Considering 2005 185 Sport with 115 OB

Ky Tundra

Member
Sep 5, 2017
92
Kentucky
Boat Info
1989 Sundancer 340
Engines
Twin 454 Mercruisers with v-drives
Sorry for reposting but didn’t get any action in the 180 Thread.
I have a friend selling a 2005 185 Sport with the 115 Mercury four stroke OB. He has owned the boat since new and it only has 175 hrs. Always stored inside. Considering buying it. Anyone have any insight on this model and particularly this engine? After searching the forum doesn’t look like the outboard was a popular option for this boat.
We boat on the Ohio River and will occasionally pull it to a lake in the area.
Any thoughts on fair purchase price?
Thanks!
 
My 185 is a few years older, but basically the same boat. The smaller SeaRays are solid boats, no wood and generally have a bigger boat feel and ride compared to other manufactures in that size range. Mine is now 20yrs old, I bought it in 2006 and have had pretty much zero problems. As far as the engine, I can't help you there, I have not owned an outboard in decades - a friend has a 4 stroke Mercury on his pontoon boat and it has been very low maintenance and trouble free for the last 5yrs. My only thought on that is 115hp seems a little underpowered, I think the 115hp was the base option and most seem to have the 150hp SeaRay, only way to know is a sea trial.

As far as price, look at NADA and Boat Trader to get an idea of what people are asking - figure the highest priced ones will never sell, the lowest ones are probably not in good shape and the ones in the middle who are serious about selling will negotiate some on the price -- not much on a small boat with a low price to begin with. A good price on a boat can really vary due to location (salt/freshwater) and condition. The fact that you know the seller and how the boat has been cared for is worth something on price.
 
My 185 is a few years older, but basically the same boat. The smaller SeaRays are solid boats, no wood and generally have a bigger boat feel and ride compared to other manufactures in that size range. Mine is now 20yrs old, I bought it in 2006 and have had pretty much zero problems. As far as the engine, I can't help you there, I have not owned an outboard in decades - a friend has a 4 stroke Mercury on his pontoon boat and it has been very low maintenance and trouble free for the last 5yrs. My only thought on that is 115hp seems a little underpowered, I think the 115hp was the base option and most seem to have the 150hp SeaRay, only way to know is a sea trial.

As far as price, look at NADA and Boat Trader to get an idea of what people are asking - figure the highest priced ones will never sell, the lowest ones are probably not in good shape and the ones in the middle who are serious about selling will negotiate some on the price -- not much on a small boat with a low price to begin with. A good price on a boat can really vary due to location (salt/freshwater) and condition. The fact that you know the seller and how the boat has been cared for is worth something on price.
Thanks for the quick response. He says the boat will do about 40 MPH with him alone, or low 30s fully loaded. How does this compare to your 4.3? His "friend price" he is offering me seems in line with what I'm seeing listed for sale, but I can't find any with the 115 and the Fish/Ski package. His has only been freshwater and like you say, I know the history. I'm slightly concerned with resale but also feel that the fishing package may be appealing in this region if we decide to sell. Also with the resurgence of the OB I was wondering if this makes it actually more desirable but I guess most outboards now are much larger.
 
That 180 thread is for a completely different boat - hence the reason there probably wasn't much response there.

That era of 185 you're looking at has a unique hull design. It planes extremely easily - given the same engine power, it jumps up better than the lighter 180 or the older 185 design. The sacrifice is that it doesn't have the higher top end (even with the optional V6 sterndrive). But then that's really not what these boats are about.

The reason you don't see many OB's is in part due to it not being in high demand back then... plus Sea Ray didn't offer the OB in all years that model was made... because of the low demand reason. I think a 135 OB was the (only) optional engine, though.

The 115HP OB performs nicely - you can easily do watersports with it as long as you're not loading the boat up a whole lot.

There's nothing inherently wrong with the package - it's good, solid boat.
 
Thanks for the quick response. He says the boat will do about 40 MPH with him alone, or low 30s fully loaded. How does this compare to your 4.3? His "friend price" he is offering me seems in line with what I'm seeing listed for sale, but I can't find any with the 115 and the Fish/Ski package. His has only been freshwater and like you say, I know the history. I'm slightly concerned with resale but also feel that the fishing package may be appealing in this region if we decide to sell. Also with the resurgence of the OB I was wondering if this makes it actually more desirable but I guess most outboards now are much larger.

