2000 Sundancer 270 Questions

C

chris41483

New Member
Jul 23, 2008
256
Selma, Alabama
Boat Info
2000 Sundancer 270
Engines
twin 4.3 efi, Alpha 1
I have a 2000 Sundancer 270, and have a few questions that I am hoping someone can help me with. I want to add an aux. fuel tank, but am unsure where to put it. I also want to add 2 subwoofers and cannot decide where to put them. Also, I want to add an inverter, so I do not have to run the generator all the time when I need ac current, and was wondering if anyone had come up with any good places to mount one. Also, I need a rear bimini frame, and apparently Sea Ray lost the patterns when they moved from AZ. I know this is a lot of questions, but if anyone could help me out with one or some of them, I would be greatful. Thanks a lot in advance. -Chris Smith
 
Chris,
You should use the User Control Panel to update your signature with your boats specifics. I'm guessing that the guys that might answer your question about the fuel tank are wondering what engine(s) are in your boat.

As for my opinion, a fuel tank of any size is huge I cant even imagine where on a 270 w/ a generator you can put one.

Use the search feature on this site to look for speaker/subs upgrades I'm sure there are plenty of ideas for you there.


Welcome to CSR!
 
Thanks for your advice. I have the twin 4.3L setup. I am not having a lot of luck finding a place to put a fuel cell (and I can be pretty creative.) I go on a 200 mile trip in the boat a couple times a year, and it would save me a lot of trouble if I could tote my own fuel supply. I also have a Bryant 214 that I might take on the trip this year if we have enough people, and I could put a 50gal. tank in the ski locker w/o a problem. I am chasing the answer to a problem that is not really crucial, but it would be nice if I could increase the range of my 270DA. I had also thought about going up in pitch on my props in an effort to lower my cruise RPM's, but as the boat is not prone to rocket out of the hole in the first place, I am not sure if I want to do that. Maybe if I have money burning a hole in my pocket I will experiment with different props. As far as the subwoofers, I looked all over this site, and could not find anyone with a similar boat layout that I could replicate.
 
Be carefull about changing props...It can put too much load on the engine and cause problems...

Did you consider towing a dingy with fuel?

Also...not much room for subs on that boat...Maybe consider a big amp and quality speakers.
 
I have the same boat as you do but I may not be able to provide much assistance but here goes my take:

1) I do not have any good ideas on auxillary fuel storage especially with twin engines. Perhaps a small amount could be stored on the swim platform? If you do a lot of long range cruising then a trawler might ultimately be a better choice.

2) Subwoofers should definitely be a go. I think under the captains seat may be the best location. I am still mulling this over. I have not yet gotten to the stereo because I just finished the stereo on the Cobalt and was able to find room for 2 10 inch subs without difficulty.

3) I am not sure about inverter placement. I just acquired a generator that will be installed next week so I would not have to worry about batteries.

4) I have a rear bimini on mine (part of the camping enclosure) and I can certainly take pictures and or measurements if you can find a shop to fabricate the frame.

john
 
My 270 is the older model but I think yours has the rear facing seat directly behind the helm seat like mine. If you do - it may be a good spot for a fuel cell - but you lose your cooler storage. Which 4.3's do you have - carb or fuel injected? What is your current range with just the stock 100 gallon tank?
 
We had a 1999 270 wide like yours but with one 454. You need about 25 gallons extra to make the 200 miles. We used (6) 5-gallon cans for those long trips where there were no fuel stops. This adds about 200 pounds to your load including the can weight. The down side is the fact that the cans take up much needed room. We did not have any extra room in the engine compartment for an extra fuel tank of that size. When we cruised on overnight trips there were only two of us on board.

We owned the boat 7 years and cruised about 600 hours engine time.

We expanded the room in the V-birth, mounted a 15” TV on the starboard forward bulkhead that we could view from the cabin or the v-birth, installed a smaller dinette table to give the cabin more room. If you are interested I would be happy to tell you how we did these things.
 
Thank you all for the replies! I have the fuel injected engines. I looked up the prop charts in sea ray's archives, and they recommend 21 pitch 3 blade stainless. My boat has 19 pitch 3 blade stainless. LONERANGER, I wishyou had the twin setup, I need someone to compare speeds and throttle ranges with. I am considering a 4 blade prop setup and hydrofoils, I suffer from a terrible holeshot. As far as the inverter and subs go, I am tinkering, and just wondered if anyone else had ideas I had not thought of. I have a bad case of not being able to leave my boats the hell alone. I just put 2 10" subs in my bryant, and now have moved to the 270 dancer. I have every panel for the camper canvas except the rear bimini frame and top, and I need to find a custom shop around here that can make me one. I have a flat panel mounted on a swivel behind the microwave for the forward birth. I actually would like to know how you expanded the v-birth. Sorry, but that brings me to one more question, does anyone have any idea where to buy a microwave? Mine just quit working, and apparently every company on the face of the earth decided to quit making that size. I have seen suggestions on pulling a dinghy, what type do you propose?
 
Carrying extra gasoline is a very, very bad idea. Either bite the bullet and stop for fuel along the way, buy a bigger boat, or make different travel plans.
 
I would agree that carrying fuel in an unsafe fashion, such as open cans on a swim platform, would be a very bad and very dangerous idea. However, the question is how to carry extra fuel safely in a fuel cell. This can be a very safe and viable solution. I cannot stop for fuel because there are no fuel stops, and this is about the largest boat I can own for my purposes. I had a larger boat with a much larger fuel tank, and sold it because I have to be able to trailer it easily between the ocean, the river by my home, and the lakehouse. I wish sea ray had designed this boat with a longer range.
 
Expanding the v-birth. Since I am 6’ 2” and big I needed more length and more shoulder room.

