About to take the plunge

[duck]

Right guys, i have been crusing the forums here for a week or so as i pretty much narrowed my new (to me) boat purchase to be a Sea Ray, i have been looking at several 230's a 240 and a couple of 250's

I have decided that the 230 will be my best choice as it is my first boat in many years, and the last boat i had was a Fletcher 17ft closed bow. I am going to look at the boat tomorrow it is a 96 230 sun dancer with a mercruiser 5.0 with an Alpha 1
http://portsolent.boatshed.com/sea_ray_230_sundancer-boat-51460.html

I appreciate that compared to some of the beauties on here it is not much but for me and my family it will be great and we are really exited and looking forward to getting afloat.

Can you more experianced boaters here give me some tips on what i should be looking for on this, bear in mind i am a complete noobie so i am not sure what i should be looking for or even what questions i should be asking.

Sorry for the dumb arse questions but we all have to start somewhere right :smt001 Also what sort of range should i be getting out of this? The boat is now out of the water being cleaned and anti fouled so i thought now is the best time to go view it.

 

[Turtlesboat]

Hire a marine surveyor to go over the boat with a fine tooth comb. It will be the best $400-$800 you can ever spend. Then you will know what you are buying and what is and isn't wrong with the boat.

 

[tmhudson2]

Get the prior owner(s) maintenance and repair records if they are available. Most surveyors will not comment on the engine and outdrive except for external appearances. If the records aren't available, consider taking a sample of the oil to be analyzed.

 

[Nehalennia]

Hire a marine surveyor to go over the boat with a fine tooth comb. It will be the best $400-$800 you can ever spend. Then you will know what you are buying and what is and isn't wrong with the boat.

Yeah, I think you'll like the 230. Do make sure you get a survey + if the boats been wet slipped, make sure your offer, contains this phrase after the surveyer does his thing:

"if all the outdrive needs is an annual service, then my offer stands"

My O/D was shot and made for a great deal as the PO paid for the new one to be installed.

 

[duck]

Thanks for the advice guys. :thumbsup:

I drove 150 odd miles to view the boat only to find black damp patches all over the cabin area, the carpets were not too great either, basically the boat was very tired :smt009

I am starting to lose heart in all this, the amount of people that tell you the boat is in great shape on the phone then when you view it you find a boat that is far frm great shape it really gets you down.

I have spoken to a guy today who has a 97 240 for sale. He has had it 4 years and only done slow river work in all that time, which is great. The downside is that he has never lifted the boat out in the 4 years he has owened it. He said there are scuffs and marks on the hull where he has hit other boats but the hull is undamaged. I belive that as most of oour inland waterways here have either a 5 or 10mph speed limit. He was quite open in saying he has not used the boat this year and it was not winterised from last year.

So what you think guys a 97 240 with 580 hrs mainly used at low speed on fresh water. It sounds good to me. :smt001

 

[Pakmule]

Thanks for the advice guys. :thumbsup:

I drove 150 odd miles to view the boat only to find black damp patches all over the cabin area, the carpets were not too great either, basically the boat was very tired :smt009

I am starting to lose heart in all this, the amount of people that tell you the boat is in great shape on the phone then when you view it you find a boat that is far frm great shape it really gets you down.

I have spoken to a guy today who has a 97 240 for sale. He has had it 4 years and only done slow river work in all that time, which is great. The downside is that he has never lifted the boat out in the 4 years he has owened it. He said there are scuffs and marks on the hull where he has hit other boats but the hull is undamaged. I belive that as most of oour inland waterways here have either a 5 or 10mph speed limit. He was quite open in saying he has not used the boat this year and it was not winterised from last year.

So what you think guys a 97 240 with 580 hrs mainly used at low speed on fresh water. It sounds good to me. :smt001

I doubt that the boat has been properly maintained if it has never been pulled. I would walk unless he can prove proper maintenance.

Keep your spirits up. I looked for almost a year before I found my 310. I looked at a LOT of carppy boats in that time. I got to the point that if the word pristine was not used I didn't look at it.

