Looking to purchase 52 sedan bridge

Clearly the boat I am looking at has the MAN 800’s....I am not a diesel expert....what are your concern with the MAN’s. I hear they are a bit more expensive to maintain but I hear they are pretty robust....I would appreciate any and all feedback!!
 
You’re welcome to PM me as well.

Definitely look out for the wood laminate inside the boat delaminating.
The 480 I am looking at has some pretty bad delamination which makes us worry if water leaked in from flybridge (curiously the fridge/ice maker has been removed from up top). No one can seem to tell us definitively whether the cabinets can be repaired and at what cost. Thoughts?
 
Most of the MAN bashing is for lack of service availability in most areas. Others are the parts are 3x the cost of standard
Deisel parts.
That’s what I’ve heard anyway.
 
When I was looking for my 52 my search took me through all the model years. Overall the boat stayed the same except for the larger cockpit and some galley changes with the cabinets and the hatch in the floor. I couldn’t get past the larger cockpit in later model 08 and newer 52’s. All of these 52 years are great boats but for our use we wanted the bigger cockpit. The only thing we don’t like about this boat is the room around the bed in the master stateroom. It is hard to make the bed. If that is the only issue I’d say it’s a perfect boat.
 
We felt the same about the layout. There is 1 other change - the bunks went from 5' 3" to 6', which was important for our kids.

Also agree on the master bed.

I do wish some of the windows in the salon opened. At a Sea Ray rendezvous last summer, the Sea Ray rep asked me about how we liked the boat, and I said my only complaint was that the windows didn't open (like the newer ones). She said that the 520 has a higher offshore rating than the 510/550 Fly, because the windows are much stronger and can take a bigger wave without breaking. My response: "that sounds great, just wish I could open the windows".
 
The master is a bit tight and a little short storage too compared to my friends 51fly with a mid-master but I wouldn’t give up the cockpit being so low to the water. A lot of the newer models (Searay and others) have more freeboard to get the head height high enough for the mid master. That raises the cockpit up so high off the water I don’t feel like I am near the water. Plus you have a few steps up to get from the swim platform to the cockpit. I like this generation of sedans (42/44 as well) as they feel like you are right at the water and not just way up on top of it.
 
The master is a bit tight and a little short storage too compared to my friends 51fly with a mid-master but I wouldn’t give up the cockpit being so low to the water. A lot of the newer models (Searay and others) have more freeboard to get the head height high enough for the mid master. That raises the cockpit up so high off the water I don’t feel like I am near the water. Plus you have a few steps up to get from the swim platform to the cockpit. I like this generation of sedans (42/44 as well) as they feel like you are right at the water and not just way up on top of it.
And I think the storage in the galley could be better in the 05 to 08 52's; small cubby hole cabinets and the like make it challenging to pack for long trips.
But you cant go wrong with that nice wide walk-around gunnel!
 
Agree with most comments my complaints would be the bunks in 05- are for small kids we really don’t have the kids with us any longer but when we do they’re cramped
The hanging locker door hits the bed in the forward stateroom making it very difficult to get anything in/out.
Storage is minimal but I like the increased counter space on the later models in the galley.
Most of the improvements are after 06/07 I think
Other than this we love the boat it’s so easy to handle and she’s great for long overnights (except the bunks)
Edit::

I guess myself and ttmott where posting at the same time, I agree long trips are challenging when it comes to storage
Our boat had the washer removed when we did the demo ride so the owners could use the area for storage.
I meant she is comfortable at sea for trips .
 
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Scott - the only guy here that had a 52 with MAN 6 cyls was Skip. He's not here often and has moved up to a '58. He really loved his MAN powered '52 - you might try to PM him...
 
When I was researching the boat, I also came across postings and websites that led me to believe that the service on MANS was more expensive than the Cummins, due to the parts and there being fewer mechanics who are familiar with the engines. I didn't spend much time investigating, since I didn't want the extra horsepower/fuel burn.

