My latest crazy idea which involves selling my 50DA for.....

SeaNile

Well-Known Member
Aug 16, 2010
1,514
Chadds Ford, PA
Boat Info
2003 50 Sundancer
Engines
Cummins QSM11
As we approach the one year mark of ownership of my 2003 50 SunDancer I suddenly have the urge to sell it and go with something completely different. So different that my wife won't even talk to me which should be a sign right there. Occasionally I try to convince myself that we'd have just as much fun on a different, much less expensive boat. The latest insane idea would be to sell the 50 DA, which could take forever, and buy a 48 Ocean Yachts. Yep, a 1988 no less with Detroit 671tib diesels.

Hard part is the 50DA is seriously the perfect boat for us. I've spent the past 11 months making it absolutely perfect, not that it needed much at all. As she sits, there are zero issues. New hydraulic swim platform pump, fresh water talk leak fixed, props are now 30x32 and within the fuel burn range of what Tony Athens recommends, carpets have no stains, cabinets have no nicks, aft seating is in damn near perfect condition, etc. I took a ton of pics and even did a video walk through and thought to myself that I must be going crazy. The boat is seriously perfect.

The upside to this crazy idea? Pretty sure it's only financial. I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to boats and if my first offer isn't insulting then it wasn't low enough. It's worked out well for me over years as I'm currently on boat #15.

Been on this idea for a week now. Looked at a 48 this week and it could be my next victim. I do realize that when I get tired of the Ocean that will be a challenge to sell.

To sum it up. A significantly older boat, with legendary smokey DDs, no bridge AC, no cockpit AC, no aft cockpit seating, etc. But....at 1/4 the price.

Good thing I've got a spare bedroom.
 
The Ocean is a very popular yacht. Know many owners ranging from mid 80’s to early 2000’s. I wouldn’t touch one that old due to water intrusion issues. Not sure when they changed the window design but many friends had to gut and redo due to leaks and rot. Then there are issues with holding tanks and leaking freshwater tanks. No thank you. Watching them tear those boats apart makes me very glad I own a Searay.
 
I rent my slip from an owner of an Ocean 48. Every chance he gets he warns people to stay away from the Detroits.

I don't think selling an Ocean would be any harder than a Sea Ray. Those are super sharp boats. And they are wicked fast too!
 
There used to be a running joke at the Bertram/Hatteras Shoot Out that at the end of the day the Bertram and Hattera owners would go to the bar to drink and the Ocean Yacht guys would go back to the dock and repair their boats.
 
You’re seanile!
Seriously, thats why i bought a 91, paid cash, knew it needed upgrades, identified before purchasing, paid cash for each upgrade. No
payments. Economy could totally tank. Ill be floating. Slip, gas, insurance all cash on the barrel.
And never feel the need to use it like people with payments. Can sit a month, don’t care, not costing me a dime.
Maybe wife just tired of the flipping. Mine told me this is the last one. It goes, there be no more.
As for selling the Ocean, remember this, the cheaper the price the bigger the available market.
 
You’re seanile!
Seriously, thats why i bought a 91, paid cash, knew it needed upgrades, identified before purchasing, paid cash for each upgrade. No
payments. Economy could totally tank. Ill be floating. Slip, gas, insurance all cash on the barrel.
And never feel the need to use it like people with payments. Can sit a month, don’t care, not costing me a dime.
Maybe wife just tired of the flipping. Mine told me this is the last one. It goes, there be no more.
As for selling the Ocean, remember this, the cheaper the price the bigger the available market.

I'm insulted and offended at that comment regarding my wife. I mean after 54 cars, 15 boats and 7 houses I have no idea what you are referring to about flipping??? She's a good sport but asking her to go from our current boat to an 88 Ocean might be asking a bit much!
 
Ya, I didn’t want you think i was insulting your wife.
But you are looking at a big tradeoff. You say the 50 is working fine. Are you ready to miss months of summer chasing fixes like my bravoitis, or what Mrs Robinson did with his diesels. Been a few times last 2 years i told wife I should have bought new. Think it before you jump.
 
As we approach the one year mark of ownership of my 2003 50 SunDancer I suddenly have the urge to sell it and go with something completely different. So different that my wife won't even talk to me which should be a sign right there. Occasionally I try to convince myself that we'd have just as much fun on a different, much less expensive boat. The latest insane idea would be to sell the 50 DA, which could take forever, and buy a 48 Ocean Yachts. Yep, a 1988 no less with Detroit 671tib diesels.

