3200 SCR Pictures Please!

[jbscheff]

Hi all, this is my first post on this forum. I've got a 1996 3200 SCR with twin 5.7's. Our normal boating ground is Puget Sound, although the Navy has me living in San Diego recently. As I prepare to move back to the Pacific Northwest, I'm looking at possible upgrades for Adam's Tuition. So far, we've got a Furuno radar, dual freq depth finder/fish finder, and an LCD TV in the forward berth. I also rigged up a freshwater flushing system for the engines. Aside from that, it's mostly as Maxum made it.

Has anyone added a bowthruster? My wife has a permanently bad ankle and therefore is a horrible bosun's mate. With the high freeboard and minimal keel, my boat can get pushed around by even a moderate wind on the beam. I would love to remove some of the tension from what's supposed to be a relaxing day on the water.

Would love to hear your ideas, and see your pics. I've read several posts regarding Bella Sera (the ultimate 3200?), but alas, no pictures come through.

Sorry for the long intro, standing by for ideas for our boat.
Jason

[seapuppy]

Jason
first off...welcome to the zoo..I'm up here in the salish sea also...and I can certainly impathize with your plight of docking...it can be extremely challenging to say the least with tide and winds that we get up here.....
I've done a bunch of smaller mods to my bay...35ft long 340 Ciera Sunbridge....twin 5.7mpi engines and b3 drives....
sorry to say ..bella sera has decided to part our company under unfriendly terms....(we're still trying to figure out what set him off)...

he did some amazing mods that I'm sure you would have loved......lots of stainless and such........

as a fellow vet....thanks for your service to our country...what part are you the sound are you going to reside in???...


SP

[shrew]

IMHO, a bow thruster is almost mandatory on a single full inboard, like a trawler. However, on a boat with twins you should be able to get 95% of what you want by 'tractoring' the boat into a slip. I suspect the 3200 is Alpha drive's not Bravo. If this is the case, then you can make the 'prop walk' work to your advantage. Starboard engine bumped into reverse then back into neutral will not only reverse the back, but walk the stern just slightly to port as well. Likewise, starboard engine only in fwd, then neutral will bump the boat slightly forward and the stern to starboard. Practice keeping the drives straight and steering by shifting into and out of gear. One in FWD, one in reverse should get you to do almost the same thing as a bow thruster. This is just one man's opinion but the cost to install an aftermarkete bow thruster would be prohibitive. I hear where you're coming from regarding having to essentially do alot yourself, but I'm not sure a bow thruster would be as useful as you hope it will.

[jamanati]

I'm in the NorthEast, and get some decent crosswinds at time. With the twin 5.7/B2 I have on my 95 3200 scr, it does allow me to get into some really tight spot at times, just have to take my time and be patient. I've seen some small single screws get into a world of trouble, but with twins, I agree with Shrew, you're about 95% there. Sure, a bow thruster would help. I've seen the type that mount to the outside of the bow, so no cutting into the hull is required, I hear its about $3000 or so.

[jbscheff]

Seapuppy,

My house is in Silverdale, since 1999. It works out that I get to live there for two year stints, then have to go somewhere else for a couple years, but so far have always been able to come back. In summers we get a slip in Poulsbo, and keep it in Everett in dry storage for the winters. Most of our boating is in the central Sound (and I mean Puget Sound, I refuse to acknowledge that other name). I've been dying to make a run through the San Juans, but I need to make my wife MUCH more comfortable and at ease on the boat. I need to add some form of cabin heat and maybe replace the carpet in the cabin. Docking makes her the most nervous, since she really can't help, so I really need to do something about that.

Shrew, perhaps I should have pointed out that I'm a Surface Warfare Officer, qualified and experienced OOD on 4 ships, from a frigate, to a carrier, and took pride in bringing my ships to the pier without a tug touching my hull. Unfortunately, at some point, you need line handlers to hold the ship fast. Throw in an off-setting wind or tight berth and things can get hairy if those line handlers can't set you up with a line to spring off of. That's where I am, no line handlers. I hear you about maybe not as useful and maybe cost prohibitive, but I'm thinking that its utility in the times when you really need it would be worth it.

[seapuppy]

Jason..I hear ya...the salish sea was the stupidest thing I'd ever heard....but I posted in tonque in cheek as a comment......I'm not going to try and tell you how to dock a boat...some of my docking attempts have been less than stellar but down right entertaining....
where do you store your boat in Everett???...I'm up river at dags....we boat the sound....my last adventure up in the san juans resulted in 45k in repairs....so...I'm probably not the person to ask about navigation....we try to take a 9 dayer in july..but I think I may move it out to sometime like sept...less boaters and warmer weather......
..so...when you get back out here...look me up...I'll buy the first round!!.....skuttlebutt's has changed alot and is outstanding....

well....as for heating..that's an easy thing to do...just takes money........as for a thruster...there is a kit that you can get but the price to cut a hole in the side of the bow and install it would be rather cost prohibitive...believe me..if I could afford it..I woulda installed one yrs ago....but..I'm slowly learning to drive the boat with the twin differential thrust......it's tougher but I'm learning that it can be done...if it's crazy windy or current is running..I just run in bow first and get it tied down....I can handle my 35 ftr by myself......but when the current is running or wind blowing me off the dock...I need at least a dozen hands.....as you can tell..the smaller boats have much more sail area to blow around......

SP

[Twmcneilly]

Welcome. I'm a bit of a posting newbie as well. I purchased a 3300SCR middle of last Summer. It's a 1995 with twin gas hogs, errrr..... 7.4 BIIIs. One of the selling points for me was a bow thruster which had been installed the previous season by the seller. Evidently he had his hands full doing all the docking maneuvering and such with a crew of young daughters, so he added the thruster. Subsequently he traded for a FourWinns with IPS drives..... Wouldn't that be nice!!
Anyway; even though the thruster was there I sorta viewed it at a 'crutch' and avoided using it till I felt I was beginning to master (that's a stretch...) the twins. My broker encouraged me to use it, after all I payed for it. Now i arm it when ever is enter a locaitn where a quick maneuber might b necessary. I still try to ues only the primary engines and transissions for my docking and maneuering. But every now and then I'm very gratefull for the thruster, particularly when winds or current are opposing my intended path.
I do have the receipts for the installation of the thruster at an Anacortes boat yard. I could never justify the expense myself, but I'm sure glad the seller could.
You may have determined that I too am a Puget Sound area boater....Currently "Five O'Clock Somewhere" is moored at Newport Yacht Basin on Lk Wa. Sorry I can't share pics, it's all belwo the water line.
In summary it's great to have and a rather expensive luxury.