Vent Covers 370 Sundancer

Boatjones

Boatjones

New Member
Dec 29, 2008
13
Sandusky, OH
Boat Info
370 Sundancer 1998
Engines
Twin 454
I'm looking for some blower vent covers for my 1998 370 SD. Need starboard but would like both.
 
You aren't going to find the vent covers for a 98 370 at West Marine. These were custom casted parts made for Sea Ray that are no longer available. This topic has been discussed a number of times over the years, your only real option is to find a donor cover from a sistership and use it to make a mold for a fiberglass replacement. In 2004 I sent one of mine to another member on this site who used it for just this purpose and sent me back a spare set of covers which I have saved for future use if my originals ever get destroyed.
 
The look great. As far as color you would have to use the original gelcoat in the mold or paint them to match. The ones I have are painted.
 
The covers are made of plastic and can not be repaired by glass. My had a crack and I was able to repair it with plastic mending kit that I bought out of Canada.

Ted
 
roadkingh1 said:
The covers are made of plastic and can not be repaired by glass. My had a crack and I was able to repair it with plastic mending kit that I bought out of Canada.

Ted
Click to expand...

I am not talking about repairing them, but rather using them to make molds to cast fiberglass replacements. Can you post a link to the product you bought to repair the OEM cover?
 
I think you can get Jeff's at WM. The older SRs have louvers and are more standard. Mine are very basic and I was able to get them from Marine Max for about $12 each. The later generation SRs like Jon's are not quite as pedestrian - they are much more rounded and are dead special items.
 
interesting link there..... not sure how to use it to repair plastic
 
We should move that link into the HOLDING TANK.
 
Boatjones said:
I'm looking for some blower vent covers for my 1998 370 SD. Need starboard but would like both.
Click to expand...

I'm the guy Jon referred to on making the replacement covers. I wound up having 2 pair made. One for me, and one for Jon for loaning me his Stbd cover. If you do undertake this, know that it is more difficult than it sounds. The plastic is very subject to melting when the resin is kicking. I tried drumming up some interest in getting multiple sets made to get the cost down (these wound up about 400.00 a pair), but no one bit. I have since lost contact with the guy who has the molds, but could probably dig him up if needed.

Meanwhile, I found a new purpose for the "void" left by removing the cover. After a lot of thought, I found the perfect covers for the exhaust vents, at West Marine, for about 12.00 each. Bent the vents around a piling, which gave me the right curve for the hull. I then had the flat part covered in non skid, and painted to match the hull. These boarding steps have served me very well for some 7 years now.
http://clubsearay.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7591&stc=1&d=1258506466
 

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370Dancer said:
I'm the guy Jon referred to on making the replacement covers. I wound up having 2 pair made. One for me, and one for Jon for loaning me his Stbd cover. If you do undertake this, know that it is more difficult than it sounds. The plastic is very subject to melting when the resin is kicking. I tried drumming up some interest in getting multiple sets made to get the cost down (these wound up about 400.00 a pair), but no one bit. I have since lost contact with the guy who has the molds, but could probably dig him up if needed.

Meanwhile, I found a new purpose for the "void" left by removing the cover. After a lot of thought, I found the perfect covers for the exhaust vents, at West Marine, for about 12.00 each. Bent the vents around a piling, which gave me the right curve for the hull. I then had the flat part covered in non skid, and painted to match the hull. These boarding steps have served me very well for some 7 years now.
http://clubsearay.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7591&stc=1&d=1258506466
Click to expand...

So are you saying that you never installed the new ones and still have the step?
 
Sorry, missed this post last March. Yes, I still have the setup with the side step. It has served us very well over the years for getting on and off the boat without stepping on the cockpit cushions.
IMG_0054.jpg
 
Do you need both, or just one? Do you have the broken one? If it's just cracked or split in two, I'd say glue it back together and live with the seam. What Jon and I went through was pretty intense and expensive. I could "try" to find my old FG guy with the molds, but I haven't seen him since 2005. If he throws another pair from the molds, you could expect at least 400/set because the molds aren't perfect, and there's lots of after work that has to be done to smooth them out and paint em right.
 
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