The first 4 letters of a Sea Ray HIN will tell you what type of hull construction you have on a late '90's early 2000 Sea Ray. HIN's that start with SERY or SERP are going to be cored hulls (balsa), whereas HIN's that start with SERF and SERV are going to be solid fiberglass hulls.
Interesting, however our hull number starts with 'SERF' which I was led to believe was the designation for the Sea Ray Merritt Island plant. Clearly, our 370 has balsa in the hull (side walls), so not sure where that info came from??
@jasonkranczoch4776 Our current 370 has balsa in the full sides, but plywood on the deck, as I showed around the deck hatches in the video. I believe the 400's are the same,but just pull your hatch over the stateroom to see. And to properly seal it before you wake up with water dripping into the bed like we had happen to us 😜
You should change the title to wet coring not Rotten When I bought mine the Surveyer checked it and the whole starboard side showed wet so I passed. The owner called and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. After many calls to SeaRay I decided to take a chance on it. I did everything you have and resealed everything. This year I also put the sink drain out the side. When I cut the hole I was shocked. The moisture meter was reading 999 right where I drilled the hole. When I pulled the plug it was dry. SeaRay told me it won’t rot except where it can get air. And it can’t on the sides, And the sides will never cause a structural problem. I can’t figure why the meter reads wet when it isn’t but I was thrilled to find it. It has turned out to be the best boat I have owned.
I couldn't say why the moisture readings show high/very wet, yet when you expose the core it appears dry. Might be the surface was damp??? Anyway, glad the boat has turned out to be a good one for you.
Getting caught up after some time away and time away from screens and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this video! Great visual examples of work done and the Searay balsa core era info was great too. I'm always a sucker for DIY videos...oh and wake shots!
Good to have you back Mark! I can't promise any wake shots for awhile, but if the current conditions continue around here, we may be boating sooner than hoped for 😉 Keep an eye out for my latest video, going live momentarily... Oh ya, and my Live Streams 👍
My 2000 Sea Ray 380 transom core was mush. There were 16 swim platform bolts that went through the transom. Pretty much all of them were leaking. Pulled both engines and removed the entire core from the inside. Replaced with Coosa fiberglass core and covered with layers of fiberglass. Also have a side light that leaks. Planning on removing all four (and the three deck hatches), sealing with edges with epoxy and reinstalling with Sikaflex (your favorite). Love your videos.
Wow,that really sucks about your transom! When we pulled out old swim platform off our prior 330 Dancer, I almost expected to find evidence of water infiltration around those bolts, but thankfully it was all good. Have fun with your resealing projects. I'll be there with you in spirit, as I still have five more portlight windows to do on Boogaboo 😁
In between the two boats I showed in this video, we owned a '98 330 Dancer as well. Thankfully that one was solid everywhere. Check it out here; ua-cam.com/play/PLKhjT5kr2l2H0GeaEMncQiW3yG9N6L6uQ.html
Cleats, rails,windshields and other bolt or screw on accessories all need this periodic care. Also a lot of manufacturers do not put backer plates on cleats always check this fisrt thing it will help avoid disaster
Ideally one wants to hit the open edge of the balsa core with epoxy resin to seal it up. That way if the adhesive sealant ever gives way the core won’t get saturated. It’s extra time and money though, which is why sea ray skipped that part.
Sea Ray wasn't the only manufacturer to cut corners - no pun intended. I once saw photos of a one year old Cruisers Yachts boat that had zero sealant around the outdrive transom assembly, which had been removed for warranty work. Brutal.
When Wye Heritage installed our new transducer into the bottom of our Trawler the technician was surprised that the 1.5" deep hole saw didn't make it through the hull. I went into town and got a 2" and that finally made it all the way through. He said in 1979 the manufacturers didn't know exactly how much fiberglass to pour in so they just kept pouring :) Good hull for sure.
