380 Sundancer vs. Cruisers 3870

jzanthony said:
We recently purchased a 380 dancer but looked at a few 3870-4270 cruisers.
very nice boats with a nice layout, walk through windshield was a nice feature as well. we were in one with open forward state room was not as closed off as the other models we saw.

I dont think you can go wrong with either of those options, good luck and post pics
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Funny how people see things differently cause the fact that the master stateroom was not closed off was what I did not like about it.
 
We did it, we bought a 3870.

A few thoughts after a couple of months of being on her.

It really is not fair to compare the 3870 to the 380 as I did early in our search, the 3870 is closer to a 40-42 Sea Ray both in size and with its two heads. Moving up from the 270 it was a quantum leap for us and we have so enjoyed that.

The components in the boat are provided by many of the same suppliers Sea Ray has and from a component standpoint without looking to see what brand you were on most would not notice a difference.

On wood finish Sea Ray and Cruisers had different approach, SR the high gloss and CY a more matte finish. And on style SR was more contemporary vs the CY more traditional. We are redoing the upholstery and I was very impressed with the strength, weight, and engineering that went into the furniture bases.

To date, anything I have had to do it feels like CY put it in a reasonably accessible place, like black tank filters, shower sumps etc. I have found little touches like an analog gauge on the fresh water tank in addition to the sensor gauge at the panel.

We are pleased with the new vessel and wanted to share this with those that later look to this thread for guidance.

Thanks to those who shared along the way.

MM
 
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Chada said:
Funny how people see things differently cause the fact that the master stateroom was not closed off was what I did not like about it.
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Since this question came up a lot in our search I thought I would address it individually.

It really comes down to what you are used to, what you need, and how you entertain.

The 380 and others offer a private master stateroom and an open area off the salon that can be extra seating for salon quests or convert to the main second sleeping area.

The 3870 has the option of a private master stateroom or one open to the salon. The majority of buyers chose the open plan. It then offers a private second stateroom with 2 twin or double bed, changing area, and a head.

This is where how you use it comes into play. With overnight quests on the 380 the captain goes to the private stateroom and closes the door, guests the have their converted sleeping area and the run of the entire boat. Some with kids will love this.

On the 3870 the guests go their stateroom, close the door, and the captain has the run of the boat. The 3870 does have a privacy screen if needed. It does lack any extra seating in the salon due to the permanent rear stateroom.

Without kids the open plan is like an efficiency apartment and very comfortable. When we have guests we feel in control of the entire vessel and not locked in the fore berth.

MM
 
Mike, I was wondering when we'd see a writeup on the new CY. I noticed the change in your listing awhile ago but didn't want to say anything till you spilled the beans.

Now that you've had it awhile, how does it handle on the Lake? If you haven't driven a 380 you might not have anything to compare the CY with except your 270, and that's a tough comparison.

When we moved from our 330 to the 550 we were amazed by the extra room but almost overwhelmed by having to handle and dock the bigger boat.

Are you feeling comfortable with the CY yet?
 
Gofirstclass said:
Mike, I was wondering when we'd see a writeup on the new CY. I noticed the change in your listing awhile ago but didn't want to say anything till you spilled the beans.

Now that you've had it awhile, how does it handle on the Lake? If you haven't driven a 380 you might not have anything to compare the CY with except your 270, and that's a tough comparison.

When we moved from our 330 to the 550 we were amazed by the extra room but almost overwhelmed by having to handle and dock the bigger boat.

Are you feeling comfortable with the CY yet?
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We have not had it out much yet, but when we have had it out it handled very well. We are still working on developing our pattern for securing the boat. Docking the boat has not been bad in many ways easier than the 270 in a slip twice as wide as the boat.

It just feels amazing, one night 12 people were on board having cocktails and we had plenty of room. The cockpit is huge

Just working toward spring.

Thanks Mike

MM
 
I think you're finding out what I did when I moved up from a 20' boat to the 330 Sundancer…..bigger is usually easier to handle.
 
Gofirstclass said:
I think you're finding out what I did when I moved up from a 20' boat to the 330 Sundancer…..bigger is usually easier to handle.
Click to expand...

I think I will feel that way by the end of the summer. To me the biggest difference is different than what many others have said. To me the big boat docking reactions are so slow compared to the reactions of the 270. In other words everything moves as expected, I am adjusting my mental clock to the new boats reaction time. The 270 had a lot of sail to weight ratio with the camper, you had to be quick or the window was closed.

MM
 
Slower is true. I've found the best way to move my boat around is to give it a bump in and out of gear then wait for the boat to react. It's kind of like driving a big truck compared to a sports car.

They're exactly the same, only different. :rolleyes:
 
Gofirstclass said:
Slower is true. I've found the best way to move my boat around is to give it a bump in and out of gear then wait for the boat to react. It's kind of like driving a big truck compared to a sports car.

They're exactly the same, only different. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

But putting the 270 in a 14 foot slip meant that it any moment you could go completely sideways and hit the boat next to it. At least once this is between the pilings it’s between the pilings

MM.
 
Gofirstclass said:
Slower is true. I've found the best way to move my boat around is to give it a bump in and out of gear then wait for the boat to react. It's kind of like driving a big truck compared to a sports car.

They're exactly the same, only different. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I’ve found the same.
 
