Is it worth it? - Free 27ft Sea Ray 268 Sundancer

N

newengland

Guest
I can get a FREE 27ft 1987 Sea Ray 268 Sundancer. It has title, low hours, and hull is in great shape. Mechanically, it has 2 Mercruisers that aren't getting fuel. My brother-in-law had an older Sundancer for 4 years that he sold recently for more than he purchased so it's peaked my interest. Just want multiple opinions.

Would this be worth getting to fix & restore?...Either to sell or keep.

boat1.jpg

boat2.jpg

boat3.jpg

boat4.jpg

boat5.jpg

boat6.jpg
 
Take it and run. If you can't fix it, dump it. If you get it running, you can always flip it. Depends how much time and money you want to put into it. You don't get that kind of opportunity often!
 
Could be great for a DIY'er.

1st have to see how much of the boat has rotted away then decide on if it's worth it or not.
It might be a bit dirty but structurally, everything is perfectly fine. And the flooring, seating, wood finishings, etc. are easy for me to clean, restore, or replace. It's just cleaning and working on all the mechanical aspects to see if I need to completely replace the engines, wiring, etc.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
absolutely if you have the time then it's worth it. Check for soft spots before dumping much into. The fueling issue is most likely minimal but engines hate not running so if you have the means to pull them and get them on a stand it might be worth it in the long run.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
IMG_4230.JPG
How do you know the hull is in great shape? That boat is from the era when SR built boats that had stringers that were often times not fully tabbed to the hull. The stringers that were attached were made from untreated plywood. Probably most of those are greatly degraded. Are you confusing a gel coat that looks like it could be polished with a hull that may not have any strength left in it because the bones are rotten? Most of those are not visible without cutting into the floor. How good is the coring in areas where coring was used? Not saying don't attempt a refit, but this will involve more than running a buffer. The engines are most likely easier to repair than the boat itself. The wiring and gauges likely need a complete replacement. The gas tank is probably unsafe and could be a huge problem. It very likely needs to be replaced. So, not a spit and polish project. It does look fairly good for a free boat. But then again, it is not really free.
 
Nothing "free" about that boat. Would probably cost the guy a few hundred to dump it, so he looks for a "sucker' who wants a free boat. I would suspect a lot of hidden rot from just being weathered over the years. The engines are probably toast. Even if you get them to turn over, I'll bet rust has set in inside. You're looking at many $1000s to get that even close to being ready.
 
An '87 268 is maybe worth $10K at most and probably not that much without a trailer. Looking at the pictures, I'd think you'll approach or surpass that value in the restoration. OK if it's something for you but probably a losing proposition to flip.
 
The most expensive boat anyone could possibly buy is the one that is transferred for free.
 
If you have the time to do your own work and it is structurally sound, it might be worth it. Just keep track of every penny you spend on it and keep it under the going rate for a restored model.

Just remember. There is no such thing as a free boat.
 
I can get a FREE 27ft 1987 Sea Ray 268 Sundancer. It has title, low hours, and hull is in great shape. Mechanically, it has 2 Mercruisers that aren't getting fuel. My brother-in-law had an older Sundancer for 4 years that he sold recently for more than he purchased so it's peaked my interest. Just want multiple opinions.

Would this be worth getting to fix & restore?...Either to sell or keep.

Look at this: https://www.boattrader.com/listing/1989-sea-ray-268-sundancer-103129895/

A beautiful boat, likely fresh water as it is in Michigan.

Has nice canvas, great upholstery, awesome engine drive combo all for $13k asking, not sure if trailer included. No way the boat in the photos has all that restored for the $10k one could likely buy this boat for it does not even have the arch the others have.

MM
 
Look at this: https://www.boattrader.com/listing/1989-sea-ray-268-sundancer-103129895/

A beautiful boat, likely fresh water as it is in Michigan.

Has nice canvas, great upholstery, awesome engine drive combo all for $13k asking, not sure if trailer included. No way the boat in the photos has all that restored for the $10k one could likely buy this boat for it does not even have the arch the others have.

MM
That's got to be photoshopped. :) One clean boat. Seems in great condition.
 
I bought my first boat for 1000. It had a tree growing in it. The out drives were corroded off the back and hanging by the linkage. I resurrected the whole boat for $6000 and many hundreds of hours of my labor. It was perfect when I was done and was the talk of the marina. It was a great way to get to learn how boats work as every single thing had to be touched. I sold it for 13k after enjoying it for 3 years.

Now if you have to pay anyone to do any of it you find it had to keep your head above water.

Good luck,

Pete
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,944
Messages
1,422,724
Members
60,927
Latest member
Jaguar65
Back
Top