Official 330 Sundancer Thread

Hello from Boston, we are thrilled to have just bought a 1996 330 Sundancer. She is in fantastic shape, but there’s much that I want to do. Quick question, is the fresh water tank on this boat visible in the engine compartment or it is it hidden, I looked quick and didn’t see it. I’m assuming it’s starboard side, since that’s where the water filler is? I also would like to know where the fresh water pump is to clean the filter. Thanks.
I believe the water tank is forward of the bulkhead under the seating in the aft cabin in the center. The two tanks in the bilge are the fuel tanks. I have never had to access mine so I am not 100% sure, but there is no room in the bilge for a 40 gallon water tank so its not there.

The water filter on mine is attached in the water line going into the water pump which is on the bulkhead in the engine room. Its not really a filter, just a screen to keep large debris from going into the pump. They do clog up with calcium though and can be cleaned with a soak in vinegar.
 
Thank you, it makes sense that it’s there, I’ll take a look. Appreciate the help.


I believe the water tank is forward of the bulkhead under the seating in the aft cabin in the center. The two tanks in the bilge are the fuel tanks. I have never had to access mine so I am not 100% sure, but there is no room in the bilge for a 40 gallon water tank so its not there.

The water filter on mine is attached in the water line going into the water pump which is on the bulkhead in the engine room. Its not really a filter, just a screen to keep large debris from going into the pump. They do clog up with calcium though and can be cleaned with a soak in vinegar.
 
In case anyone wants to replace their galley sink drain in a mid 90's 330DA, I replaced my pitted pot metal drain this weekend with a stainless steel one from Amazon. It fit perfectly and looks a lot better than the old one.

This is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/30036-Stainless-Kitchen-Strainer-Standard/dp/B005E83KPU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KDLWXN30ZSK9&keywords=EZ-FLO+30036+Sink+Strainer-Junior+Duo+with+Brass+Nut,+Stainless+Steel&qid=1663517367&sprefix=ez-flo+30036+sink+strainer-junior+duo+with+brass+nut,+stainless+steel,aps,75&sr=8-1
EZ-FLO 30036 Sink Strainer-Junior Duo with Brass Nut, Stainless Steel
Its another example of how we get ripped off in Canada. Price on Amazon.com US$7.77. Price on Amazon.ca (Canadian site) CAD$22.95. Insane.
23963E6E-8C1D-45E1-A2DB-580B9BFE8353.jpeg
 
In case anyone wants to replace their galley sink drain in a mid 90's 330DA, I replaced my pitted pot metal drain this weekend with a stainless steel one from Amazon. It fit perfectly and looks a lot better than the old one.

This is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/30036-Stainless-Kitchen-Strainer-Standard/dp/B005E83KPU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KDLWXN30ZSK9&keywords=EZ-FLO+30036+Sink+Strainer-Junior+Duo+with+Brass+Nut,+Stainless+Steel&qid=1663517367&sprefix=ez-flo+30036+sink+strainer-junior+duo+with+brass+nut,+stainless+steel,aps,75&sr=8-1
EZ-FLO 30036 Sink Strainer-Junior Duo with Brass Nut, Stainless Steel
Its another example of how we get ripped off in Canada. Price on Amazon.com US$7.77. Price on Amazon.ca (Canadian site) CAD$22.95. Insane.
View attachment 134074
HI,

Funny you posted this as Im going to be doing the same to my boat this winter. Was it easy to do ? is just a silicon seal at the top to hold it in ? Where did you find the sizing for this sink as its an off shaped sink?

Thanks in advance
 
Thanks for posting this, extremely helpful, Im ordering one right now.


In case anyone wants to replace their galley sink drain in a mid 90's 330DA, I replaced my pitted pot metal drain this weekend with a stainless steel one from Amazon. It fit perfectly and looks a lot better than the old one.

This is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/30036-Stainless-Kitchen-Strainer-Standard/dp/B005E83KPU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KDLWXN30ZSK9&keywords=EZ-FLO+30036+Sink+Strainer-Junior+Duo+with+Brass+Nut,+Stainless+Steel&qid=1663517367&sprefix=ez-flo+30036+sink+strainer-junior+duo+with+brass+nut,+stainless+steel,aps,75&sr=8-1
EZ-FLO 30036 Sink Strainer-Junior Duo with Brass Nut, Stainless Steel
Its another example of how we get ripped off in Canada. Price on Amazon.com US$7.77. Price on Amazon.ca (Canadian site) CAD$22.95. Insane.
View attachment 134074
 
HI,

Funny you posted this as Im going to be doing the same to my boat this winter. Was it easy to do ? is just a silicon seal at the top to hold it in ? Where did you find the sizing for this sink as its an off shaped sink?

