Sea Ray 440 Express listing to starboard

G

Gibsri

Member
Aug 19, 2014
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1995
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I have a 1996 440 Express and she has listed to starboard since I have owned her (6 years). It has only been a minor annoyance but my winter project is to fix it. Today I discovered a bulkhead on the starboard side that is totally enclosed. It is about 10 feet long and would hold enough water to cause the list. does anyone know why this is enclosed? is there something in there? I am thinking of drilling a hole but do not want to drill unless I know safe to do so
 
Gibsri said:
I have a 1996 440 Express and she has listed to starboard since I have owned her (6 years). It has only been a minor annoyance but my winter project is to fix it. Today I discovered a bulkhead on the starboard side that is totally enclosed. It is about 10 feet long and would hold enough water to cause the list. does anyone know why this is enclosed? is there something in there? I am thinking of drilling a hole but do not want to drill unless I know safe to do so
Click to expand...

When you bought it, did the surveyor not note the list and investigate it?
 
Couldn't a moisture meter tell if there is water in there? I wouldn't drill any holes that aren't absolutely necessary.
 
Gibsri said:
I was pointed out the list but was not worried.This was 6 years ago
Click to expand...

Really? That would have been a major red flag. These boats have cored hulls and are known to have leaks around the engine room vents. A wet hull full of water would be a culprit.
 
I am very happy with the boat that I bought and have had no issues other than a list to starboard. My question was simple-is there an easy way to get the water out. I spoke with SeaRay today and they have suggested drilling a 1/2 inch hole to top of chamber. If no foam, then drill a 1 inch hole and suck water out. If foam, then a 4-6 inch hole and remove the foam 4 inches across to bottom. Water will slowly accumulate in hole and a winter of vacuuming will dry it out.
 
After speaking with SeaRay, they assured me that there would be no danger in drilling an inspection hole into the chamber. I did that today,and with a inspection camera expected to find wet foam, or water. Instead I found a VERY dry chamber..... any thoughts on why boat lists to starboard? I have tried the obvious moving things around and if anything, the port side is weighted more that the starboard sided....
 
I would be concerned with the cored hull. I would get a moisture meter and check the hull. The borsa cored hulls are plywood and can soak up water causing a list.
 
Has there been any addition of items ( batteries, inverter,..etc)
 
I’m considering buying a 440EB from 1993. I don’t know the state of the tanks but it was listing to starboard, by an inch.
 
Before you get scared to death, consider the obvious: Maybe the list is caused by a simple unbalanced weight distribution.

In the 90's Sea Ray built a number of boats with space for and a layout to accomodate a washer and dryer. The location on the EB was off center and they exhibited a list until the dealer added enough ballast to offset the missing washer/dryer. Does the boat have a bow thruster? Has the battery supply for the thruster been changed to a different style of battery that weighs less than the OEM thruster battery supply?

I think this investigation may take another call to Sea Ray Customer service to find out how the boat was configured when she left the factory then an investigation to determine if any OEM equipment has been removed.
 
I'd certainly consider the distribution of fuel to the port and starboard tanks as a factor for listing. My boat has 2 tanks each holding 175 gallons. When I fill them I expect roughly equal volumes to fill each of them. Do you track that?
 
First place I’d look is fuel levels followed by water and waste tank locations, levels etc.

Pick the low hanging fruit first.
 
My 450 EB with two, 200 gallon fuel tanks was listing slightly to starboard also this past weekend. I remembered at our last fuel fill I overfilled the starboard tank, and got red dye diesel all over the place. When I filled the port side tank I stopped at the first gurgle of fuel that came out the air vent. So this time out I filled the port tank first and then the starboard. It turns out I had previously shorted the port tank around 40 gallons. Evenly filling the tanks cured the list.
 
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