 

[duck]

I doubt that the boat has been properly maintained if it has never been pulled. I would walk unless he can prove proper maintenance.

Keep your spirits up. I looked for almost a year before I found my 310. I looked at a LOT of carppy boats in that time. I got to the point that if the word pristine was not used I didn't look at it.

I was hoping that this could be my next boat.

I know you said walk if it has not been maintained but is it really that serious? what i mean is what is the worse case scenario

I am desperate to get afloat this season, but having said that i don't want to buy any old boat in haste. The other alternative is to get a much newer boat and get it financed, but i don't really want to do that for one i would be taking large hits in depreciation and secondly i don't really want monthly payments on a boat :huh:

 

[Pakmule]

I was hoping that this could be my next boat.

I know you said walk if it has not been maintained but is it really that serious? what i mean is what is the worse case scenario

I am desperate to get afloat this season, but having said that i don't want to buy any old boat in haste. The other alternative is to get a much newer boat and get it financed, but i don't really want to do that for one i would be taking large hits in depreciation and secondly i don't really want monthly payments on a boat :huh:

I would just call him and ask him about the maintenance history and see what he has to say.

 

[Nehalennia]

If that's the boat in the pictures and they are recent, it looks pretty good. The main thing is to get it checked out. Also make your offer contingent on a mechanical inspection and get a Survey. If anything pops up from the surveyor, you can either walk or re-negotiate to make it an even sweeter deal.

That's how I got such a great deal on the 260 we have. It's been a lot of elbow grease, but is turning into a very nice boat.

 

[MAKC]

Thanks for the advice guys. :thumbsup:

I have spoken to a guy today who has a 97 240 for sale. He has had it 4 years and only done slow river work in all that time, which is great. The downside is that he has never lifted the boat out in the 4 years he has owened it. He said there are scuffs and marks on the hull where he has hit other boats but the hull is undamaged. I belive that as most of oour inland waterways here have either a 5 or 10mph speed limit. He was quite open in saying he has not used the boat this year and it was not winterised from last year.

So what you think guys a 97 240 with 580 hrs mainly used at low speed on fresh water. It sounds good to me. :smt001

If the boat asnt been out of the water in 4 years, and it wasnt winterized last season, you could have some problems with outdrive and the engine/water system components if it froze over the winter time. If the boat was never out of the water in 4 years, how did he maintain the outdrive anodes? The Bravo III outdrive needs some TLC to make sure it is trouble-free. 4 years without being out of the water makes me think you are going to have an issue with that outdrive. Get a survey with any used boat you are considering. Its well worth it to know what the deal is before you committ to buy something.

My previous boat was the 240 SUndancer and i can tell you it is an awesome boat. If it turns out to be ok, you'll love it too. Good Luck

Mike

 

[duck]

If the boat asnt been out of the water in 4 years, and it wasnt winterized last season, you could have some problems with outdrive and the engine/water system components if it froze over the winter time. If the boat was never out of the water in 4 years, how did he maintain the outdrive anodes? The Bravo III outdrive needs some TLC to make sure it is trouble-free. 4 years without being out of the water makes me think you are going to have an issue with that outdrive. Get a survey with any used boat you are considering. Its well worth it to know what the deal is before you committ to buy something.

My previous boat was the 240 SUndancer and i can tell you it is an awesome boat. If it turns out to be ok, you'll love it too. Good Luck

Mike

Thats just the point he hasn't maintained it, which is obviously bad. But the only one good thing is that he bought the wrong boat in the first place as all he does is plod up and down the river. So the boat has not gone any faster than 10mph in the last 4 years :huh:

 

[Shining]

Thats just the point he hasn't maintained it, which is obviously bad. But the only one good thing is that he bought the wrong boat in the first place as all he does is plod up and down the river. So the boat has not gone any faster than 10mph in the last 4 years :huh:

The only one good thing is really not a good thing....
...along with the obviously bad thing!
You understand what I'm trying to say?:smt017

 

[Groucho]

Get the survey done...I bet you can find out enough to get your money back from the survey anyways

 

[duck]

