It's de-burred and ground smooth; the acorn nut will finish it off nice. But, that end is about 1" inside the edge of the seat cushion. Can't even tell the knob is there unless you get down on your knees and look under the cushion's edge.
The official '99-'04 260DA Sundancer thread
- Thread starter Nehalennia
- Start date
It's de-burred and ground smooth; the acorn nut will finish it off nice. But, that end is about 1" inside the edge of the seat cushion. Can't even tell the knob is there unless you get down on your knees and look under the cushion's edge.
Nehalennia
Well-Known Member
- Aug 22, 2007
- 10,006
- Boat Info
- 2001 310DA twin 350 MAGs, Westerbeke 4.5KW
- Engines
- Twin 350 MAG V-drives
Gotcha.
rabyers1
Member
Todd, As I am a Buckeye, I have to say thank you to Washington for knocking off the Trojans - I just hate that team. hope maybe we softened them up for you guys a little last week - at least their quarterback!
rabyers1
Member
Serenity - Like Todd, I use the transom switch for the B3 when I park the boat in the shed at the end of use as well. Standing on the ground looking at the lower unit while lowering it allows me to bring it down exactly to the optimum position to get the boat back as far as possible (tight fit in the shed) while not dragging the skeg in the gravel. All this without climbing up and down several times or hanging over the swim platfom to eyeball it.
Our Serenity
New Member
- Jul 1, 2009
- 43
- Boat Info
- 260 Sundancer 2000
- Engines
- 5.7L Mercruiser EFI Bravo III
I am jealous of both you and Todd for being able to keep your respective boats indoors! Our garage is way too small (height-wise) and the local boat yards that offer indoor storage are charging an arm and both legs. Serenity will be stored outside this winter.
Alicia
Alicia
+1 :smt089
rabyers1
Member
Well I think Todd has a much better set-up than me. (I think I remember seeing a pic of his boat in a very nice garage at some point). Mine is just a public storage facility with a roof and three sides and open in the front. It definitely is better than leaving it out in the sun, rain, etc. - but it costs me $104 per month to have a roof over her head. (and a fence aound her with security cameras).
MonacoMike
Well-Known Member
- Sep 15, 2009
- 14,721
- Boat Info
- 2000 Cruisers 3870
8.2 Mercs
- Engines
- 85 Sea Ray Monaco 197
260hp Alpha 1
We currently have a 1985 SRV-197 as our first boat. It has been fun and a great learning experience on our way to bigger goals in boating. We mainly boat on inland lakes in Indiana. (Mississinewa, Brookville, Monroe or in great weather on Lake Michigan staying near the coast)
The thread on towing a 260 DA and the various trucks was interesting. My question is, what is it like to launch a boat like the 260 DA? I have never been around larger boats when they were launched. How is it different from my current boat? Do most ramps for the above lakes have adequate draft? The insights from this group will be most appreciated. MM
The thread on towing a 260 DA and the various trucks was interesting. My question is, what is it like to launch a boat like the 260 DA? I have never been around larger boats when they were launched. How is it different from my current boat? Do most ramps for the above lakes have adequate draft? The insights from this group will be most appreciated. MM
Nehalennia
Well-Known Member
- Aug 22, 2007
- 10,006
- Boat Info
- 2001 310DA twin 350 MAGs, Westerbeke 4.5KW
- Engines
- Twin 350 MAG V-drives
I launch my 260DA by myself all the time. I'm not sure I can answer your "how deep is my lake" question. I have a King Trailer so once I'm over the water I just take the winch hook off and then inch backwards until I see the boat begin to slide off the trailer. I then throw the truck in park, set the e-brake and run onto the dock grab the boat, back it up out of the way of the next guy in line, tie her up then go park the truck.
I would say it's not really that much harder to launch than a smaller boat. You'll just need an acclimation period as you get used to looking out over the bow. I have a ShoreLand'r roller trailer, but I converted the front keel roller -- (6) 12" rollers all in a row, directly under the keel -- to bunks as it helps to center it better. I added bunk glides/slicks and it made a noticeable difference with how easy it went on and off.