My 185 - 4.3 V6 - 190hp runs 45-48mph WOT and has plenty of power for pulling skiers, tubs etc. Lazy Daze commented on the specifics of the boat your looking at - he knows more about that model than I do.

As far as resale, as long as you don't pay some crazy price for it, these small boats, if maintained well, hold value pretty well - when you consider what a new one costs vs a nice used one.
 
For Lexington, KY the NADA value for "Average Retail" is $12,625 and for "Low Retail" is $11,050. If he's giving you a "friend" price you shouldn't be paying any more than $11,050.

Outboards are much easier to maintain than sterndrives. Google "transom assembly replacement" to see what I mean. I've owned outboards, sterndrives, and inboards. I would consider inboards for boats greater than 30 feet but would only consider outboards for smaller boats. The four stroke outboards are replacing the sterndrives. With the industry switching over to outboards I wouldn't consider a sterndrive.
 
For Lexington, KY the NADA value for "Average Retail" is $12,625 and for "Low Retail" is $11,050. If he's giving you a "friend" price you shouldn't be paying any more than $11,050.
Something to keep in mind in regards to NADA values is that they are often based on VERY limited data. Meaning, there are plenty of times where they are inaccurate. Of much more importance is the comparison between other, similar boats, on the market... and of course, maintenance history and condition are absolutely paramount to the NADA "guess".

Plenty of people still prefer a sterndrive, too! Of course, that part is largely opinion based - especially with the development of the newer, lighter 4-strokes.
 
For Lexington, KY the NADA value for "Average Retail" is $12,625 and for "Low Retail" is $11,050. If he's giving you a "friend" price you shouldn't be paying any more than $11,050.

Outboards are much easier to maintain than sterndrives. Google "transom assembly replacement" to see what I mean. I've owned outboards, sterndrives, and inboards. I would consider inboards for boats greater than 30 feet but would only consider outboards for smaller boats. The four stroke outboards are replacing the sterndrives. With the industry switching over to outboards I wouldn't consider a sterndrive.


Yep, I went through a rotten transom on an old Wellcraft. Not fun.
 
Outboards are good! Definitely low maintenance and easy to maintain compared to a sterndrive. Course I've only had 6 cyl two strokes. Four-strokes are putting a lot of complicated valve gear in a small package and I hope the valves do not need setting. Two strokes are more powerful than four strokes so you should keep this in mind when considering prior experience. Believe this engine was built by Yamaha which never built a bad machine. Go for it but start out in the low range: point out the negatives bearing in mind the friendship is probably worth more than the boat.
 
Whatever NADA says will be a lot lower value than what a 15 year old garage stored boat with only 175 hours on the clock. If you can get it for NADA price, jump on it.

I realize everybody has their likes and dislikes. As a Kid I ran outboards, but then switched to an I/O because that's what all the big guys had.

After running I/Os for 35 years last year we switched to a a new SeaRay runabout with a 150 Merc. It only took me one time out in the boat to decide that a 4-stroke OB would be the only way to go in the future.
 
Whatever NADA says will be a lot lower value than what a 15 year old garage stored boat with only 175 hours on the clock. If you can get it for NADA price, jump on it.

I realize everybody has their likes and dislikes. As a Kid I ran outboards, but then switched to an I/O because that's what all the big guys had.

After running I/Os for 35 years last year we switched to a a new SeaRay runabout with a 150 Merc. It only took me one time out in the boat to decide that a 4-stroke OB would be the only way to go in the future.
Not to get off topic, could anyone provide the pros/cons of OB and I/O? I always preferred I/O due to being an automotive engine and simplicity.
 
Not to get off topic, could anyone provide the pros/cons of OB and I/O? I always preferred I/O due to being an automotive engine and simplicity.

Briefly, on a sterndrive the outdrive needs to be pulled and serviced annually. When I had a sterndrive the annual maintenance by the dealer would be around $500. Most people don't do this, so leaks develop ruining the transom assembly and possibly the transom itself. Also, since the outdrive is in the water the corrosion on an outdrive is much greater than the corrosion on an outboard.

