New here, Looking for answers and advice.

jitts3

jitts3

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2008
1,374
Freedom, WI
Boat Info
1989 Sea Ray 268 Sundancer
Engines
454 Bravo 2
Hello, I'm looking on this site and am quite impressed. I am supprised (Problably due to my old school attitude) that a site like this exhists. This will be a long tread so bear with me. I am buying a 1970s SRV240 Weekender. I am told its a 1972 but I think its newer than that. That alone may make some of you think "what a fool" but the story of this boat is not really fully understood. Basicly the boad is in my mind excellent shape, except the guy who owns the boat lost the engine in it then ran into financial trouble. I am getting the boat for cheap due to the fact that the engine and outdrive are gone, as in not there. I looked her over and was impressed with her and my nature is if I can keep up with the big dogs with old school equipment, why not. It worked before. I never persued it to much until I found a deal on a rebuilt engine and an outdrive. Now I'm in the running. As soon as I get home I'm paying the guy for the boat and getting the engine combo pronto.
Now for the meat and potatoes of the long and drawn out questions. I never gave long trips much thought until I saw this boat. I'm originally from New Jersey and Now live in PA. My Dad had a 18' boat when I was a kid but we just stayed in Lake Waullenpaupack in PA and the Raritan Bay in Jersey. Long trips were never in my head. My girlfriend is from Boston and we are dreaming about one day when we get the boat running, to take a trip from South River, New Jersey to Boston and back. This seemed like a pipe dream until recently, but this brings up many more questions.
Again the boat is a 72 ish Sea Ray SRV240. It will be powered by the old school "rebuilt 5.0 Chevy and a OMC stringer outdrive. The boat holds 70 gallons and will run on cheap 87 octaine gasoline.
Anybody who made that run in the past have any advise for sombody planning such a trip, How long would such a jorney take and how much fuel would I burn, aprox?
I read a bunch of posts on here and I must say, most of the boats I see picture in this forum are amazing, and quite frankly make my boat look like a matchbox car...uh boat.
Also just checking on the feedback I get. I intend to do more with my boat then just fish with my dad. I enjoyed just riding around, and am also enquireing about anything else in the New York, Jersey area cool to check out by boat.
Thanks for the time and I'm sure somebody is laughing at me and my crazyness to run a 30+ year boat.:smt043
Steve
 
Hi Steve,

Welcome to CSR.

Wow, quite a restoration project you have in front of you.

See this link. Is this the boat?


http://www.searay.com/Archives_Manu...2/Full Brochure PDF/1972 Sea Ray Brochure.pdf





Did you get a marine survey so you know the hull is fundamentally sound? I hope you are very mechanical and know what parts you need and their costs.

Restoration costs often exceed the boats restored value even if you count your labor as $0 so if your goal is to fix this up and have less invested then buying something else please keep this in mind. The reason to restore most vintage boats are based on emotion and are not financially viable. I hate to be blunt, but here goes. Even if the boat is structurally sound and you get the boat for free $0, this still may not be economically worth a restoration.


Just so you know what you are getting into, OMC went out of business. Repair parts get more expensive and more difficult to find every year. At this point, a good working OMC drive is more expensive then a good rebuilt drive that is presently in production such as Merc or Volvo. Some of the internal parts have become so short in supply the parts are worth a lot to someone with an installed OMC drive that needs just that specific part. A good working OMC drive at a value price is suspect.

If you are confident that the hull in this boat is sound and are committed to the project and have not yet purchased the used OMC equipment you may want to consider going with something that is on the market today.

Consider installing a rebuilt Merc Alpha drive and small block chevy (Merc) motor from a reputable company with a warranty. Sometimes you can swapp out the OMC Cobra drive with a Volvo SX drive. Sometimes they have the same through transom holes. Sometimes not. Start here: http://www.marinepartsexpress.com/SX_Cobra.pdf
 
Last edited:
As far as your trip, I am not familiar with that area so I will let others answer.

As far as range, once you have this boat operational you can fill the tank, take a run with a GPS that tracks mileage in an internal odometer then fill the gas tank again. Divide miles traveled by gallons used.

I would guess you will be looking at somewhere between 2.1 and 2.5 state miles per gallon but this is just my guess. Using the rules of 3rds, meaning you use 1/3rd of your gas to get to your destination, 1/3rd of your gas to get back and 1/3rd as a reserve, your range would be 70 gallons x mileage (lets say 2MPG) / 3. So 70 x 2 / 3 = 46 miles. However if you can get gas on the other side, at your destination side before you return, then your range becomes longer by 2 or 92 miles.



