Official 280 Sundancer Thread

tony1971 said:
Hello all!

Thinking about buying a 2002 280da with 150hrs on t-4.3, generator 75hrs, for $48k.

It needs some minor TLC-
-windlass solenoid
-snap-in-carpet
-4 in 1 gauge needs replaced
-I'd like to buy a mooring cover
-wood steering wheel needs replaced
-vinyl seats need to get recovered in about a year


Took it for a spin and it ran great- a little smoke at startup but it went a away immediately.

Does this sound like a great deal? Anything else I should be checking out?

Thanks
Tony
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I do not know, but IMO sounds like you need a survey for sure...to include an engine survey.
 
tony1971 said:
looks nice, but no generator is a deal breaker for me. Thanks!
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Just giving you a comparison. There are nice boats out there for very fair prices. While options are a consideration, you also have to look at the cost of replacing things. If you have to replace the exhaust system, new cockpit carpets, new canvas, etc... you're looking at about $10k easily.
 
Hey Jim

That is a beautiful 06 280, unfortunately 50k is my budget! I'm also here at Lake Norman and I used to build homes, now I'm doing anything I can to get by- bathrooms, kitchens, etc... I started looking at the 280 Sun Sports for around 30k and I've bumped myself up to the Sundancer's around 50k since it seemed like a no brainer! The 280da I found is at Lake Wylie, so that is a plus. I'm in no rush to buy since the season is about over, but I don't want to get stuck when spring hits and everyone wants a boat!
 
Hey, you can come put in a new kitchen, bathroom and bedroom and i'll give you my boat.
 
Hello all - I put Smiley Zippers in my center and front windows and my aft curtain. They have clear straps that after I unzip them, I can secure them rolled up.

WONDERFUL.

Now, I'm not dealing (as much) with the only OBJECTIONAL thing on the 280 - the canvas. Only a minute and I have secured them up and ready to roll. I can also "tune" the airflow to keep positive pressure in the cabin and the CO sensor is not going off.

The only warning is their might be a slight leak because the glass is not vertical. So far, no issue. He put some extra bunting around the zipper to make this less likely by the way.

I encourage this modification.
 
Couldn't figure out a good way to roll them up but here's my front window modification. I can snap up the center panel by itself, or fold and snap-up all three at once.

Works great - 2 stainless steel snaps installed on arch is all you need!

I expect Sea Ray to offer this modification one day ... it is so easy and convenient.
 

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tony1971 said:
Hey Jim

That is a beautiful 06 280, unfortunately 50k is my budget! I'm also here at Lake Norman and I used to build homes, now I'm doing anything I can to get by- bathrooms, kitchens, etc... I started looking at the 280 Sun Sports for around 30k and I've bumped myself up to the Sundancer's around 50k since it seemed like a no brainer! The 280da I found is at Lake Wylie, so that is a plus. I'm in no rush to buy since the season is about over, but I don't want to get stuck when spring hits and everyone wants a boat!
Click to expand...

Tony,
Good luck with your search. You do need to factor transportation cost into the equation when buying. I found my boat in Charleston and the dealer delivered it at no cost. I figure I saved $3-5,000 buying local.
Where are you going to keep the boat? We're at Kings Point. Hopefully, we'll see you on the water next season.
 
Jim-

We live in Sterling Pointe right next to Blythe Landing and have a slip in our neighborhood. It's a shame seeing an empty boat slip you know! You will see me next season in a Sea Ray, my wife & I have put it off long enough and it's time to bite the bullet!
 
For the hot/cold water system all I did was blow some compressed air through the fresh water hose connection on the transom to get some water out of that location.

Then I drained the hot water heater as much as possible.

Then I poured 8 gallons of the Pink RV stuff in the cold water filling hole in the side of the boat. Ran all the sinks (cold and hot), transom sprayer, transom hose connection, flushed the toilet a couple of times, and poured some of the pink stuff in the shower drain until I heard the sump turn on.

Once I don't want to run the heater (because I'm working on the boat and its cold out) I'll disconnect the hose from the bottom of the boat and stick the hose in a gallon of the Pink RV stuff until it comes out the side of the boat. Then I'll drain the sea strainer and clean off the screen.

I'm guessing that should cover it correct?


Henry Boyd said:
I leave the engine and drive work to the boatyard. Doing the water system is not difficult, but then we had a family summer cottage in Maine that I helped winterize for a couple decades of winters.