Our first Sea Ray was a 1976 model year, same deal with the thick hull. More in that boat - as well as our other five Sea Rays we've owned over the past 25 years, co.ing up in continuing series of '50 Years Of Boating'. Hope you can check them out...
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo My boating buddy spent 20 years on Georgian Bay with SeaRays and he thought that any SeaRay prior to '88 was solid fiberglass and a good buy. His last boat was the 400 flybridge like you had with twin diesels.
Balsa is a bad solution used as a corematerial in sandwich construction. Fiberglas is far away from watertight and water will penetrate eventually through the laminate and at that moment rot and delamination might follow. Mostly after 20-25 years after production you have to be very careful when buying a boat from the '70s and 80's when balsa is used as a core.
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo I’m thankful for both channels. I enjoy the learning and perspectives - DIY and problem solving are very rewarding and cost effective! Keep up the good work.
I don't agree with dumping over the side in enclosed waters, people swim in that water. EVERY skin fitting should have a ball valve. Beam on seas will force water up that pipe and make one hell of a mess. Sorry two demerit points. lol
Always giving us helpful tips. I refer to your "how I did it..." on a regular basis. Thanks again Paul.
Good to hear! I'm working on another one right now, so keep an eye out for that 👍
The first 4 letters of a Sea Ray HIN will tell you what type of hull construction you have on a late '90's early 2000 Sea Ray. HIN's that start with SERY or SERP are going to be cored hulls (balsa), whereas HIN's that start with SERF and SERV are going to be solid fiberglass hulls.
Interesting, however our hull number starts with 'SERF' which I was led to believe was the designation for the Sea Ray Merritt Island plant. Clearly, our 370 has balsa in the hull (side walls), so not sure where that info came from??
Correct, all of them are hollow core in the side walls, I am referring to the hull, under the water line. @@BoatingWithBoogaboo
Sides and top are balsa, bottom is glass
Sides and top are balsa, bottom is glass
@jasonkranczoch4776 Our current 370 has balsa in the full sides, but plywood on the deck, as I showed around the deck hatches in the video. I believe the 400's are the same,but just pull your hatch over the stateroom to see. And to properly seal it before you wake up with water dripping into the bed like we had happen to us 😜
You should change the title to wet coring not Rotten When I bought mine the Surveyer checked it and the whole starboard side showed wet so I passed. The owner called and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. After many calls to SeaRay I decided to take a chance on it. I did everything you have and resealed everything. This year I also put the sink drain out the side. When I cut the hole I was shocked. The moisture meter was reading 999 right where I drilled the hole. When I pulled the plug it was dry. SeaRay told me it won’t rot except where it can get air. And it can’t on the sides, And the sides will never cause a structural problem. I can’t figure why the meter reads wet when it isn’t but I was thrilled to find it. It has turned out to be the best boat I have owned.
I couldn't say why the moisture readings show high/very wet, yet when you expose the core it appears dry. Might be the surface was damp???
Anyway, glad the boat has turned out to be a good one for you.
Getting caught up after some time away and time away from screens and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this video! Great visual examples of work done and the Searay balsa core era info was great too. I'm always a sucker for DIY videos...oh and wake shots!
Good to have you back Mark! I can't promise any wake shots for awhile, but if the current conditions continue around here, we may be boating sooner than hoped for 😉 Keep an eye out for my latest video, going live momentarily...
Oh ya, and my Live Streams 👍
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo I will be sure to watch for it. Cheers!
My 2000 Sea Ray 380 transom core was mush. There were 16 swim platform bolts that went through the transom. Pretty much all of them were leaking. Pulled both engines and removed the entire core from the inside. Replaced with Coosa fiberglass core and covered with layers of fiberglass.
Also have a side light that leaks. Planning on removing all four (and the three deck hatches), sealing with edges with epoxy and reinstalling with Sikaflex (your favorite).
Love your videos.