Thanks in advance
It was easy. The old one also had the threads a bit corroded so it was a bit tough to unscrew from under. I used plumbers putty on top to seal it but I may redo it with silicon in the spring for a more secure seal. No leaks with the putty though.
 
In case anyone wants to replace their galley sink drain in a mid 90's 330DA, I replaced my pitted pot metal drain this weekend with a stainless steel one from Amazon. It fit perfectly and looks a lot better than the old one.

This is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/30036-Stainless-Kitchen-Strainer-Standard/dp/B005E83KPU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KDLWXN30ZSK9&keywords=EZ-FLO+30036+Sink+Strainer-Junior+Duo+with+Brass+Nut,+Stainless+Steel&qid=1663517367&sprefix=ez-flo+30036+sink+strainer-junior+duo+with+brass+nut,+stainless+steel,aps,75&sr=8-1
EZ-FLO 30036 Sink Strainer-Junior Duo with Brass Nut, Stainless Steel
Its another example of how we get ripped off in Canada. Price on Amazon.com US$7.77. Price on Amazon.ca (Canadian site) CAD$22.95. Insane.
View attachment 134074
Where did you purchase the sink ? is there a specific size that you were able to find ? any advice is appreciated.....thanks
 
On my 330 I'm restoring I need to cut out part of the bulkhead between the engine room and mid cabin where the fresh water tank is. Doing so I need to remove the rear bolster attached to that bulkhead and the side wall bolsters, also while in there would like to remove the vinyl headliner above the mid cabin directly below the helm. Has anyone removed these interior pieces that can give some insight? I'm asking before I accidentally destroy any of it.
 
Hi, I’m also restoring/upgrading my 1996, 330. Replacing the dash face plates at the moment. May I ask why are you cutting part of the bulkhead, is it a problem with the water tank?
 

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Hi, I’m also restoring/upgrading my 1996, 330. Replacing the dash face plates at the moment. May I ask why are you cutting part of the bulkhead, is it a problem with the water tank?
Tank was leaking unaware by previous owner in which kept being filled. Was later stored that way sitting for some time before I took ownership and developed soft plywood in that area.
 
Oh bummer, sorry I’m not much help with that project. Id like to know how you make out. Good luck
 
Oh bummer, sorry I’m not much help with that project. Id like to know how you make out. Good luck
I appreciate it, thanks. Good luck on your project as well!.. I'll be tackling that job also in the next couple months.
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  1. Can anyone give me the dimensions for the stock rectangular fiberglass cockpit table for a 1996 330 Sundancer? This would be the table that stores underneath the aft bench seat. I'm quite a distance from my boat right now and I'm looking to fabricate a new table but I want to make sure it'll fit into the holders under the seat. Thank you

    Reply

 
Greetings,

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and our Sea Ray. I had recently posted this over in Who’s Who thread, but thought I should do it here too. My wife and I just bought and are first time owners of a 1997 330 Sundancer. This is our first boat that we have owned. However, I have been boating with my dad on his boats for over 30 years now. He still has his 1995 300 Sundancer with V-Drives that he has had for over 20 years. So, the new to us boat is very familiar or similar in many ways compared to what I’ve been boating on. We have her docked on Clear Lake, TX and will be enjoying the coastal cruising that Clear Lake and the Galveston Bay area have to offer.

We have changed the name of the boat to Tailwinds and are awaiting our new name artwork decals to be made and installed and for our CG documentation to be processed. The vessel has newer Marine Power 5.7L Closed Cooled engines that have about 45 hrs on them and a newer Kohler generator as well. She had some recent new upholstery in the cockpit. However, there is really no canvas other than an older aftermarket bimini and sunshade. So, we are starting there with the updates. We’re having a new custom bimini and front visor with Strataglass being made now. Also, I am having a full custom cockpit cover made for when the boat is not in use to protect the cockpit and upholstery from the elements. I will probably have the rear enclosure made soon too, this fall at the latest. From there, we will be having new cockpit flooring similar installed. Then, moving to the cabin, we are having the carpet removed and new flooring installed, a new custom mattress made, and replacing the 1997 green upholstery. From there, it will be smaller items like replacing the old worn out cabinet pulls and rosettes, updating all lighting to LEDs, and maybe a refurbishment of the instrument panel. Someone along the way, spray painted the panel pieces black (horribly I might add), changed the instrumentation to white gauges and changed the steering wheel to a carbon fiber wrapped wheel. I don’t care for the look. We will see where the project takes us. Right now, we just want to get it protected from the elements and have some warmer weather to start enjoying her.