My wife takes the boat on and off - I do the truck. But, I have done it myself. After I set the e-brake and put it in park (if I happen to see a decent sized rock laying around I use it under a wheel. If not, I don't worry about it) I hop up the winch stand and over the bow. Tie the boat up to the dock (as out of the way of other boaters as I can) and go park the truck. Takes about 4 or 5 minutes.
Can't answer any questions about your lakes, either. All I can say is a 260DA probably draws about 6 inches more than your current boat.
My wife takes the boat on and off - I do the truck. But, I have done it myself. After I set the e-brake and put it in park (if I happen to see a decent sized rock laying around I use it under a wheel. If not, I don't worry about it) I hop up the winch stand and over the bow. Tie the boat up to the dock (as out of the way of other boaters as I can) and go park the truck. Takes about 4 or 5 minutes.
Can't answer any questions about your lakes, either. All I can say is a 260DA probably draws about 6 inches more than your current boat.
Theresamarie11
New Member
Todd, you have to take me through how you bring your boat back in by yourself. Does the king trailer have bunks or rollers? We have a bunk trailer and launching is a piece of cake, but loading is so far a nightmare. No trouble driving the boat to the trailer, but getting it fully on has been.
Do you winch it all the way up in one move, or do you winch, drive out a bit, winch some more, etc, etc? This is what we do. We haven't tried driving the boat up the bunks..
Nehalennia
Well-Known Member
- Aug 22, 2007
- 10,006
- Boat Info
- 2001 310DA twin 350 MAGs, Westerbeke 4.5KW
- Engines
- Twin 350 MAG V-drives
Well that's a bit more of an effort. I drive on the trailer, leave it in gear pressed against the eye, get off the boat, attach the winch and safety chain, then get back on the boat, turn the engine off and tilt it up. My trailer is so slick it won't stay up against the winch arm.
I drive it up all the time, saves time and the trailer, as mentioned, is so slick it's very easy.
I drive it up all the time, saves time and the trailer, as mentioned, is so slick it's very easy.
Theresamarie11
New Member
Wow, so you drive it up, leave it in forward gear and get off?? Not sure I'd do that (even if I knew no one else was around). :smt101 But surprised your trailer is that slick. Ours is definately not. Do you have carpet bunks? Is there some treatment on the carpet or something else that makes them so slick?
rabyers1
Member
I also typically launch my 260DA by myself, as the wife always has her hands full with our 2 toddlers. I have a Venture bunk trailer to which I added side roller guides near the rear. They are set with only about 1/2" of play between them and the hull sides. So when I winch the boat on to the trailer, the aft-end lines itself up perfectly over the bunks every time. The bow of course comes into the front v-block. Then I just put the safety chain on and pull up the ramp to the tie-down area. My wife and kids stay on the boat until then. The key to making this easy for me is to make sure that I get the trailer deep enough that the boat floats a good amount of the way on to the trailer and all of the bunks are "wet". A couple of times I have launched in other areas / ramps than my local boat ramp that were quite a bit steeper. Going in was easy, but winching her out was a pretty good work-out - more like a dead-lift than a slide-on. I have purchased a powerwinch for the trailer, but haven't put it on yet.
I haven't yet had the occassion to drive a boat this size on to the trailer, but it is something I want to try and master to have as an option as well.
I haven't yet had the occassion to drive a boat this size on to the trailer, but it is something I want to try and master to have as an option as well.