The only one good thing is really not a good thing....
...along with the obviously bad thing!
You understand what I'm trying to say?:smt017

Yeah i do :thumbsup:

I think i am going to give that boat a miss :smt009 There are just too many unknowns with that boat

well, i have just one more boat, that i have seen and i do like but when i went to see it the seating had black mould, similar kind of thing the owner has not used it for a few months as he works abroad. This boat is a 95 250 sundancer which i think i prefer :huh:

We are nearly there on a price and the best part is this boat is actually local to me so no transport costs to get the boat to my local marina so that is around £1000 gbp $2000 usd saved :smt038

 

[Shining]

Good luck. Don't give up.
Keep us posted!

 

[dpvandy01]

Yeah i do :thumbsup:

I think i am going to give that boat a miss :smt009 There are just too many unknowns with that boat

well, i have just one more boat, that i have seen and i do like but when i went to see it the seating had black mould, similar kind of thing the owner has not used it for a few months as he works abroad. This boat is a 95 250 sundancer which i think i prefer :huh:

We are nearly there on a price and the best part is this boat is actually local to me so no transport costs to get the boat to my local marina so that is around £1000 gbp $2000 usd saved :smt038

Sig line shows looking for 1993 230 but now interested in 1995 250? is this correct? If so let me stop the madness right freaking now. I owned my 93 230 for 8 trips (not months) day trips... yup sold for the 1995 250 and it rocks(ed) fantastic boat... 8 seasons in the Ohio plus trailering all over Hells Half acre.... ended with a 2001 280....... tune in for the rest of the story. Good luck with the search. The narrow beam of the 230 is a biotch to get right.. first move point for me. Each boat is a trade off/compromise....the "gets" should far outweigh the "give-ups".. run from the 230... the 250 is a much better boat, all around

 

[duck]

Sig line shows looking for 1993 230 but now interested in 1995 250? is this correct? If so let me stop the madness right freaking now. I owned my 93 230 for 8 trips (not months) day trips... yup sold for the 1995 250 and it rocks(ed) fantastic boat... 8 seasons in the Ohio plus trailering all over Hells Half acre.... ended with a 2001 280....... tune in for the rest of the story. Good luck with the search. The narrow beam of the 230 is a biotch to get right.. first move point for me. Each boat is a trade off/compromise....the "gets" should far outweigh the "give-ups".. run from the 230... the 250 is a much better boat, all around

I guess i should update my sig now, as we decided against the 230. infact we have decided against the 250 too and are now looking at the 270's as we have 3 boys oldest 10 youngest 3 Given it is such a buyers market right now if you have cash and no trade in i think it is more sensible to get a bigger boat with cash instead of trying to trade in a smaller boat :huh:

Which brings me to my next question. I have found 2 (apparently) very nice 270's i have not seen them but the brokers told me they are in first class order and well worth viewing. They are both American spec boats that have been approved for Europe and come with all the legal documents required.:thumbsup:

The difference is, one is a 1998 7.4 single the other is a 1999 twin 4.3 both mercruisers. Incidentaly one of the twins was replaced in 07 with a brand new engine. I like both boats for different reasons, i like the twins because of obvious safety in 2 versus 1 but i don't like the double the maintenance and extra fuel burn. Given they are both the same money and there isn't much to choose between the both except different ends of the country but equal distance which do you guys think would be the better option :smt100

 

[douglee25]

I think for that size boat a single I/O would be a better choice from a cost standpoint. Whether it's fuel, maintenance, etc, it will cost you double on a twin boat. The twin setup is obviously good from a safety standpoint, but on a boat that size, twins aren't needed per say. Personally I would go twins around the 30' mark.

Doug

 

[Team Jeff]

Duck,

I sent you a pm. Drive the 270 loaded and see what you think. I needed a 100mph tail wind to get ours to plain with more than 4-5 people on it!!

 

[comsnark]

Regardless of the twin-single debate. . .in the same hull a boat with twins -should- cost more than a boat with a single. One of those boats is priced wrong. .. .or they are in dramatically different condition.