Maryland Sundancer Dreamer

J

jld

New Member
Mar 1, 2019
19
Boat Info
Powerboatless
Engines
Powerboatless
After spending the last couple of weeks reading the Sundancer 320 and 340 threads, I registered today and I wanted to introduce myself.

My boating history consists of smaller sailboats, 15’ – 27’. Current boat is a West Wight Potter 15, as we had lived near a lake. We recently sold our home of 25 years and have moved into a rental house, south of Baltimore, only minutes to the Chesapeake Bay. Plan on keeping the sailboat through this boating season as I want to better teach my adult daughter to sail. After this summer, I hope to begin looking for a new (to me) boat.

As I just turned 59, I plan on working 3 more years. When I retire, we plan on doing some extensive traveling for two years, after which we will buy our retirement home. Hopefully some of this time will be spent boating.

I’m really crushing on the 03-08 Sundancer 320’s and 340’s, and the slightly older 360’s. I’m looking for a boat (within my price range) that could be used for extended cruising, like maybe a month to the Bahamas or spending three months cruising the northeast part of the great loop.

I really like the 320/340/360 as it could easily be hauled (at least compared to some other boats I like) and would give us the option of cruising from the Chesapeake Bay, to the Erie Canal, to the Trent Severn Waterway, through the Georgian Bay, down to Chicago, putting the boat on a truck and hauling it back to the Chesapeake Bay or even down to Florida.

Jim
 
Jim

Welcome to the group! You will get some great opinions on this site from some great men and women. My first thought is you need a bigger boat to stay on for a month and travel around the Bahamas but many have stayed on smaller vessels. My second thought is you need a smaller boat if you want to trailer as a 340 is fairly large to be pulling around. But it is possible to do with permits and $$$.


I’m in Texas so I’m a little far away from you but I’m willing to show you around our dock, we have 340-600’s all here.

Josh
 
Welcome aboard!

My previous boat was a 340. Great boat but I moved up to a 400 Sedan Bridge for more living area and less of a “cave” feeling. I also love the separate shower /head.

Why stop in Chicago? You could easily get down to KY via the IL, Mississippi and OH rivers into Kentucky Lake. Look up the Great Loop.

Steve
 
Welcome to the site. We just moved up to a 320 this year are we just love it. We are river boaters and the 320 is a good size for our river. If I was going to travel I would lean towards the 360.
 
While smaller dancers can certainly do what you want, I would look at ranger tug (if you want to trailer) or a mainship trawler.....if you want the express style look at a mainship rum runner....these boats are far more set up for long range cruising and far more efficient at doing so.
 
The sooner you give up the thought of trailering these boats the sooner you can focus on getting the best cruiser for your long trips!

Surely we don't know much about you, you could be a long haul trucker/rigger and do stuff like this for a living. If not, go find a 340 out of the water. If seeing that sucker on hard doesn't give you second thoughts about trailering - go for it! :)
 
Ididntdoit said:
While smaller dancers can certainly do what you want, I would look at ranger tug (if you want to trailer) or a mainship trawler.....if you want the express style look at a mainship rum runner....these boats are far more set up for long range cruising and far more efficient at doing so.
Click to expand...
+1 on the ranger tugs if you want to trailer and have something you can cruise with.
I think the best approach is first get on he water. I have been a boat owner for 17 years, and the first 14 was a deck boat. After 3 years with a cruiser, I am just now getting more comfortable with the idea of taking long trips over open water.
 
Thanks for the welcomes!

I don't have any plans on trailering the boat. Hauling, when necessary, would be by a professional trucking company.;) If I were trailering the boat, the 260 would be the Sundancer of choice.

Even the 360 with a beam of 12'6" and an overall height of 12'7" could be professionally hauled at a relatively reasonable rate without having to disassemble any major parts like a flybridge. Being able to have the boat hauled would surely open up the possibility on new cruising grounds.

I do like the 380's and the 400's, but would like to keep the LOA under 40'. My ideal boat, I think, would be the 360. As I know that I would like to have at least 15K aside from the boat purchase for engine/genny service/camper canvas/upgrade electronics, I'm not sure the 360 would be in boating budget.

Jim
 
My 360 only required to have the radar antenna removed from the arch when I trucked it a few years ago. Great boat! I’ve had many positive comments about the size over the years. It seems to be “not too big and not too little” to many that see her...
 
Jim, welcome aboard CSR. Lots of nice people on here with lots of great advice and information. Got Questions? Launch 'em here.
 
Man, I have spent (maybe wasted? :eek:) a lot of time lusting after different kinds of boats over the last 18 months!

We are still in the same rental house and I sold my trailable sailboat this past Spring (in two days!). It is looking like we won't be doing extensive travel when I retire, although we still plan on doing several one to two month trips. Will likely buy (probably build) our retirement house shortly after I retire.

I have been giving a lot of thought on how we would realistically use the boat, and have reached a decision that an 02-07 Sundancer 300 would be the right boat for us. Love the Sundancer layouts and the fuel economy (relative!) of the 300 to some of the bigger Sundancers. Really like the fact that with the sterndrives, I could actually get into the engine area to work on stuff. Realize there is additional maintenance with the sterndrives, but given the trade-offs would accept this.

We will probably start our search next Spring, and hope to be on the water in an new (to us) boat by next Summer.

Jim
 
Unless i missed it, you havent said how many people will be living aboard while cruising. And get A/C. i know you sailors like roughing it, but Maryland in summer - get A/C. Our winters have been mild for 5+ years. you can feasibly be boating by late March, St Pattys day if you like cold, so dont wait too long into spring to start looking. Figure an easy month from time you actually find one, until its yours and ready for cruising.
 
The boat will be mostly a couples boat.

For day cruising, maybe daughter and a friend. But, for overnight, just my wife and I.

I actually like roughing it. I did a lot of camping in my younger days. LOL, that pretty much stopped 30 years ago when I got married. (Not complaining though :))

Boat will have A/C and a genny. I know that if I want my wife to boat with me, it needs to have the comforts that she likes!

Jim
 
Welome to CSR and Congrats on the upcoming retirement. Sounds like you have a great plan which is very flexible. The 06 340 has a LOA of 37'. We love ours and go for 2 week trips often. Not the greatest on fuel. We do have the B3 ODs and they offer an average cruise speed of 30mph burning (according to SmartCraft) 1.1gph with optimal conditions. Three of us on the boat most times, wife, adult daughter and I and gets a bit "small" on occasion, but we are quite pleased with space, performance and layout. Some freinds got a new to them 310 last ear and they are very happy with that size moving up from a 25 SR. It is the 2 of them on board. They are all great boats. Never had a trawler, or even been on one. But I can see the benefits if doing long distance travel. Enjoy the search.
 
Thanks Korkie.

I love the 340's. Your boat must be pretty rare with the B3 OD's? You must have a huge space near the engines for maintenance!

We will likely buy a 02-07 Sundancer 300, as that better fits our budget. The other benefit is that there are places where the 300 could be dry racked (gives an alternative storage option).

I am somewhat familiar with Leonardtown as my daughter is a St. Mary's graduate. Wondering if you have any issues with salinity and the B3's in your area?

Jim
 
I will say it is the only B3 340 we came upon when we were in the hunt. And we looked at a ton of them over the course of a year and a half. Yes - there is ample space in the engine room. We live on a creek and the drives help us with really low tides. Some do have issues with the saltwater and their drives. We have had OD boats for 38 years. Have always kept them in a boathouse on a lift at our residence. We rinse after most uses (usually after every weekend). Still keep bottom painted, zincs fresh and drives coated with antifoul for when we are in the water extended periods as on trips.
 
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