2007 44DB Hull Construction

R

Richard Carlisle

Active Member
SILVER Sponsor
Jun 30, 2023
368
Boat Info
2007 44 Sedan Bridge, Raymarine chart plotter x 2, radar, sounder, auto pilot, Starlink.
Engines
Cummins QSC-500's
We got the boat home after a 900 mile trip from FL. We had the guest cabin packed with provisions, dive gear, etc. At one fuel stop I noticed a slight list to stbd. The boat is now sitting in our slip cleaned out with water tank about 1/4 and holding tank empty’s the stbd list is even more noticeable. About 2” difference port to stbd. Survey didn’t red flag anything.

So is the 44DB of this vintage solid or cored below the water line. trying to account for the list. I’ve seen other posts talking about a stbd list on this model. How has it been dealt with? Ballast?
 
Richard Carlisle said:
We got the boat home after a 900 mile trip from FL. We had the guest cabin packed with provisions, dive gear, etc. At one fuel stop I noticed a slight list to stbd. The boat is now sitting in our slip cleaned out with water tank about 1/4 and holding tank empty’s the stbd list is even more noticeable. About 2” difference port to stbd. Survey didn’t red flag anything.

So is the 44DB of this vintage solid or cored below the water line. trying to account for the list. I’ve seen other posts talking about a stbd list on this model. How has it been dealt with? Ballast?
Click to expand...

Searay will tell you for sure, or maybe one of the owners here will chime in.

The reason I’m responding is I recall discussions about your era DB’s getting water trapped in the composite stringers, so much so it caused a list. I don’t know exactly what years or models but they were new enough to not have wooden stringers. Might be worth a forum search
 
the boat does have hollow stringers. One of the things that led me to this model. We looked at a Meridian and. bay liner that had failed survey for soft stringers.

Ive heard of people cutting inspection ports in the stringers.

the onLu water intrusion noted on the survey was from the rudder packing and it was minor. on the trip home I found that if I filled the water tank till it came out the vent, I had the forward bilge pump and alarm coming on, but that would have nothing to do with a stbd list.
 
Inverter batteries or additional equipment other than factory on the starboard side ?
 
Regarding hollow stringers, look at the inside of the stringers where your motor mounts are bolted to the stringers. You will find a white plug about 4-5" wide (or just a hole if they have been removed). You pull that out to access the nuts for the motor mount bolts. Easy to check for water there.
 
My boat sits level with full fuel, full water, and empty holding tank. I run the gen off the starboard tank. The water tank seems to have the most influence since it is furthest forward and to port, so I usually keep it full. Most of the storage is on the starboard side, so that’s not helping. I try to store heave stuff that I don’t use often under the guest state room starboard side bed.
 
Yes the 42/44 DB does have the starboard list. Once we are loaded up it sits even but was told that Sea Ray did their calculations based on 2 adults in the port cabin. We counter this by storing provisions under the port sofa after having removed the sofa bed. We have a hydraulic platform so I also keep the stern of the dingy on the port side. All this does help but when listing it doesn't bother me as much. Our boat is pretty dry so haven't drilled any holes to look for water as I don't really think that is the issue.
 
DrPringle said:
Inverter batteries or additional equipment other than factory on the starboard side ?
Click to expand...
There’s a water maker, but it is pretty close to centerline.
 
Irie308 said:
Yes the 42/44 DB does have the starboard list. Once we are loaded up it sits even but was told that Sea Ray did their calculations based on 2 adults in the port cabin. We counter this by storing provisions under the port sofa after having removed the sofa bed. We have a hydraulic platform so I also keep the stern of the dingy on the port side. All this does help but when listing it doesn't bother me as much. Our boat is pretty dry so haven't drilled any holes to look for water as I don't really think that is the issue.
Click to expand...
There is a sleeper sofa. We planned on removing the sleeper, but removing weight on port would make it worse.
 
Richard Carlisle said:
There is a sleeper sofa. We planned on removing the sleeper, but removing weight on port would make it worse.
Click to expand...
The weight my wife has added under the sofa in terms storage is probably 3 times the weight of the sofa bed...:)
 
I figure I’ll put a couple dive tanks under the couch, maybe a couple cases of water which we store currently in front of the washer/drier.

So is it safe to assume the hull is not balsa cored?
 
Water maker is also coming out. It hasn’t been serviced in years. Cost more to get it going than what it’s worth.
 
This is a common thing with the 44DB but not a big deal, I bought 315Lbs of lead bars and put them under the port guest bed in the outer groove and boat sets nice now.
 
Richard Carlisle said:
I figure I’ll put a couple dive tanks under the couch, maybe a couple cases of water which we store currently in front of the washer/drier.

So is it safe to assume the hull is not balsa cored?
Click to expand...
I called SR a few years ago as I was planning to drill into the transom. They said no wood coring.
 
Irie308 said:
I called SR a few years ago as I was planning to drill into the transom. They said no wood coring.
Click to expand...
I had a feeling, it thanks for confirming. Didn’t make sense to get rid of wood stringers and use wood coring.

Anyone priced lead lately? Might as well stack gold bars in there. We have a good local salvage yard that separates metals and sells to the general public. Going to check there.
 
Richard Carlisle said:
I had a feeling, it thanks for confirming. Didn’t make sense to get rid of wood stringers and use wood coring.

Anyone priced lead lately? Might as well stack gold bars in there. We have a good local salvage yard that separates metals and sells to the general public. Going to check there.
Click to expand...
Tire shops have tons of old wheel weights.
 
Tried that looking for lead to make dive weights. They said they sell them to the salvage yard for the going price. Worth another shot though.
 
Richard Carlisle said:
We got the boat home after a 900 mile trip from FL. We had the guest cabin packed with provisions, dive gear, etc. At one fuel stop I noticed a slight list to stbd. The boat is now sitting in our slip cleaned out with water tank about 1/4 and holding tank empty’s the stbd list is even more noticeable. About 2” difference port to stbd. Survey didn’t red flag anything.

So is the 44DB of this vintage solid or cored below the water line. trying to account for the list. I’ve seen other posts talking about a stbd list on this model. How has it been dealt with? Ballast?
Click to expand...
Maybe silly or wrong but is the boat actually listing / upper decks crooked or are you looking at the paint of the waterline. When i purchased my current boat it looked like it was listing but on closer exam the bottom paint was crooked. I figured this out by looking at the engine exhausts on both sides.
 
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