Newbie Getting 185 Sports

D

dcw

New Member
Apr 26, 2009
11
Perth, Australia
Boat Info
185 Sport 2007
Engines
220 hp Mercruiser 4.3 MPI
I am new, not just to boating, but to waterskiing, wakeboarding, and boat fishing, so I'm trying to get opinions from anyone who may have experience with the Sea Ray 185 Sport. I live in Perth, Western Australia.

I hope to buy a 2007 model with a 190hp motor within the next few weeks, and have my eye on one I've seen with a wakeboard tower (probably not something I would have ordered, but it has one anyway).

I have a couple of teenage boys, and expect to tow them on skis, wakeboard, biscuit, etc. I'd think at least one of them could become a wakeboard fanatic, though neither have any experience at present. The wife & I will try anything, but may be limited by fitness requirements.

I also intend to use the boat for river and estuary fishing and general pleasure boating to visit eateries along the Swan River, etc.

So far, so good. I would expect the 185 to handle these requirements easily.

I'd also like to be able to do some fishing within a few km of the coast. Obviously I realise that this boat is not really designed for this use, particularly as most of the coast here is exposed to the prevailing South Westerly sea breezes in the afternoon. Typically the forecast is for seas to 1.5M and swell to 2M. Local advice suggests that the forecast is not always very reliable, and the breeeze and "white horses" can spring up in minutes.

As a potential fair-weather boater, I would only be more than 1 KM offshore in the calmest of days. I would expect to stay within 5 KM of the shore and be within 10 KM of a harbour.

Any advice on the feasibility of this plan would be most welcome, particularly from anyone with experience of this boat (or similar) in slightly rougher water.

I'd like to go for something bigger, but money, and storage space would make that difficult. Also, I'm concerned that a 19.5 ft boat (say) would be more difficult to tow, launch and retrieve.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for such a long post.
 
We have a similar boat as you describe (05 185 Sport) - Same power (190 Hp) 4.3L and Wake board tower

In those seas (converting now...) you should expect to get wet (this can be part of the fun on this boat). You stay dry in 1ft or less. We have been in 5 foot seas :wow: - no sir I don't like it and would not recommend this boat for that. It can get a little scary, especially if you go out with the Admiral.

With the 4.3 you will not have any trouble Tubing, Skiing and Wake Boarding. That engine is more then enough - It is quick out of the hole, and cruises nicely at 35 MPH. In flat seas properly trimmed I've seen 50+MPH

Regardless if you Wake board or not the Tower is nice. It has a look - and offers a place to hang the Bikini tops :grin:

On a trailer this is very manageable - We tow ours without any trouble - Quick on and off the ramp.


I've seen a bunch of posts with the same theme. Buy the biggest boat you want to afford - It's always bigger on the trailer...
 
Thanks for heads-up. Do you think a 195 would be any better or am I looking at the wrong type of boat?
 
dcw said:
Thanks for heads-up. Do you think a 195 would be any better or am I looking at the wrong type of boat?
Click to expand...

IMHO - the 185/195 will do everything you want, expect for the off shore fishing in anything but calm seas.
 
The 195 is not much larger like 6 inches.. if you purchase one I would get it with the V8 and put through the hull pipes on it after market if you can.. if not I would get the 185.. or jump up to the 210 select..
 
You'll be glad you got the Wakeboard tower (or at least your boys will). They will enjoy the extra "air time"!
 
The tower not only helps w/ wakeboarding and other water sports but it provides additional storage to get those toys off the floor which is very helpful considering all the other "stuff" people bring for a day on the lake.
 
Going to have to agree with everyone here, great for watersports but forget about rough sea fishing.
 
I'll agree with all of the advice above. If you can get a 195 for the same price, go for it. Otherwise, the size difference is negligible. A 205 would make a more noticeable difference. But it's not like a 205 is going to allow you to go out in rougher weather - it'll just make it a bit more manageable.

If yo do get caught in some rougher weather, you're going to need to be doing some very active throttle and trim control. It's very hard to go into everything here, and my suggestion would be to check your weather forecasts ahead of time and do your best to avoid getting into that situation. But, basically, keep the bow a little higher. Throttle up waves, throttle down the other side, but so much that the bow drops and plows into the next wave. Swells can be fun; it's when you get a good chop going on top of them that gets hairy.