  • Remove the v-birth surround by removing the screws from the top between the folds in the fabric. This will give you much more shoulder room and some small increase in length. Have an auto interior shop form some thin plywood and cover to re trim the ledge.
  • Next make a new wooden plug to fit snug to the port and starboard sides of the front of the v-birth. Use your plug as a pattern and simply extend the length. My cabinet shop made mine from plywood. Purchase a table support fitting and screw to the bottom of this plug for the stand support.
  • Have the auto interior shop make a new snug fitting fabric plug to replace the smaller shorter plug. You will be amazed at the size of the new v-birth. We cut a 4” thick memory foam to fit the whole v-birth and put it on top of the fabric pads supplied by Sea Ray.
  • This was a very comfortable bed. We kept it made up at all times. We used the mid cabin for storage on long trips. We did not have any clutter in the cabin.
  • Take the old v-birth plug move the table leg support under the plug forward a inch or two and use this plug for your dinette table. You will then be able to walk by each other in the cabin. This will open up the cabin. You will think you are in a larger boat.
 
We did not feel that fuel loaded in these sealed cans were very dangerous. We had no ignition source since we do not smoke. We did not put these cans on the swim platform they were in the rear of the cockpit.
 
I'm toying with removing my water tank midship/port side.
Then intall a 25 gal fuel tank there.
Then install a smaller V shaped water tank below the V birth on my boat.
 
Except for not having the twins it is the same boat. If you want me to measure the bimini just let me know.

How about a trawler? Even a small trawler has a lot more range, just at a slower pace. I have never owned one but would it be trailerable? It seems to me that if you need to have that type of range then you ultimately would be better off with a different type of boat because even adding 25 gallons would not give me enough reserve to be comfortable. If you are going 200 miles and no refueling options, then are you 100 miles or so off shore?

John
 
i also have this same boat but with the single 7.4 and was looking to add a aux fuel tank as a plan on going offshore .i have the vacuflush toilet. in the mid cabin on the right bulkhead there is a peice of plywood with a screw at each corner. once removed you would be surprised the amount of room behind that. i am in the process of putting the vacuflsh pump behind that wall and getting a smaller storage tank as 28 gallons is way to much and it would free up some needed space in the bilge. i just bought a 50 gallon fuel tank and plan on putting that in the spot that the genset in located in front of motor as 50 gallons of gas is like 400 pounds and put the genset to the port side where the vacuflush was to even out the boat. as the starbar side has the water tank 2 batt and the hot water heater. as far as the stereo goes im working on that right now i went with 4 6x9 in the rear it originally had the 6.5 on each corner where the engine hatch is at i stacked 2 6x9 on each corner and added 2 more 6.5 in the front so now i have 2 6.5 by the steering wheel side and 2 6.5 by the sunlounger and it sounds great the 6x9 handle the bass really nice. there really is no room for a sub in the rear so i am putting one inside the cabin under the starbar in the v birth. as far as a inverter i installed a aux battery in the cabinet under the sink for the amplifers im sure you could bulid a shelf or something and put one there.i now am looking for a radar arch which i really need so i can mount my attennas only one a found was from atlantic towers couldnt find any pics with this on a 270.
 
You mentioned all of the moving around, sounds like a valid solution. I have not removed the panel to the starboard side of my mid cabin, but if there is that much room there, would it be possible to just put the aux. tank there? Also, the closet right beside the mid cabin is where i was planning on mounting my amps, but it seems that the back of the closet is the side of the boat. Any idea how thick that wall is? If I can't mount the amps in there, it's right back to square one!

As far as where I go; I take a trip at least once a year down the alabama river from millers ferry lock and dam to gulf shores, i take both my boats if there are enough people, and some friends bring theirs. My bryant 214 will make the entire trip on one tank of fuel + 10 gal., which I have a fuel cell for, and there is plenty of space. My 270da will not make the 200 mile trip, and there are no fuel stops along the way until mobile, not a one. So there is my obstacle, I have to be able to carry the fuel myself. I had a 255AJ also that made the trip just fine on 120 gal., so I am trying to find out why this one will not do it, and if there might be something wrong. I realize the other boat is shorter, but it was also wider, and had a hardtop and carburetors. I would assume that the weight is comperable, and it seems like my 270da needs more than an additional 20 gals. Help! Doesn't anyone have this boat with the twin engines? Did they only make one? haha
 
Don't know how big a tank youi'd put in that void, but keep in mind that the extra weight will all be on one side and about as far outward as possible. So, I'd expect a list and since its a variable (empty to full) it would be difficult to counter.

That sounds like alot of effort for a once a year trip down a river. Is there no place you could stage some fuel along the way? A 2 hour round-trip in a car to stash some fuel seems like a lot simpler (and probably safer) solution.
 
you are probably right about stashing some fuel somewhere, but I do not know of anywhere to do so along the way, and with fuel prices posed to soar this summer, that would be like hiding a pot of gold is a big red sack under a tree. My concern at this moment is focused on this specific trip, however I would like to be able to go further offshore as well, something my wife and I do more often. Apparently Sea Ray did not intend for you to get too far away from the fuel dock. 2 days on the water barely running the generator means an empty tank.
 
also, LONERANGER, I really appreciate you offering to measure your aft bimini for me. I would take you up on this, but have no idea what I would do with the measurements. I have no idea where to have one made, and have been trying to find one in-tact for sale for a couple years
 
I had a full camping enclosure made for the pontoon boat and the canvas guy made all of the bimini supports. If you find a canvas maker they may be able to do it for you just based on the boat measurements.

BTW I have been on the Alabama river further upstream on a canoe but it was over 10 years ago. I used to live in Birmingham.

John
 
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