Official 330 Sundancer Thread

If you plan on using your boat in the winter I would purchase a bilge heater. even though there is AF in your engine and it wont freeze. there is still salt water or lake water in your coolers pump and muffler. they can freeze. I would also close all your through hull seacocks. if you can keep your bilge around 40degrees you should be fine.
 
After two years of being out of the cruiser world, I'm back in the game. The trailer boat just didn't satisfy the boating appetite. It's been a couple months of negotiation and working through a couple issues revealed in the survey, but I've finally completed the purchase of a 1997 330DA. I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my boating life.
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Boat looks amazing
looks like it was never touched everything is factory
 
Bat looks clean Play Dough. You in the lake St. Clair Area?
We live in north Oakland County but were seasonal in Mackinaw City with our last cruiser. We'll likely return to that area. Don't have that plan exactly nailed down at this time. Seasonal slips in northern Michigan are at a premium so we may be "seasonal transients" this year as we make this "our" boat and get it equipped as we want it.
 
I just bought a 1997 Sea Ray 330 Sundancer and had the wonderful experience of finding termites behind a cushion in the aft cabin. I am told the firewall is in back of that. I just got my new boat "gassed" but I am wondering if they could have damaged the firewall or anything else back there. Anybody have experience with termites or know what is back there?
 
Wow termites
so sorry to hear, yes the bulkhead is behind that also the water tank. I would get it treated professionally you don't want to take a chance.
 
My "new" 330 has only a Tri-Data instrument. I will be adding a Radar/Sonar/GPS unit for my needs. My question is about mounting another transducer. Where did you mount one? Another through hull or transom mount? If on the transom, between the prop tunnels? There's not much room elsewhere. Another thought is to just find another Instrument to replace the Tri-data that feeds off a new multi-function system and use the existing through hull holes.
 
My "new" 330 has only a Tri-Data instrument. I will be adding a Radar/Sonar/GPS unit for my needs. My question is about mounting another transducer. Where did you mount one? Another through hull or transom mount? If on the transom, between the prop tunnels? There's not much room elsewhere. Another thought is to just find another Instrument to replace the Tri-data that feeds off a new multi-function system and use the existing through hull holes.

I have two transducers in my boat. The previous owner had installed a P79 adjustable in-hull transducer on the keel line near the bulkhead. It did not work well there. So I moved it over to the starboard outside of the stringer. It works well there. Never loses bottom even at WOT full speed.

But, I thought I could get better imaging (I salmon fish) if I installed a through-hull. So I bought a B60 20 degree bronze. I installed it in the exact same place as the OEM Lowrance 3500 transducer since that was dead anyway and one less hole in the hull seemed like a good idea. But it actually loses bottom at times at cruise speed. Its marginally better than the P79 was at imaging, but worse with losing bottom. So with hindsight, I would not have bothered and that location is not great. I think there is strake interference at speed. The P79 location (just outside of the starboard middle stringer up close to the bulkhead) is really good.

IF you go with a transom mount, I installed a Fishhawk transducer on my 330 using a Sternsaver mount (so no holes drilled in the hull) at the outside. It works well there I think. Here is a pic of the location:
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My "new" 330 has only a Tri-Data instrument. I will be adding a Radar/Sonar/GPS unit for my needs. My question is about mounting another transducer. Where did you mount one? Another through hull or transom mount? If on the transom, between the prop tunnels? There's not much room elsewhere. Another thought is to just find another Instrument to replace the Tri-data that feeds off a new multi-function system and use the existing through hull holes.

Another tip. If you decide to replace an existing transducer and have to drill out a hole larger than what is there, here is what I did to drill out a Lowrance and replace it with a B60:

1. Drilled a pilot hole dead center of the dead old transducer the same size as the hole saw pilot bit (maybe 1/4"?? Can't remember). The transducer has a ceramic element inside that you cant drill through with a normal drill bit. You will know when you hit it.

2. Swapped out to a concrete bit of the same size and used that to drill through the ceramic element. (I used my Ryobi hammer drill, but I could have done it with the regular drill, just a bit slower)

3. Then used the 3 1/4" hole saw which drilled out the old plastic transducer and a new larger hole in the hull in one step.

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Could you upload a photo of the location? I am about to toss a new GPS system in, my factory thru hole is still in and don't want to pull out for dealing with this.

Thank you


I have two transducers in my boat. The previous owner had installed a P79 adjustable in-hull transducer on the keel line near the bulkhead. It did not work well there. So I moved it over to the starboard outside of the stringer. It works well there. Never loses bottom even at WOT full speed.

But, I thought I could get better imaging (I salmon fish) if I installed a through-hull. So I bought a B60 20 degree bronze. I installed it in the exact same place as the OEM Lowrance 3500 transducer since that was dead anyway and one less hole in the hull seemed like a good idea. But it actually loses bottom at times at cruise speed. Its marginally better than the P79 was at imaging, but worse with losing bottom. So with hindsight, I would not have bothered and that location is not great. I think there is strake interference at speed. The P79 location (just outside of the starboard middle stringer up close to the bulkhead) is really good.

IF you go with a transom mount, I installed a Fishhawk transducer on my 330 using a Sternsaver mount (so no holes drilled in the hull) at the outside. It works well there I think. Here is a pic of the location:
View attachment 63084
 
Could you upload a photo of the location? I am about to toss a new GPS system in, my factory thru hole is still in and don't want to pull out for dealing with this.

Thank you

Boat is under shrink wrap until April and I don't have a picture. But if you want to take a picture of your bilge looking down on the starboard side down roughly from the oil filter on the starboard engine up to the bulkhead where your water pump is, I can draw on it and post the picture back.
 
Boat is under shrink wrap until April and I don't have a picture. But if you want to take a picture of your bilge looking down on the starboard side down roughly from the oil filter on the starboard engine up to the bulkhead where your water pump is, I can draw on it and post the picture back.

Basically outside of the Bulkhead, under the engine or in front or back? I was thinking prop cavitation (sp?) would mess up the signal but maybe not? I'm on a lake... I don't fish with it. But seeing if there is a tree in a cove I am head into underwater would be nice, it'll also help me miss the land mass that bent my props last year... ugh.
 
Anyone tackle the infamous sticky cabin sliding door? Seems to be the top track that gets hung up while moving. I’m tempted to install new gliders this season but can’t find much info online.
 

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Does a 2014 330 Count? We're a true 33, so maybe a baby 330...
I think you count even if you are a “baby 330.” I’m not sure how useful the information in this thread will be for your boat, but it’s a good read. Welcome aboard!
 

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