You've asked some very intelligent questions and if you trust your common sense you'll be OK.

Oh, and of course watch out for those Whites when your skiing!
 
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I can tell you from experience with my old boat that when you stuff the bow into water there will be at least a 1 foot wide stream of water flowing into the boat. :grin: It gets your attention, I was in the sound when it happened to me, the admiral did not like it, the dogs got wet since they were laying where the water came in. Talk to the locals that boat in your waters and they can help you a lot, there has been a discussion on another board I am on the the weather people never seem to get the water predictions right, the locals here now pull up the NOAA towers that are in the are and see what they are measuring for wave height and wind, a lot more accurate.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys.

In the end I went for a 2007 Sea Ray 185 with the 4.3L MPI engine, and 27 hours on the clock. I have been out on it a number of times, and I think it will be adequate for us fishing-wise as I'm only a fair weather angler anyway (and I never seem to catch much!). I'm hoping we'll get plenty of use in the Swan River where there are good launch facilities and areas designated for skiing, etc.

No wake-tower on the one I bought, but I'd install one if the boys end up taking it seriously.

One thing worries me a little - when I get the boat back on the trailer I notice a few inches of water in the bilge. Obviously the bilge pump is coping as the level is too low to trigger it ( I can see pump standing above the water), but is this normal? I empty the water out by taking out the bung and raising the front of the trailer, but more water seeps in during the next run. I can't see where the water could be getting in as we haven't taken any over the bow. Is it likely that there is some sort of leak? Perhaps something needs sealing.

Dave.
 
dcw said:
Perhaps something needs sealing.

Dave.
Click to expand...

Possibly the rubrail.

Is the bung tight? It doesn't need to be super-tight, but it should be more than snug.

If you haven't physically brought water into the boat somehow (did someone go swimming?), the bilge should be dry. No water should be getting in.

Try looking for a leak on the engine - while it's running in the water. Could be a loose hose, leaking circulating pump (water pump), etc.

That's a sweet boat with the MPI in it! VERY fast out of the hole.
 
Thanks, I'll give it the once over next time I'm in the water to see if I can see where it's getting in.

Dave.
 
I just bought a 2008 185 Sport. I have not had any problems with it other than the plastic cover over the helm nut falling off...no biggie. A dab of silicon sealant fixed that problem.

I cant seem to find a spare tire wheel mount that will fit a trailer with a 5 inch beam. I cannot find an option for a spare mount from SeaRay.

The trailer lights are nowhere near watertight. The inside of the lenses are already fogged up. Its just a matter of time before they no longer work.

The oil filter is in a place where it is going to take Tattoo from Fantasy Island to be able to access it. The dealer wants $750 in parts and labor to install a kit that puts the oil filter in a more accessible place. It would be cheaper to hire Tattoo.

There is no canvas cover or door available to block the wind that blows at hurricane speeds under the front center window. I need to hire a canvas maker to custom fabricate one for me. This will cost approximately $200 to hire the canvas maker.

The area under the front seats is not large enough to fit an appropriate sized anchor. I had to put the anchor and rode in a plastic box and put it in the bilge. The anchor the dealer offered with the commissioning kit was only suitable for a 12 foot aluminum boat plus it only had 100 feet of anchor rode. With a seven to one scope. I would not have been able to anchor in water deeper than 14 feet. This is hardly the kind of reassurance you need when your engine is dead and you are being blown towards the rocks in 40 feet of water.

They went really cheap on the stereo. It is a self-described marine grade stereo that is nowhere near water resistant.

The boat did not come with a voltmeter. Fortunately, I was able to find a Teleflex Lido style voltmeter that matches the existing engine instruments. I just need to drill a hole for it in the dash. I have a Port Supply account so my cost is $19. Internet retailers sell it for around $40-$60.

The partitions inside the engine space are made out of a flimsy foam material that is already warped that is not going to last very long. I will need to replace the partitions with Seaboard eventually.

The seats lean way too far back, have no armrests and the backs flex way too much in chop or when crossing wake. I feel like they are about to break causing me to fall backwards. I plan on replacing the seats with more traditional and stronger seats that have arm rests. Unfortunately these are going to cost me about $1000 for the pair.

