Configuring a Saxdor 400 GTS means coordinating propulsion, services, transformable blanket and use procedures, not just selecting an outboard pair. The platform measures 12.40 meters for 3.55, has 900 liters of fuel and can receive Mercury V8 or V10 engines up to 850 hp overall. Fresh water, grey water, black water and fuel dedicated to the heater have declared separate capacities. The manufacturer associates with the double step hull a maximum speed in the order of 50 knots, but it is not a test of NauticMag. This guide translates the available data into a practical sequence of choices and controls.
Define the program before setup
The first decision concerns the prevailing use: daily exits, fast transfers, ray days or longer stays require different priorities. Usual number of people, distance from assistance, availability of energy at dock and frequency of remittance affect motors, electronics and services. The declared limit of twelve persons in category CE B does not oblige to organize each output to the maximum capacity. It is more useful to establish where the crew will sit, how luggage and equipment will be distributed and what functions will have to remain accessible. A matrix of use avoids buying expensive components that add weight, absorption and maintenance without a concrete benefit.
Configuration Operating Card
| System | Summary | Control to be inserted in separate |
|---|---|---|
| Propulsion | Mercury V8 or V10, max 850 hp | Models, propellers, commands and serial numbers |
| Fuel | 900 l | Locks, vents, sensors and access |
| Fresh water | 170 l | Pump, filtration, filling and unloading |
| Grey water | 96 | Collection, level and emptying procedure |
| Black water | 53 | Valves, vent and aspiration from dock |
| Diesel heater | 16 | Tag, dedicated line and separation from petrol |
| Carena | V 21° with double step | Integrity, cleanliness and installation of sensors |
| Fishing | 0,65 m without engines | Real asset, trim and foot stamp |
Choose the outboard couple
V8 and V10 are not interchangeable labels. The selection must specify unit power, weight, transmission ratio, propellers, alternators, tools and steering system. The 850 hp limit represents the maximum allowed, not a suggestion to install it always. Those who travel many miles can prefer availability of assistance and cruise regime; those who use the boat near the port can give more weight to simplicity and operating costs. The estimate must bring back components and labor of the rigging. The delivery compares plates and serial numbers with documentation, so electronic configurations are saved and maintenance intervals are noted.
Rigging, steering and cabling movement
Two engines require an ordered path for power, data, steering and commands. With the centered outboards and then brought from one line to another, bundles and pipes must move without narrow folds, rubbings or tractions on the fittings. Sheaths must be sustained but not blocked. Bolts and seals on the mirror are controlled from the outside and from the internal areas accessible. The fuel circuit must maintain separation and identification of lines. Any assisted mooring or automation functions are only tested according to manuals and in the free area. Technology does not eliminate the need to know arrest, start and government in degraded mode.
Fuel: verifiable capacity and autonomy
The 900 liters declared do not produce a reliable autonomy on their own. To calculate it you need consumption measured with the actual motorization, load level, sea and chosen regime, keeping a reserve consistent with the route. The tank adds an important variable mass, so they record trim and response even with different levels. The verification sequence includes box, cap, vent, sleeves, locks, filters and indicator. During the supply, ventilation, safety of the users and absence of overflows are controlled. Persistent odours, unstable readings or traces in the rooms require diagnosis, not a simple cleaning.
Diesel heater tank
The 400 GTS declares a 16-litre tank for the heater, separated from the gasoline destined to the outboard. It is a detail that imposes unequivocal labels: two different fuels on board increase the risk of error while filling. Button, stopper, vent and line must be identified in delivery, as well as the interception point. The heater, if present in the purchased configuration, is to be started until the system is switched off and completing the expected cycle, checking exhaust, suction and absence of abnormal odours in the environments. Residual fuel must be managed according to the instructions during long periods of inactivity.
Fresh water: 170 liters to manage
The capacity of 170 liters must be connected to the really installed utilities. Before filling they inspect the vent and vent; then the pressure system is carried, the dispensing points open one at a time and the stop of the pump is observed. A pump that distributes without request can indicate a loss or accumulation of insufficient pressure. Filter, autoclave and reservoir must be reached for cleaning and wintering. The level indicator should be compared with known quantities at least during the first season. The products for sanitization and preservation are chosen according to the materials and indications of the installed components.
Grey water and service drainage
The declared grey tank contains 96 liters. The real configuration must clarify which discharges confluence you, how the level is controlled and with which pump the emptying is carried out. When testing, clean water is entered in each user, downflow times are observed and accessible fittings are checked. Tubes without slope, non-provisioned siphons or obstructed filters generate stagnations and smells. The open blanket also needs independent drainage and always free. It is not necessary to confuse the rain water of the well with the circuit of utilities: the paths must be clear from the diagrams and the inspection.
Black water and draining procedure
The declared capacity for black waters is 53 liters. The owner must know position of the tank, indicator, vent, valves and suction fitting, respecting the rules of the navigation area. A readable label reduces wrong maneuvers. The control is carried out with a clean liquid and a small amount, checking the connections and operation of the pump if required. The vent should not be obstructed and the pipes should not present crushing. After delivery it is advisable to keep a simple procedure on board with gloves, compatible products and rinse intervals, avoiding aggressive substances not allowed by the components.
