Official 510 DA Owners Group

Any advice on bridge clearance? I believe I need to be under 17’ to go thru downtown Chicago. Can’t imagine I’m that tall.

510DA - Water Line to Mast Light is 14' 6" from page 2.9 (35) of the Manual.
 
I am really glad I found this group. We just finished the sea trial on a 2000 510 today. What a beautiful boat. Should finalize the purchase next week and have a week or so to enjoy her before she goes on the hard for the winter. Does anyone have pics of upgrading the gold knobs, switch covers, grab bars, etc to silver?
 
I am really glad I found this group. We just finished the sea trial on a 2000 510 today. What a beautiful boat. Should finalize the purchase next week and have a week or so to enjoy her before she goes on the hard for the winter. Does anyone have pics of upgrading the gold knobs, switch covers, grab bars, etc to silver?
If it’s the same as my 2000-389DA

Here is brushed nickel
https://www.boatoutfitters.com/cabinet-cam-latch-brushed-nickel

I ended up spray painting the switch covers flat black, which turned out good, I will look for pics
 
Thanks, I like those better than the cheap ones I found on Amazon. I was thinking about spray paint on the switch plates too.

here is flat black, just roughed it up with some sandpaper first
 

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Researching the 510 shipping dimensions and got this from Sea Ray, sharing for future reference.
 

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I am really glad I found this group. We just finished the sea trial on a 2000 510 today. What a beautiful boat. Should finalize the purchase next week and have a week or so to enjoy her before she goes on the hard for the winter. Does anyone have pics of upgrading the gold knobs, switch covers, grab bars, etc to silver?

Roboise, congratulations on finding a 510. I'm in Spring Lake at Keenan and just listed mine. I did a complete gold to polished chrome redo on my 510 as well as switching out all the gold cover plates to brushed nickel. It really updates the interior. I also redid all the gold badging in the cockpit to chrome. The best prices I found on these items are listed below:
3 module Vimar diecast brushed nickel cover plates: $37.10 each from ledsmarine.
Hafele solid brass chrome knob 229.10.220 $4.99 each from Modern Hardware in Grand Rapids.
Hafele solid brass chrome rosette 229.11.220 $3.49 each from Modern Hardware in Grand Rapids.
Note, you need 59 of each of these.

Out of curiosity, did you look at my 2000 510 I have listed? Idle Hour. It’s a hardtop. It just went into storage today.
 
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I’ll get both to you tomorrow. My last fill up I put 149 gallons in my port tank and 75 gallons in my starboard tank. Port fuel gauge doesn’t work. Our typical weekend revolves around 30 minutes of run time and 10-15 hours of generator time. That what made me think the fuel difference was genny use.

Interesting ! Gen pulls port / returns center ? My 2000 has 150 port, 150 star & 300 center ....so your 149 port fill was close to empty ?
 
Interesting ! Gen pulls port / returns center ? My 2000 has 150 port, 150 star & 300 center ....so your 149 port fill was close to empty ?
That's correct. I filled up again since that post. All is good. Apparently when they filled up the port tank 2 fills ago they did not fill it all way. Must have click the nozzle off and they figured it was full. I've got a new sending unit for the port tank that I will be installing this winter so it doesn't happen again.
 
That's correct. I filled up again since that post. All is good. Apparently when they filled up the port tank 2 fills ago they did not fill it all way. Must have click the nozzle off and they figured it was full. I've got a new sending unit for the port tank that I will be installing this winter so it doesn't happen again.

I always stop at first click...keeps diesel from coming out of the vent holes
 
Here’s an update on the prep and transport on my new 510DA.

My son and I flew out to Kenosha Wisconsin and took possession of the boat. A couple days later we drove the boat from Kenosha to 31st St., Harbor in Chicago, down Lake Michigan through some pretty rough weather. We stayed the night there and then in the morning we met up with three other boats that had professional captains and followed them down the Calumet/Illinois Rivers to Spring Brook Marina in Seneca Illinois. We started at 7:30 in the morning from Chicago and arrived in Seneca at 8:30 at night. So quite a long day but lots of fun learning how to do it the way the captains do, especially through the locks and past the huge barges!

Over the next week we got the boat prepped for the truck, I’m going with C and J Transport, Hopefully he will pick it up next week and have it to me a week later, some on here gave him good reviews and I will give my feedback once delivered. Here are some pictures of the boat being disassembled and shrink wrapped. My son and I did all of the disassembly with some help from the marina for lifting the hardtop and placing it on the swim platform. And of course we had someone do the shrink wrap.
 
So overall had a great experience so far and am very happy with the new boat. Next stop is Stockton CA, then to Willow Berm Marina.

Once I get the boat to Stockton and on the hard, I am considering adding the drop-down trim tabs. Anyone have any thoughts on that idea, and does anyone know what the size of my trim tabs are? Forgot to measure while I was back in Illinois.

And another upgrade would be underwater LED lights…thinking Lumitec full spectrum, But not sure if I should just do three or four lights. Has anybody installed these lights?

Can’t wait to get her home, I feel like a 7 year old a week away from Christmas!
 
