Sea Ray Quality - Ups and Downs of the BRAND and the Rise and Fall...

FootballFan said:
I have an affinity for the 03-09 boats built in the time period. I think they were among the highest quality boats SR ever built - had a 340 and a 47DB from those years.
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Those were the golden years for manufacturers. The hull of my current boat was made from '05-'19 and largely unchanged. 2010 and later they really cheapened the cabin - removed some storage areas, made the couch more boxy with less cushions and overall decontented the boat.

From this...
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To this...
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As some of you know we left SR in 2004 after owning 3 brand new express cruisers of various sizes from 26-37 feet. Each of them had their issues from a quality perspective but the 1993 was by far the worst. We had no complaints with the mechanicals. Everything worked and nothing broke with heavy use on the open waters of Lake Michigan. The structural elements of the boat were not good however. The 1993 boat leaked like a sieve from day one and no amount of warranty work could solve that issue. Screws appeared on the locker floors out of nowhere. Doors failed. We maintain boats with an open check book and that boat was the most expensive boat we ever owned.
We moved up to a 3200 Tiara Open which was technically about the same size as the 370 Express. It was actually much bigger weight wise, about 6,000 heavier. We owned that boat for 16 years and it was absolutely reliable. Nothing broke and it looked brand new the day we sold it 2 years ago.
Coincidentally, we ran into the new owner yesterday and got to see it again. It still looks brand new and has had no mechanical failures. It is still 100% original except for the electronics which I redid a few years back. Tiara still builds Opens and I would buy another in a heartbeat if I were younger. They make good strong boats that go through big water nicely and they do not leak. Here are two pix of what it looked like yesterday. For those who are sorry SR gave up on building cruisers, look at Tiara.
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I would kill if the took the open platform and gussied up the cockpit with the cruising creature comforts. Admiral does want to use chairs, wants seats. :)
 
There previously was a Tiara Open that was available for bare boat charter in Maine. We chartered it 2-3 times. I agree very well made, solid boat.
 
The thing that put me away from Tiara was that they were not set up well for multiple cabins and good seating in the cockpit. At least, in a size I wanted. I need to sleep 2 adults and 2 kids, plus lounge in the cockpit. It seemed like they were more fishing boats with a cabin.
 
Very true. The cabin is really for the occasional overnight. I did like the cockpit tho.

Many hate it on bigger water boats but my wife loves the open bow seating and the boat is designed to shed tons of water if it comes into the cockpit.
 
Shaps said:
I'm sure that's the ONLY reason... Don't buy it.




@copb8tx, not looking to get into a pissing match and won't rehash the costs & benefits of pods here.
Please feel free to have your dock-mate join the discussion. I do maintain you have no 'personal history' with these.

We agree to disagree.
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Yup. Why I don’t own a Bayliner. Never owned one but most of us know….
 
I was looking at purchasing a 4300 open and found out that they actually quit making all open models as of this year. I was very disappointed when I found that out from the dealer.
 
my selection was limited to something that could be single handled and bridge clearance.

Tiara, Formula and Sea Ray were on the shortlist.

The Formula's narrower beam and layout took that choice out.

While IMHO the Tiara has a better build, at the end of the day the layout of the late 1990's 450 DA galley to port easily won the race.

Flew to Baltimore, and did a sea trial. While that boat did not meet expectations, her sea trial with the 3126 CATS resulted in narrowing my choice.

Fully aware of her shortcomings, I have been diligent on the rebedding of hatches, etc and other deck openings to maintain balsa core integrity.

BEST !

RWS
 
T
TonyQSC500 said:
I was looking at purchasing a 4300 open and found out that they actually quit making all open models as of this year. I was very disappointed when I found that out from the dealer.
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You can still order a 42 open. Just looked at the Tiara web site.
 
sbw1 said:
T

You can still order a 42 open. Just looked at the Tiara web site.
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I’m sorry the 42. I wanted to order an open.

I saw it on the website however when I went to skipper buds to order an open they said they are no longer taking orders as they are no longer being built. I tried to argue about it being on the site and they told me the site is not up to date. I wish they where wrong.
 
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I noticed a significant improvement in material, especially bulkheads and the stiffness of the upper deck, going from our 98 290 to our 02 410

a lot of that no doubt has to do with the jump from their “sport” line into the “sport yacht” and the fact that it was built by a hell of a crew in Merrit Island. I’ve read other stories about the folks working there and pretty much everyone agrees those folks knew how to build big boats

the parts that have impressed me most on the 410 had been what you can’t usually see - thickness of the hull and transom specifically. Both being solid glass were a huge bonus and the first time I had it in any appreciable sea I was extremely thankful how heavy of a 41’ boat it is

the soft goods have really held up as well including cockpit and cabin vinyl
 
Yup, the "Euro styling" of the Sea Ray line turned me off for sure. Cheap interior materials, boxy seating and hardwood floors took the comfy and luxurious feel our of the boats. Not to mention it turned the interior into an echo chamber.
 
I was a loyal SR owner of at least 6 different boats many bought new and still have an original 1987 22 Pachanga. My 2007 48 Sundancer was supposed to be our last boat but I could not accept the interior wood issues that continued to get worse each year so we sold it with the idea of getting another SR but could not find the quality or the design we were looking for in the next generation SR so we started looking at other brands. After spending two years looking at Cruisers, Carvers, Tiara’s, Galeon’s, and others we bought a 2017 Formula 45 Yacht which was a little smaller than we wanted but gave us the design and quality we were seeking. The quality of this boat reminds me of when SR was building great quality boats and I was ordering them every few years. SR walked away from me as a long term customer and I am sure many others when the quality started being controlled by Brunswick and not the brand. It is amazing to see how a large company destroyed such a good company with an amazing loyal following.
 
brewster16 said:
Yup, the "Euro styling" of the Sea Ray line turned me off for sure. Cheap interior materials, boxy seating and hardwood floors took the comfy and luxurious feel our of the boats. Not to mention it turned the interior into an echo chamber.
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I respect your opinion, and no boat is perfect, but let me add my perspective on this comment. I own one of those "Euro" style boat you speak of. I don't find the interior cheap, although the cabinetry could be improved, but that has been true for all my Sea Rays. I like the faux-wood flooring, as it is easy to keep clean and handles moisture much better than carpet (we like to swim off the back of the boat, so wet feet are often in the cabin). My impression is that carpeting has been slowly removed from most boats, both in the cabin and on deck, because moisture and carpet don't do well together in most climates.

Yes, the seats are square/boxy, never thought of that as a negative - I think they look pretty modern. As far as the echo chamber comment, I'll just say I've never had a quieter cabin, especially when underway. Guests and I can have a normal conversation in my cabin while on plane. I get many comments on the quiet and smoothness of the ride.

IMHO what is nice about this style of boat (and why it is dominating many new boat designs) is that you sleep and shower below deck, but you entertain above deck. For our use that is a huge advantage.
 
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