CaptRonn
Well-Known Member
- May 25, 2016
- 1,550
- Boat Info
- 1999 Sea Ray 400 Sedan Bridge
- Engines
- Convert fuel into noise
It's paid for.
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The Good:
Love the bridge
Slow cruise when not in a rush or hop on plane at 22kts still won't break the bank at the fuel dock
Tons storage (but naturally could always use more)
Love the hydraulic platform
Get a kick every time i fire up the 6CTA's
Love lounging in the salon and having full views of our surroundings
No more CO alarm going off with diesels
Dual heads with separate showers
130 gallon water tanks
Bow and Stern thruster
Space in the forward master is great
No more duck horn - kids are not embarrassed to hit the horn after the fireworks[edited:"i'm not embarrassed"]
Love the classic lines - most think she's way newer than she is
The Bad
View of the platform from the bridge when sterning in
Access to port motor - however haven't really tackled maintenance on that side as yet.
Dreading removal of the bridge enclosure for winter storage
I can’t agree more with the no head part. It’s so nice to have a bathroom onboard. I have friends with pontoon boats that paid well over $100,000 for and the ladies don’t even have a place to go pee.The good:
It's small
Fun to run around in
Easy to work on
Paid for years ago
Fits in indoor dry storage
I think it still looks and runs great even at 20yrs old
The bad:
It's small - can really get beat up on LKN on a busy weekend.
No head - the girls don't like that.
I think a 25ft ish bowrider with a head may be my end boat.
Nice looking boat. The Down East style always intrigues me.I've been looking at (lusting over, obsessed with?) the Back Cove 34 for years. Finally got one 2 weeks ago. I'm getting used to it.
The good:
- Room for 4+ to sleep. An island berth, convertible settee, convertible dinette. Space was becoming a major problem to sleeping out on the 270 AJ.
- Pilot house with full glass. Basically is an all-weather boat. Don't have the same weather-related visibility limitations of my old AJ or the same worries about weather windows on a trip.
- 27-28 mph cruise. I can get where I want to go reasonably quickly.
- Single inboard diesel engine. Less maintenance and fuel burn than twins. I can cruise at 27 mph burning 17 gph. Less maintenance than outdrives. And it's diesel.
- Handling and acceleration. They are are amazing. My son wasn't holding on tight enough when I went to full throttle; the turbo kicked in and he slid from the helm next to me all the way into the aft cockpit. Bow and stern thrusters are a huge game changer - makes everything easier. The boat handles chop and larger seas very well - it muscles through seas that would have made the AJ have to slow way down and/or very uncomfortable.
- The head: full standing height with a separate shower. No more stooping over or wet toilet.
- Engine access. The whole helm deck lifts up for engine access. With the lone engine I can easily access all sides of the engine and all the mechanicals.
- Build quality. It's very high.
- Draft. with a prop tunnel she draws 3' 1", about the same as the AJ.
- Value preservation. Back Coves seem to hold their value very well.
The bad:
- Storage is not as good / copious as I expected. In some ways the AJ was better in terms of mass storage. The BC has a lot of small storage spots, where the AJ had couple massive areas like the cockpit sole locker, the aft trunk, and the fish cooler. I think this might be largely a function of the inboard design.
- Island berth is hard to make.
- No cup holders in the cockpit. Really?
- Hard top separates me from the open-air boating experience. It offers WAY more more protection, but it's not the same wind-in-your-hair sensation.
- It seems like the electric head uses WAY more water than a vacuflush system.
- The acquisition cost. It's an expensive boat. And it's not paid for yet.
- It's not a Sea Ray.
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Weekday boating Is the best just go anyway270 Sundeck. Paid for the day I towed it home. Only regret is that I am off during the week, and potential companions have to work. So, it sits around, and gets used 3 times a year. Happy to have it, it has all of the right bones, and for a 2004, has 111 hours. First world problems.
The good:
Paid for.
Diesels.
Lots of Space.
Fuel Efficiency in a boat this size.
Excellent handling around the docks.
Master shower size.
Second head in aft.
Pocket door closing off aft berth and head.
Having a big fridge.
Second fridge in cockpit.
Great bow pad for relaxing.
Bad:
Still has too much canvas. I hate Canvas.
Master bed is a PIA to make but I’ve got a system now. Wife still can’t do it though.
Aftercooler Zincs are a PIA to change on the 3126’s but kind of getting used to those.
Cockpit table is too small, off to one side and located where it is in the way.