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Post by sailpeter on Aug 2, 2015 15:22:04 GMT
Hi Everyone,
I am am very seriously considering buying a SO 43 Deck Saloon. I would be most grateful to hear from anyone as to anything to look out for on the 43 DS. What do you all think of them?
Many thanks,
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 2, 2015 22:17:57 GMT
Ours is a 2005 43DS. We love it! owned her for a little over a year. Ours has the Yanmar 75hp turbo.
The only thing that reportedly can be a deal killer is at the bottom of the pole that holds the mast up. Open the floor board and look at the step. Apparently this step mount is wood encased in fiberglass. If water has gotten in this area and rotted the wood you might see the pole sinking down into this support. Mine was good to go.
Of coarse have a survey done!
Personally have a good look at the steering cables while someone top side moves the wheel! My cable broke 7 months after the survey. Surveyor looked at the cables as did I but not while someone turned the wheel.
We installed an arch/davit system from Atlantic Towers that looks and works great.
We haven't had any real problems other then normal maintenance. Our air conditioning pump went out. A terminal on our hot water heater broke (a little corrosion). I did have a battery isolater/combiner go bad which lead to me pulling my hair out. Took weeks to troubleshoot, I ended up tossing it and upgrading to an all Balmar alternator/regulator system that works great now.
If you have any questions feel free to email me at sailingsouth@gmail.com.
BTW, we live on our boat full time.
Scott
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 3, 2015 0:10:34 GMT
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Post by Len on Aug 3, 2015 3:53:38 GMT
Hello,
We bought our 43DS a few months ago. Sailed her up from San Diego to Portland and found her to be a great boat. We had 20 to 25 knots winds consistently and some 30 to 35 with gust to 40. The boat did great and makes a great live a board as we are doing now.
Len
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Post by rxc on Aug 5, 2015 14:55:46 GMT
My wife and I have owned a 2003 43DS since 2006, and we really love the boat. It is roomy, sails well, and handles rough conditions very well. We have the larger 75HP engine and have equipped the boat to be very comfortable for liveaboard crusing. We have spent 5-8 months living aboard, several times, in the US and in northern Europe. We have the 2-cabin model and think it is a great boat.
I am in the process of replacing rigging at the 12 year point - insurance companies can be very pursuasive about things like this. You should ask about the state of the rigging. I have had only one major failure - a steering quadrant failure just outside of Bermuda in heavy weather. Emergency steering was not pleasant, but Jeanneau was very good about getting me a new quadrant. I believe that at least 2 43DS owners have had problems with rudder stock failures, so this might be something to pay attention to in a survey. The mast step in the cabin is also a known issue - if the boat is dry, then you should not see any crushing of the step.
I also think that I will have to replace the water heater on the boat - during our last trip to have the boat stored on the hard for the hurrican season in FL, we think we discovered a leak in the water heater.
If you have any specific questions, please post them and we can help.
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Post by spiritwind on Aug 9, 2015 2:51:17 GMT
We have been delighted with our So 43 DS. Now we have an issue with the Main in mast furler. It was rigged with too many turns on the worm, this made the rope chaff against the underside of the boom whilst the main was completely out. does anyone know of a utube or other information about how to change the rope on the Sparcraft Performance Main Furler Storage.  |
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Donrob
Full Member
Sun Odyssey 43DS
Posts: 40
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Post by Donrob on Aug 10, 2015 23:06:21 GMT
I own a 2003 Jeanneau SO 43 DS. The only serious problem we had was an exhaust muffler leak. To take the muffler out for repairs the yard had to take the diesel tank out. Another thing that concerns me is that the teak decks are wearing out and metal studs are appearing in between the planks. I was told that these were spacers. If water goes under these spacers it could cause serious damage to the balsa sandwich. Otherwise a lovely boat and very happy with it.
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Post by sailpeter on Aug 11, 2015 7:46:39 GMT
Thank you all for your most useful replies. I am very taken with the SO 43 DS, particularly as we want a good size aft cabin. The deck saloon is a real bonus! Several are available here in the UK; we are in the throes of selling our Dehler 36CWS and then will start looking at those available.
Fair winds and full sails,
Peter
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Post by jalexand on Aug 12, 2015 2:14:08 GMT
We are buying a SO 43 DS on Friday. I can't wait. This thread was helpful.
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 12, 2015 11:50:38 GMT
jalexand, Congrats!!!!! Your going to love her
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Post by jalexand on Aug 14, 2015 2:20:54 GMT
I can't wait. I'm about 20 miles from her tonight on land and pick her up in the morning. The 43 DS has to be one of the nicest laid out boats we saw in our search for a new boat. The systems designed to be so easy to use and maintain.