Nehalennia
Well-Known Member
- Aug 22, 2007
- 10,006
- Boat Info
- 2001 310DA twin 350 MAGs, Westerbeke 4.5KW
- Engines
- Twin 350 MAG V-drives
It's King trailer's Glide King system. They are polyurethane bunks that make it quick and easy.
http://www.kingtrailers.com/standard_features.html
Theresamarie11
New Member
rabyers1;269900 I have a Venture bunk trailer to which I added side roller guides near the rear. They are set with only about 1/2" of play between them and the hull sides...... Going in was easy said:
Bunk trailers will do a better job of centering the boat, but it does load a bit differently than a roller. You've got the trailer in the water too far. You'll need to pull it out a bit so the boat angle matches up to the trailer angle sooner. Then, after powering on some, and it looks relatively straight, slowly back the trailer in a little further. Just a bit at a time (engine still in forward) and now the anchor roller should clear.
It will align (center) much better if you're not in the water as far, as well. What's happening is the rear of the boat is floating above the bunks, which means the bunks aren't doing their job.
Maybe cutting your winch post down will take care of the problem, but for me the anchor was hitting my bow rollers. My trailer has two of them - spaced about a foot or so apart (vertically). The bow eye tucks just under the upper roller.
I had this same problem when I first converted to the forward bunks. Adding those slicks made a huge difference as now I don't have to have the trailer in the water as far. No "slowly backing up", either. The slicks make it almost like a roller trailer. These are the ones I added, but there are many styles out there. http://www.tiedown.com/abunks.html
A tip: If you need to winch, keep the engine in forward gear with the throttle up pretty good. Makes it like a "power" winch.
PS: I do the same thing that Todd does when by myself - leave the engine in gear while I hop out.
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Theresamarie11
New Member
Wow, you and Todd guys are like 'two wild and crazy guys'...:lol:... I'm dating myself..
Thanks for sharing. I've told Chris we're too far in the water but it's hard to tell guys :grin: anything. But to his defense. If he doesn't back it into the water more, the winching force needed seems unbelievably large. He's not a weakling by any measure (in fact the opposite is more true) and it makes an unbelievable sound while it's being winched for the final 5 feet. We gets lots of attention in our 4 lane launch (in fact all eyes are typically on us anyways as not many folks launch cruisers). We have quite a number of go-fast boats being launched here (40+ feet) but not many like us.
Thanks for sharing. I've told Chris we're too far in the water but it's hard to tell guys :grin: anything. But to his defense. If he doesn't back it into the water more, the winching force needed seems unbelievably large. He's not a weakling by any measure (in fact the opposite is more true) and it makes an unbelievable sound while it's being winched for the final 5 feet. We gets lots of attention in our 4 lane launch (in fact all eyes are typically on us anyways as not many folks launch cruisers). We have quite a number of go-fast boats being launched here (40+ feet) but not many like us.
Nah... I know exactly what you mean... wait... does that mean I'm dating myself, as well?
Those last few feet are where you can back it into the water a little more to help. Keeping the engine powered on in forward will help there, as well.
You'll get it. Keep at it. :smt001
rabyers1
Member
Terri,
I have taken my anchor off the rode and keep it stowed with my stern anchor except when in use. This has helped me quite a bit on the clearance with the top of the winchpost. I do get the trailer in the water far enough that the stern is typically still floating until the bow eye is just a couple of feet from the post - that is where those roller guides really do the trick to keep the boat perfectly lined up over the bunks. No matter what, that last couple of feet can be a real bear of a winch job - especially if your bottom is painted like mine is. The noise alone draws a lot of attention on the ramp and the work-out can be more than I need at the end of a long day of boating. That is why I have purchased a Powerwinch. I will report the results after I get it mounted in a couple of weeks.
I have taken my anchor off the rode and keep it stowed with my stern anchor except when in use. This has helped me quite a bit on the clearance with the top of the winchpost. I do get the trailer in the water far enough that the stern is typically still floating until the bow eye is just a couple of feet from the post - that is where those roller guides really do the trick to keep the boat perfectly lined up over the bunks. No matter what, that last couple of feet can be a real bear of a winch job - especially if your bottom is painted like mine is. The noise alone draws a lot of attention on the ramp and the work-out can be more than I need at the end of a long day of boating. That is why I have purchased a Powerwinch. I will report the results after I get it mounted in a couple of weeks.
