The Official 450 Express Bridge Owners Club

[Shoyrtt]

Beautiful picture taken in the Crab Island/Destin FL area.

 

[Forrestkk]

From our dock last evening

 

[Tommy Osborne]

Don't know if I switch off or not. But both alternators rebuilt and all is good again. Thanks Tommy

Off the cuff it looks like both of the engine alternators are not functioning. However, are there isolators on your boat?
Did you by chance / accident switch off the batteries with the engines running? That will take out an alternator.
On shore power or with the generator running (charger/converter on) do you see 13.5 to 14.2 volts on the batteries?

 

[Tommy Osborne]

Welcome to the group! I followed this couple who did the loop on their 44DB a couple of years ago: https://www.youtube.com/@tensevenfreedomretreat4882/videos
I want to say they did have a few issues where they had to take down or fold their radar dome to clear low bridges in the northeast. It looks like an amazing trip.
Any pictures of your boat? I had your HIN# listed on the first page of this thread from my USCG search. Would you be willing to share your Sea Ray internal number? Your boat, built in January of 2004 was one of the last 450EBs produced by Sea Ray. I only show two boats built after your boat in the known HIN numbers.
I'm looking for the lower number on your hull:
View attachment 144818

We had no problems with bridge clearances. The 44 DB you reference did the Western Erie (15.6' bridge)because they could not get into Canada. Our route through Canada and the Calumet River below Chicago, Ill. Lowes fixed bridge was 19.6' Pictured below is Two T's Aweigh Hull Number.

 

[Brian Dobbs]

Jack O'Brien - I'd like to talk with you about St. Charles YC. We're a bit north in Burnt Store Marina, and speaking with Brooke at the YC, she mentioned there is a slip available and a membership opening. Wanted to get your thoughts.
Please let me know what is the best way to get in touch.
Thank you
Brian (Lusca)

 

[Jack O'Brien]

Jack O'Brien - I'd like to talk with you about St. Charles YC. We're a bit north in Burnt Store Marina, and speaking with Brooke at the YC, she mentioned there is a slip available and a membership opening. Wanted to get your thoughts.
Please let me know what is the best way to get in touch.
Thank you
Brian (Lusca)

Sure, Brian, happy to help. Email me and I can provide # or call you.
obrien.jack1975@gmail.com

 

[CaboSanPalos]

Here is a new 450 listing of a boat in my backyard, the 2001 "No Drama". I saw it up close in Two Harbors back in October of 2021 (See posts #353 & 1074). Very reasonably priced at 189k.
https://www.seattleyachts.com/used-...ay-450-express-bridge-2001-no-drama/2799465_1

Hi all - I am in escrow on this boat and just joined the forum.

I’ve read all the posts in this 450 Express Bridge Owner’s Club sub-forum in hopes that I don’t overlook anything specific to this model during the survey and inspections … wish me luck !

 

[Shoyrtt]

Hi all - I am in escrow on this boat and just joined the forum.

I’ve read all the posts in this 450 Express Bridge Owner’s Club sub-forum in hopes that I don’t overlook anything specific to this model during the survey and inspections … wish me luck !

Hello and welcome to the forum! I hear your new boat is in Marina Del Rey? Are you going to keep it there??? Let me know if you need any advice at all. I’m in Alamitos Bay and would love to help if I can.
Jim

 

[Shoyrtt]

We are in Avalon for the weekend and we spotted a new 450. Here is “Dream2” a 2000 with Cummins diesels. My friend Matt (another 450 guy) talked with the owner. Three 450s in the harbor at the same time.

 

[Jack O'Brien]

Sure, Brian, happy to help. Email me and I can provide # or call you.
obrien.jack1975@gmail.com

Hey Brian, did you decide?

 

[Shoyrtt]

Here is another 450 that came up for sale in my marina that I didn't know existed. "Legal Tender" is a 2003, two stateroom model that is listed at $240,000. HIN# SERP5724J203. I added it to the registry on the first page. Now I have to do a recon mission to see if I can check it out in person.

 

[Jack O'Brien]

Aboard Grand Desire after a month at home in GA, cool and mostly wet month. Normally I leave the salon A/C on HU mode for dehumidifying, other two units off. On arrival powered up everything and salon A/C would auto shut down. Overheat protection. My yacht mgr happened to be on my dock so we discussed perhaps needing descale. I had done this on acquisition 3 yrs ago. When did he think I might get a marine A/C guy out for chemical descale? He says, "I don't know!" Reason is too few of em and they're overwhelmed. So, he hooked up dock water to back flush cooling water lines, all three units. Had an adaptive fitting. Each flush pushed out overboard quite a bit of crud and brown colored water. He said there's currently a lot of mud in the water here. A/C units working fine again. Hard to tell if the cooling water discharge flow is more volume but clearly the pipes are cleaner. I've heard bromide tablets work well in the strainer to counter marine growth. Discharge also looked to have some crusty stuff come out. But I've also heard they don't work at all. I also need to replace my cooling water pump, now sounding like a cement mixer. Any comments on experiences?

