Skipno6
Member
Sorry for typos in previous post header...
Hey - this is my first post (patience please) and I'm looking forward to getting into this...and we're getting close to our first boat purchase. I've read countless threads on this subject; however, many seem to get off topic a bit and not so much into the pros and cons. I also tried several suggested links that didn't work (or I couldn't find the info). In addition to my searches and reviews, I spoke with a few service managers at various Sea Ray dealers and received some good info from many of them. However, none of them were actual proud owners of a 340, so here it goes...here.
After searching for some time for an '03 or '04 340...we discovered that there just aren't many available within a reasonable surrounding area that offer a good all around package, suit our needs and present a good value. We lost an opportunity to purchase a freshwater 2003 340 with 8.1s that came-up quick. We weren't necessarily looking for that particular set of engines...just happened to have them and I started looking into the differences. I didn't get on it fast enough and someone else stole her away! Yes, I'm learning. We now have an opportunity to potentially secure a very clean, well taken care of freshwater 2004 340 with 6.2s that has fewer options and a couple hundred more hours and is also priced a bit more, but I think we can get her for a fair buy once all said and done. We're planning to use the 340 for mostly day trips to start...while we get familiar with the boat, and eventually we'll spend overnights/long weekends while putting some hours on it. Then, later...but hopefully not too much later, we'll spend a week or more on the vessel and take longer/farther trips. There are 3 of us and we plan to host friends and family for day trips.
The power questions: do you think Sea Ray under-served the 340 by offering the 6.1 as base engines? Is it really just designed for 'cocktail speeds' as some have implied throughout this site? I know I'll love the process while getting-up on plane without a doubt every time...but, will I be disappointed when we have more than the three of us on board? I'm not interested in a go-fast boat whatsoever (wouldn't have chosen this make/model if I was), but for what it's worth...we recently bought a 6 cyl. car as I knew I'd be frustrated passing someone on the highway in the same model with a 4 cyl. Obviously and not necessarily a fair/direct comparison there, but you get what I'm saying. As our first boat, will the 2004 with 6.1s surprise and delight me each time we head out? Will I get frustrated after spending a year or so on it as we graduate into longer trips where we'll be cruising at higher RPMs? I'm sure this won't be a 'forever' boat for us...but, we'd like to enjoy it for as long as we can...before getting into something larger (we know this will happen, right?).
We'll have an opportunity to take the 2004 340 with 6.2s for a sea trial before an in-and-out of water survey. That experience should help me sort some of this out, I hope...but, I highly doubt I'll have a chance to take a ride on a 340 with 8.1s for a real-feel direct comparison. I know many are partial to the 8.1 engines for the 340; but, are any of you (or do you know of anyone who is) partial to 6.2s and if so, why...besides it being a great boat for 'cocktail speeds/cruising'? What are the real-world pros and cons for 6.2s or 8.1s? Any suggestions and thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading through all of this...looking forward to hearing from you.
Hey - this is my first post (patience please) and I'm looking forward to getting into this...and we're getting close to our first boat purchase. I've read countless threads on this subject; however, many seem to get off topic a bit and not so much into the pros and cons. I also tried several suggested links that didn't work (or I couldn't find the info). In addition to my searches and reviews, I spoke with a few service managers at various Sea Ray dealers and received some good info from many of them. However, none of them were actual proud owners of a 340, so here it goes...here.
After searching for some time for an '03 or '04 340...we discovered that there just aren't many available within a reasonable surrounding area that offer a good all around package, suit our needs and present a good value. We lost an opportunity to purchase a freshwater 2003 340 with 8.1s that came-up quick. We weren't necessarily looking for that particular set of engines...just happened to have them and I started looking into the differences. I didn't get on it fast enough and someone else stole her away! Yes, I'm learning. We now have an opportunity to potentially secure a very clean, well taken care of freshwater 2004 340 with 6.2s that has fewer options and a couple hundred more hours and is also priced a bit more, but I think we can get her for a fair buy once all said and done. We're planning to use the 340 for mostly day trips to start...while we get familiar with the boat, and eventually we'll spend overnights/long weekends while putting some hours on it. Then, later...but hopefully not too much later, we'll spend a week or more on the vessel and take longer/farther trips. There are 3 of us and we plan to host friends and family for day trips.
The power questions: do you think Sea Ray under-served the 340 by offering the 6.1 as base engines? Is it really just designed for 'cocktail speeds' as some have implied throughout this site? I know I'll love the process while getting-up on plane without a doubt every time...but, will I be disappointed when we have more than the three of us on board? I'm not interested in a go-fast boat whatsoever (wouldn't have chosen this make/model if I was), but for what it's worth...we recently bought a 6 cyl. car as I knew I'd be frustrated passing someone on the highway in the same model with a 4 cyl. Obviously and not necessarily a fair/direct comparison there, but you get what I'm saying. As our first boat, will the 2004 with 6.1s surprise and delight me each time we head out? Will I get frustrated after spending a year or so on it as we graduate into longer trips where we'll be cruising at higher RPMs? I'm sure this won't be a 'forever' boat for us...but, we'd like to enjoy it for as long as we can...before getting into something larger (we know this will happen, right?).
We'll have an opportunity to take the 2004 340 with 6.2s for a sea trial before an in-and-out of water survey. That experience should help me sort some of this out, I hope...but, I highly doubt I'll have a chance to take a ride on a 340 with 8.1s for a real-feel direct comparison. I know many are partial to the 8.1 engines for the 340; but, are any of you (or do you know of anyone who is) partial to 6.2s and if so, why...besides it being a great boat for 'cocktail speeds/cruising'? What are the real-world pros and cons for 6.2s or 8.1s? Any suggestions and thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading through all of this...looking forward to hearing from you.