Opinions on Searay boats (24 ft.)
Mitchell
My wife and I are looking at buying a Sundancer 240.
Anyone else here own one? How is it?
The one we are considering has a Mercruiser 5.0
with EFI and the Bravo III drive. Is this a good setup?
What about other brands in this size range...?
We've looked at Regal, Stingray, and Bayliner.
Regal: Looked nice but Volvo was only engine option
and we've heard that Regals tend to require lots of
follow-up visits to correct cosmetic defects and
quality control problems. This is scary since the
Regal factory is right down the road (so to speak)
from the dealer (Boat Tree, Orlando)
Bayliner: Looked at the 2455 Cierra. The boat on display
had a cracked (busted) cabin door. I am dumbfounded
as to why the dealer would let a boat sit there with
broken doors (we were there more than once).
We looked at the Stingray 240CS and it was nice
but the Searay 240 Sundancer seemed to have better
quality, looked even better, and was equipped better.
(but of course at a higher price)
Any advice/feedback on these boats would be appreciated!
Thanks.
Scott & Lisa
<Mitc...@lycosmail.com> wrote:
>Hi! I'm looking for opinions on Searay boats.
Very good boats. Cost more than the average boat. I believe you get
what you pay for, others may say its an over inflated price based on
name. Either way, you can't go wrong with a Sea Ray, but you may pay
more.
>My wife and I are looking at buying a Sundancer 240.
>Anyone else here own one? How is it?
Don't own one. looked at it. Went bigger. I would say get on the 260
and 270 before you jump for the 240. Depending on your needs and
planned usage, boats get small fast! If you can, I would say consider
the 260, it will have abit more grow-into room. The 270 is nicer, but
I don't really like the cabin layout, so I might look elsewhere if I
were going to be in this size category.
Don't be too affraid to spend money now (but don't go broke either).
If you buy a little larger, you might be able to stave off some
upgrade fever for a season. Go too small now and you may be looking
to upgrade next year. As I said before, boats get small fast. Make
sure your boat A) fits your needs and planned usage and B) will
continue A for a while.
>The one we are considering has a Mercruiser 5.0
>with EFI and the Bravo III drive. Is this a good setup?
Not bad. 7.4 is overkill. The 5.7 may be a little better choice, if
for no other reason than it looks good at resale time. The BIII is
spot on.
>Regal: Looked nice but Volvo was only engine option
>and we've heard that Regals tend to require lots of
>follow-up visits to correct cosmetic defects and
>quality control problems.
I'll leave it for Regal owners to defend their boats. I do not agree
with what you have heard, but I have never owned one. Regals seem to
get positive chat. By all accounts the Volvo/DuoProp combo is very
good and reliable.
>Bayliner: Looked at the 2455 Cierra. The boat on display
>had a cracked (busted) cabin door. I am dumbfounded
>as to why the dealer would let a boat sit there with
>broken doors (we were there more than once).
You get what you pay for. There is a place for Bayliner. Look at the
resale value in your area. I wouldn't buy one, but it may fit your
needs well.
>We looked at the Stingray 240CS and it was nice
No comments on this boat.
You did not mention your planned usage for the boat. If you are going
to do mostly day trips, a bowrider may be more useful and you would
not have the wasted space of the cabin. If you are going to do
overnights, a larger boat may be less crampt and more comfortable. If
the water where you boat are choppy, get the biggest beam (width) you
can afford.
>Any advice/feedback on these boats would be appreciated!
>Thanks.
I keep other comments on boats and related frequently asked questions
as the web site (below).
Good luck and enjoy!
Scott
The Novice Boater Resources
http://www.lisaandscott.com/NoviceBoating.htm
Craig Stripling
the kids to the new Universal park) and was gonna make some visits for the same
size boat 24-28' CC.
Gould 0738
I suggest you check out "used", for a couple of reasons.
First, many boats depreciate enough in the first few years that in the
extraordinary event that you had to replace almost everything covered by the
"new boat" warranty you might still be ok, financially.
