1998-2001 Sea Ray Moisture problems

[pj1968]

I had a boat broker tell me yesterday that searays between 1998-2001 can be a disaster when moisture attacks the structural integrity of the hull sometimes to the point of not being SAFE.
He also said this issue has been known by Sea Ray for a long time and many, many hulls has / had this
issue before.
Has anyone ever heard this before?

 

[chuck1]

Sounds like the broker was trying to sell a non Sea Ray boat with that kind of general BS.:smt009

 

[keokie]

Well...... They did have some problems with wet cores. There were issues of various thru hull hardware not being sealed correctly in cored areas. In fact, Powerboat Reports did a big story on it..... which was challenge worthy on some issues.

Sea Ray responded with a letter from the CEO (Cynthia or something), if I recall correctly. I only remember some of the specifics. I do remember I felt WORSE sbout Sea Ray after reading the response.

There have been a number of improvements that have been put in place at Sea Ray to solve this.

Other manufacturers have had similar problems. The quality of a boat is very dependant on not only the construction techniques, but the compliance and precision administered by the employees.

Many mistakes can be made with boats even after they leave the factory that are invisible but deadly.

The dealer installed rod holders in the cored side decks of my boat for the previous owner without a bit of sealant. Luckily, I discovered it before any damage.

 

[tobnpr]

Short answer is, yes...as Keokie has already stated.

The larger hulls from Merritt Island with cored bottoms and hullsides from that period had well documented issues.
As with any boat that has a cored bottom and/or hullsides, a thorough survey is prudent.

 

[fwebster]

Please get the facts straight before making any decisions.........

Merritt Island made solid core boats.....i.e., HIN#'s beginning with SERM or SERF. Cored hull boats were produced in the Sykes Creek and Palm Coast factories, HIN#'s SERY and SERP, respectively.

All Sea Rays have cored decks and in some other above the rub-rail structures.

The Power Boat Reports did have a long article on wet core problems about 10 years ago, but the article was about a single Sea Ray boat and should not be taken as an inditement on all cored hull boats. Many top quality builders use cored construction and to eliminate a cored boat from your search means you also eliminate Hattaras, Viking, Sunseeker, Azimut, Alden, etc.

In most cases where a core has gotten wet, the cause has been traced to a penetration to the core from physical damage, a bad repair, an improper addition to the boat by an unskilled owner or boat yard, a lack of routine maintenance or abuse by the owner.

Sea Rays do not have a systemic problem with cores getting wet, but if owning a cored boat bothers you, then don't buy one and enjoy your outboard skiff since you will have narrowed your market search considerably.

 

[tobnpr]

Sorry if I got the manufacturing facility incorrect.
But, I think you're glossing over (for some reason I don't understand) the fact that Sea Ray did, indeed, have problems with some of their cored-hull boats from this period.

From the Poweboat Reports article:

"In the Feb. 17, 2002 , survey report for Bunkers, surveyor Group, who has been in the business for 32 years, wrote that moisture readings "were very high on the port side forward, extending from the bow to about midships. Readings were noted in the 80%-100% range, with some areas pegging off the scale. Sources of water entry to the core at this area are suspected to be the horn fitting, the two hull ports, and the hull/deck joint." He further wrote that "the condition has been encountered by the undersigned on many other Sea Ray boats (many different models) of similar vintage." Group says he has the surveying reports and statistics to back this statement."

Clearly, Sea Ray did (past tense) have a systemic problem...it's well documented- and while moisture intrusion into the core is often due to factors and events after delivery, clearly these were not. The affected boats with unsealed core penetrations left the factory that way. According to the article, Sea Ray flew several reps to Ohio to meet with this surveyor in 2000 to look at the problem boats. SR then flew the surveyor to Merritt Island (??) six months later "to see first hand some of the improvements SR had made to prevent water from penetrating the hulls"

"They made some changes for the 2002 models, and I think there are several engineers inside SR who are trying to do a better job. However, that's not going to do any good for the boat [owners] of models from 1995-2001," says Group.

 

[keokie]

Frank,

As I mentioned, the Powerboat Reports article could be challenged on some points. But what bothered me about Sea Ray's response was the defense of cored construction as a principle rather than addressing the techniques and quality control problems at Sea Ray. I never took the fact the the hulls were cored to be the problem. It was how thru-hulls were done that did in those boats.

 

[fwebster]

That is exactly my point.

Cored construction does not mean the boat is going to self destruct and become a sponge when it is 61 months old.

In every case, except the 400DB in Power Boat Reports, that I've heard or read about there is a cause for the core getting wet that has nothing at all to do with the presence of coring, but is due to one of the reasons I cited above. Anytime the core is penetrated, the potential for moisture intrusion is there, however, to say "Sea Rays have moisture problems" is not accurate and is misleading. We know of 2 400DB's that were wet, but there must be a thousand or more out there. Every boat is different and if it is cored, you must include that in your due diligence for pre-purchase inspection/surveys.

For me it is simple.......if you are afraid of cored construction, then don't buy a boat made that way. If you aren't, then be a realist and understand that any core penetration can be a moisture source and protect yourself accordingly and that may mean removing and rebedding any deck appliance, hull vents, and port lights.