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Post by jalexand on Aug 17, 2015 1:53:51 GMT
Evening all,
So we made it down the Chesapeake Bay to the boats new home. We did bump into some issues that I'm looking for some opinions on.
1. The first night we had the boat. We had motored early in the day and were getting ready to shower to clean up. We had the electric hot water heater engaged. It has been on for a couple of hours I think. I had showered and my wife was getting ready when the bilge pump started running. It seems that the pressure relief valve on the hot water heater had opened. Made a nice sauna in the bilge. I read something about this in another thread here but it seems odd the electric heater would be stronger than the engine heat. Does the electric heater not have a temperature shutoff.
2. We did burn up two 30 amp shore power cords. It seems the inlet for our AC's is bad. That was an expensive thing to do. Already ordered a set of the SmartPlug inlet and plug to retrofit my shore power for the AC's
3. It seems that the exhaust hose is loose and moving around and banging into the hull as the engine is running. Is there anyway to get into that space behind the master cabin. I was able to pull down the inspection panels and could see the hose moving while we were motoring but can't find a way into the space. I wonder if I can pull out the propane tanks and get to it that way.
4. Where are your battery chargers located. Ours is under the seat on the port side next to the bed in the master cabin in the back. We have the nice 2 cabin version. When the charger cooling fan kicks it can be kind of loud in the cabin.
Thanks,
Jason
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 17, 2015 12:29:24 GMT
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 17, 2015 12:34:18 GMT
Question 2:
Good move on the Smart Plug!!!! One of my dock neighbors plug actually caught on fire which prompted me to check mine. One of my plugs was very hot to the touch! Uh Oh! I replaced both plugs to the Smart Plug, now both are cool to the touch. I haven't done it yet but I'm going to buy a spare to have on the boat just in case we're out and about but confidence is pretty hi this is a good fix.
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 17, 2015 14:26:22 GMT
Question 3:
Now this is going to be a bit of an ass-whoopin!!!! Empty your starboard cockpit locker, crawl in there and look aft and see if there is a cut out, you might be able to see the exhaust hose. This is where I gained access with one hand, wrapped rubber and foam around the hose and zip tied it. The hose still bounces around but at least its not as loud and chafing against the hull.
If you don't have about a 6 inch to 8 inch cut out, make one to gain access.
Do not try and gain access thru the propane tank area because they are glued with probably 5200. I tried and was just busting away fiberglass:-(.
The only other way to gain access (which I've done) is to remove the box where the life raft is stowed (an ass-whoopin in itself). Turn the wheel one way or the other and crawl past the steering quadrant. I gotta tell ya!!!! I'm 5'7 165lbs with just a tiny bit of claustrophobia. It was TIGHT!!!!! and a bit scary
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Post by jalexand on Aug 17, 2015 16:59:26 GMT
Scott,
Thanks for the answers. Those will all be helpful. For now we just run the electric heater for about 30 minutes and it gets the water hot enough and does not blow the valve. I'll look for a replacement. I found a thread on here after I posted last night.
On the exhaust hose I'm a much bigger guy so I hope I have a hatch in the locker. I hate cutting holes in my boat.
I do have one other issue which is my deck and anchor lights are not working but I found a thread here about the connections at the mast base possibly being corroded.
Overall she's a great boat.
Jason
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Post by sailingsouth on Aug 19, 2015 14:02:22 GMT
Jason
Talking about lights....... Kinda long round about story to the bow lights but here goes. You might have the same problem?
After I bought our boat I cleaned it thoroughly. Up in the bow under the v-birth was about 1 gallon of water. I cleaned it out, all good (not). After a trip down the Chesapeake I checked and found water again. Hmmmm. Cleaned it out and sailed on. During out trip south in the open water I found lots of water coming in and dripping on the v-birth from the windless access panel. Took the panel off and found quite a bit of water coming in through the bow pullpit aft posts. Every time we hit a wave water would come in both port and starboard sides. I found the bow pullpit aft posts come through the hull and are screwed to the underside of the deck by big nuts and washers. Both were hand tight. To seal the area I had to remove the big nuts and washers, pull the bow pullpit up about an inch, seal the top with 4200 push the pullpit back down, seal the underside of the deck and washer, tighten the nuts the best I could. I say tighten the best I could because access is soooooo tight! You will see. The next day I spray tested the whole area with a water hose. No more leaks!
