In the market for a used boat Sea Ray vs Regal

tvojnyk

New Member
May 17, 2010
4
Chesapeake Bay
Boat Info
20' Center Console
Engines
Force 150
I am in the market for a used sport cruisers. After doing research, I have narrowed it down to a 2006-2007 Regal 2860 or a 280 Sun Dancer. Can anyone share with me an objective pro's and con's for both?
 
I don't know what your budget is, but I have a buddy with a Regal 3060 for sale with a trailer. If you're interested pm me and I will send you the flyer.
 
I think the 280 DA is a great boat, much better than the Regal.... But if I were you, I would go bigger and get inboards... They are less maintenance and easier to manuever... There are some great deals on 320s and 340s...
 
I am in the market for a used sport cruisers. After doing research, I have narrowed it down to a 2006-2007 Regal 2860 or a 280 Sun Dancer. Can anyone share with me an objective pro's and con's for both?

A year ago, I was looking at the same boats. I ended up with a 2006 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer. Have you looked at the 06-07 290DA?

Regal makes a good boat, and I don't think many folks will cut it down. IMHO, Sea Ray builds a better boat, and holds its value better. However, without knowing what is important to you, it tough for the CSR forum to help you out.

So, give us a little more info on what is important to you in a boat, and why you narrowed your choices to these two models.:thumbsup:
 
I am limited in size due to wanting to fit it in my boat house. I have also looked at the 290 DA as well. Quality is important to me. I am new to boating and posted to get some sound advice from experienced boaters.

My brother in law has a 340 and suggest a Sea Ray. However, he let me know about this site and suggest I post to get some additional feedback.
 
You're on a SEARAY forum so everyone here will say SEARAY is better. I made the jump from a Sea Ray 280 to a Regal 3560. In terms of the quality of both boat's they are on par with each other but on the 28 foot size a feel the layout of the Sea Ray is better especially in the cockpit. It comes down to personal preference more then anything. Go over to the Regal forum and ask the same question. There are many people with the 2860 over there. Also resale value is horrible on every brand of boat right now. Foreclosures are kiling the market. Just my .02
 
I think Regal and Sea Ray have two different approaches to designing boats. Seems as if most other companies just copy Sea Ray - Regal actually has original thoughts. When we looked at a 3060 Regal - the wife ruled it out because there was nowhere to store plates. The salesman suggested storing them next to the trash can. We were actually pretty serious about the boat and then we started mapping out how we would use it. After that the wife had zero interest in the Regal. Then we compared a Regal 3360 - right next to a 320. The 320 was a roomier and larger boat and while the Regal has some nice features. The Sea Ray seemed like the better value. When I compare mid 90's Regal Cruisers to mid-90's Sea Rays. The Sea Rays always seem to be more timeless and often tend to look better on the water.
 
I admit that I am biased to Sea Rays. That said, at the boat show this past winter we toured all of the Regals and all of the Sea Rays. The consensus was that the finish on the Sea Rays was superior and that the Regals seemed gimmicky.
 
In what way is the Regal 40SC, 44SC and 52SC gimmicky? There is a waiting list to purchase one of these boats and all come with volvo IPS which i would take over merc zeus any day of the week?
 
In what way is the Regal 40SC, 44SC and 52SC gimmicky? There is a waiting list to purchase one of these boats and all come with volvo IPS which i would take over merc zeus any day of the week?

The "new" big boats from Regal are absolutely beautiful! Regal hit a home run with these boats.

However, I don't think the same can be said for the 2860. On the pocket cruisers, the Regal line is a little dated, and they need to update their design and styling. (IMHO).
 
In what way is the Regal 40SC, 44SC and 52SC gimmicky? There is a waiting list to purchase one of these boats and all come with volvo IPS which i would take over merc zeus any day of the week?

:smt021
:lol::lol::lol:

Haha....Sombody tell him he drifted over to a SEA RAY discussion board...
 
The "new" big boats from Regal are absolutely beautiful! Regal hit a home run with these boats.

However, I don't think the same can be said for the 2860. On the pocket cruisers, the Regal line is a little dated, and they need to update their design and styling. (IMHO).

I agree. When we were upgrading from 240DA we looked at other brands as well, but in the end SR was the winner on what we get as a overall package. However, as with anything it's about personal preferences. You need to consider which boat will be easier to maintain and if you're planning to use specific dealer to service the boat make sure they will take the one you're about to buy. Having reputable shop is very important. So, for example we have lots of people that use MarineMax (I use them only for big or complex items). I don't know if they'll take regal and I'm not sure who's regal's reputable servicing dealer. So, there are few things to keep in mind not just the looks or lay out. Also, when touring the boats at the show you can't test them, so there's always a chance that one rides better then the other. I know that SR rides well, but I never boarded regal or other brands on water for the test drive.

Keep in mind that 280DA is very popular model.

As others have suggested, by looking at your location v-drives might be a better choice for you. But, if you have size restrictions, choose the least costly package. For example, when I was thinking about upgrading to 280DA I was looking to have Alpha-I instead of BIII drives to minimize corrosion issues and Alphas are cheaper to maintain. I don't know what choice regal gives you.

Good luck with the hunt.
 
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Everyone is going to be passionate about their own boat - including me. That's fully understandable. However, "choice" is one of the great things about our side of the world.

I love my Sea Ray...so don't pick on me for what I say next! Regal makes a great boat. I know because I've owned four...a 2860, 3260, 3560 and 4460. All were great boats. All had foibles. My 560 is a great boat too...but also with foibles.

Some folks in this thread have talked about space and the fact of the better layout in the cockpit. One of the reasons I went with the Regal was the (in my humble opinion) much better use of space in the salon and sleeping areas. I don't know how they do it, but they seem to have more space available downstairs.