Please take a boaters safety class and get a free vessel safety inspection.

#1) Take a boaters safety course. They are offered by the coast guard auxiliary, the local power squadron, the DNR and you can also take them online here http://www.boatingbasicsonline.com/
Upon passing this course you will get a certificate / wallet card. Many insurance companies give a discount upon providing them documentation that you successfully completed this course.

#2) I also recommend a FREE vessel safety check. You contact the local coast guard auxiliary or the local power squadron and if you are launched they may offer coming to you to perform the inspection. Upon passing this inspection you will get a vessel decal to display on your boat. One place you can go to sigh up for this free inspection is here: http://safetyseal.net/

Again, welcome to Club Sea Ray.
 
Last edited:
Even if you have a lot of time to wait for perfect weather windows, I’m not sure the trip from NJ to Boston (and back) would be much fun in a 24’ boat regardless of its age and condition. You ought to take a look at the posts from Gary’s (Four Suns) trip to New England this past summer in his 480 DB.
 
I would have to agree with everything Presentation said as far as the OMC issues especially if you plan on using this boat to the degree you stated above (We will touch on that later). Just to mention you were considering a 5.0 liter motor for this boat, this is a relatively heavy 24 foot boat I would not consider anything smaller then a 5.7 (260hp). If you run this boat with a 5.0 liter motor you are going to be pushing this motor to the outside of it’s limits (cruising RPM’s) If you have an opportunity to power a boat I would never settle on marginal. There are allot of good small block 5.7’s on the market that you can get a reman. for just a few grand.

Now as far as traveling from NJ to Boston on this boat, it can be done, but I would highly not recommend this without knowing that the boat and operator are well proven and have the experience necessary. This is a trip I would not recommend for the novice. You have the potential to experience significant weather and seas (I am very familiar with this trip, I have done it many times in different boats). I am not saying that you can’t take a small boat on a long trip, I am saying that it just isn’t the prudent thing to do, not to mention you are talking about a 300+ mile trip one way on a boat that has an endurance of about 100 miles(fuel) not to mention the endurance of yourself and your passenger(s). I have taken a 25 foot boat (Sea Ray Sundancer)on a 600 mile round trip up to Canada and back (my wife still asks why we did it) leaving out of New Jersey many years ago, but this was an inland trip all the way.

Sorry to sound like I am shooting your idea down, but I would say you need to understand completely this undertaking, and the practicality of it.
 
Last edited:
I sold a very good boat ( 1977 Wellcraft 210 nova )with a 2 year old Jasper marine engine ( 351 ford, 4bbl, 275 hp ) because it had a OMC stinger drive with electric shift. The shifter throttle comb went out, could not find one anywhere. The out drive was getting a little sloppy, and also very hard to find parts for, and expensive. Took my losses now instead of sinking more money into a old boat that sometimes you can't give away. My advice save your money and and don't buy the boat, or if you have repower with a outboard. Big pain in the a$$ and hard and very expensive to change from a omc stringer out drive to a merc. Just my 2-cents worth but been there done that. Keep saving your money and get a newer 260 with a merc, you'll be much happier. I've owned a lot of boats over the last 27 years of boat ownership, Sea Ray by far is a lot better of a boat than most. Good luck.

P.S. I do have a good bayliner 2452 with 120 hours on a new motor if you're interested, give me a P.M.
 