Back to the bow lights.... The wires coming from the lights run through the bow pullpit aft posts. Sea water ran down the wire right onto the terminal block for the lights, corrosion set in and the port running light wire finally corroded through and broke.
Check this out.
Scott
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Post by jalexand on Aug 20, 2015 0:39:02 GMT
Thanks Scott. My bow lights are good. My issue is with the mast lights. Based on what I can tell there are some connections at the top of the mast support in the headliner and those 4 connections at the deck in front of the mast. I hope the issue is there and not at the masthead.
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Post by jalexand on Aug 25, 2015 1:43:29 GMT
So I got the exhaust hose fixed by tying it down and wrapping a towel around it. But I the process found the propane locker had been removed and the vent line cut so if there had been a leak it was draining to my bilge. I fixed that then work up the next morning to find my forward AC was dead and the smell of something burning. Looking behind the electrical panel I find 6 inches of burnt wire and a scorched breaker. So put in a new breaker and everything seems good. New inlet and new breaker. I hope this is the final AC electrical issue I have. Set the rig tension as the previous owner had loosened it for winter and never retightened it. Also found my bilge strainer clogged and had to rip all that apart. Overall not the greatest start to owning this boat. Never did get time to climb the mast and find if the mast light is out.
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Post by Damir on Aug 25, 2015 6:38:45 GMT
Check all electric connections by self or electrician this is my recomendation. With loose connections you can get problems & fire. I have same problem and i am busy with it (owner sell boat because have problems) personalj or mechanicaly. Take somebody with expirience on that boat to help you is much cheaper than run in to problems. |
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Post by rxc on Aug 27, 2015 20:49:47 GMT
Cutting the propane drain line and not re-connecting it is a very nasty, dangerous mod. I cut the drain line on my boat but I am religious about reconnecting it when I put the propane locker back in place. It is very useful to have access to that side of the boat thru the propane locker, especially if you have an arch with wires that run down there. On the other side of the boat, the storage locker can also be removed, if you probe for the seal. I have a genset installed where the liferaft locker user to be and this is a VERY useful access hole for the genset.
The leaks from the fwd pulpit are a real pain. I eventually installed two access holes in the anchor locker to be able to tighten those nuts. And I also replace the bow lights, because they were forever dying due to seawater ingress. Now I have completely sealed LED lights that don't worry about getting a wave over their head.
Have never had problems with the "steaming" light, but I am in the process of replacing the anchor light - the tiny one installed by Jeanneau is not easily visible, IMHO, and I will install a compbined anchor/sailing tri-light as a replacement, not that the mast is down.
You should try to figure out why you found burnt AC wires behind the panel. That is not a good sign. The A/C may work, but if the wires are burned, then something is wrong.
Where are you berthed in the Chesapeake? We spent 25 years sailing there, and had our 43DS in Baltimore for 2 of those years. We hope to get back next summer from Florida.
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Post by mickmeck on Aug 31, 2015 20:21:01 GMT
We are buying a SO 43 DS on Friday. I can't wait. This thread was helpful. I just purchased my SO 43 DS Friday the 21st. Just going through her and cleaning her up. She hasn't sailed much the past 3 years. I have all the parts (I think) to convert the aft cabins into a single. Does anyone have the instructions (the manual doesn't really describe it well) and where I could get the hardware? Great boat so far. |
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Post by jalexand on Sept 2, 2015 2:09:12 GMT
I'm in Deltaville, VA. We keep it at Dozier's Regatta point.
So we were down last weekend and the AC worked without burnings anything up. I'm putting it down to just bad wiring or a bad circuit breaker. I'm still checking it with an IR thermometer to make sure the breaker doesn't heat up but it looks ok now.
Also got the bulb at the mast head changed. It's an Aqua Signal 25. Your mileage may vary on that one but figured it would mention for the future reader.
My next issue is the spinnaker halyard. I noticed it comes out below the the headstay. I see that there are spots on the mast head crane for a block but I seem to be missing one. Guess I'll either go up or have someone install one.
Jason
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Post by sailingsouth on Sept 3, 2015 14:41:01 GMT
Mickmeck
Congratulations!!!!!! We love ours. Not sure if you figured out how to stow the aft cabin wall yet? But it all stows under the bed. Its kind of a puzzle to get all the boards in there but they do fit.
Scott
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Post by sailingsouth on Sept 3, 2015 14:45:12 GMT
Jason
My spinnaker halyard exits the mast on the right side just below the fore stay then runs to the top of the mast to a block above the jib. I'm thinking about adding another external halyard as a spare. I hate going up with only one halyard on the bosuns chair!
Scott
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