Hard part is the 50DA is seriously the perfect boat for us. I've spent the past 11 months making it absolutely perfect, not that it needed much at all. As she sits, there are zero issues. New hydraulic swim platform pump, fresh water talk leak fixed, props are now 30x32 and within the fuel burn range of what Tony Athens recommends, carpets have no stains, cabinets have no nicks, aft seating is in damn near perfect condition, etc. I took a ton of pics and even did a video walk through and thought to myself that I must be going crazy. The boat is seriously perfect.

The upside to this crazy idea? Pretty sure it's only financial. I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to boats and if my first offer isn't insulting then it wasn't low enough. It's worked out well for me over years as I'm currently on boat #15.

Been on this idea for a week now. Looked at a 48 this week and it could be my next victim. I do realize that when I get tired of the Ocean that will be a challenge to sell.

To sum it up. A significantly older boat, with legendary smokey DDs, no bridge AC, no cockpit AC, no aft cockpit seating, etc. But....at 1/4 the price.

Good thing I've got a spare bedroom.
My wife yelled at me last night for changing marinas on the island….. she goes when they piss you off and they will then where will you go… I said therapy…… I did get a chuckle out of her…. Then she said that will be the day. I think women just hate change…… which explains being married for 35 years… I guess :D:D
 
I think women just hate change
I think they get tired of boys and their toys. Mine doesn’t want to hear whats broke, what i need to do to fix it, what it costs. She just wants to get on boat and go, if not this weekend then next, she doesn’t care.
I’ve been driving her nuts bidding on 2 pistols. I won first, it came yesterday. She was impressed with it. Extent of her interest. I decided not tell her about second. If i win i will show her when it arrives. She will say Nice, then go right back to telling me about some crazy bitch at work. They think different.
I don’t think his wife really cares about what he does with the boats. She just doesn’t want to hear about it.
 
As we approach the one year mark of ownership of my 2003 50 SunDancer I suddenly have the urge to sell it and go with something completely different. So different that my wife won't even talk to me which should be a sign right there. Occasionally I try to convince myself that we'd have just as much fun on a different, much less expensive boat. The latest insane idea would be to sell the 50 DA, which could take forever, and buy a 48 Ocean Yachts. Yep, a 1988 no less with Detroit 671tib diesels.

Hard part is the 50DA is seriously the perfect boat for us. I've spent the past 11 months making it absolutely perfect, not that it needed much at all. As she sits, there are zero issues. New hydraulic swim platform pump, fresh water talk leak fixed, props are now 30x32 and within the fuel burn range of what Tony Athens recommends, carpets have no stains, cabinets have no nicks, aft seating is in damn near perfect condition, etc. I took a ton of pics and even did a video walk through and thought to myself that I must be going crazy. The boat is seriously perfect.

The upside to this crazy idea? Pretty sure it's only financial. I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to boats and if my first offer isn't insulting then it wasn't low enough. It's worked out well for me over years as I'm currently on boat #15.

Been on this idea for a week now. Looked at a 48 this week and it could be my next victim. I do realize that when I get tired of the Ocean that will be a challenge to sell.

To sum it up. A significantly older boat, with legendary smokey DDs, no bridge AC, no cockpit AC, no aft cockpit seating, etc. But....at 1/4 the price.

Good thing I've got a spare bedroom.
I will give you $10K for the 50DA, as is, now...oh and cash even ;)

I get it, I am on Bring A Trailer daily now looking for the next fun to me car.

Mansplain it to her, then say "Trust me"...always works for me.
 
Yeah to @Irie308 point, back in the 80's their nickname was "The Flexible Flyer" because of there balsa core that made the bottom super soft, especially when it got wet. And they always leaked and got into the core. It wasn't until ~2000 or so when they switched to composite cores that everything stayed dry as a result. They are super light and fast. My friend has an 04' 48 with MTU's (Series 60 Detroit's) and it fly's he cruises at 26knts @1900rpm.

I am not sure why everyone knocks Detroit's, they are bullet proof when maintained properly. The old 2cycles needed a little more lovin then the newer 4 cycles do, but man did they perform. My 92's are properly maintained and they work great. Air-sep's keep the oil leaks to a minimum. Love Detroit engines, now MTU.