I have found the overall quality to be at least equivalent on the Regals. I just spent a fortune over the winter fixing a number of fibreglas flaws and voids on my current Sea Ray. Not saying the Regal is better, but it certainly ain't worse...

And one of the things I really liked about the Regal is that it is still a family run and independent company. Their service is legendary (I'm sure we could find exceptions) and my experience was extraordinary.

My 3560 was one of the first of that model produced. As a consequence, there were a few issues. Regal stepped up to the plate and flew one of their engineers from Orlando up to Orillia, Ontario, Canada (north of Toronto) to go over my issues and stick around for the week to make everything right. I felt like a real whiner when I found out, during the conversation, that he had dedicated the week to fix up my boat, even though his house had just been condemned due to a hurricane that had passed through a week before (~2004)! I felt like crawling under the picnic table.

I think it comes down to looking and the choices and trying to figure out what will work best for you. Sleeping accomodations. Space. Design. All legitimate considerations. If you find something you like, you will be well served by either brand.

Cheers,
Paul
 
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Everyone is going to be passionate about their own boat - including me. That's fully understandable. However, "choice" is one of the great things about our side of the world.

I love my Sea Ray...so don't pick on me for what I say next! Regal makes a great boat. I know because I've owned four...a 2860, 3260, 3560 and 4460. All were great boats. All had foibles. My 560 is a great boat too...but also with foibles.

Some folks in this thread have talked about space and the fact of the better layout in the cockpit. One of the reasons I went with the Regal was the (in my humble opinion) much better use of space in the salon and sleeping areas. I don't know how they do it, but they seem to have more space available downstairs.

I have found the overall quality to be at least equivalent on the Regals. I just spent a fortune over the winter fixing a number of fibreglas flaws and voids on my current Sea Ray. Not saying the Regal is better, but it certainly ain't worse...

And one of the things I really liked about the Regal is that it is still a family run and independent company. Their service is legendary (I'm sure we could find exceptions) and my experience was extraordinary.

My 3560 was one of the first of that model produced. As a consequence, there were a few issues. Regal stepped up to the plate and flew one of their engineers from Orlando up to Orillia, Ontario, Canada (north of Toronto) to go over my issues and stick around for the week to make everything right. I felt like a real whiner when I found out, during the conversation, that he had dedicated the week to fix up my boat, even though his house had just been condemned due to a hurricane that had passed through a week before (~2004)! I felt like crawling under the picnic table.

I think it comes down to looking and the choices and trying to figure out what will work best for you. Sleeping accomodations. Space. Design. All legitimate considerations. If you find something you like, you will be well served by either brand.

Cheers,
Paul


I wondered where the hell you went to!

+1 to Paul's comments. I had a Regal 2465. It had more interior room than a lot of 30 footers. Definitely more than the comparable sized Sundancer.

Get on each in the size you want and write down the pro's and con's of each. Do so honestly. Also review power plants. Most who have owned Volvo and Merc will say the Volvo is far more user friendly when it comes to DIY maintenance.

One huge plus to Regal is their Window Express. It is well ahead of it's time.

Don't rule out the Amberjack line of Sea Ray. If you only need the boat for 2, it is a nice riding beamy boat. Its design too is way ahead of its time.

Good luck. Their are lots of great deals to be had now.
 
I wondered where the hell you went to!

I was boating! :grin:

Went out for our first real run of the year... :thumbsup:

Paul
 
Thanks for all of your help. I agree with you about the regal's use of space. When comparing the 280DA and the 2860, the aft cabin is lees like a cave on the 2860. The Windows in the Windows Express make it also much less like a cave in the 2860. However, I have heard that the craftsmanship in the 280 is at a higher level. A Sea Ray will also hold its resale value much better and the Sea Ray Dealership is just across the river.

From what it sounds like from all of you is that I will not go wrong with either choice.
 
I have been looking at 90s 270s and 00+ 260s. Has anyone researched the 2660 or 2765 Regal? A friend suggested I check them out as I am tall and the cabin height is a foot higher. It is!!! It does feel better down there. The head has much more height than the 260.

Thanks for any opinions.

If I bought one would I still be welcome to hang out here?
 
I like them both. When I was looking in 1999, the 32 foot Regal had a very funky propulsion system layout. The engines were in the normal place with the transmissions, but the V-drive was a separate box under the mid-cabin berth. Too many parts. Too messy if the V-drive unit needed service since it was inside the cabin.

Now on the other hand, if I was buying a new boat in today's market the Regal 44SC would be at the top of the list because Volvo's IPS is that much more superior in its engineering to everything else on today's market. If I were looking at a used inboard/v-drive boat, that would probably be something like a Sea Ray 460DA. To me, it's not Regal vs Sea Ray, it's the individual boat and it's components vs the competitor's similar model.

Best regards,
Frank
 
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I looked at Tiara's since the design was appealing to me. Sea Ray's answer to the Tiara in the 340 Amberjack had some styling advantages but some practicality disadvantages.

Sea Ray was a "better buy" in my opinion when you considered all of the angles.

I've had a Doral, Sea Ray, Wellcraft and now back to Sea Ray. Comparing boats of the same era, Sea Ray seems to be more solidly built, but can lack some of the "smart" features of the competators. I choose solid over features any day.
 
I looked at Tiara last time since its design was appealing to me. Sea Ray's answer to the Tiara was the 340 Amberjack had some styling advantages but some practicality disadvantages.

Sea Ray was a "better buy" in my opinion when you considered all of the angles.

I've had a Doral, Sea Ray, Wellcraft and now back to Sea Ray. Comparing boats of the same era, Sea Ray seems to be more solidly built, but can lack some of the "smart" features of the competators. I choose solid over features any day.
 

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