That's correct. I filled up again since that post. All is good. Apparently when they filled up the port tank 2 fills ago they did not fill it all way. Must have click the nozzle off and they figured it was full. I've got a new sending unit for the port tank that I will be installing this winter so it doesn't happen again.

My fuel gauges are unreliable, Can you share the location of the sending units?
 
So overall had a great experience so far and am very happy with the new boat. Next stop is Stockton CA, then to Willow Berm Marina.

Once I get the boat to Stockton and on the hard, I am considering adding the drop-down trim tabs. Anyone have any thoughts on that idea, and does anyone know what the size of my trim tabs are? Forgot to measure while I was back in Illinois.

And another upgrade would be underwater LED lights…thinking Lumitec full spectrum, But not sure if I should just do three or four lights. Has anybody installed these lights?

Can’t wait to get her home, I feel like a 7 year old a week away from Christmas!

Give Bennett trim tab folks a call ( 954-427-1400 ) and order them direct. Least that's how I got mine. Now that they are no longer the family business they use to you might get handed off to West Marine.
I noticed the trim tabs straight way. Great investment for a noticeable effect.

The fuel sending units are not direct reading; in fact non of the instrument readings are. Swing arm sending untis send data the a computer box (MMDC; think that's what is called. marine Management Data Computer ) on the bulk head in front of the stardoard motor; least that's how it is on my boat. All engine and system infornisnsent to the MMDC. The final data is sent to the guages via three wires that carry all the instrumentation info. meaning your sending unit might be fine but the computer interface may be messed up. My center tank had no reading so I replaced the center sending unit and gauge that is powered and reads as an independent unit. I'll attach pictures of where the center access panel is located. Pardon the pictures, my boat had 3/4 ply wood sub flooring which had to be removed in order to get to the hatch. The port assess is under the stairs; starboard is under the port side couch.

Some helpful guys are with the SeaRay customer assistance back on Marrett Island. Have your hull number and they can steer you to just about anyone that had a hand building your boat. Lots of technical info as well as provide manual and photos of production technical tips. 321-449-8628
 

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Give Bennett trim tab folks a call ( 954-427-1400 ) and order them direct. Least that's how I got mine. Now that they are no longer the family business they use to you might get handed off to West Marine.
I noticed the trim tabs straight way. Great investment for a noticeable effect.

The fuel sending units are not direct reading; in fact non of the instrument readings are. Swing arm sending untis send data the a computer box (MMDC; think that's what is called. marine Management Data Computer ) on the bulk head in front of the stardoard motor; least that's how it is on my boat. All engine and system infornisnsent to the MMDC. The final data is sent to the guages via three wires that carry all the instrumentation info. meaning your sending unit might be fine but the computer interface may be messed up. My center tank had no reading so I replaced the center sending unit and gauge that is powered and reads as an independent unit. I'll attach pictures of where the center access panel is located. Pardon the pictures, my boat had 3/4 ply wood sub flooring which had to be removed in order to get to the hatch. The port assess is under the stairs; starboard is under the port side couch.

Some helpful guys are with the SeaRay customer assistance back on Marrett Island. Have your hull number and they can steer you to just about anyone that had a hand building your boat. Lots of technical info as well as provide manual and photos of production technical tips. 321-449-8628

I really appreciate your advice. Wow you really had to dig into yours to get to those sending units. Mine has the original carpeting so I wonder if I have access without removing carpet to the center tank…

And I also appreciate the advice on the drop tabs from Bennett. I plan on doing that immediately while it’s still out of the water. I’m also considering putting 12 x 12 additional tabs right above the prop tunnels, with independent controls. Any thoughts on that?
 
I really appreciate your advice. Wow you really had to dig into yours to get to those sending units. Mine has the original carpeting so I wonder if I have access without removing carpet to the center tank…

And I also appreciate the advice on the drop tabs from Bennett. I plan on doing that immediately while it’s still out of the water. I’m also considering putting 12 x 12 additional tabs right above the prop tunnels, with independent controls. Any thoughts on that?


Hey; in my book more tab is better. My last boat, 400DA I increased the tab area by 30% plus the tabs. Really brought the bow down. Got that boat to where I actually took some tab out once on plane. Even added a bit to fuel effecency. Not sure you'll notice it on the 510 but having the fins it will drop the nose and my boat is still on plane at 16 knots so maybe they work miricales after all. Defender has the drop down tabs for $30. That's for 12 inch cord. Not sure that will answer the mail but hey it's a start.

Carpet is easy. Just have to unbolt the couch and peal back pad and carpeting. Previous owner put the 3/4 inch plywood down to compinsate for the padding and carpet height when he put in the plank floor. Makes for an extremely solid deck. Not thrilled with the weight penalty but it is what it is. Now the fuel sending unit under the stairs is gonna be a bitch. When I got the boat the center tank reading was dead; that was unacceptable. We were going to the Bahamas and not having an idea of what's in the main fuel cell ain't a clever idea. I installed independent sending unit, guage and power supply. Right now my port fuel guage is dead. Not sure if it's the guage, the MMDC or the sending unit. Hate messing with the instument or MMDC cause everything else on the 4 in ones instrument guages is working so I'm leaving well enough alone. I just swap both engines at the same time and it's working out fine; starboard side tells me what's going on in the port tank to with in 10 gallons.
 
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