It has taken me a couple of weeks, but I have read through the whole thread and let me say that there is a wealth of knowledge here. Between studying the parts manual and reading this thread, I have gotten a good grasp on this boat the systems fairly quickly. Thankfully, the known issues for this model that have been talked about here are not issues for this vessel. It appears that they have either already been addressed or were not an issue on this particular vessel.

I look forward to the conversations and sharing information as we move forward.


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So, having the vessel in the marina right next to our neighborhood has allowed me to spend a lot of time on her just exploring every nook and cranny to see what she needs. I can actually walk to the boat if I want, but I usually take the golf cart over daily to spend a little time with some tinkering project.

That being said, the first issue that I found was that both faucets in the cabin would turn on if we turned on one faucet or the the other. In other words, if I turned on the faucet in the galley, then the faucet in the head would turn on too, and vice versa. After a little investigating, I realized that both faucets had the hot water side of the faucet turned on. So, when water started flowing then, they both turned on. This then led to the realization that there was no water flow on the hot water side of the freshwater system anywhere on the vessel. I did a little more investigating and studied the water system schematic in the parts manual. Everything was plumbed correctly. I finally noticed on the schematic that there is a one-way, non-return valve on the schematic on the outflow side of the water heater. I removed the valve from the water heater and sure enough it was stuck in the closed position. I bought a new one from WM right down the road and installed it. Still no water flow. I started getting suspicious about the new valve. I removed it again and blew in it. Sure enough, it was a input one way valve, not an output. So, I went back to WM and did not see a output side non-return valve. I ended up just buying a straight through connection to allow me to connect back the water system and verify that is my problem. Sure enough, I started getting water flow and have no issues with the water now.

I tell all of this for two reasons. One, so that others may learn from my experience and two, to ask a question. After really thinking about all of this and how the water heater is setup, I’m really wondering if Sea Ray has the schematic wrong and the one-way non-return valve is supposed to be on the input side and not the output side. The input side to the water heater is lower on the water heater than the output side. I verified this with the water heater manuals, etc. So, that is correct. My thought is the check valve should be on the lower side to keep the water in the heater at a higher level and to prevent back flow into the freshwater tank if it is low on water. This would possibly prevent damage to the heating element if it were to be left on when the water system was turned off. My other thought was maybe it would keep the water heater from draining if there was a rupture in a line somewhere leading up to the water heater and again therefore protecting the heating element, if the power was turned on. Otherwise, I can’t really see the point in the one-way non-return valve being used in the system and I really can’t understand why Sea Ray would have one on the output side in the schematic. Has anyone else come across this? Does anyone know if there is a one-way non-return valve installed on your hot water heater? If so, which side is it installed on? Do any of you think that it is necessary? It is quite a booger to get to the input side to install the valve there, but I will do it if the consensus is that it is needed there and that is where everyone else has theirs installed.

Thanks!
 
Well, this thread is pretty dead now…. I will try to keep it alive. ;)

After using my hot water heater a time or two, I have quickly realized the real answer to my questions about the hot water heater non-return valve. It does need to be installed on the input side, because that is what keeps the hot water contained in the heater. Otherwise, when you open a cold water valve, you may and probably will get hot water, at least initially until it flushes the hot water out of the cold water lines. So, the Sea Ray schematic is incorrect and I will have to get down in the bilge to address that in the near future.
 
Chris,
Thanks for the details on the water valve. If you could take a picture of your valve and its placement, I could share where mine is in the spring when I tear off the shrink wrap. I've never had an issue with my hot water delivery. I don't remember seeing a one-way, non-return valve but I didn't pay to much attention to that area. I assume you are referring to 16 141390 VALVE ACETAL CHECK VALVE THD 1/2 that is in the parts manual.
Tim
 
Chris,
Thanks for the details on the water valve. If you could take a picture of your valve and its placement, I could share where mine is in the spring when I tear off the shrink wrap. I've never had an issue with my hot water delivery. I don't remember seeing a one-way, non-return valve but I didn't pay to much attention to that area. I assume you are referring to 16 141390 VALVE ACETAL CHECK VALVE THD 1/2 that is in the parts manual.
Tim

Tim that is correct. I’ll try to take pictures when I get a chance and when I do the install.
 

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