 

[Forrestkk]

Aboard Grand Desire after a month at home in GA, cool and mostly wet month. Normally I leave the salon A/C on HU mode for dehumidifying, other two units off. On arrival powered up everything and salon A/C would auto shut down. Overheat protection. My yacht mgr happened to be on my dock so we discussed perhaps needing descale. I had done this on acquisition 3 yrs ago. When did he think I might get a marine A/C guy out for chemical descale? He says, "I don't know!" Reason is too few of em and they're overwhelmed. So, he hooked up dock water to back flush cooling water lines, all three units. Had an adaptive fitting. Each flush pushed out overboard quite a bit of crud and brown colored water. He said there's currently a lot of mud in the water here. A/C units working fine again. Hard to tell if the cooling water discharge flow is more volume but clearly the pipes are cleaner. I've heard bromide tablets work well in the strainer to counter marine growth. Discharge also looked to have some crusty stuff come out. But I've also heard they don't work at all. I also need to replace my cooling water pump, now sounding like a cement mixer. Any comments on experiences?

Did you check your sea stainer for the A/C before the back flush? Also, that back flush probably pushed stuff into your pump.

That said, flush is pretty easy, two methods and one is better than the other.

1. The easy way, get Barnacle Buster (I use the West Marine generic descaler) and you can build your own, or buy Barnacle Buster's flush kit. Put in the A/C strainer, close the seacock, and pump 2 gallons in, let it sit for 2 hours, pump another two gallons in and let it sit for two hours (each bottle of descaler makes 5 gallons). Then pump fresh water through everything. Pickling isn't as effective on the coils as the next method.

2. The more difficult method is to go to each A/C unit and use the flusher to recirculate through each cooling coil until clean. I close the seacock and open the strainer to let the majority of the raw water drain out before I pull any hoses inside. There is still some raw water in there, so have a shop vac and some towels handy when you pull the raw water lines.

Then you just hook up to where the raw water lines were, and flow the descaler through. Then flush those with fresh, repeat at each unit, and then hook everything back up. Start up the units and do leak check inside to make sure you got everything sealed up.

The cooling pump is pretty easy, hardest part is getting the hoses off and then it is just swapping it out.

 

[Shoyrtt]

On the hook for the holiday weekend!

 

[MarginCall]

Anyone ever considered a custom hardtop for the 450? I'm afraid of the cost, but would LOVE to be able to drop 600-800 watts of solar on top of it. I know there were some factory hardtops (for Disney?). Any idea where the mount points were for the factory hardtop? I'd love to get my hands on some plans or photos to show a potential fabricator.

 

[Forrestkk]

Anyone ever considered a custom hardtop for the 450? I'm afraid of the cost, but would LOVE to be able to drop 600-800 watts of solar on top of it. I know there were some factory hardtops (for Disney?). Any idea where the mount points were for the factory hardtop? I'd love to get my hands on some plans or photos to show a potential fabricator.

Heavy, and would need some aggressive supports to keep it from wiggling.

If money wasn't an object, I would get one made of carbon fiber and paint it with Awlgrip. Maybe it would be cheaper because you wouldn't need so much structure to support it.

 

[MarginCall]

Heavy, and would need some aggressive supports to keep it from wiggling.

If money wasn't an object, I would get one made of carbon fiber and paint it with Awlgrip. Maybe it would be cheaper because you wouldn't need so much structure to support it.

It's the "If money wasn't an object" part that gets me every time..., but thats a great idea! I'll start looking around south AL and NW Fl for someone that might be interested...

As an update to the electrical problem with starboard starter I was having.... swapped the switch out at the helm and everything has been working flawlessly. One more item off the maintenance list. Now.. to change that inop forward aft bilge... Gotta have arms about 8 ft. long and fingers to match... I seriously think I'm going to have to remove the battery platform or one of the holding tank pumps (maybe the whole thing!). Any tricks or thoughts? Excuse the grime...

 

[Forrestkk]

It's the "If money wasn't an object" part that gets me every time..., but thats a great idea! I'll start looking around south AL and NW Fl for someone that might be interested...

As an update to the electrical problem with starboard starter I was having.... swapped the switch out at the helm and everything has been working flawlessly. One more item off the maintenance list. Now.. to change that inop forward aft bilge... Gotta have arms about 8 ft. long and fingers to match... I seriously think I'm going to have to remove the battery platform or one of the holding tank pumps (maybe the whole thing!). Any tricks or thoughts? Excuse the grime...View attachment 147070

Oh wow, that is way up forward. Obviously, mine got moved aft at some.point to where you get to it. I would move it when you change for easier access. Also, make sure to fill the old holes with 4200. Could also go with a float switch that doesn't have a moving arm so it is less likely to get jammed.

 

[MarginCall]

Oh wow, that is way up forward. Obviously, mine got moved aft at some.point to where you get to it. I would move it when you change for easier access. Also, make sure to fill the old holes with 4200. Could also go with a float switch that doesn't have a moving arm so it is less likely to get jammed.

I have a new pump and float. May just leave the old one in place and extend the hose to the new pump further aft. Thanks for all the pointers!

 

[Shoyrtt]

Anyone ever considered a custom hardtop for the 450? I'm afraid of the cost, but would LOVE to be able to drop 600-800 watts of solar on top of it. I know there were some factory hardtops (for Disney?). Any idea where the mount points were for the factory hardtop? I'd love to get my hands on some plans or photos to show a potential fabricator.

There is a hardtop 450 in Huntington Harbor that is fairly close. I can try to take some pictures for you maybe this next weekend.