Buy or not to buy

First time on a thread and currently boat less, but looking at a 2001, 35ft, 340 this weekend. The boat has been on a lake since new, covered etc. If purchased she will end up in South Florida where we will do the Keys, intercostal, west coast of fla, ocean and Bahamas if weather permitted. Would appreciate any feedbackas it pertains to boat handling in 3'-4' seas, chop etc also she OK for extended periods underway let's say 2-3 weeks. Thanks for any input

BWS, I have two different 330 Sundancers which are essentially the same boat. I think you will find they can handle 3'-4' seas without much problem. The boat will handle them better than the passengers and crew, especially if you're new to boating. As far as spending a couple of weeks on board, my wife and I did that once and had a great time. We spent a week on board several times and also had a lot of fun. Again, it depends on the people and how much room you "need".

Now, all that being said, I hope you are planning on getting that boat surveyed. That's a lot of money to spend on something and not do all you can to have it thoroughly checked out. Also, take a boating safety class, and I recommend doing it in the classroom rather than on line. The exchange of information between the people in the classroom makes that a much more rewarding experience, especially for a new boater.

One last thought I'll leave you with--there's an old saying on CSR: Without pictures it didn't happen. Essentially that translates to "take lots of pics of your boat, where you go boating and you and family and friends on board." We all like to see where other people take their boats.

Oh, one extra last thought: Don't be a stranger on here. We all were newbies once and we all benefit from the experience of others on here.

^^^What he said!^^^

Welcome to CSR!

Cheers

Thank you very much planning on doing all you mentioned

Just a tip...around here we can't get away with calling it a 35' boat! She's a 34'...and will always be a 34'. And really...it's 36'3" anyway. ha.

While doable I think most people will quickly find that 3'-4' seas are not something you're going to want to do for long in a boat this size. If you're on plane cruising in 3'-4' you're no doubt rearranging everything in your galley and hitting "pretty hard" "rather often". It's not enjoyable.

I don't know at what size 3'-4''s become comfortable? 42'? 50'? 65'? I just know it's not a 33/34 vessel.

I used to own a 2000 340. It was fine in 3ft'rs. That said it is about learning the operational control. Using the tabs and finding the speed that works best. Will it bump, yup. But still a safe ride.


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Brown water sailor said:

First time on a thread and currently boat less, but looking at a 2001, 35ft, 340 this weekend. The boat has been on a lake since new, covered etc. If purchased she will end up in South Florida where we will do the Keys, intercostal, west coast of fla, ocean and Bahamas if weather permitted. Would appreciate any feedbackas it pertains to boat handling in 3'-4' seas, chop etc also she OK for extended periods underway let's say 2-3 weeks. Thanks for any input

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Welcome! The 340DA is a great boat, I have a 2002 which is the same design as the 2001. My boat happens to have the twin Mercruiser 8.1 Horizon inboards with V-Drive. There are also smaller inboard options with v-drive, and sterndrive options. They all have their advantages, and people here have their preferences.

I boat around New England, in conditions that can vary widely day to day. 3-4 foot seas offshore can be big lazy swells that you hardly notice. 3-4 foot "chop" building inside Buzzards Bay can jar loose the fillings in your teeth. I guess you learn the capabilities of your boat over time, and adjust your expectations, and plans accordingly. The 340 is a very capable boat for coastal cruising under many conditions, particularly if you take the time to improve your seamanship skills to put your boat in the best position to handle the conditions. It's not always intuitive, but you learn... the smoothest way to your destination is often not a straight line, sometimes when you're bouncing around it's better to slow down, but sometimes it's better to speed up, and no matter what you think, if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy...

I don't know about making offshore runs to the Bahamas in one, not sure it would have the reserve fuel capacity to feel comfortable with that, but I know people make that run on open center consoles, so probably the FL folks can give you better feedback on that part of the question.

For extended stays onboard, I would suggest you consider getting a full camper back enclosure. The OEM slant back really limits the use of the aft part of the cockpit when covered. If you're onboard for a week or more, you'll probably have a day or two buttoned up for rain, and that extra space will make it more livable.

When you mentioned 2-3 weeks extended time underway, I think it's reasonable to plan to have a marina stop every few days, because the capacities on the boat for water, fuel, and holding tank are not really sufficient for extended cruising without provisioning stops. We can go for a long weekend on the hook, but that's pushing it on water and holding tank. If you make a run more than 3 miles offshore, you can run the macerator and dump the holding tank, but around here in New England we're almost always in a no discharge zone, so we pump out.

A generator is an important option, IMHO, particularly if you spend much time on a mooring or on the hook. I don't know why you wouldn't put one on a boat this size, but you do see them, and the owners usually regret it.

Ditto on getting a survey, not just to protect yourself, but to learn about the boat. A good surveyor will educate you about all the systems onboard, maintenance issues, and other considerations. I also echo the recommendation to consider some training from the Power Squadron or CG Auxiliary.

Having said all that... you're looking at a very popular and well crafted boat, there's a reason Sea Ray has sold so many in that size/design. This club site is packed full of great info, read on!

Good luck this weekend!