Looking at 230 Signature...thoughts???

[Eyebolt]

Hey Guys...

I'm taking a look at a 1997 230 Signature (cuddy) tomorrow, and was curious if any of you Sea Ray experts had any thoughts or insights (other than get a survey) on this Model/vintage. Currently it is listed for $17k and has 659 hours on the 5.7L Merc.

Here's a link to the listing: http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1997.../United-States

I probably should had posted a few days ago, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get to the place where it is being stored this weekend or not.

From the pictures it looks clean enough.

Thanks.

[KayKook]

Good boat for a 2 people, or 2 adults with little kid(s). I have seen the boat advertised for quite some time, and saw it
in storage. It looked nice, but all I did was walk past it. I would have it surveyed, and most importantly have the engine
checked. It's high hours would be a concern for me, depending on how the results of a compression check come out.

P.S. DO NOT take SB's word for it that it was surveyed and mechanically checked. Have an independent surveyor that
you hire verify it. Compression check, outdrive leakdown test etc.

[NorCalGlenn]

I don't know much about that model, but those pictures sure portray an owner who was *meticulous* in caring for his boat. 15 years old with 659 hours on it?!

[Eyebolt]

Good boat for a 2 people, or 2 adults with little kid(s). I have seen the boat advertised for quite some time, and saw it
in storage. It looked nice, but all I did was walk past it. I would have it surveyed, and most importantly have the engine
checked. It's high hours would be a concern for me, depending on how the results of a compression check come out.

P.S. DO NOT take SB's word for it that it was surveyed and mechanically checked. Have an independent surveyor that
you hire verify it. Compression check, outdrive leakdown test etc.

Yeah...we're currently a family of two adults and two 3 year olds. The hours are a bit on the high side...puts it around mid 40s per season. However it does look pretty clean (from pics anyways) for that many hours. My hope is that translates to the care they took with it mechanically as well.

[KayKook]

Also consider how long you think you will keep it, and if you add 50+ hours per year to the boat, how will it be at resale time
for you with maybe 999 hours on it ? If you keep it for many years, and end up rebuilding the engine, figure about $3,500 to
have it done. SB is not known for "deals" that benefit anyone but themselves, so keep that in mind when negotiating price.

[kkirby7226]

I've seen the same boat with less hours and 7.4L with Bravo 3 for equal or less money. We have a 200 Overnighter and love it but we recently upgraded due to limited space on deck with kids and friends for entertaining. Great trailer boat however.

[Eyebolt]

Well...it was a bust. Apparently the pics were likely from the previous sale at the start of this past season. A summer in the Saginaw River and some rough use has taken its toll. The guy couldn't even be bothered to take out his empties when he dropped it off for storage.

[sfergson727]

AARRGGGGHHH!!

High hours????

Hardly.

You folks need to realize that an engine that does not run regularly corrodes. There is nothing that will kill an engine quicker than non-use. 43 hours per season on average for this boat is hardly high time. A well cared for engine should last 1500-2000 hours before overhaul.

I would much rather buy a boat with hours that show regular usage than one that is 15 years old with 100-200 hours. Come on, think about it for a while before claiming "high" hours on an engine that only has 659. You are doing yourself and others a dis-service. (end rant)

Sorry to hear the boat didn't work out for you. You might keep in touch with the folks at B&E Marine. They get a lot of turnover and have always dealt straight with me. I'd recommend Keith B. if you do end up calling them, he's a good friend of mine and is trustworthy.

[RickyZone]

Hi,

Me and my father own a '97 Sea Ray 230 Overnighter, with the Signature Select package. We've had it for 10 years and it has been nothing but great! We have the 5.7 EFI w/ Bravo 3 output, and it offers everything we need in terms of performance. I could only imagine the speed from a 7.4!

The boat you posted is not the '97 model though - it's a model year '96 I believe. Perhaps it was bought new in 1997, but it's a model year '96. :) The 97' model year brought several additions to the table, mostly in form of refinements. The exterior was redesigned. The '97 model has sleeker lines with nicer windshield frames. The integrated slats on the rear sides were removed, and the swim platform was redesigned to feature a hidden swim ladder. Moreover the '97 has a shower on the swim platform, which the boat you posted does not seem to have? Furthermore, the interior of the '97 was updated to feature much more modern looks (especially the dashboard and sides) of better quality materials. In fact, the model introduced in '97 was produced until 2002 and was later brought back to the Sea Ray line in 2004 as the 240 Overnighter (more or less exactly the same boat, except for the black interior rather than tan). The 240 Overnighter was then produced till 2006 or 2007 I believe, nearly 10 years, when Sea Ray introduced the replacement, the 240 Sun Sport - not sure if it made it to the states.

I would highly advice you to find a model year '97 or newer 230 Overnighter (although I'm biased), the price should not really differ by much. Also, if you can find a boat with the Bravo 3 outdrive, that will add a lot to your boating experience I believe. The acceleration and maneuverability is on another level thanks to the Duoprop. :)

Edit: I've been told to expect about 800 hours from a Mercruiser engine, before any major rebuild - in that case 659 hours seem like a lot. Don't know whether this is accurate, but of course, proper maintenance and running conditions will have the greatest effect on the lifespan of the engine.

Best regards,

Richard

[Nehalennia]

I had a '95 220OV and '99 230OV. Both were great boats and Nehalennia I and Nehalennia II. Our boat now is Nehalennia (technically the 3rd) but that's too much for the VHF. Anyway, the 230OV cuddies were great for us.


We took it from Anacortes, WA to about half way up Vancouver Is annually and even further one year. You can't ask for a better handling cuddy sport boat.
As you can imagine from the pic above we needed to upgrade and found our 260DA. The older kids are now 22 and 19 and don't come as often but the twins are now 10 and we have a blast all year long going to all the same places.

If you have a couple small kids, look for a model with the sleeper(back to back) seats. That maximizes your berthing.





I miss her sometimes, but our 260DA is now treating us great with a handful of more ammenities.

Best of luck in your search.