Alright! I'm learning. haha. I appreciate the feedback. I'll try to address the points that were made to me. 1st one is that I've seen the brochure archives and I don't believe shes a 72 since they apparently didn't offer a swim platform then, but maybe it was added. I will know for sure, the title will be in my hand by weeks end as well as some pics, weather permitting. Been getting snow at home in PA.
I appreciate the advice on the free inspections, an offer i'm sure I won't refuse. Just makes sence. Thanks for that.
As for the boats engine, it was rebuilt at a trade school in northern Ohio. They even had it on a dyno and it put out 265hp. Comparable to the 350 (5.7) of that era. Is for my mechanical abilltiy I have been turning wrenches since I could lift one. I have always played (worked) on my own stuff. This is nothing new to me. But going back to the underpowered part, I guess she may be just that. If that turns out to be so I do have a 350 block that I will rebuid with marine parts. The great thing about Chevy small blocks is that they all have the same outer dimensions, and will be easy to swap out. Dad always said his was underpowered, It took forever to plane. No matter what you did to the trim, She'd rather put the bow to the sky till Dad won. Sometimes he'd get impatient and walk (240lbs) to the bow to help push it down. I was young and to light!
As for the older boat issue I'm just going to say that as a Independant Truck Driver (Owner Operator) I live and die by fuel prices. :smt089 Thank god none of my toys are financed. I would have lost them all. God bless those who have the ability to afford awesome boats and newer ones at that. That is not where I am but I still want to do what I can.
Please don't take me the wrong. I AM NOT the blue collar type who is jeaolus at others who had more success than me. Quite the opposite, thats why I work so hard. To get successfull. Kid Rock said it best "I want more than the next man." I just want to enjoy my life as I get where I want to go in life.
Dad sold his boat when I was 18. I'm 31 now. The boat brought us close. My best memories are around 18 feet of wood and fiberglass, small and underpowered as it was, to me it was better than any yaght! It was Dads.:smt001 Now I guess I'm trying to relive my youth by doing what worked for us then. Also my sons, 5 and 10 years. They are just like me. I want them to fish with Dad too.
As for the Cash value of a restored Boat, I completly understand that I will never be able to get out of my boat (Cash) what I will put in it. I am limited by a few things. Cash and I live in PA, meaning I must take my boat home with me when I go home. It must go on a trailer and be no wider than 8'6. This re-done old school approach is my only way at this time. I'd rather restore an older boat and go boating than sit around and wish.
As for why I am choosing to go with the OMC. Its because thats what it had. It was the stringer unit it had which had the large hole in the transom covered by a rubber boot. A Merc or Volvo conversion will require a complete transom replace or an adaptor plate to cover the hole. I don't even do body work on my cars, mechanical only. Glass work on the thing keeping me out of the drink, thats for sombody else. Not something I want to invest in, especially since on a Merc or Volvo most of the push from the engine will be on a "patch Job". In my opinion Sea Ray built a good boat. Their best designers built mine to be pushed along by her stringers. So I will not re invent the wheel. Also Dads boat was an OMC stringer and we ran it 10 years never needing any repairs, just maintence. They couldn't be that bad. So many ran for so long. Also budget. I'm not going to run with bone yard parts, This engine and outdrive are rebuilt. I make a good living with a 10 year old Peterbilt with a rebuilt CAT engine and a Rebuilt Trans with half the payment of the new truck guys. Again not putting down new equipment, Just not on my budget.
As for me and my abillity to handle a boat, well I've been around them from age 9 to 18. Dad made sure I could handle the boat. Actually when I got older, Dad's job got easier getting the boat on and off the trailer. At 13 I eather drove the Suburban down the ramp or I drove the boat on the trailer. That was always up to Dad. Back then we could get to the dock, get the Suburban, Back the empty (harder to see with no boat) trailer down the ramp, get the boat on the trailer, get the gear out of the boat, pack the Suburban. Use the potti and go in less time then most could get their boat in the water. We did it every week, it was a system.
Once the Sea Ray is ready I will at first keep her in the lakes local to me. If trouble does arrise, I'd rather have it happen close to my shop and where getting a stranded boat out of the water is much easier. Once I'm convinced shes ready for tidal waters we will start slow. Staying in the NJ and NY area near NYC, nearby where I grew up. This way I can get a better idea of her indurance and how she handles larger seas. The boston trip is at this point an Idea, but a serious one. That will take some saving, and planning ahead, But may happen, we'll see. trailering it up there is always an option.
Hope I dont come accross as a know it all, Just putting my ideas down to let the more experienced shed light on what may not be a good idea.
I also have an RV. For this I uses Woodalls camping guide. This helps find campgrounds in the areas you are looking to stay at. Is there something similar for Marinas?
Thanks again for the feedback, keep em coming.
This was edited a few times, hope I didn't skip around too bad on anger anyone.
Steve
 
Good luck, have fun, and get your kids to help out with the work on the boat. Like you, they will have fond memories of working on and using the boat with their Dad. Take them fishing tubing and stay overnight on the boat with them, they will love it. Old school is a 359 Pete!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup:
 
Finally, my schedule is known for the rest of the week, Today being Wed. I'll head to South Jersey Friday afternoon to pick up the boat ane take her on the "Epic" Journey to north east PA. :grin: Can't wait to get her home, start on the repower Job and watch her sit in front of my house waiting for the ice to melt. Right about now the only thing on Lake waullenpaupack is snowmobiles! ahhhhhh in agony
 
Good luck with everything Steve. Looks like your getting yourself a nice Christmas present. If you ever bring her back to the NJ Manasquan/Barnegat bay area, let me know.
 
