410 Sundancer/Express Cruiser and 400 Sundancer/Express Cruiser **Official Thread**

dtfeld said:
That looks pretty minor. Hopefully its just a dinged prop. Getting the props tuned is a great "investment". The price around here for the prop tuning is about $500/prop, and the shop will likely take care of that ding in the process, and I think you were planning that this off season anyway. I doubt that cased any other damage to struts/cutlass bearing or shaft.
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Thanks, I didn't think it was severe but I still have to address how difficult it is to rotate that shaft in neutral versus the other side. Even when disconnected from the trans its stiff, so its something in the driveline
 
Keep in mind that one side on a v-drive boat will always have more resistance to rotation by hand because you are turing an additional shaft and bearings on the "reverse" side. Even in neutral, you still are rotating the extra shaft and bearings. Also, as old as the boat is, you could just have a cutlass bearing on one side worn a little more than on the other side.

Don't let the yard talk you into fixing something that isn't broken. You can easily check the cutlass bearings by looking at the clearance to the shaft on both ends of the strut. You can also check to see if the shaft is bent by checking the run-out on the aft end of the shaft with a dial indicator.

I also missed the photo in your earlier post.........the prop is bent out in the blade enough to effect a minor change in the amout of water the prop will push so losing some rpms would be expected as would be some vibration. Around here, that is a minor prop boo-boo. I'd bet the other blades are ok and the prop guy can probably just fix that one blade and the prop will be ok........but if you have never had the props tured and balanced, now would be the time to have both props done.
 
fwebster said:
Keep in mind that one side on a v-drive boat will always have more resistance to rotation by hand because you are turing an additional shaft and bearings on the "reverse" side. Even in neutral, you still are rotating the extra shaft and bearings. Also, as old as the boat is, you could just have a cutlass bearing on one side worn a little more than on the other side.

Don't let the yard talk you into fixing something that isn't broken. You can easily check the cutlass bearings by looking at the clearance to the shaft on both ends of the strut. You can also check to see if the shaft is bent by checking the run-out on the aft end of the shaft with a dial indicator.

I also missed the photo in your earlier post.........the prop is bent out in the blade enough to effect a minor change in the amout of water the prop will push so losing some rpms would be expected as would be some vibration. Around here, that is a minor prop boo-boo. I'd bet the other blades are ok and the prop guy can probably just fix that one blade and the prop will be ok........but if you have never had the props tured and balanced, now would be the time to have both props done.
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Thanks Frank, that's the route I'm going to take. I need to have the props tuned and pitched to increase WOT RPM anyways - so the shop will take care of fixing that bend and any other issues.

I'll put a dial on the shaft and check runout, and see if I can get a good read on the cutlass bearings, The survey had noted 'medium' wear on them, and I suspect they're original.
 
JMS23 said:
can you share the process to bump idle up? i am not sure what to adjust. thanks. a pic would help.
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I’ll find the thread on boat diesel where it’s described. Are you a member on there? It’s a cheap subscription and worth the price of admission for the thread history alone
 
400DA owners with the “L” shaped water tank. Historically, I bypass the hot water tank. I drain the fresh water tank at the filter in the engine room. I then add about six gallons of pink anti freeze into the tank And run everything until dark pink comes out (no ice machine).

Although effective, this is not an efficient use of resources. I would like to: Drain the tank at the filter in the engine room (like usual). Hook my source of anti freeze directly to the pump and then run all systems.
This would eliminate pink in the tank.
Given the track record of our tanks, my concern, is will the little bit Of water left in the bottom of my tank enough to harm the tank when it inevitably freezes?
 
I don't winterize anymore, but I'd hate to have to dig that tank out when the solution is a couple gallons of antifreeze. Seems like what you have been doing is working just fine.
 
