lot of water. Was it the primary (lower) pump or the secondary (higher) pump?
Have you crawled in the engine room while sitting dead in water and looked for a leak? Through hulls of your boat will be the generator and a/c system, steering pins can leak, maybe the boats potable water tank leaking, water lines coming in from outdrives, etc?

Before we set out, we had some water in the bilge, but it wasn't of concern. Probably was about 10-15 gals from setting off the primary float switch.

When we got back, I opened the engine hatch and everything seemed to be good. The water level was slightly higher than when we left but nothing alarming. After running the AC and freshwater system for about 30 mins, I saw the water level was up to the primary float switch and sure enough, bilge switch light was on but no water being pumped. Checked breakers and all was good. On the service rack, I used bilge cleaner and got it pretty clean so next step is to put it in the water and camp out in the bilge to look for leaks. Before that, I need to install the new bilge pumps for safety.

The reason I believe it was the AC strainer is because when I cleaned it out, the gasket on the cap was in poor condition. I tightened it down pretty good but wasn't confident it was sealing well. Also, the mechanics drove the boat extensively without any rise in the water level in the bilge. The problems only started after I cleaned out the strainer.

Sump pump seems good as shower water is pumped overboard well.
 
If you have access to 110 ac you can pick up a vacuum at Home Depot called a “Bucket Head” that fits on their five gallon orange buckets for about 35 bucks all in. These are great for getting all the water out. The setup will pickup 2-3 gallons before maxing out. When I clean our bilges on the new boat I just bring two or three extra buckets to reduce the number of times I have to come out of the hole.
 
Well, time to replace my batteries. I’m looking for opinions on optimal replacements. It appears the previous owner installed dual purpose group 27 batteries for all three. The label indicate 810 CAD but my mechanic recommends 1000 cca as he believes the smart craft likes those best. I can’t find a dual purpose with 1000 cca so I’m curious what you all think is the best battery for the buck. Thanks in advance for your sage advice. The pic below is the the battery line-up as I believe it to be.
 

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Well, time to replace my batteries. I’m looking for opinions on optimal replacements. It appears the previous owner installed dual purpose group 27 batteries for all three. The label indicate 810 CAD but my mechanic recommends 1000 cca as he believes the smart craft likes those best. I can’t find a dual purpose with 1000 cca so I’m curious what you all think is the best battery for the buck. Thanks in advance for your sage advice. The pic below is the the battery line-up as I believe it to be.

That should read 810 cca (cold cranking amps)
 
After a long and agonizing decision to cut the crap out of my helm to allow for a decent sized chart plotter I finally did It. Came out well, but I still have to pull the dash back out to gel coat the fiberglass repairs at the bottom.
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Has anyone had their cabin door tracks replaced by a mechanic? How much is this job on average? I really want to get mine working again but not really willing to tackle the job of removing the entire helm!!!

Adam
I had them replaced - they removed the door tracks, roller balls and guides, clean and inspected, replaced worn parts, and reinstalled. Total time was 7.5 hours and cost was $1,050 including parts. Works great now
 
I have a 2008 280 with the digital smartcraft LCD display. When the sun is out they are very hard to see. Is this common or is their possibly a backlighting issue. Any other thoughts?
 
I have a 2008 280 with the digital smartcraft LCD display. When the sun is out they are very hard to see. Is this common or is their possibly a backlighting issue. Any other thoughts?
Probably need to be repaired. There is a place in Florida that can probably do it. You can send them pictures of the display and they can tell you.
https://gaugesaver.com/
 
If you have access to 110 ac you can pick up a vacuum at Home Depot called a “Bucket Head” that fits on their five gallon orange buckets for about 35 bucks all in. These are great for getting all the water out. The setup will pickup 2-3 gallons before maxing out. When I clean our bilges on the new boat I just bring two or three extra buckets to reduce the number of times I have to come out of the hole.

Perfect timing! I was just about to buy a shop vac but that sounds like a much better solution. Thanks.

I had them replaced - they removed the door tracks, roller balls and guides, clean and inspected, replaced worn parts, and reinstalled. Total time was 7.5 hours and cost was $1,050 including parts. Works great now

Wow that's much cheaper than I expected. Did they have to loosen or remove the helm? Wish I was close by as I would definitely let them have a look at mine.
 
I have a 2008 280 with the digital smartcraft LCD display. When the sun is out they are very hard to see. Is this common or is their possibly a backlighting issue. Any other thoughts?
another alternative is to switch to the vessel view 903. it can fit between your lower switch panels depending on what you have there already, and is all digital
 
Perfect timing! I was just about to buy a shop vac but that sounds like a much better solution. Thanks.



Wow that's much cheaper than I expected. Did they have to loosen or remove the helm? Wish I was close by as I would definitely let them have a look at mine.
I don’t think they removed the helm but not sure
 
Almost ready to put my 280 back in the water. Going through a series of important repairs after getting a little more water in the bilge than I was comfortable with after returning on the last trip.

Firstly, I would like to change the hose going from the AC seacock to the strainer as one of the ends has some rubber missing and wire reinforcement showing. The manual says it's a 3/4" hose. Would something like this work?

https://www.defender.com/product.js...water-hose&path=-1|2243574|3443701&id=3418383

Also, my seacocks are completely stuck. I have read quite a bit about this and saw people have had success with penetrating fluid so I sprayed some around the valve and it won't budge. I see a small square head screw. I tried turning the screw but found it took quite a bit of force so I stopped, fearing I would break something. Also need to read up on the 90 degree necks (the part the ac hose mounts to) since mine have turned blue. Wondering if this could possibly rupture causing a leak. This is why I want to get my seacocks working before going back in the water.
 
Almost ready to put my 280 back in the water. Going through a series of important repairs after getting a little more water in the bilge than I was comfortable with after returning on the last trip.

Firstly, I would like to change the hose going from the AC seacock to the strainer as one of the ends has some rubber missing and wire reinforcement showing. The manual says it's a 3/4" hose. Would something like this work?

https://www.defender.com/product.js...water-hose&path=-1|2243574|3443701&id=3418383

Also, my seacocks are completely stuck. I have read quite a bit about this and saw people have had success with penetrating fluid so I sprayed some around the valve and it won't budge. I see a small square head screw. I tried turning the screw but found it took quite a bit of force so I stopped, fearing I would break something. Also need to read up on the 90 degree necks (the part the ac hose mounts to) since mine have turned blue. Wondering if this could possibly rupture causing a leak. This is why I want to get my seacocks working before going back in the water.
I went to home depot and got that reinforced clear tubing and ran it from the seacock to the strainer and then from the strainer to the pump. double clamped it and its been doing fine.
 
I went to home depot and got that reinforced clear tubing and ran it from the seacock to the strainer and then from the strainer to the pump. double clamped it and its been doing fine.

Interesting! Definitely would be nice to be able to see if anything is stuck in there. I'll go tomorrow and look at some.
 

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