Mike - good notes. I too went the Cruisers route and don't regret it. I think my 3575 is actually much closer in dimension and layout to the 380. I looked at several 370s, 380s, 400ec's, and CY 3575s, and 3870s. Everything was a trade off. Conditions went across the board. The 400 failed survey, so I went up 30k on my budget, that 380 still failed and yet looked immaculate. The 3870 needed too much work and the buyer wouldn't budge. I decided I'd rather buy something that had good bottom paint, running gear, and good canvas/upholstery. Most mechanical stuff I can do my own to keep pricing down. Tradeoffs...

1. I do like the walkthrough windshield on the CY, however, I still would have gone without it if need be.

2. I loved the layout of the 3575 more than the 370/380 - top and bottom. More room at the arch, couch below at the same level, no jacking with multiple cushions to change it to a double, it's also a manual change instead of an electric conversion on the 380 which I liked more (one less motor to break). The cherry wood finish below on the SR was nicer than my CY, however, that's purely a function of the year I bought.

3. Engine access may have been marginally better on the 380, however, the generator access was probably not. I had to extract my generator to repair a leaking oil pump seal and was able to get it out rather easily with two guys.

4. Fuel burn was a wash. My engines are fuel injected TBI motors vs. MPI. Different strokes, still fuel injected, same burn.

5. Handling at low speed I'd probably give the nod to the CY. Due to the lower dead rise, the boat still turns at low speed with the wheel inside the marina fairways. Tradeoff being the lower dead rise doesn't cut through the waves as well. For a lake boat, it shouldn't matter in my case. Dock maneuvering should be about equal...maybe the steeper bow rise causes the SR bow to stay more planted when broadside the wind.

For me it's also about exit strategy. At my price point, I should do OK. I did however buy a boat with higher hours. The boat was used, but clearly not abused.

1021181625b.jpg


1021181625.jpg
 
douglee25 said:
Mike - good notes. I too went the Cruisers route and don't regret it. I think my 3575 is actually much closer in dimension and layout to the 380. I looked at several 370s, 380s, 400ec's, and CY 3575s, and 3870s. Everything was a trade off. Conditions went across the board. The 400 failed survey, so I went up 30k on my budget, that 380 still failed and yet looked immaculate. The 3870 needed too much work and the buyer wouldn't budge. I decided I'd rather buy something that had good bottom paint, running gear, and good canvas/upholstery. Most mechanical stuff I can do my own to keep pricing down. Tradeoffs...

1. I do like the walkthrough windshield on the CY, however, I still would have gone without it if need be.

2. I loved the layout of the 3575 more than the 370/380 - top and bottom. More room at the arch, couch below at the same level, no jacking with multiple cushions to change it to a double, it's also a manual change instead of an electric conversion on the 380 which I liked more (one less motor to break). The cherry wood finish below on the SR was nicer than my CY, however, that's purely a function of the year I bought.

3. Engine access may have been marginally better on the 380, however, the generator access was probably not. I had to extract my generator to repair a leaking oil pump seal and was able to get it out rather easily with two guys.

4. Fuel burn was a wash. My engines are fuel injected TBI motors vs. MPI. Different strokes, still fuel injected, same burn.

5. Handling at low speed I'd probably give the nod to the CY. Due to the lower dead rise, the boat still turns at low speed with the wheel inside the marina fairways. Tradeoff being the lower dead rise doesn't cut through the waves as well. For a lake boat, it shouldn't matter in my case. Dock maneuvering should be about equal...maybe the steeper bow rise causes the SR bow to stay more planted when broadside the wind.

For me it's also about exit strategy. At my price point, I should do OK. I did however buy a boat with higher hours. The boat was used, but clearly not abused.

View attachment 62670

View attachment 62671
Click to expand...

Very nice.
douglee25 said:
Mike - good notes. I too went the Cruisers route and don't regret it. I think my 3575 is actually much closer in dimension and layout to the 380. I looked at several 370s, 380s, 400ec's, and CY 3575s, and 3870s. Everything was a trade off. Conditions went across the board. The 400 failed survey, so I went up 30k on my budget, that 380 still failed and yet looked immaculate. The 3870 needed too much work and the buyer wouldn't budge. I decided I'd rather buy something that had good bottom paint, running gear, and good canvas/upholstery. Most mechanical stuff I can do my own to keep pricing down. Tradeoffs...

1. I do like the walkthrough windshield on the CY, however, I still would have gone without it if need be.

2. I loved the layout of the 3575 more than the 370/380 - top and bottom. More room at the arch, couch below at the same level, no jacking with multiple cushions to change it to a double, it's also a manual change instead of an electric conversion on the 380 which I liked more (one less motor to break). The cherry wood finish below on the SR was nicer than my CY, however, that's purely a function of the year I bought.

3. Engine access may have been marginally better on the 380, however, the generator access was probably not. I had to extract my generator to repair a leaking oil pump seal and was able to get it out rather easily with two guys.

4. Fuel burn was a wash. My engines are fuel injected TBI motors vs. MPI. Different strokes, still fuel injected, same burn.

5. Handling at low speed I'd probably give the nod to the CY. Due to the lower dead rise, the boat still turns at low speed with the wheel inside the marina fairways. Tradeoff being the lower dead rise doesn't cut through the waves as well. For a lake boat, it shouldn't matter in my case. Dock maneuvering should be about equal...maybe the steeper bow rise causes the SR bow to stay more planted when broadside the wind.

For me it's also about exit strategy. At my price point, I should do OK. I did however buy a boat with higher hours. The boat was used, but clearly not abused.

View attachment 62670

View attachment 62671
Click to expand...

Congratulations! Beautiful boat.

MM
 
Alright, alright. Enough already. Pics please!
 
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