Official 370 Sundancer thread

Well, it finally happened yesterday. We closed on the boat and had a couple of beers with the seller and broker. One should feel that good every day! Anyway, we're excited about being 370 owners! The boat is 70 miles downstream from her new home, will be bringing her up next weekend! Man, I love this time of the year!

One of the things I noticed during the viewings is that some of cockpit latches are stiff or broken. I plan on replacing all of them with stainless steel, I'm wondering how many there are (didn't count when I was on the boat)? My recollection says 5 plus the lazerette for a total of 7, does that sound right?
 
2 coaming lockers on each side in the cockpit, one locker by the passenger seat, and a double for the lazerette (we call it the garage)

37 is ok, but I would search Flounder Pounder marine. In fact, here you go:
http://www.fpmarine.com/Latches Locks Hardware.htm#latches

Looks like Sea Ray has taken the parts manuals down for 370 Sundancers from their owners site. Apparently we are too resourcefull, and are costing them sales of new boats..... ;-)
Jon, do you have a 1995 version? Mine is 1998
 
Slightly new subject -
I have the standard sunbrella bimini in 2 pieces on the radar arch, and 3 piece cockpit cover with the two windows. The PO also had the camper canvas. When I got the boat, the camper bimini bow was missing, but the sides and back were on board.
Does the camper bimini have an extended top that connects to the existing aft bimini on the arch, or do you need a different aft bimini?
Anyone have the camper bimini and bow they don't want?
or
Anyone interested in a set of side and back curtains (1998) that don't look like they've ever been used? I beleive the color is "linen tweed"
 
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Ron, I don't believe the canvas pieces will work on your boat because in 1998 they raised the height of the radar arch. This is one of the reasons I bought a '98 model because I can stand at the helm without bumping my head.
 
randerson said:
Well, it finally happened yesterday. We closed on the boat and had a couple of beers with the seller and broker. One should feel that good every day! Anyway, we're excited about being 370 owners! The boat is 70 miles downstream from her new home, will be bringing her up next weekend! Man, I love this time of the year!
Click to expand...

:smt038 Congrats on the new boat, you will love it! Where are you going from / to? Sounds like you will have fun taking it on a small trip right away.
 
She is currently in Wabasha and we will be bringing her up to Hastings within the next 2 weeks. Yes, her maiden voyage (under my helm anyway) will be a nice trip upstream.

The Mississippi levels have dropped quite a bit in the last couple weeks. That should help with some of the high water debris. Anyway, we're pretty excited for this upcoming season! Do you ever get up to Lake Pepin?
 
Mark great boat I have a 1995 37ft Sea Ray Sundancer DA in great shape. I am looking to replace the 2" water line stripes. I have one black and one silver gray. Any idea where to go? I have been chasing the Sea Ray dealer here in Boston Russo marine for about 3 weeks now, no luck.
 
Joe, I had mine replaced when I bought the boat and the same guy that did the name on the transom did the stripes. I would think you could go the same route.
 
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Joe,
I know West Marine carries an assortment of sizes and colors . . . I am thinking about replacing both my stripes. I've seen in elsewhere in the CSR forums that the most time consuming portion of this project is removing the old stripes. Keep us apprised.
 
Aarrhh & Aarrhh said:
Have you found an easy way to get to the generator impeller?
Click to expand...

Sure, if you loosen up your definition of "easy"...

One-time prep:
I moved the transom mounted bilge blowers out of the way.
I repositioned the starboard engine exhaust hose up as high and out of the way as possible.

For genset access:
Grab six large towels, and keep them folded up, but drop them around the area you will be laying across (the rudder tie bar, etc). Get a 4' x 4' piece of house carpeting and fold it in half and lay it across all of the rudder hardware and hull stringers to make a "lounge".

Have a helper standing by to hand you tools, etc.

Xerox the service manual pictures and take them down with you, because you will be working blind.

Remove the water pump from the accessory case. You will need a short ratchet wrench. Not a ratchet and socket, but one of those box end wrenches that ratchets. The cheap ones aren't slim enough. I happened to have a snap-on that works fine, but some lesser brands are not svelte enough to work in the area. I believe it was a 12mm but I can't recall for sure. While you're in there, pull the heat exchanger off, too so you can clean it on the dock. Impeller pieces usually get in there. If you're in salt, replace the anodes too.

I've done this three times. Best I can tell, you WILL need the wrench I mentioned, and you WILL need to make a comfortable NEST because I was in a similar position working on the macerator duck bill valves on the other corner of the bilge, and I did not have as nice of a nest. I cramped up, and had to mentally will myself into a state of relaxation before I could move again. It had to have taken 20 minutes of agony before I could relax. I tried to copy all the yoga type stuff I've seen on TV. So make sure your nest is comfortable.

MC

This water pump job is SO horrible, that the next time mine is "needy" I plan to buy a belt-driven external pump and just fashion a bracket and drive for it. Obviously I will be mounting it where it is easily accessed.
 
SillyKnot2 said:
Anyone out there that has developed a cheat sheet for their electronics? I have the Raymarine package with the R41xx radar, R601xx chart plotter and the 650 autopilot. Having just purchased the boat last year I not sure I even remember how to turn it on. Personally I don't really care for this set up and if I win the lottery I'd have it replaced. Thinking about adding a large screen stand alone colored GPS. Don't use the radar that much and good maps that you can see and understand would be a plus.
Click to expand...