(Fact is, many boats are in better shape when they're a year old than when
brand new; all the factory oversights have been corrected and a lot of optional
electronic goodies are typically added)
Second reason to shop "used". You are still rationalizing choices between
brands.
Why not see for yourself how a 3 or 4 year old Brand X typically holds up? One
person's experience, pro or con, is too small a sample to draw conclusions
from. Competitive slander is best ignored.
________
Chuck Gould
Float and let float.
Kevin McKinnon
stuff is in the small details . . . SeaRay has a knack for thinking
about all of the small things a boater wants, while providing a solid,
dependable platform. I have the 5.0, 240 EFI, not even a "belch" this
first year on Lake Michigan. The Bravo II I have is just fine, but the
extra maneuvering ability of the III would be great for docking on windy
days. I got the weekend package: water heater, pump out head, big
canvas, etc. It's has been great for family weekends. Don't hesitate
to ask me questions.
Mitchell wrote:
> Hi! I'm looking for opinions on Searay boats.
>
> My wife and I are looking at buying a Sundancer 240.
> Anyone else here own one? How is it?
>
> The one we are considering has a Mercruiser 5.0
> with EFI and the Bravo III drive. Is this a good setup?
>
> What about other brands in this size range...?
> We've looked at Regal, Stingray, and Bayliner.
>
> Regal: Looked nice but Volvo was only engine option
> and we've heard that Regals tend to require lots of
> follow-up visits to correct cosmetic defects and
> quality control problems. This is scary since the
> Regal factory is right down the road (so to speak)
> from the dealer (Boat Tree, Orlando)
>
> Bayliner: Looked at the 2455 Cierra. The boat on display
> had a cracked (busted) cabin door. I am dumbfounded
> as to why the dealer would let a boat sit there with
> broken doors (we were there more than once).
>
> We looked at the Stingray 240CS and it was nice
> but the Searay 240 Sundancer seemed to have better
> quality, looked even better, and was equipped better.
> (but of course at a higher price)
>
Submariner
<Mitc...@lycosmail.com> wrote:
>My wife and I are looking at buying a Sundancer 240.
>Anyone else here own one? How is it?
I looked very closely at the 240, 260, 270 and 290 Sundancer's, and
found all of them to be well finished. They're not perfect of course,
but then again, no boat is. Recent reviews and survey reports seem to
indicate Sea Ray is getting better in overall quality.
>The one we are considering has a Mercruiser 5.0
>with EFI and the Bravo III drive. Is this a good setup?
I would recommend the 5.7L. I have heard of some problems with the
Bravo III, but they very well could be isolated.
>What about other brands in this size range...?
>We've looked at Regal, Stingray, and Bayliner.
Sea Ray and Regal are probably the better boats in this size, style
and price range. You may also consider Chaparral.
>Regal: Looked nice but Volvo was only engine option
>and we've heard that Regals tend to require lots of
>follow-up visits to correct cosmetic defects and
>quality control problems. This is scary since the
>Regal factory is right down the road (so to speak)
>from the dealer (Boat Tree, Orlando)
Hmmm. I owned a Regal 6.8SC, and found the boat to be well above
average in construction quality. All fittings were high quality 316
grade stainless, everything was through-bolted with backplates, and
the hull-to-deck joint had a backing strip to secure the screws. I've
seen very, very few boats in the category with hull-to-deck joinery of
this caliber. Most builders simply drive screws directly through the
fiberglass.
Further, the Volvo is arguably the best I/O system on the market.
Their DuoProp drives are indestructible, and I prefer the way they
handle the marinization process.
>Bayliner: Looked at the 2455 Cierra. The boat on display
>had a cracked (busted) cabin door. I am dumbfounded
>as to why the dealer would let a boat sit there with
>broken doors (we were there more than once).
There are quite a few Bayliners in my area, and as an entry level
boat, and if used with proper care, they'll provide years of service.
What they lack is the higher quality hardware, vinyls, and overall fit
and finish that obviously adds to the price.