EDIT: Also mine do not smoke at all. And since the block heater pads, not even when first started in spring, when they all tend to. If a Detroit smokes, there is an issue that needs to be tended to. Period.
 
As we approach the one year mark of ownership of my 2003 50 SunDancer I suddenly have the urge to sell it and go with something completely different. So different that my wife won't even talk to me which should be a sign right there. Occasionally I try to convince myself that we'd have just as much fun on a different, much less expensive boat. The latest insane idea would be to sell the 50 DA, which could take forever, and buy a 48 Ocean Yachts. Yep, a 1988 no less with Detroit 671tib diesels.

Hard part is the 50DA is seriously the perfect boat for us. I've spent the past 11 months making it absolutely perfect, not that it needed much at all. As she sits, there are zero issues. New hydraulic swim platform pump, fresh water talk leak fixed, props are now 30x32 and within the fuel burn range of what Tony Athens recommends, carpets have no stains, cabinets have no nicks, aft seating is in damn near perfect condition, etc. I took a ton of pics and even did a video walk through and thought to myself that I must be going crazy. The boat is seriously perfect.

The upside to this crazy idea? Pretty sure it's only financial. I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to boats and if my first offer isn't insulting then it wasn't low enough. It's worked out well for me over years as I'm currently on boat #15.

Been on this idea for a week now. Looked at a 48 this week and it could be my next victim. I do realize that when I get tired of the Ocean that will be a challenge to sell.

To sum it up. A significantly older boat, with legendary smokey DDs, no bridge AC, no cockpit AC, no aft cockpit seating, etc. But....at 1/4 the price.

Good thing I've got a spare bedroom.

I am not sure if you just want a project to keep you busy or just can't sit still. But I would not sell that 50 DA. That boat has the right setup with the QSM11's and all the right trimings.
 
Ok Ok Ok, I will give you $11k for it.

For me I think it's restoration/projects. I get bored with stuff after I clean it up, fix it up, "restore it" and want to move on to the next one. I've kept the 2008 335i vert that I have tuned and modified for over 2 years now, that is a record. I keep telling myself "do not sell it".

I sold the 2 boats before this one after 1 year and the other after 4 months of cleaning them up, restoring them.
 
As we approach the one year mark of ownership of my 2003 50 SunDancer I suddenly have the urge to sell it and go with something completely different. So different that my wife won't even talk to me which should be a sign right there. Occasionally I try to convince myself that we'd have just as much fun on a different, much less expensive boat. The latest insane idea would be to sell the 50 DA, which could take forever, and buy a 48 Ocean Yachts. Yep, a 1988 no less with Detroit 671tib diesels.

Hard part is the 50DA is seriously the perfect boat for us. I've spent the past 11 months making it absolutely perfect, not that it needed much at all. As she sits, there are zero issues. New hydraulic swim platform pump, fresh water talk leak fixed, props are now 30x32 and within the fuel burn range of what Tony Athens recommends, carpets have no stains, cabinets have no nicks, aft seating is in damn near perfect condition, etc. I took a ton of pics and even did a video walk through and thought to myself that I must be going crazy. The boat is seriously perfect.

The upside to this crazy idea? Pretty sure it's only financial. I'm a bottom feeder when it comes to boats and if my first offer isn't insulting then it wasn't low enough. It's worked out well for me over years as I'm currently on boat #15.

Been on this idea for a week now. Looked at a 48 this week and it could be my next victim. I do realize that when I get tired of the Ocean that will be a challenge to sell.

To sum it up. A significantly older boat, with legendary smokey DDs, no bridge AC, no cockpit AC, no aft cockpit seating, etc. But....at 1/4 the price.

Good thing I've got a spare bedroom.


I feel ya.... I'm on my 10th boat and just listed on Boat Trader today, after testing the waters at the end of last season. Difference for me is I'm looking to make my boating life easier by going to something like 38'-42' center console that sleeps two comfortably, has a few outboards hanging off the back and that I can trailer. Good Luck with your decision.
 
Key there is sleeps 2 comfortably. What specifically are you looking at? I love the 38' Tiara LS but I don't think the sleeping arrangements are ideal.
 
John,

Any regrets on selling the 450 DA after getting that one so nicely up to snuff?

I know I'm lovin mine.

She may be old, but she's PAID FOR !

But seriously, I never quite understood the real WHY of your getting out of that boat.

BEST !

RWS
 

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