What DON'T you like about your boat?

I hate the compliments I get when I'm trying to leave or arrive at a dock. It always delays the whole process when someone admires the boat and then asks what year it is only to be surprised and continue complimenting how good it looks for 20 year old boat. Drives me crazy! :grin:
 
No Cupholders at the helm
Damn steering wheel is offset from the captains chair :smt021
No storage access under sofa
POS acrylic cabin door and no screen
Crappy shower handle holder, it rotates by itself when showering
Plain steel drip pan for AC unit = rust
Ill fitting transom door
Cockpit carpet is junk, backing
Only 110v outlet in cockpit is under sink = leaving door open when anythings plugged in
Original foam mattress is a joke
Original TV, even for 03, VHS????
Cabin lighting wiring is soooo stupid
Bilge hatch leaks, water drips onto AC pump
Lack of fuel crossover
Inline fuel filters lay on bilge floor, nearly impossible to reach
bilge pump leaves 1.5" of water
 
I hate the compliments I get when I'm trying to leave or arrive at a dock. It always delays the whole process when someone admires the boat and then asks what year it is only to be surprised and continue complimenting how good it looks for 20 year old boat. Drives me crazy! :grin:
Wah!!!!:smt089
For me the boat is under at least a foot of snow. The engine and outdrive are STILL in Ohio and I haven't gotten anything done it seems. Truckin Suks
 
  • Sinks in the heads are too small and tucked under the cabinet above. This makes brushing your teeth a ballet act.
  • There is no AC outlet anywhere on the port side of the salon.
  • The A/C in the salon is undersized. I have created some work-arounds for this to make it acceptable, but it still bugs me.
  • The 3-strand anchor rode that came with the boat sucked (it was too easily twisted and would jam the windlass). I have replaced with 8-plait that works much better.
  • The 1/2" connections for the plumbing suck. They are fine as long as you never disconnect them. I've replaced as many of them as possible with good ol' brass fittings and hose clamps.
  • There was no by-pass for the hot water heater installed for winterization. This is particularly painful given the fact above re: the fittings leaking. I've installed a permanent bypass using better fittings.
  • The only house battery bank provided is the two group 31s that also serve to start the Port engine. We anchor out a lot. I would've preferred a separate house bank of two 8Ds. Luckily, the generator is quiet (and diesel:thumbsup:)
  • There is no real ventilation in the salon. Based on that point and the one above, I assume SR just planned that owners would always run the generator and A/C away from the dock.
  • I wish they had put the water fill somewhere other than half way up the side deck--- somewhere accessible to the cockpit would've been nice.
  • And speaking of deckplates, what's with the side mounted waste deckplate? Makes for a delicious, stinky mess every time it's opened.
Other than that.... I LOVE my boat!
 
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2003 420DA:
-The access to the Racor 900MA for the port engine is difficult; you have to lift off the removable deck section then lay on the aluminum deck support beam to get to the racor petcock to drain any water or sediment when changing the racor element.
-The Racor 500MA for the generator is outboard of the port side 900MA-so it is even worse in terms of access.
-The companion helm seat needs about 4" more space between the forward edge of the seat and the helm. 45' LOA boat and my wife has to sit sideways for me to enter or exit the helm.
 
Just a couple of things.
1. can't stand at the helm with canvas up
2. TV in salon is in a spot were it's hard to see from the dinette...
3. generator is in a tough spot to service...
4. Plywood in cockpit..
5. smallish frig..
6. sluggish low speed handling/not a problem just makes my neighbors nervous when I rev up to spin...Tight slip
7. what's up with the all rode windlass?)changing this spring..
That's about it...
Of course there's a dream list...but not really a problem with the boat though..
 
I can't think of a thing.......which is bad, because I have typically found faults with previous boats to justify moving up to the next one. Guess I'll be in this boat for a while.

Ditto.
 
Vince,

Where did you get the memory foam? I want to change mine as well.

We purchased our 4" memory foam from Overstock.com. Cut it with an electric knife. Love it. Note, cut it to fit bigger than the space. When we lay on it it sinks/pulls in and leaves gaps on the side.
 
I have not heard from any 400EC owners on their "don’t likes".

I have no dislikes at all. It has plenty of power. Yea it eats the gas but gas is the cheapest part of boating for me. I have no leaks. I can get to every filter. Plenty of room in the cabin. Large cockpit for its size. Tons of storage. I like the style of the older boats and the straight lines. Straight drives and rides wonderful. Super reliable. Great Sea Ray customer service. Great MM customer service. Slipped 20 minutes away. Cool dock. Can boat year around. Sleep on it well. Wake up better.
 
I have not heard from any 400EC owners on their "don’t likes".

I have no dislikes at all. It has plenty of power. Yea it eats the gas but gas is the cheapest part of boating for me. I have no leaks. I can get to every filter. Plenty of room in the cabin. Large cockpit for its size. Tons of storage. I like the style of the older boats and the straight lines. Straight drives and rides wonderful. Super reliable. Great Sea Ray customer service. Great MM customer service. Slipped 20 minutes away. Cool dock. Can boat year around. Sleep on it well. Wake up better.
C'mon dude, there must be something you would change if you could! Think harder...
 
C'mon dude, there must be something you would change if you could! Think harder...
Not one "Don't like".

My feet hit the floor in the head. I can stand in the shower. Ice maker makes plenty of ice. Swim Platform is plenty. All Sinks drain over. Handles well. AC Vents well throughout. Killer sound system. Plenty of video everywhere. Lots of cup holders. Large forward helm seat for two. Large forward port seat for two. This is great up front seating for two couples to stay in the mix while I maintain the helm. Big tanks for gas(300 Gal)/water(150 Gal)/waste(40 Gal). No Gray Water tank. Great fender storage. All chain rode. 10 year old boat looks brand new.

I sure would like to hear from some 400EC owners.
 
I would love to have a tower for watersports and board/ski storage!

Easy enough! Monstertower.com

Takes about 2 hours tops to install...walla. :grin:

I cant think of anything I dont like about my boat except the capacity/weight allowance. The 21' mc's and Malibus allow for much much more weight/more people.
 
It pumps overboard. Worst thing on the boat. A "cool mod" would be to put a thru hull just for the galley sink. That's what Viking does... and they have a garbage disposal on it as well.

My 270 galley sink does drain directly through the hull. Ah, a good point for a smaller boat.

John
 
I would like a bow that is not quite so curved so that sitting or laying on the front of the boat would be less likley to cause me to go for a swim.

A seperate shower area in the head. (Although we use the shower on the dock or at the transom mostly)

Conduit installed at the factory would be nice to run future wiring. Say one from the engine room to the cockpit, and one from the galley area to the cockpit and to the engine room.

I like the pull out drawers to access some of the storage areas better than mine (where you have to raise up cushions to access the storage area).

Lack of cupholders although I have solved that problem but am having a tough time finding a location close to the captain's chair.

John
 
Really very pleased with my 280DA. I would like a bit more cockpit storage but other than that, I'm quite pleased until I start my search for a 320.... but that's not for another 5 years or so.
 
My only complaint that I can think of is that my drain locations in the shower and the "ice bucket" in the cockpit were designed to defy the laws of physics because their locations are not at the lowest point and leaves water sitting there. We have found a solution for the shower with a squeegee, and I am planning on taking the "ice bucket" out and replacing with a garbage can anyway. Otherwise very happy with everything else on the boat.
 

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