OFFICIAL - 450DA Owner's Thread****

DowneastSeaRay said:
Hello all - newish guy here. I've finally been able to update my profile to read "1998 450 Sundancer". It's being hauled home on Tuesday. Many thanks to Frank for his input along the way. We had several 450's fail survey - which was pretty disappointing, but we think we found a winner. I'll post some photos when she arrives, but she's headed into MX first for initial servicing (oil, filters, hydraulic fluid, zincs, etc). My wife and I are pretty excited. We live on the Gulf of Maine with a deep water pier in a protected harbor. By boat, we're very close to Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, but we're very far from everything by car. The 450 will open up many weekend options for us. August is going to be amazing! Then it's winter...ahhh Maine!
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Good luck
post some pics. everyone here is always so eager to help.
I'm just curious what caused you to get several failed surveys.
i looked at one that had no maintenance for years and was kept in the water for years. the surveyor said it would still pass since it was able to move on is own.
i thought sounded sketchy
 
One in FL had all kinds of rotten stringers, bulkheads and under the engine mounts. It was a shame because it was really a beautiful boat and otherwise in beautiful shape. The surveyor was able to push his pen through some sections. We didn't go any further with the survey from there. We really had our heart set on that one.

Another in NY had a very wet hull. It too was an otherwise beautifully maintained and well equipped boat and the owner (in disbelief) contacted Sea Ray who sent a composite specialist. The specialist verified aprox 15 SqFt of high moisture. We didn't stick around to find the source of the moisture and that sort of a repair was more than we were willing to shoulder on a $100k+ boat.

A third in NY had a wet transom around an after-market swim platform. The broker told us that was "normal for all Sea Rays" and we dropped it at that.

It all worked out in the end though, as we are very happy with the one we found. While we were looking, there were only a small handful of 450's available and they were selling within days, sight unseen. Now, I see many available! Maybe that will drive the prices back down to normal - but don't tell me if it does. I don't wanna know!
 
DowneastSeaRay said:
One in FL had all kinds of rotten stringers, bulkheads and under the engine mounts. It was a shame because it was really a beautiful boat and otherwise in beautiful shape. The surveyor was able to push his pen through some sections. We didn't go any further with the survey from there. We really had our heart set on that one.

Another in NY had a very wet hull. It too was an otherwise beautifully maintained and well equipped boat and the owner (in disbelief) contacted Sea Ray who sent a composite specialist. The specialist verified aprox 15 SqFt of high moisture. We didn't stick around to find the source of the moisture and that sort of a repair was more than we were willing to shoulder on a $100k+ boat.

A third in NY had a wet transom around an after-market swim platform. The broker told us that was "normal for all Sea Rays" and we dropped it at that.

It all worked out in the end though, as we are very happy with the one we found. While we were looking, there were only a small handful of 450's available and they were selling within days, sight unseen. Now, I see many available! Maybe that will drive the prices back down to normal - but don't tell me if it does. I don't wanna know!
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Welcome and Congrats !!! We love our '98 450DA galley to starboard w/birdseye maple...
 
Thank you very much! I've enjoyed reading your contributions and I've been daydreaming about having something to talk about on here (more like ask about, as Frank can attest to). Right now, I'm in a panic trying to upgrade our mooring from an 1800# granite block to a 7000# block. It seems that the whole world is also trying to put in moorings also! We're in a very protected harbor and our current block was just inspected and is buried up to its eye in sediment, so it should be held in pretty good with suction along with dead-weight. Below the sediment is all granite stones/boulders, so not too many options other than dead weight. When we were in the Caribbean, it was a simple sand screw and done.
 
To the guys with 450's for sale, the guy who did our survey has a buyer who is very interested in a 450DA. Feel free to drop me a line and I'll pass along his info.
 
DowneastSeaRay said:
To the guys with 450's for sale, the guy who did our survey has a buyer who is very interested in a 450DA. Feel free to drop me a line and I'll pass along his info.
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Mine just went up on boat trader. It’s on here as well, on the Facebook SeaRay groups, etc.
 
Not video, but when it rolled it was huge !!!
LINA LINA ARRIVAL 005.jpg
LINA LINA ARRIVAL 010.jpg
 
It's the little things. I got this motion activated light at home depot, and attached to the back of the outer freezer door. Now every time I open the fridge, I can actually see the contents.
 

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mpatton said:
It's the little things. I got this motion activated light at home depot, and attached to the back of the outer freezer door. Now every time I open the fridge, I can actually see the contents.
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Is that on the deck, possibly where my ice maker is? Behind the helm
Companion seat?
 
I'm thinking for my next maintenance project to change the transmission fluid for the v drives. has anyone done this before? What are the steps and whats needed

thanks
 
Very easy, Use a small pump and hose, remove the cover on the filter, remove filter and run the hose down to the bottom of the tranny. Make sure it goes all the way down. suck it out. Make sure you don't over fill, and make sure you get the cap tight. They must seal to hold some pressure to operate. I changed mine every year, really not a big cost. I also sent a sample to Blackstone also.
 
Jus the two of us said:
Very easy, Use a small pump and hose, remove the cover on the filter, remove filter and run the hose down to the bottom of the tranny. Make sure it goes all the way down. suck it out. Make sure you don't over fill, and make sure you get the cap tight. They must seal to hold some pressure to operate. I changed mine every year, really not a big cost. I also sent a sample to Blackstone also.
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thanks
any special type of fluid? is it regular ATF
how much does each one hold?

thanks
again
 
Been awhile, I'm thinking it was a dextron III, maybe
5 or 6 quarts. Hopefully someone else will hop in that knows for sure. If you get the info off the tag and google it I'm sure you can find the info.
 
I use automotive 30w oil as recommended. Approx 6 qts per side and these are Twin Disc.
 
Is the filter a remove and clean Or should you have a new one ready to replace?
 
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