PNW Shopper Looking for 240sd with Bottom Paint and Closed Cooling

RVPilot

RVPilot

Member
Sep 11, 2020
62
Olympia WA - Puget Sound
Boat Info
1999 270DA
Engines
7.4 Merc MPI B3
Hi Folks ... we'll be first time boat buyers (hopefully this year) and I have been lurking on the major for sale websites focusing on the 2005-2009 240 SD (as the slips we have access to are capped at 25'). We live in the Pacific Northwest, and will be cruising the Puget Sound which of course is salt water. So, high on our list will be a closed cooling system and recent bottom paint. There are a load of 240s for sale in the east and mid-west, but very few in the PNW, and most from the east and mid-west do NOT have closed cooling systems and bottom paint. Thanks for letting me drone on, so here is the question ... is it better to buy an east coast boat, trailer it out, and then add bottom paint and closed cooling ... or not have as much selection waiting for a boat to show up locally? Also, I've been pinging brokers who run the ads, and I've run into a lot of "under contract" when the boats have been listed for less than a week. How do you get a survey done, plus (for me at least) and also travel to go see the boat in person ... in a week or so. Would love some advice on buying tactics and mindset, should anyone care to offer thoughts. Love the Forums ... really great discussions. Thanks ...
 
Just my $0.02......currently we are in a serious sellers market. Boats are flying off the “shelves.” Most think it will slow quite a bit and the used market will have more to choose from soon.

The key to jumping on one now is to get a deposit down before someone else does. Then most brokers will give you 2-3 weeks to get a survey completed. Once you sign a contract and put the deposit down, you have locked up the boat until you have the surveys conducted.

Bennett
 
OK, that's helpful. Never bought a boat before. Does putting a deposit down include stating a purchase price, pending the results of a survey, engine review, and a sea trial?

If a boat is listed for (say) $36,000, is it prudent to offer asking price, or do you offer 10-15% less than asking and see if that gets accepted?
 
RVPilot said:
OK, that's helpful. Never bought a boat before. Does putting a deposit down include stating a purchase price, pending the results of a survey, engine review, and a sea trial?

If a boat is listed for (say) $36,000, is it prudent to offer asking price, or do you offer 10-15% less than asking and see if that gets accepted?
Click to expand...
You make your deal pending survey and sea trial -- so yeah a set price subject to adjustments if things show up on survey. As far as what you offer, you need to figure out at what price point the boats are selling for. Then adjust up or down based on condition. In many cases 10-15% is a reasonable starting place if the boat is priced right. But again, we are in a bat chit crazy market right now. Be careful so you don't get burned.
 
unless i am mistaken (most likely) isnt a 240SD the sundeck / bowrider? You're on Puget Sound, where typical conditions are chilly, rainy, choppy much of the year. you really want a bowrider? You should really re-think that choice. First time boat buyer? Let me save you a headache. My first boat was a bowrider. Traded it for a cabin boat AFTER 5 WEEKS. unless you are on a small inland lake, bowriders are useless and can be dangerous on open waters.
 
Pirate Lady said:
unless i am mistaken (most likely) isnt a 240SD the sundeck / bowrider? You're on Puget Sound, where typical conditions are chilly, rainy, choppy much of the year. you really want a bowrider? You should really re-think that choice. First time boat buyer? Let me save you a headache. My first boat was a bowrider. Traded it for a cabin boat AFTER 5 WEEKS. unless you are on a small inland lake, bowriders are useless and can be dangerous on open waters.
Click to expand...
As the OP mentioned “cruising” Puget Sound, I’d bet dollars to donuts by 240 SD, 240 DA was really intended. I’m sure he’s after a Sundancer, though if I’m wrong I agree that a bowrider is not a good choice.
 
Thanks Pirate and Cap'n.

As a new member I'm not up tp speed on acronyms ... and YES by 240SD I meant 240 Sundancer, NOT Sundeck. Totally agree that a bowrider would be a lake boat, but not suitable for the Puget Sound.

So, help me out ... what does the DA in "240DA" stand for, and I'll use it correctly next time!
 
Also, does anyone have a website resource where I can view year and model specific diagrams that show lengths, LOA, beam, etc? Specifically 2000-2004 and also 2005-2009 240 Sundancer. Thanks so much.
 
RVPilot said:
Thanks Pirate and Cap'n.

As a new member I'm not up tp speed on acronyms ... and YES by 240SD I meant 240 Sundancer, NOT Sundeck. Totally agree that a bowrider would be a lake boat, but not suitable for the Puget Sound.

So, help me out ... what does the DA in "240DA" stand for, and I'll use it correctly next time!
Click to expand...

Sea Ray has abbreviations for all of their models and they used "DA" as short for Sundancer or "Dancer" as many call them for short.

The best resource around for info is the horse's mouth - the Owner's section of Sea Ray's website. Here's the link: http://www.searay.com/us/en/owners.html

Scroll down and click on the "Recent Models" button and select the year and model you want to know about.
 
Closed cooling system should be your deal-breaker, certainly not bottom paint. You are talking about 2 days in the yard & under $200 for a gallon of bottom paint.
 
So, in researching the manuals, the 2005-2009 240da is actually 24' long and includes a built-in
12" "stern walk area" to enable getting off onto the dock from either side, so that works in the 25' max boat / slip size that is available to us.

The 2000-2004 240da has zero "stern walk area", but looks to come with a standard 24" swim step and so is actually 26' long ... and hence is a foot too long.

Has anyone ever seen a 12" swim step?
 
RVPilot said:
So, in researching the manuals, the 2005-2009 240da is actually 24' long and includes a built-in
12" "stern walk area" to enable getting off onto the dock from either side, so that works in the 25' max boat / slip size that is available to us.

The 2000-2004 240da has zero "stern walk area", but looks to come with a standard 24" swim step and so is actually 26' long ... and hence is a foot too long.

Has anyone ever seen a 12" swim step?
Click to expand...
My 2007 240DA has an Length Overall of 24' 6". It has the 12" walking area at the stern, though we are putting on an extended swim platform this fall. It works fine for boarding and departing the boat, but it gets tight if two people need to pass in opposite directions.
 
Thanks, that's good news on the 2005-2009's. As we are looking to buy it'd be good to be able to also consider the 2000-2004 240da ... but need to find a 12" swim step as an option to make the 2000-2004 years happen.
 
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