Rant: Sea Ray Engineers/Designers

C

captbob1965

New Member
Oct 3, 2014
21
Sue Creek, Middle River MD
Boat Info
370 Aft Cabin 1999
Raymarine R10XX radar, Garmin 5208 Chartplotter GPS
Engines
Cat 3116TA
If I ever meet the SOB who had a hand in the design of my 370AC, they will have a bloody nose. I have been a designer and field engineer over the course of my professional career and the one thing I also kept in the back of mind was serviceability. That is not the mantra at Sea Ray or was, do not know about the newer line up. Trying to replace the vacuum pump assembly for the forward head, there is no bloody way anyone of normal stature can do this let alone a 6 footer 300# man like me. there is no easy way to get to the darn thing w/o taking the engine and generator out.:smt013 Wth were they thinking by placing an obviously maintenance item all the where they did??????

I have been told by others to cut an access hole to get to the darn thing, I shouldn't have to????:smt100 I am planning on calling SR customer support for what it is worth, the last time I called I was looking for the shower sump for the master cabin and was told it was an old boat and they did not have the records handy???:smt017 What kind of customer support is that!:smt021\
Thanks for the opportunity to rant. :smt119
 
Its all about cramming in as many 'amenities' as possible at a given price point. I am sure you don't have enough room to sleep comfortably in the master berth either. It seems that every year the bed gets smaller and smaller.
 
I feel your pain.....many times I have thought that the engineers used the theory 'if you can see it you can service it' when designing our boats....of course we all know this theory and practice does not always work out for us poor souls that try to do our own maintenance.....

cliff
 
Most boats don't have much access down there. People want salon and cabin space, so the DIY or mechanic pays the price. Buy a big sport fisher or a single engine trawler if you want more room. You can stand vertically in Nordhaven's 40.
 
Agree with the OP.

I know for a fact SR is not the only one with sadomasochistic designers. They all do it. Gotta make you wonder if they are retreads from Three Mile Island.

I disagree it's about cramming as much as it is about money. 5 feet of hose cost more than 3. Oiled shaft bearings cost more than PSS. Vibration isolation is more expensive than not.
 
I think an anorexic dwarf could make a lot of money as a boat mechanic. I had to pay a skinny little guy to replace the water heater pressure relief valve on my 390 Motor Yacht. The water heater is behind the washer/dryer, and I don't know how he did it without removing everything.
 
Dont forget the bean counters.
Cost reduction during the design phase happens all the time.

Great design guys! Now figure out how to take $30,000 worth of cost out of it!
Say goodby to your access panels among other things...
 
Funny, I always praise SR for how they thought through design for maintenance issues. Barring a few items, things are pretty accessible.

I've been on some other boats recently wondering just how you would do maintenance or service them, or even get to various items.

Dude, if you're 6' 300#, I think you have pretty high expectations...Certainly don't look at a sailboat.
 
I'm 6' 2" and 225lbs (+ right now!) and I need 2 weeks of chiropractic and massage therapy after a major maintenance. Wait a minute, that costs more than a mechanic! Time to rethink things here...
 
On some items I find hard to get to
. I use the 2 step process call the repair shop pull out cash to pay. I have less body aches, the money can be replaced quicker then my body can heal.
 
I'm 6'3" 190# and to date I have been able to reach everything in the bilge. It does get tight at some points but as said above I was impressed at how the engineers fit it all together.
 
Boater420 said:
I'm 6'3" 190# and to date I have been able to reach everything in the bilge. It does get tight at some points but as said above I was impressed at how the engineers fit it all together.
Click to expand...


I was that in 1981 when I was just a skinny kid...:grin:
 
I can't get in on the port side of my bilge. My left knee only bends to a 90 and that's what hampers me. I had to hire a mechanic to do a simple repair in there. He was a thin 6 footer, he folded up and went right in....made me feel bad, I guess I've joined the 'old timers' group.

On the other hand maybe that's not so bad, some of my friends didn't have the pleasure of seeing their 7th decade. :lol:
 
My dock mate is a couple of years older than me - he's 73. He does all the work on his Carver 53 Voyager. I asked him last week - after we were both folded up like pretzels in our ERs working on projects - "what are we going to do when we are too old to do this". His answer - priceless: "find a 4'11" Chinaman"!

I don't criticise Sea Ray's engineer/designers. They do a great job with the space they have to work with. Certainly a single engine 260 is easier to work on than a twin 280. My 410 is easier than my 340. I guess size does matter in this thread!
 
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That is probably our next vessel either the trawler or the sport fisher. Have been looking for down the road, the Admiral and I are not sure what we want at this point. Needs to be something with basically one main floor, the steps on the AC are killing the Admiral, the constant up and down....
 
Tell me about it, an extra foot of wire wouldn't hurt, I know it affects the bottom line and there is a selling price point but geez-loueez cut the owner a break...
 
I joke around the marina that I am going to start my own marine repair shop and hire nothing but mechanically inclined, agile midgets...
 
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