420 DA Thread

[SRMark]

My tank shows 1/2 full. If it was over filled there would be water coming out one of the thru hulls on the side from the filter, correct? The only time I lose pressure is if I leave the boat on Sunday, and turn the DC power off, then don't return until the next weekend. Both the pumps run when I first turn them on, but then they hold pressure and only cycle after a flush for the rest of the weekend.

 

[SRMark]

Update on odor in cockpit issue. I was on the boat last Friday and after a couple of flushes the holding tank light said the tank was full, do not flush. I had the tank pumped out on Saturday. I was in the bilge installing a new transducer Saturday and Sunday and there were no odors at the tank or the pumps after either head was flushed. I was in the bilge yesterday changing the oil in the mains and again no odors. Maybe it was another boat.

 

[Captsteve427]

Anybody know how to access the spring loaded coil that the skylight shade in the salon retracts in to?

I have to pull and retract it a dozen time to get it fully retract.
View attachment 133410

So, I finally got around to removing the upholstered surround that finishes off the SALON skylight, with the hope that I would be able to wind up the shade spring so that it will retract on one pull when opening it.
As it shows in the photos, it appears that the only access that there is to the roll/spring mechanism is two very small end caps.
I’m hesitant to remove them, with the fear that a spring will pop out and I will not be able to reassemble it. I also can lower/remove the surround any further without having to remove the upholstered panels on either side of the Howard stateroom door, which are above the mirrors.
Has anyone ever has this shade issue and attempted to tighten up these springs?
I tried calling customer service at sea ray and from their recording, appears they are closed until the beginning of November, due to how hurricane Ian effected their operation as well as their employees lives.

 

[brewster16]

So, I finally got around to removing the upholstered surround that finishes off the SALON skylight, with the hope that I would be able to wind up the shade spring so that it will retract on one pull when opening it.
As it shows in the photos, it appears that the only access that there is to the roll/spring mechanism is two very small end caps.
I’m hesitant to remove them, with the fear that a spring will pop out and I will not be able to reassemble it. I also can lower/remove the surround any further without having to remove the upholstered panels on either side of the Howard stateroom door, which are above the mirrors.
Has anyone ever has this shade issue and attempted to tighten up these springs?
I tried calling customer service at sea ray and from their recording, appears they are closed until the beginning of November, due to how hurricane Ian effected their operation as well as their employees lives.

I believe those end caps are access to the screws that holds the entire mechanism to the salon ceiling. Im pretty sure you need to contact Oceanair/Dometic: https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor/boat not Sea Ray. Click on "blinds"

 

[bbwhitejr]

I had an issue with one in a 260DA some years ago. I believe there are 4-screws-one in each corner that will allow the whole thing to come out. The spring is encased in the plastic housing. If I remember correctly, it was a matter of taking it down and turning the spring to tighten it. I do remember contacting OceanAire and they were most helpful. Seems there was a diagram of the thing with instructions on how to tighten it.

Edit: I looked in my old emails that I have saved through the years and could not find the diagram, but I know there was one. I did google OceanAire shades and there are uTube vids and some good instructions from the RV crowd. You will find out how from there.

Bennett

 

[Captsteve427]

I believe those end caps are access to the screws that holds the entire mechanism to the salon ceiling. Im pretty sure you need to contact Oceanair/Dometic: https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor/boat not Sea Ray. Click on "blinds"

Thanks Brewster, I called Dometic and was told that this shade was a custom size made for Sea Ray and that there are still replacement springs available for the unit.
I have to go back to the boat with a stubbie screw driver and take the shade down to see exactly what part(s) it's in need of.

 

[Captsteve427]

I had an issue with one in a 260DA some years ago. I believe there are 4-screws-one in each corner that will allow the whole thing to come out. The spring is encased in the plastic housing. If I remember correctly, it was a matter of taking it down and turning the spring to tighten it. I do remember contacting OceanAire and they were most helpful. Seems there was a diagram of the thing with instructions on how to tighten it.

Edit: I looked in my old emails that I have saved through the years and could not find the diagram, but I know there was one. I did google OceanAire shades and there are uTube vids and some good instructions from the RV crowd. You will find out how from there.

Bennett

Thanks Bennet, this might be a little different than one on a 260DA since its recessed, but will check boobtube just the same.

 

[bbwhitejr]

The one on my 420 is same, just bigger.

Bennett

 

[brewster16]

Thanks Brewster, I called Dometic and was told that this shade was a custom size made for Sea Ray and that there are still replacement springs available for the unit.
I have to go back to the boat with a stubbie screw driver and take the shade down to see exactly what part(s) it's in need of.

Please be sure to post your progress (pics are always helpful) as many of us can learn from your efforts.

 

[Captsteve427]

Please be sure to post your progress (pics are always helpful) as many of us can learn from your efforts.

So, I was able to undo the clips and remove the shade, which is the only accessible side of the four sided frame, due to the fact that the screws on the forward side are not accessible because the shades upholstered surround is covered by other upholstered capping where it butts up against the forward stateroom door.

In the middle of the shade role there's a spring loaded rod with an end cap on one side of the rod that can be removed with needle nose pliers, counter rotated and reinserted to take up the slack on the shade and therefore allow it to retract back in. It now works fine.

The shade itself is in relatively good shape, other that a little fraying on the outside edges that run in the tracks, so I cleaned them up with a scissor. Out of curiosity, I called Dometic's blind/shade division, which Brewster posted and inquired what the cost would be to replace the shade, was told that they stopped making that model in 2012 and that I would have to buy a new one.