Whatcha want to know?
The 650 Pilot "stays on". Standby disengages the pump, Auto locks the boat onto the compass heading displayed, and Nav tracks via the GPS waypoint that is active. Hold down the middle NAV button to engage PS (power steering) and if works like a steering wheel, although I much prefer using the Auto heading mode.

The 601xx uses either the older CMap cartridges (limited) or the CMapNT cartridges (much better selection). The NT cartridges are available for most areas, and the more coastal it is, the more detailed the maps are, with layers you can turn on and off. The unit is slow to respond and refresh compared to today's units, but I like mine fine. Turn it on with the power button. Turn it off by holding in the power button.

The 41xx powers up via the power button. If the last time it was used, the display was dimmed for night navigation, then you may need to start it by holding in the menu button when you power it up (this sets the startup brightness to 6 out of 9). After the warm-up, you can press TX to start the magnetron. To display the Raychart, you press WINDOW until the mode is selected. You can split screen it. I run mine full screen radar, offset back and left, and small screen Raychart.

Any more specific questions just ask.

And I prefer my large monochrome CRT and 4' open array radar and its narrow beam width and sensitive echo discrimination over the garden variety LCD color units that are so popular these days. It's a matter of being familiar with your unit, knowing its capabilities and limitations, and working within them.

MC
 
Joe Frechette said:
Mark great boat I have a 1995 37ft Sea Ray Sundancer DA in great shape. I am looking to replace the 2" water line stripes. I have one black and one silver gray. Any idea where to go? I have been chasing the Sea Ray dealer here in Boston Russo marine for about 3 weeks now, no luck.
Click to expand...

Your local automotive paint store will likely have access to marine-grade striping tape. Ours does. If you know you are replacing, take a sample off with a heat gun and take them by for matching up. Measure the stripe length so you know how much to get.

Striping on a hot day, and prewarming the hull with a heatgun minimizes the air bubbles in the completed stripe.
 
mcollinstn said:
Sure, if you loosen up your definition of "easy"...

One-time prep:
I moved the transom mounted bilge blowers out of the way.
I repositioned the starboard engine exhaust hose up as high and out of the way as possible.

For genset access:
Grab six large towels, and keep them folded up, but drop them around the area you will be laying across (the rudder tie bar, etc). Get a 4' x 4' piece of house carpeting and fold it in half and lay it across all of the rudder hardware and hull stringers to make a "lounge".

Have a helper standing by to hand you tools, etc.

Xerox the service manual pictures and take them down with you, because you will be working blind.

Remove the water pump from the accessory case. You will need a short ratchet wrench. Not a ratchet and socket, but one of those box end wrenches that ratchets. The cheap ones aren't slim enough. I happened to have a snap-on that works fine, but some lesser brands are not svelte enough to work in the area. I believe it was a 12mm but I can't recall for sure. While you're in there, pull the heat exchanger off, too so you can clean it on the dock. Impeller pieces usually get in there. If you're in salt, replace the anodes too.

I've done this three times. Best I can tell, you WILL need the wrench I mentioned, and you WILL need to make a comfortable NEST because I was in a similar position working on the macerator duck bill valves on the other corner of the bilge, and I did not have as nice of a nest. I cramped up, and had to mentally will myself into a state of relaxation before I could move again. It had to have taken 20 minutes of agony before I could relax. I tried to copy all the yoga type stuff I've seen on TV. So make sure your nest is comfortable.

MC

This water pump job is SO horrible, that the next time mine is "needy" I plan to buy a belt-driven external pump and just fashion a bracket and drive for it. Obviously I will be mounting it where it is easily accessed.
Click to expand...

I was getting ready to say What are you talking about, and then realized that you must have a different hatch configuration than I do. This morning, I removed all of the aft seating, the 2 side floor hatches, and raised the motor driven center hatch to a 90 degree position (removed the pin, and tied off the cockpit table to the aft cleat). I had a clear view and access to both sides of both engines, and the genny in open air. (Compression check day)

I can get to literally everything, including the genny water pump without having to lie down. One exception, is when working on the heat exchanger, or changing the oil for the genset, it's easier to get between the engines, and go around back of the starboard engine.
 
mcollinstn said:
Your local automotive paint store will likely have access to marine-grade striping tape. Ours does. If you know you are replacing, take a sample off with a heat gun and take them by for matching up. Measure the stripe length so you know how much to get.

Striping on a hot day, and prewarming the hull with a heatgun minimizes the air bubbles in the completed stripe.
Click to expand...

MCollinstn,
I read with great interest your posts regarding replacing the genny impeller, striping, etc, . . . please add your bio to your signature (boat, year, model etc). It really helps us identify what you have. BTW, very informative, thanks!
 
Quick question.........

My '95 370DA...has the standard 3 blade props. I was considering going to a set of 4 blades.....My set up is ...7.4 EFI with V's and 1 1/4 " shafts.....

Has anyone changed to 4 blades ....and what size props did you get....how was the performance change ????

Thanks guys..........
 
Don,

When I bought my 370 the previous owner had installed four bladed props. As I have never run the boat with three bladed props I can not attest to the change. However, from listening to people describe the 370's performance around the dock I feel that the four bladed props offer some advantage in this area. Not sure on the size but I will try to find out.
 
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