The "epic" is a joke, She's in Howell NJ now. I Live in Blakeslee, which is about 120 miles from there. I-80 30 miles into Pa from NJ. Poconos basicly. I plan on taking her to the Jersey Shore often. I used to go bluefishing on the 125ft Jamacia out of Brielle, NJ. They typically went to the Mudhole, about 14 miles out. :thumbsup: That was many years ago. Mudhole is still there of coarse. I used to go out there with my uncle.
Mom and Dad nornally take his 18ft Alumacraft (Mom and Dad's pre retirement rig) to the Raritan Bay after Fluke. We ocassionally took Dads ArrowGlass there back in the day.
I plan on doing a lot of fishing and sightseeing with this one.
You fish that area? Whats round down there to see?
Steve
 
Steve,

Please don't take what I said the wrong way, I know it may have sounded like I was being real negative. I only say what I said because I have been in exactly your position (boat wise) at one time down to the fact of wanting to take my father out on the boat that I built when I was 16. Now I take my 5 year old son out on our boat and he has a blast! I even went to the degree of buying my father a 20 foot Sea Ray just so he can take my son out fishing like he took me when I was his age. I sometimes get passionate about people that don't have a mechanical backround and think they can take on these involved projects and end up underestimating them. I give you credit for atleast contemplating the change over to a Merc. and making your decision based on practicality. Just do me a favor and brush up on some navigation and rules of the road before undertaking any coastal trips...
 
Larry,
No prob, I take nothing personally. I can completely understand where you come from on that. Most people I know Think they can fix things. Most of my friend start a job and I sometimes wind up fixing the original problem plus what they messed up...:smt021. Gets anoying. So I could understand what you mean about people with little to no mechanical background.
Is far as navigational skills, What I do know is this. I took an online boaters saftey coarse in Pa (Where I live). This I found to be very informative. I remember the basics Dad tought me while on the lake. I know there is a coarse Presentation sent me a link to.
Again, I understand your concern. I know the frustration that experienced mariners must face with when encountering Newbies with seemingly no clue. Is a Independant Truck Driver, Owner Operator, I make my living on the road. I run down the road with a rig valued at 80K with at times $1,000,000.00 worth of freight. The last thing i need is an inexperienced driver (Truck or Car) causing a wreck and involving ME. Like changing lanes in front of me :wow: and slamming on the brake to get the "suprise" exit ramp causing me to have a heart attack to not flat out kill them.
Thats the reason I'm here on the forum. I learn so much here. I read the experience and troubles some have as well as the answers they get.
The Boat has been around for a while and I never talked myself into buying it due to the fact I have tons of irons in the fire, plus with the ecomomy (I haul it) work has been slower, but I am frugal and live mostly debt free, only having the Tractor Trailer financed. The boat was a christmas gift from my girl, saying I deserve what I want since don't ask for much and I work hard. She was right, plus I always wanted to get a boat since Dad sold his. The last few weeks is when I realy got serious. She has heard me at nausium talking about the memories I had From Dad's boat, for years. "Time to give the same to your kids." she tells me.
Now I'm hearing the weather for the poconos a south Jersey. Looks like I may not have such a good trip trailering her home, Oh well. Hopefully It won't be too bad.
Steve
 
Steve,

You are doing the right thing for your kids and yourself. That is why I sold my wife on the 400DB (from a 340DA), in order to get the kids out with friends and overnights, plus room for dad, mom and the 2 dogs.

All in all you are going to have a great time and even better memories for a lifetime.

Have fun, be safe and post pictures of your renovation process.

Michael
 
jitts3 said:
I plan on doing a lot of fishing and sightseeing with this one.
You fish that area? Whats round down there to see?
Steve
Click to expand...
Fish? What's that? :grin: The Barnegat NJ gang is planning a trip to Atlantic City for the 4th. Maybe you could come? I usually do the 3rd of July in the Navesink for the fireworks, so I'm not sure about the A.C trip yet.
 
jitts, I love my '73 240 and i'm sure you will love yours also. enjoy her and be safe!

jarhead
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,185
Messages
1,428,155
Members
61,095
Latest member
380Thumper
Back
Top