Bridge, double screen and electronic inventory
The official images show a dashboard with two displays, but model, size and sensors must be verified on the specimen. The separate should list screens, transducer, position antenna, communications, engine data and each interface. On delivery, you control start, brightness, authorized updates, alarms and consistency of the units. A separate test for each sensor prevents a data received from the network to be exchanged for a direct measurement. Configurations and waypoints are exported only with compatible procedures. The shipowner must know how to reduce brightness, properly silence an alarm and maintain an independent navigation medium.
Electrical system: verification without supposition
Capacity of batteries, chargers, inverters and utilities can vary with the equipment; they should not be automatically attributed to all units. Testing starts from patterns, labels, switches and protections. It measures the rest and under load voltage with suitable tools, then the utilities are activated once at a time. Cables and clamps must be fixed, protected and accessible. Later additions require fuses and coherent sections, not improvised derivations. If there is a connection to the dock, the procedure includes cable, socket, protection and indication of the polarity according to the installed system. Each measured value must be recorded for future comparisons.
Terraces: opening and security sequence
The folding sides must be treated as an operating system. Before opening, there is lateral space, tops, parabords, people and objects on the edges. The command needs to work smoothly, while arrests and blocks must take the expected position. At the end of the race, the alignment and stability of the surface are controlled; before starting, the stop is closed and the stop is confirmed without relying only on the memory of the operator. The verification sequence includes hinges, actuators, cablings, sensors, seals, drains and signs of rubbing. Cleanliness with fresh water and periodic inspection reduce salt accumulation in mobile parts.
Modular chairs, tables and storage
The bow and stern areas change configuration through seats, backs and tables. Each removable component must have a storage seat that does not occupy technical access and does not become a free load. We try the assembly with the usual crew, annotating order and grip points. Hinges and stops must close without abnormal effort. The cushions are dry and ventilated; the seams are controlled in the tension zones. In navigation, the layout must offer usable places and free passages. A large ray convivial surface does not determine by itself where people should sit when the boat is on the move.
Visibility, T-top and weather protection
The windscreen comes to the roof and protects the location front, while the sides remain open. The test should be repeated with low sun, simulated rain at the dock and possibly ordered covers. There is a seated and supportive view, with guests bow and stern. Glasses, mounts and displays should not create unexpected blind areas. Lights and accessories attached to the T-top must have protected cables and not interfere with the head or with the opening of the modules. The personal equipment for cold and spraying remains necessary: the roof offers localized protection, not the air conditioning of a closed cabin.
Carena control and sensors
The 21-degree V hull with double step requires attention when mounting transducers and other elements under the floating line. Improper positions may encounter disturbed flows or change the reading of instruments. Before the launch they photograph the bottom, skates, steps, sockets and drains, so the anti-vegetative state is recorded. After a shock or loss of performance you compare these images. The fishing of 0.65 meters is declared without engines: in navigation and in low water it is necessary to consider feet, trim, load and wave motion. No catalogue value replaces eco-scandaglio, prudence and local knowledge.
Declared speed and acceptance test
The maximum value indicated by the manufacturer is about 50 knots and depends on the configuration. NauticMag didn't measure it. In the acceptance test it is more useful to record regime, speed, level of tanks, number of people, conditions and behaviour of alarms. Acceleration, route seal, steering response and trim operation are controlled, without exceeding operational or environmental limits. The two engines must achieve consistent values between them; persistent differences require control of propellers, installation or diagnostics. Delivery should include explanation of the roding procedures and verifications provided after the first hours.
sequence of checks at dock
Before leaving the moorings there are levels, losses, battery, ventilation, pumps, lights, communications and availability of mandatory safety equipment. Motors and steering are controlled with free poppiera area. Terraces, doors, tables and backs must be blocked; peaks and parabords cannot reach the propellers. Number of people and distribution of loads are confirmed. The dash must show plausible data and no alarm ignored. It is useful to adopt a short list, always in the same order, completed by a physical boat ride. Repeatability is more than a memory entrusted to the experience of the moment.
check sequence after exit
On return, engine hours, observed consumption and abnormalities are noted. The outboards are managed according to the instructions for rinsing and storage. Covered, hardware and terrace mechanisms receive fresh water, without directing high pressure jets on gaskets and electrical components. Gavoni and cuscinerie leave dry. Service tanks are checked before odours or high levels become a problem. Batteries and connection to docks follow a defined procedure. A short inspection at the end of the day allows to schedule maintenance when the boat is stopped, instead of discovering a failure at the next exit.
Documents and delivery to the owner
The unit file should bring together identification, EC declaration, separate, motor manuals, plant schemes, guarantees and evidence reports. Photos of valves, switches and technical accesses help those who do not use the boat every day. Passwords, licenses and electronic configurations must be transferred securely. The seller must clearly indicate what is standard, what is optional and what was added after construction. Before the final signature, keys, cushions, tables, covers, spare parts and tools are checked. Trade promises not included in the distinction are difficult to verify later.
Saxdor 400 GTS balanced configuration
A good configuration keeps the 400 GTS open character without overloading it. Engines, energy and electronics must support the real program; liquid systems must be accessible; terraces and modules must be able to work without occupying the steps. The figure of 850 hp is a limit, the 50 knots are a statement and the capacity of twelve people still requires organization. The owner who registers consumption, levels and interventions quickly builds more useful parameters of generic numbers. The best result is an understandable boat: each identified command, each documented optional and every control inserted in a simple routine.