With the Cummins, WOT is 2350 RPM and about 36 MPH. There's way too many logs and other debris in the water in the PNW to go that fast on a regular basis!
 
Congrats. I have Cummins so can’t help with MAN numbers but I am interested in seeing what they look like.
 
I looked at a 07 - 52 Sedan Bridge that has Man Engines. I was surprised to hear that in 2013 both fuel tanks were bad from “bad diesel” and leaked into the bilge. They replaced both fuel tanks which required pulling the salon interior apart. I am critical and the boat looks great. You wouldn’t know that work was done. Might have to look closer now that I know this info. Spoke to the Previous owner yesterday (he traded the boat and the dealer is selling it). I asked if there was damage to the engines with the bad gas. He said there wasn’t because of how filtered the diesel gas is going into the engines. He raved about the Mans overall, said they were fast, wot 40mph, cruise at 25-32 mph burning 50gph or .05 mph no matter what cruise speed. He agreed the Mans are 25% more for parts. There are two mechanic in this area but that’s it.

The owner suggested the Cummins were a bit underpowered and noisy compared to the Mans. Doesn’t sound like you guys have many complaints at all in regard to the Cummins?

The boat will need Isenglass soon and it still has working (for now) Sea Ray Navigation. It also needs the 3yr-5yr (1000) service even though it is at 700 hours.

I am trying to talk myself out of this one however it is in great shape, very clean for an 07. I think they are asking a bit much also, $500 or $515 with 2yr Engine warranty.
 
Not sure about the noise DB’s but standing in the salon you know the Cummins are running because your standing right above them any other place on the boat and you don’t hear them much. I’d guess the same for any large diesel motor
I’ve never even thought about it being underpowered 1320 hp is a lot of horses and she does fine. Cruise around 23-25 mph and top is around 30 if my memory is correct
Only problem with the QSM’s as stated is the exhaust gaskets
Other than that it’s like maintaining a Chevy over a Mercedes.
 
I agree that I have no issues with the power of the Cummins. They seem to
Move the boat effortlessly. I don’t have as many hours with mine as many of these guys have but so far the boat and engines have been great.
 
I looked at a 07 - 52 Sedan Bridge that has Man Engines. I was surprised to hear that in 2013 both fuel tanks were bad from “bad diesel” and leaked into the bilge. They replaced both fuel tanks which required pulling the salon interior apart. I am critical and the boat looks great. You wouldn’t know that work was done. Might have to look closer now that I know this info. Spoke to the Previous owner yesterday (he traded the boat and the dealer is selling it). I asked if there was damage to the engines with the bad gas. He said there wasn’t because of how filtered the diesel gas is going into the engines. He raved about the Mans overall, said they were fast, wot 40mph, cruise at 25-32 mph burning 50gph or .05 mph no matter what cruise speed. He agreed the Mans are 25% more for parts. There are two mechanic in this area but that’s it.

The owner suggested the Cummins were a bit underpowered and noisy compared to the Mans. Doesn’t sound like you guys have many complaints at all in regard to the Cummins?

The boat will need Isenglass soon and it still has working (for now) Sea Ray Navigation. It also needs the 3yr-5yr (1000) service even though it is at 700 hours.

I am trying to talk myself out of this one however it is in great shape, very clean for an 07. I think they are asking a bit much also, $500 or $515 with 2yr Engine warranty.

That sounds like Skip's '52 that he traded in to Prince William for his '58. He had no complaints with the MANs. The boat was a lot faster than the Cummins powered ones, but as others have said, no complaints about Cummins except the dry turbos and exhaust manifolds...

For $515 you might be getting close to an '06 58DB...just sayin'.
 
Want to stay with the 52 size but I agree the price is steep. Working on that part of it.

Yes it was Skip’s.

Anyone else heard of bad gas rotting a tank out after 5yrs or so?
 
Skip told me the boat wasn't used much by the PO and water had accumulated in the bottom of the tanks and they were corroded and weeping...

I believe our tanks are aluminum, and it doesn't like water...
 

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