I know those gripes sound bad, but it is an excellent boat otherwise. I have not found any other problems. I do think that SeaRay needs to beta test their boats by a few professional boat captains before putting them into production. I think this would have eliminated most of my complaints about the boat.
 
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Lazy Daze said:
Possibly the rubrail.

Is the bung tight? It doesn't need to be super-tight, but it should be more than snug.

If you haven't physically brought water into the boat somehow (did someone go swimming?), the bilge should be dry. No water should be getting in.

Try looking for a leak on the engine - while it's running in the water. Could be a loose hose, leaking circulating pump (water pump), etc.

That's a sweet boat with the MPI in it! VERY fast out of the hole.
Click to expand...
Spring here downunder so I finally got round to sorting this out (I think).

Someone suggested part filling the bilge with water and seeing where it leaks out. There was a steady drip (about 1 drip/sec) from the flange around the bung-hole, so I took it off, and reseated it with a sealant compound.

After a couple of hours in the water, no water in the bilge, so hopefully it's fixed!
 
Good deal! Thanks for posting the update. :smt001
 
David Morgan said:
I just bought a 2008 185 Sport. I have not had any problems with it other than the plastic cover over the helm nut falling off...no biggie. A dab of silicon sealant fixed that problem.

I cant seem to find a spare tire wheel mount that will fit a trailer with a 5 inch beam. I cannot find an option for a spare mount from SeaRay.

The trailer lights are nowhere near watertight. The inside of the lenses are already fogged up. Its just a matter of time before they no longer work.

The oil filter is in a place where it is going to take Tattoo from Fantasy Island to be able to access it. The dealer wants $750 in parts and labor to install a kit that puts the oil filter in a more accessible place. It would be cheaper to hire Tattoo.

There is no canvas cover or door available to block the wind that blows at hurricane speeds under the front center window. I need to hire a canvas maker to custom fabricate one for me. This will cost approximately $200 to hire the canvas maker.

The area under the front seats is not large enough to fit an appropriate sized anchor. I had to put the anchor and rode in a plastic box and put it in the bilge. The anchor the dealer offered with the commissioning kit was only suitable for a 12 foot aluminum boat plus it only had 100 feet of anchor rode. With a seven to one scope. I would not have been able to anchor in water deeper than 14 feet. This is hardly the kind of reassurance you need when your engine is dead and you are being blown towards the rocks in 40 feet of water.

They went really cheap on the stereo. It is a self-described marine grade stereo that is nowhere near water resistant.

The boat did not come with a voltmeter. Fortunately, I was able to find a Teleflex Lido style voltmeter that matches the existing engine instruments. I just need to drill a hole for it in the dash. I have a Port Supply account so my cost is $19. Internet retailers sell it for around $40-$60.

The partitions inside the engine space are made out of a flimsy foam material that is already warped that is not going to last very long. I will need to replace the partitions with Seaboard eventually.

The seats lean way too far back, have no armrests and the backs flex way too much in chop or when crossing wake. I feel like they are about to break causing me to fall backwards. I plan on replacing the seats with more traditional and stronger seats that have arm rests. Unfortunately these are going to cost me about $1000 for the pair.

I know those gripes sound bad, but it is an excellent boat otherwise. I have not found any other problems. I do think that SeaRay needs to beta test their boats by a few professional boat captains before putting them into production. I think this would have eliminated most of my complaints about the boat.
Click to expand...


Very Common when you buy a Sea Ray.

I am in the market again but after owning a 2006 185 sport for a few years not sure I would ever go back to Sea Ray and the crappy workmanship we put up with. Yet all I hear about is how great they are. Looking at a Four Winns this time and a few others.
 
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I took my searay 175 in 3-4 seas and it was scary to say the least. I also had a leaking rub rail that made it worse. But the worst part of all was that we were really hungover from the night before and were turning green. So we got out of there and back behind the barrier island to keep safe. 1 ft seas are no problem though. Adds to the fun!
 
Get sloshed before going out in 3-4 seas because it is tough to hold a drink when the boat is getting sloshed. Good tip, thanks.
 
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