>We looked at the Stingray 240CS and it was nice
>but the Searay 240 Sundancer seemed to have better
>quality, looked even better, and was equipped better.
>(but of course at a higher price)
I wasn't impressed with the Stingray at all.
>Any advice/feedback on these boats would be appreciated!
>Thanks.
There are quite a few things that are still in the air, such as your
intended use, whether you've owned a boat before, etc. I would
recommend buying a slightly used boat, especially with the number of
boats in Florida. Buying a slightly used boat has the following
benefits in my opinion:
1. Most manufacturers allow the warranty to be transferred, so you'll
still have the benefit of some warranty.
2. A used boat will usually be equipped well, with items that really
add to the price of a new one. When you add in a radio, optional
canvas, engine upgrades, dock lines, fenders, Coast Guard equipment,
and other must-have items, the price starts to creep up quickly.
3. You benefit from the first year or two of depreciation.
4. All new boats have problems, whether minor or major. A boat
that's a year or more old has pretty much been through what I call the
"break-in" process. As such, a majority of the nuisance items will
have been taken care of, meaning you'll be spending more time on the
water.
5. You can tyipcally get more boat. For example, and 2 year old 270
may cost you no more than a new 240.
6. If it's your first boat, the statistics show you won't own this
one for very long.
With so many used boats available, you can afford to be extremely
picky. I wouldn't buy a boat if full service records aren't
available. In Florida especially, there are always 1-2 year old boats
for sale that have been High & Dry kept, with low hours and full
service records. Many people trade up faster than they anticipate,
and leave the savings to you!
Finally, my highest recommendation is that you take a look at similar
boats that are 3-4 years old to see how they have held up. This is
the best way to determine build quality. Any manufacturer can show a
shiny boat on the showroom floor, but a few years in the elements will
reveal any quality issues.
Good luck!!
**Due to unscrupulous spammers, if responding by e-mail, please remove "NS" from the e-mail address**
Lloyd Sumpter
I looked at the website for the 260 Sundancer, and it said "...the only boat
in it's class to have a luxurious cabin that sleeps four...". Um...try to find a
24-26 ft C/B boat that DOESN'T have a cabin that sleeps at least four! My Cal 25
slept four easily.
Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36 - sleeps 6 or 8 depending on who you believe...
Kevin McKinnon wrote:
>
> I have a 2000 240 Sundancer, and I couldn't be happier. The really nice
> stuff is in the small details . . . SeaRay has a knack for thinking
> about all of the small things a boater wants, while providing a solid,
> dependable platform. I have the 5.0, 240 EFI, not even a "belch" this
> first year on Lake Michigan. The Bravo II I have is just fine, but the
> extra maneuvering ability of the III would be great for docking on windy
> days. I got the weekend package: water heater, pump out head, big
> canvas, etc. It's has been great for family weekends. Don't hesitate
> to ask me questions.
>
> Mitchell wrote:
>
> > Hi! I'm looking for opinions on Searay boats.
> >
> > My wife and I are looking at buying a Sundancer 240.
> > Anyone else here own one? How is it?
> >
> > The one we are considering has a Mercruiser 5.0
> > with EFI and the Bravo III drive. Is this a good setup?
> >
> > What about other brands in this size range...?
> > We've looked at Regal, Stingray, and Bayliner.
> >
> > Regal: Looked nice but Volvo was only engine option
> > and we've heard that Regals tend to require lots of
> > follow-up visits to correct cosmetic defects and
> > quality control problems. This is scary since the
> > Regal factory is right down the road (so to speak)
> > from the dealer (Boat Tree, Orlando)
> >
> > Bayliner: Looked at the 2455 Cierra. The boat on display
> > had a cracked (busted) cabin door. I am dumbfounded
> > as to why the dealer would let a boat sit there with
> > broken doors (we were there more than once).
> >
> > We looked at the Stingray 240CS and it was nice
> > but the Searay 240 Sundancer seemed to have better
> > quality, looked even better, and was equipped better.
> > (but of course at a higher price)
> >
Marcel LeBlanc
build to last.