Upgrade 400/410

T

TTG

Member
Dec 24, 2019
95
Boat Info
2003 360DA
Mastercraft Pro Star (ski boat)
Checkmate 185 (river boat)
Engines
Twin 8.1 Inboards
New here but have been following along quietly for a while....mostly searching the dedicated 400EC DA thread. Just sold our Cruisers 340...I know...not a SeaRay so go easy. Have wife and two daughters 3 and 5. We spend a lot of time on the water. Looking at 410EC or 400/410DA. Wife isn’t completely sold on second stateroom for the girls on the EC. No power outlet or room for DVD/TV, not much storage, etc. Hate to say it but our 340 Crusiers had a larger area for the girls to sleep, store their toys, and space where I installed a flatscreen for movies at nighttime when out on the hook before bedtime. Of course I did find a clean 410EC close by. Still need to get on a 400/410DA...but those are not close by which also means potential transport costs added in. So...give me the good, bad, and ugly on these beautiful beasts! Thank you very much in advance.

On a side note: there’s always the cruisers 3870. I think someone on here made the leap to one. Checks all the boxes for our family and how we use it (interior wise) but I like the one level cockpit and the exterior lines way better on the SR.
 
Welcome and Merry Christmas!

I started out looking for a 2001-2004 34-38 Sundancer, ended up with a 2001 410 Sundancer. We are a family of 3 (wife and daughter), and it’s a pretty comfortable boat for 3. Or more for shorter periods.

I remember reading posts of people upgrading from smaller dancers as their kids matured and they wanted a little privacy which the aft cabin on the DA provides. There is a bunk on the 410 that folds down, so you can sleep 2 back there. There is enough room for a friend or two in the salon as that does become an issue eventually.

You don’t say where you’ll boat, but I got a great deal on a CAT 3126 powered version out of the Tampa area and it’s a wonderful and economical ride. Most of what I see on the market needs some updating in the electronics area (navigation, radar TV etc), but you can make it your own.

We love ours.

Dave
 
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Merry Christmas! Thank you for the reply. What a great time to be boat shopping, right?! We live/boat in the Midwest on a river/lake system where we live on the water. Keeping the boat right behind our house—but we find ourselves gone for two-three nights at a time. We’re not really a day boat only family. At least at this stage.

Because of where we boat, lack of diesel fuel, lack of diesel mechanics, and my lack of diesel expertise—I’m looking at gassers. I’ve read both sides of that argument especially at this size range and fully appreciate both sides.

Leaning towards the 400/410DA in the late 1998 to early 2000’s. But like I mentioned this 410EC popped up and it’s really nice. I took my wife to view it yesterday despite it being in cold storage LOL.

I realize I’m looking at 20yr ish old boats but do you feel there is any resale difference between the EC and the DA?
 
We have two seasons on our '98 400 Sundancer. My wife and I are at the other other of the spectrum - one in college and one just graduated, but our kids grew up on boats their whole lives.

I cant comment on the EC, but we absolutely love our 400DA. The space is really good and the overall design is excellent. Honestly there isnt anything I would change about it.

The "midcabin" berth has some storage back there and also underneath (where I keep my tools) so your kids would have someplace for toys. Your kids would probably share that bed unless one sleeps on the pullout sofa. They would have their own head.

The swim platform is really spacious which makes it easy to get in and out of the water, and the swim ladder is good for kids and adults. The cockpit would have plenty of space for your family.

Take a look at the DAs and then make your decision.
 
Carter interesting that you note this... I haven't changed my yearly fuel budget since I set it up for our 01 380 sundancer. Who knows maybe i was a bit generous but we didn't even use it all an out 48 dancer this season.

TGG - What river system and where are you located. My wife and I have been running multiple boats over the last 8 season on inland river systems
 
Zach312 said:
Carter interesting that you note this... I haven't changed my yearly fuel budget since I set it up for our 01 380 sundancer. Who knows maybe i was a bit generous but we didn't even use it all an out 48 dancer this season.

TGG - What river system and where are you located. My wife and I have been running multiple boats over the last 8 season on inland river systems
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We ran a 97' 400DA for five years, great boat. More storage than on my 510. Any used boat you get will need some black box up dating. My suggestion is look for boats that fit your life style and situation which it seems that's what you are doing. Sounds like your family would do Great in a 450 DA and down.
 
My 410 Sundancer uses about the same amount of fuel that my 300 Sundancer used.
Plenty of room and privacy for the family in the 410 Sundancer.
 