I have found that draining the hot water heater, bypassing the the lines, and leaving it open is a good first step. I also make sure the switch for the heater on the main panel is off and I cover it with a strip of masking tape. I then drain the water tank and add six gallons of anti-freeze. I then run the faucets (hot and cold) until they turn pink. Flush the head until pink. The shower sump gets cleaned out (ucch) and the shower drain gets a shot of pink. Run the cockpit and transom sprayers also til pink. I attach a garden hose to the wash down faucet and back onto the dock side water, run faucets again (this gets a short piece of line and the pressure regulator). The hose gets disconnected from the dockside.

I made up a female garden hose fitting and reducer to a slightly smaller od hose. This gets attached to the end of the hose. Having already cleaned the AC strainer, and making sure both sea cocks are open, I insert the smaller OD hose into the outlet side of the AC and turn on the water. When pink starts to come out of the AC pick up, that is done.

I then use the hose to refill the empty anti-freeze jugs and empty the water tank. I find this uses about two gallons. I then slop antifreeze into all of the drains (don't forget a little in the AC condensate pan), and flush the head using anti-freeze from one of the jugs until the vacuum is depleted and then make sure there is a couple of inches of antifreeze in the bowl. Total consumption about 3 gallons. The leftover gets saved till next year.

If the engine has been done by the yard at this point I disconnect the batteries, and shut off the AC converter switch and tape over it as well. Otherwise, I just do the switch and have the yard discconect the batteries.

Henry
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JimT

I see your boat has a genny with T-4.3's. My sales guy told me to stay away from a genny with v-6's. How is the power with the extra weight? I typically have a family of 5 on board and do some watersports (tubing, etc).

Thanks.
 
apolentini said:
JimT

I see your boat has a genny with T-4.3's. My sales guy told me to stay away from a genny with v-6's. How is the power with the extra weight? I typically have a family of 5 on board and do some watersports (tubing, etc).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The boat goes 44MPH! Why would adding a genny make it much worse? To have a sales person say that is crazy and they most likely just wanted to steer you into one without. IMO, I see the boat without one, unfinished...
 
beachcombersc said:
I see the boat without one, unfinished...
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Boy, I have to agree. I can't imagine why a sales guy would say to steer away from a genny!?!? Now that I have one, I can't imagine not having one. IMHO, a gen is a requirement in a cruiser regardless of your power setup.
.
 
apolentini said:
JimT

I see your boat has a genny with T-4.3's. My sales guy told me to stay away from a genny with v-6's. How is the power with the extra weight? I typically have a family of 5 on board and do some watersports (tubing, etc).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

My boat is powered with the V-8 5.0s. No problems with holeshot power with the genny and a full load. We didn't pull the tube much this summer. My girls were more interested in riding the new waverunner which I actually bought to pull the tube. I should have thought of this years ago. Now I don't have to drive the boat around in circles burning $$$ in fuel. I get to sit in my chair with a drink and watch them drive the waverunner around in circles.
 
Hello again!

I was thinking of getting a 280da with the BLUE HULL. Is it any more maintenance than white? I do have a high speed buffer and plan on compounding once a year.

Thanks
Tony
 
JimT said:
My boat is powered with the V-8 5.0s. No problems with holeshot power with the genny and a full load. We didn't pull the tube much this summer. My girls were more interested in riding the new waverunner which I actually bought to pull the tube. I should have thought of this years ago. Now I don't have to drive the boat around in circles burning $$$ in fuel. I get to sit in my chair with a drink and watch them drive the waverunner around in circles.
Click to expand...

At the moment we're in the middle of a chilly rain strom... I wish I was doing what you just said there... right now! :lol:
 
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I'm looking for someone to help on resetting all the gauges (smartcraft) in my 280. We mistakenly did a master reset on the right engine gauge. I did manage to get it to show station one and station two, but the speedo doesn't work and other things don't work also. Is there an easy fix?
 
I have just joined club sea ray. I cannot find any info anywhere on the dimensions of the v berth for the 280DA. My next boat hopefully will be a 280, just curious.
 
tony1971 said:
Hello again!

I was thinking of getting a 280da with the BLUE HULL. Is it any more maintenance than white? I do have a high speed buffer and plan on compounding once a year.

Thanks
Tony
Click to expand...

My 280 is blue. It is more work to keep it looking good. It's like having a black car. When its clean nothing looks better. I cleaned mine this past week. It is looking sweet!
 
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