She also stated that I would have to remove all four sides of the existing shade frame to install the new one and that the mounting holes on the new shade would not line up with the old ones. She wouldn't give me a cost on it and said I'd have to call Sea Ray with the part number to get a price, but when asked if we're talking a few hundred dollars, she said "oh ya".

I just crossed another item off my to do list.

 

[Escapade]

This Reverso Oil Change system is the Bomb! 20 minutes a side with filters. The new Channel lock filter wrench was easy. Next A pump out, Fuel, and a run to storage with fresh Rotella T4 bathing those Cummins. It wont be long and I'll be working on a winter hit list.

 

[brewster16]

I believe Woody and Blueone may have dealt with this...My master head door handle stopped "springing" back this week. I now have to manually lift the handle and it clicks into position. I'm certain the internal spring has broken. My question is should I just buy the "latch engine unit" or should I take the existing one apart and replace the spring itself? (Is this even an option?)

Mobella McCoy series swing door latch engine - CHROMEhttps://www.uglyfishinc.com/Southco-Mobella-McCoy-Latch-Lock-Engine-p/ma-r974x-xx.htm

 

[Blueone]

I believe Woody and Blueone may have dealt with this...My master head door handle stopped "springing" back this week. I now have to manually lift the handle and it clicks into position. I'm certain the internal spring has broken. My question is should I just buy the "latch engine unit" or should I take the existing one apart and replace the spring itself? (Is this even an option?)

Mobella McCoy series swing door latch engine - CHROMEhttps://www.uglyfishinc.com/Southco-Mobella-McCoy-Latch-Lock-Engine-p/ma-r974x-xx.htm

When my handle originally broke it was the spring it breaks on the end where it is bent into a hook. I bent a new hook on the end of the spring but it was a temp fix….. it just broke again

if you can find a spring and replace it that obviously would be best…. Second would be replacing the guts. Keep in mind Mobella doesnt make the same color finish….. so keep your handles and face plates if you do a full swap

and heads up the most complicated door knob you will ever take apart….. take pics

 

[dtfeld]

Something that’s been in my brain lately….I hate how the sound of running the generator wrecks the peace when I am out on the moorings at Catalina Island for the weekend.

Could a support be designed for the rear area of the boat that I could pop up after arriving to the Island and then be topped with portable solar panels instead of Sunbrella so that I could kill two birds with one stone: 1) be shaded over the rear cockpit table and 2) generate enough watts via the solar panels to a power bank/solar generator to not have to fire up the noisy generator all weekend?

Here are some examples of the portable solar panels I was eyeing:

https://www.jackery.com/products/solarsaga-200w-solar-panel

https://www.bluettipower.com/products/bluetti-pv120-120w-solar-panel

https://www.goalzero.com/collections/portable-solar-panels/products/nomad-100-solar-panel

Has anybody else contemplated this?

Sailrite has a write up on how to add flexible solar panels…you can certainly adapt this to your boat. But getting enough juice out of these to run your AC for very long is pretty expensive/difficult. I set mine up to be able to run the microwave coffee pot and TVs off an inverter and love it. Only need the genny to run heavy loads like AC, hot water and recharge batteries. Big improvement.

https://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Ins...Ds77C11C0glIoncMERqEkCO9fD0H0NQhoCnOUQAvD_BwE

 

[brewster16]

When my handle originally broke it was the spring it breaks on the end where it is bent into a hook. I bent a new hook on the end of the spring but it was a temp fix….. it just broke again

if you can find a spring and replace it that obviously would be best…. Second would be replacing the guts. Keep in mind Mobella doesnt make the same color finish….. so keep your handles and face plates if you do a full swap

and heads up the most complicated door knob you will ever take apart….. take pics

 

[brewster16]

So, if I’m reading this correctly, the “latch engine” (guts) CAN be taken apart to see/fix/replace the broken spring? I didn’t see anywhere in Mobella-McCoy where a new spring was available for purchase though. And I’m sure it’s proprietary. Any insight on this is surely welcomed. So I guess the only real solution is replacing the latch engine itself. Thanks for the input on saving external hardware.

 

[Blueone]

So, if I’m reading this correctly, the “latch engine” (guts) CAN be taken apart to see/fix/replace the broken spring? I didn’t see anywhere in Mobella-McCoy where a new spring was available for purchase though. And I’m sure it’s proprietary. Any insight on this is surely welcomed. So I guess the only real solution is replacing the latch engine itself. Thanks for the input on saving external hardware.

You can call mobella direct….. they are a big corp but eventually get back to you. You can also call flounder pounder they were very helpful as well….. call both they are more helpful talking

yes you can replace the spring….. take pics….

 

[Woody]

So, if I’m reading this correctly, the “latch engine” (guts) CAN be taken apart to see/fix/replace the broken spring? I didn’t see anywhere in Mobella-McCoy where a new spring was available for purchase though. And I’m sure it’s proprietary. Any insight on this is surely welcomed. So I guess the only real solution is replacing the latch engine itself. Thanks for the input on saving external hardware.

I just changed the latch engine. I did keep the old one thinking some one might source springs someday.

 

[brewster16]

If anyone needs the link
https://files.southco.com/static/Literature/ma-sd.en.pdf

 

[hynespa]

During a recent haul out I asked the boat yard about replacing the Vetus bow thruster blade. The boat yard indicated they didn't know the model or which one to order - so i didn't end up having it done before the resplash. I would like to preorder one before the next haul out - does anybody know the model number / replacement blade? Also looking inside the boat I couldn't find the Vetus model number? Second question - should the bow thruster have a zinc - if so which part number is the zinc and where do you attach it?