TTG said:
New here but have been following along quietly for a while....mostly searching the dedicated 400EC DA thread. Just sold our Cruisers 340...I know...not a SeaRay so go easy. Have wife and two daughters 3 and 5. We spend a lot of time on the water. Looking at 410EC or 400/410DA. Wife isn’t completely sold on second stateroom for the girls on the EC. No power outlet or room for DVD/TV, not much storage, etc. Hate to say it but our 340 Crusiers had a larger area for the girls to sleep, store their toys, and space where I installed a flatscreen for movies at nighttime when out on the hook before bedtime. Of course I did find a clean 410EC close by. Still need to get on a 400/410DA...but those are not close by which also means potential transport costs added in. So...give me the good, bad, and ugly on these beautiful beasts! Thank you very much in advance.

On a side note: there’s always the cruisers 3870. I think someone on here made the leap to one. Checks all the boxes for our family and how we use it (interior wise) but I like the one level cockpit and the exterior lines way better on the SR.
Click to expand...

Where are you located?
Lots of 400/410 owners on here. You can probably connect with one who will give you a tour.
 
I moved from a 340DA to a 400DB (Sedan bridge). The openness of the salon with all the windows and light, two separate staterooms (one with twin beds) and two separate heads with shower stalls sold me.
My CAT 3116 diesels burn 22 GPH vs 36 GPH with the 7.4 Mercruisers at cruise RPMs. Yes, A diesel boat will be a little more expensive, but they like to run, are fuel efficient, relatively simple to maintain. And you lose the CO issue and the possible explosion risk with gassers. I wouldn’t rule out a diesel boat!
 
We purchased an 01 340 2 summers ago and we love the boat. However we travel a lot and when we do, we usually spend a few days on the boat. With that said and with having 2 daughters (9 & 10) I wish I held out for a 41. The extra head would be fantastic as well as the added privacy of a door to each sleeping area.

I run between 25 & 27 mph/ 3,300 -3,550 rpm and usually burn 32-36 gph. I’d bet the diesel 410’s aren’t going much slower and burning a heck of a lot less fuel.

Based on traveling with kids, I’d prefer the privacy of a second stateroom and diesel power is a nice addition too imo.
 
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I have a 99' 400 DA and we love it. Most of the time it's just the wife and I, but at least a couple times a year we do a trip with another couple and the private aft cabin/head is great. I have the 7.4 gassers and track my fuel pretty close for the first couple years. I averaged between .74 and .78 MPG pretty consistently. Good Luck in your search and Welcome Aboard CSR.
 
Ezsteps said:
I have a 99' 400 DA and we love it. Most of the time it's just the wife and I, but at least a couple times a year we do a trip with another couple and the private aft cabin/head is great. I have the 7.4 gassers and track my fuel pretty close for the first couple years. I averaged between .74 and .78 MPG pretty consistently. Good Luck in your search and Welcome Aboard CSR.
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What’s the MPH on that? Thank you.
 
I just averaged by fill ups. So it included take offs, idling, and cruising. I usually cruise around 24 MPH @ 3300 to 3400 RPM's. WOT depending on the water can get 33, 34 MPH. If I go to my odometer setting on the Garmin I installed in 2017 it say top speed was 37 MPH, but I think that was recording coming south on the St. Clair River which has a good current. Have never hit that speed on the lake.
 
We had a 300 Weekender and wanted to go bigger & into diesel... So I started looking at the 400/410 EC & DA I looked at a lot of them. I then expanded my search into the 450 and for not too much more $$ there was so much more boat, I quickly adjusted my search parameters and found our present boat and have not regretted it for a second...
 
OP- do a little research on the Diesel issue. I will bet that there is a mechanic near by that can service the CAT's or Cummins that most SR's are equipped with. There are about 40 bazillion CAT diesel engines running around powering boats to tractors and everything in between. All those Dodge Ram trucks you see are Cummins if they are diesel. The knowledge is out there.
 
If you can do your own oil and filter changes on a gasser you can maintain these engines. It’s a learning curve but lots of us on here have made that jump successfully. In the end they are actually less complex than a gasser.

Anything major (pretty rare that things rise to this level), the local cat dealer can service the engine...they are bus/truck engines. The only major service on the 3116/3126 is at 250/2000 hrs. Boats your looking at likely had the 250 hr. In between, it is clean fuel, clean filters clean oil...pretty simple once you get it down.
 
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