30 foot SeaRay Restoration

[alaska_av8r]

I am looking to restore/update a 30 foot SeaRay, I haven't purchased the boat yet and am just trying to do my homework. I will be replacing the Hot water heater, installing heat/air conditioning and adding a generator. I am not sure if the boat had heat/air and a generator, I'll find out next week.

Does anyone know of any good books or source of information to ensure I install these items properly.

Thank you
Tim

 

[erikgreen]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

I'd suggest you just ask here on specific questions. The manufacturer's installation guides for the items you install are probably your best bet for reference material.

I did see one good book on maintaining sailboat systems recently that had a lot of in-depth info on nuts and bolts work on systems, but I can't for the life of me remember the title - sorry.

I will ask, however - if you're paying more than $5k for the boat, you've had a third party marine surveyor look it over, right? If you're paying less than $5k for it, you can assume everything needs fixing....

Erik

 

[Bondo]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

I am looking to restore/update a 30 foot SeaRay, I haven't purchased the boat yet

Just alittle FYI,......

There's been abit of talk about some Severe Hull Delamination Issues with some years of the Large Hull Searays........

Unfortunately,......
I can't remember much about it,..... I just know I've seen the conversations......

 

[alaska_av8r]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

Thanks for the info on both guys. I have read the information on delamination from a marine surveyor on yacht survey dot com. I have already turned one boat down due to water damage. Was just looking to find a manual etc on the other systems on boats that would give the overall setup and operation.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

Alaska, Did that boat originally have a generator? If not, you will need to find a proper place for it. Sometimes even a 30 cruiser may be short of space.

Ideally you will want to install the genny in the engine compartment, and run a watercooled exhaust. On the aftcabin models, this space is quite cramped, and a generator will not fit. The second choice is to sacrifice the aft cabin for the genny and its fuel tank and wiring.

The next line of thinking is whether you need a genny. Here on the east coast, the only time you really need a genny is when you are going deep-sea fishing. A lot of cruisers do not have the 300-400 gal of motor fuel capacity necessary to go on a trip of this kind, hence you cannot get to the canyons, so you do not need the generator. Again the alternative is to give up some cabin room for the extra fuel tanks, and the generator.

 

[alaska_av8r]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

Thanks for the input chris, this boat did not originally have one, it is an aft cabin and on those aft cabins that did have gens it was placed between the engines and aft cabin, cramped but viable.

I plan on using it to spend the night on the water Pickwick Lake, Tennesse River, that sort of stuff.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

Alaska, You might get by with four batteries. Two can be used for the "house" loads and isolated from the two starting batteries via Battery Combiners. I would set the battery switches such that normally each engine has a dedicated starting battery, but if one battery goes bad, you can start the engine with the first battery, and after it is running, switch the good battery over to the engine with the bad battery.

You will want two "Make before Break" marine battery switches for this.

BTW - Have you priced out a marine generator? You may need to give your first born, as a down payment!

 

[tgissel]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

You might want to try one of these I used it this year on my 28' Marinette and had great success, I do not have a/c but did use it to run refrigerator and fans on the boat as well as a small microwave for overnight trips. I have tried using regular marine inverters and never had much luck.

http://www.cetsolar.com/xpower1500.htm

Thad

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

Thad, Your link takes me to a "battery on wheels", with several recharge options. I would think it better if he permenantly installs more batteries.

 

[tgissel]

Re: 30 foot SeaRay Restoration

Chris, It works better than you think as it already has the inverter built into it, I wheel mine onto the dock and place it under the helm seat and plug it into my shorepower location. That way you do not have to worry about plugging in your shorepower cord with the inverter still going. I have tried both and I like this better for small overnight trips. One tidy package to take off versus removing large heavy batteries and replacing them after a year. Wheels to take it with you in your car and use for other functions. Also there is nothing permanant about batteries.

Thad