Riptide III said:
Given the track record of our tanks, my concern, is will the little bit Of water left in the bottom of my tank enough to harm the tank when it inevitably freezes?
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I'm not sure what the track record of your tanks are, but if all the water can run out, it shouldn't be a problem. Isn't the outlet hose on the bottom of the tank?
I just run the pumps until they start sucking air, disconnect the lines, lay the lines that come from the tank on the floor and let the last couple of gallons run into the bilge. Connect the homemade pigtail for pumping in the pink and that's it. I leave them this way all winter, hook things back up in the spring. This has always worked for me on every boat I have owned.
But, if there is something special about your tanks, maybe this won't work?
I don't think 6 gallons of pink is a lot of antifreeze to winterize a boat your size, but I certainly understand not wanting to put antifreeze into the tank.
I might suggest that after all has drained, just blow into the line into the tank. If you hear bubbling, the fitting at the tank is still "under water" and could be subject to freeze damage.
IMG_E1410.JPG
 
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Just installed my stainless LED backlit boat name.... 316 stainless, UL/CE certified, remote control, RGB LEDs. Not for everyone, but I like the little extra uniqueness it allows. RGB LEDs allow for any color you wish... now I can match the color I choose for my underwater lights!

Yellow sign.jpg
blue sign front.jpg
Green sign.jpg
 
Boulz said:
Just installed my stainless LED backlit boat name.... 316 stainless, UL/CE certified, remote control, RGB LEDs. Not for everyone, but I like the little extra uniqueness it allows. RGB LEDs allow for any color you wish... now I can match the color I choose for my underwater lights!

View attachment 93450 View attachment 93451 View attachment 93452
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were looking at the same for ours in the spring. Who’d you use to do the work? They’re not cheap, but I did find a local water jet that would do it for half the cost. I’d have to figure out the mounting on my own though
 
Strecker25 said:
were looking at the same for ours in the spring. Who’d you use to do the work? They’re not cheap, but I did find a local water jet that would do it for half the cost. I’d have to figure out the mounting on my own though
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I was tired of the crazy quotes I was getting so I started my own biz doing these. I get the LEDs, controller and remote control (off the shelf), fabricate the letters in either the 3D style like what you see on Sea Remedy, or for less cost - the low profile which is just sheet stainless over the acrylic. If you are handy at all you can install these in a couple hours. I sell via Etsy under BoullieNautical if interested, just drop me a note on there or via FaceBook messenger. As a point of reference a sign like Sea Remedy, in RGB LEDs, 3 dimensional with remote control would run you about $2500. I was getting quotes for the same thing between $5-$7K. That is why you only see these things on the super yachts.
 
Strecker25 said:
Sounds like you’re on the right track. My boat comes out tomorrow so we’ll get on the work right away as well.
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Only 26 weeks until I can put it back in the water, Hopefully pulling the props next weekend to take to Prop Shop In Huron, Ohio. In the spring, I will post my results for you. Have a good winter, lets hope for a better 2021.
 
Turkanon said:
Only 26 weeks until I can put it back in the water, Hopefully pulling the props next weekend to take to Prop Shop In Huron, Ohio. In the spring, I will post my results for you. Have a good winter, lets hope for a better 2021.
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North Coast Prop shop? That's where I'm sending mine
 
Strecker25 said:
were looking at the same for ours in the spring. Who’d you use to do the work? They’re not cheap, but I did find a local water jet that would do it for half the cost. I’d have to figure out the mounting on my own though
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I will start saving for my Stainless Back Lit name know! Very cool!
 
Thought this was kind of cool - I didn’t have a second set of eyes for winterizing so I set up my phone to record it. The AF is -60 so it’s purple, sort of hard to see when it changes colors in the exhaust so I captured it in that bin to make sure I pushed all the water out. The engines sure move a lot of cooling water

 
What a great idea. How much antifreeze do you use per engine and how do you pump the antifreeze into the engines?
I use a 50 gallon barrel with a 2 “ hose from the barrel. 8 gallons Of antifreeze per engine.
 
Filled the strainer with 1 gallon and put about 6 more into the bucket. Pulled the hose from the seacock and put it in the bucket. It sucked most of it through, total was probably 6.5 gallons per engine. I take some of the captured exhaust AF and throw it in the freezer just to check but it’s dark purple so im confident it’s well protected. I found these engines mostly self drain too
 
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