 

[tdschafer]

Hey guys, Very compelling arguements. I have really no educated opinion on cored vs non so my comment may not be appropriate for this thread. I was talking to the guy who runs the marina yesterday complaining about a repair I was doing on my sliding door and how different the new parts fit vs the old ones. He told me that a customer had a brand new amberjack delivered to the marina last season. They unwrapped it , did whatever they do, and launched it. The boat immediately took on substantial water and had to be pulled right out. Apparently one of the thru-hull sending units was installed improperly and had to be R & R'd. So while the boat is out, Andy was walking around doing a general visual and says that he finds all kinds of loose SS hardware just sitting in some of the other thru-hull fittings. Now my problem is that I always considered Sea Ray to be like the Cadillac of boats and this looks more like something you would see from Yugo, and we all know where they ended up. So to sum it up, my problem is not coring but, the care taken by the mfg to insure you dont get the penetration. I also understand you don't condemn a whole line of boats because of one incident. I was just shocked to hear this. Thats my $0.02

 

[fwebster]

The AJ series are solid hull boats so, other than decks, the moisture question isn't an issue.

The leaking sending unit...........its a boat and stuff happens to boats. From your question nobody knows if the faulty transducer installation was done by the factory, by the dealer or by a contracted electronics guy. Furthermore, why did the dealer not catch the leaking transducer before delivery and fix it before the customer even saw the boat?

Don't confuse poor dealer preparation with poor quality. I wonder why the dealer didn't clean the AJ before it was delivered? The dropped stainless hardware could have come from manufacturing (probably), electronics installs, dealer prep, etc. It shouldn't have been there when the customer got the boat and it is the dealers responsibility to clean the boat before delivery to the customer.

 

[Jackie J V]

Just one other issue to monitor and maintain.

I have a 2001 Sea Ray 560 - cored hull.

I had the surveyor focus on testing hull prior to purchase. Testing showed that there was a potential area where the equipment showed moisture in the hull (a strip of about 1' by 5'. Almost threw me off buying the boat, however the surveyor (who came with excellent references from trusted sources) calmed me down that in the worst case, the repair would be a cost running about 1% of my purchase price. When I did a core sample over the winter, turned out there wasn't an issue at all.

I plan to have the marina test the hull each year when its hauled for the winter just to identify any potential adjustments before they turn into significant issues.

On my model, they did make a few changes between the 2001 and 2002 model year. Most specifically, starting with the 2002 model, every though hull has the core cut back and filled with epoxy. Not so on mine - that means extra attention to inspecting any through hulls, and may lead me to modify over time. Also means I'm focused on making sure that stuff is installed properly.

Bottom line, if I'd gotten thown off by the bad advice and commentary on "cored hulls", I wouldn't have bought my boat - which would have been my loss. The good folks here at CSR also helped to steer me on the straight course.:thumbsup:

Paul

 

[tobnpr]

Somehow, we've gotten away from the point of the OP's post, to general talk about cored construction methods.

No one stated anywhere that "cored bad, solid FRP good"...

He asked whether certain SR's from that period had coring issues to confirm what he had been told. The fact is, they did- some due to the reason Jackie just mentioned. Doesn't mean the boat is a POS, or that you're necessarily going to have problems. It means that SOME of the boats had issues- and they were due to unsatisfactory construction methods which were later rectified. Not because of owner or dealer negligence.

I'm a huge SR fan- but wrong, is wrong...just like unsealed limber holes on the boats of my era.

Over and out...

 

[bahamaray]

So I found a 1999 45eb very clean with cat 3126ta engines which I am interested in buying.
The broker advised me that the boat just returned from the SR factory because they had located some areas with elevated moisture in the hull core. These areas of elevated moisture were cut away and the core replaced and the points of possible water intrusion were sealed.

I've been told that this should be the end of the problem and the part cut away was reinforced even stronger than before.
Should I stay away frm this vessel to avoid future headaches or could the repairs done by SR be sufficiant to buy this boat with confidence.

The moisture reading were eleveated at 30% around the portside hull bottom, there was water leaking into the engine room. I have the full SR report with photos showing what was found and how it was repaired.

Any comments would be aprreciated.

 

[sbw1]

The wet core issue is what caused me to switch brands. My last SR leaked so badly from day one that it became very expensive to own after the warranty ran out. I believe the boat had a poor design that caused the deck/hull joint to flex. We could never locate the exact cause of that leak and it was repaired several times while I owned the boat. I was also suspicious of the cored area around the windlass and the foredeck would flex just a little when you walked on it. So, after 10 years I sold the boat. I've seen and read too many stories about SR leaks to buy one with a cored hull, plus as others have said, pretty much all decks are cored.

 

[Barlow1016]

I understand this is an old thread. I was just wondering if my 1999 340 Sundancer is cored below the rub rail or is solid fiberglass? I do know above the rub rail is cord. Great boat just wondering

 

[sbw1]

I understand this is an old thread. I was just wondering if my 1999 340 Sundancer is cored below the rub rail or is solid fiberglass? I do know above the rub rail is cord. Great boat just wondering

I believe SR cored hulls on boats ever 40 feet back in that era. My 1993 370 was all glass below the rub rail.