Wow,that really sucks about your transom! When we pulled out old swim platform off our prior 330 Dancer, I almost expected to find evidence of water infiltration around those bolts, but thankfully it was all good.
Have fun with your resealing projects. I'll be there with you in spirit, as I still have five more portlight windows to do on Boogaboo 😁
Fantastic educational video as always. Thank You
Glad you enjoyed it. I've only been dragging that round piece of the hull around for 12 years, so I thought it was about time ;-)
paul great video some great info,not to complicated to understand !fiberglass subjects can get complicated nice work !
Glad it was helpful!
I own a 1998 330 sundancer, it got soft top on the bow fwd hatch and floor in the cockpit but thankfully the hull is solid
In between the two boats I showed in this video, we owned a '98 330 Dancer as well. Thankfully that one was solid everywhere. Check it out here; ua-cam.com/play/PLKhjT5kr2l2H0GeaEMncQiW3yG9N6L6uQ.html
Your videos about the 330 is my inspiration, is why I keep pushing the restoration... It is just too beautiful boat to condemn it
Cleats, rails,windshields and other bolt or screw on accessories all need this periodic care.
Also a lot of manufacturers do not put backer plates on cleats always check this fisrt thing it will help avoid disaster
All good things to look at.
Ideally one wants to hit the open edge of the balsa core with epoxy resin to seal it up. That way if the adhesive sealant ever gives way the core won’t get saturated. It’s extra time and money though, which is why sea ray skipped that part.
Sea Ray wasn't the only manufacturer to cut corners - no pun intended. I once saw photos of a one year old Cruisers Yachts boat that had zero sealant around the outdrive transom assembly, which had been removed for warranty work. Brutal.
When Wye Heritage installed our new transducer into the bottom of our Trawler the technician was surprised that the 1.5" deep hole saw didn't make it through the hull. I went into town and got a 2" and that finally made it all the way through. He said in 1979 the manufacturers didn't know exactly how much fiberglass to pour in so they just kept pouring :) Good hull for sure.
Our first Sea Ray was a 1976 model year, same deal with the thick hull. More in that boat - as well as our other five Sea Rays we've owned over the past 25 years, co.ing up in continuing series of '50 Years Of Boating'. Hope you can check them out...
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo My boating buddy spent 20 years on Georgian Bay with SeaRays and he thought that any SeaRay prior to '88 was solid fiberglass and a good buy. His last boat was the 400 flybridge like you had with twin diesels.
What would SERT indicate?
which model?
I believe that refers to Sea Ray's Knoxville TN plant. Also headquarters for Sea Ray boats.
Solid fiberglass and fiberglass stringers.... like an old Hatteras!
Boo-Ya!!
What type hull SEA RAY SERT
🤷♂️
Am i missing something that core does not look wet
It wasn't. Never said it was. As I mentioned in the video, the wet areas were around the portlight windows in the two heads
You should always use masking tape when you caulk
👍
Balsa is a bad solution used as a corematerial in sandwich construction. Fiberglas is far away from watertight and water will penetrate eventually through the laminate and at that moment rot and delamination might follow. Mostly after 20-25 years after production you have to be very careful when buying a boat from the '70s and 80's when balsa is used as a core.
👍
Very nice Boogaboo……I came here from Retired Boater 😂
Nice. Good to hear. Frank's got a great channel and I'm happy to be a subscriber of his. And the Dad Jones keeps me in stitches 😂
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo I’m thankful for both channels. I enjoy the learning and perspectives - DIY and problem solving are very rewarding and cost effective! Keep up the good work.
Change the boat my friend, it will only spread unfortunately.
Ahh, change what boat??
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo what I mean is update my friend.
I don't agree with dumping over the side in enclosed waters, people swim in that water. EVERY skin fitting should have a ball valve. Beam on seas will force water up that pipe and make one hell of a mess. Sorry two demerit points. lol
When am I ever gonna learn? 🤦♂️