With an outboard the connection between the engine and propeller is fixed so there's no gimbal bearing, etc. to service annually. The transom is also solid with no large hole where water can get in and compromise the transom's integrity. Lastly, the outboard can be lifted clear of the water to minimize corrosion.
 
Not to get off topic, could anyone provide the pros/cons of OB and I/O? I always preferred I/O due to being an automotive engine and simplicity.
Chip offers some good points. OB's are certainly easier. One thing to add is that pulling the lower unit of an OB (for most brands) should be done every year if in salt water since the driveshaft can seize into the crankshaft. This is not as important with a sterndrive - although the opportunity still exists.

One correction about pulling the outdrive... it does not need to be done every year, especially in a fresh water environment like you are. Pulling it every year is overkill - in your area, I would say at least every 3 years, if not every 5. Many people don't do it for much longer than that with no problems. Certainly can't hurt to do it - but not necessary.

Aesthetics are a big player, as well. It's not uncommon to hear "I don't want to see that big thing hanging off the back of the boat". Having the nice, full swim platform - uninterrupted - is nice. Watersports are easier (putting skiis on, getting people in tubes, etc, etc) with a sterndrive. For those familiar with working on car engines, they'll easily recognize the sterndrive engine.

Around here, a "full winterization" of a sterndrive (including oils/filters and pulling the OD) runs about $400. When you think about it, it's really not that bad. But OB's are still less.

In the end... as I said above... it's all opinion based and what makes the most sense to YOU. My opinion means diddly squat ;)

I'd like to see larger OB's start to use something like a Bravo III gearcase...
 
Chip offers some good points. OB's are certainly easier. One thing to add is that pulling the lower unit of an OB (for most brands) should be done every year if in salt water since the driveshaft can seize into the crankshaft. This is not as important with a sterndrive - although the opportunity still exists.

One correction about pulling the outdrive... it does not need to be done every year, especially in a fresh water environment like you are. Pulling it every year is overkill - in your area, I would say at least every 3 years, if not every 5. Many people don't do it for much longer than that with no problems. Certainly can't hurt to do it - but not necessary.

Aesthetics are a big player, as well. It's not uncommon to hear "I don't want to see that big thing hanging off the back of the boat". Having the nice, full swim platform - uninterrupted - is nice. Watersports are easier (putting skiis on, getting people in tubes, etc, etc) with a sterndrive. For those familiar with working on car engines, they'll easily recognize the sterndrive engine.

Around here, a "full winterization" of a sterndrive (including oils/filters and pulling the OD) runs about $400. When you think about it, it's really not that bad. But OB's are still less.

In the end... as I said above... it's all opinion based and what makes the most sense to YOU. My opinion means diddly squat ;)

I'd like to see larger OB's start to use something like a Bravo III gearcase...

On the topic of winterization, I was reading some conflicting information. The boat will be stored inside, unheated. The space should stay above freezing but no guarantee. I imagine its unlikely to see much use throughout the winter but I always like the option to be able to use it on some random warm days in the late fall or early spring. If the motor is stored trimmed down and I keep fuel stabilizer in it, is it ok to run it a few times throughout the off season without fogging it each time? I always hold out as long as possible on winterizing my other boat with hopes of some late season use and it rarely happens but we do get some nice days even into December. We had 60s in January this year!
 
Chip's list is spot on, but only the tip of the iceberg.

Maintenance is probably #1. For an I/O you have to suck out the oil to change it, you have to drain the water out, then mop it up from the bilge. When I had an I/O it took hours. My new OB is ready for Winter in 20 minutes.

Ever anchor on a sandbar for the day? Other skinny water? The OB pulls us right thru it with no chance of hitting the bottom.

I still have 2 swim platforms, one on each side of the motor. To me that big Black Max looks sexy hanging out there. It gets better gas mileage as well.

The old 2-strokes were what got me to switch to an I/O in the first place. Now with the modern EFI 4-strokes I'll never go back. My next boat will be a Sundancer, and they come in OB now too.
 
The maintenance side makes sense. I was told OB wouldn't last as long as I/B, gas vs gas similar power. This is swaying me towards OB, it seems like they are quite expensive though. Again, could be more misinformation.
 
On the topic of winterization, I was reading some conflicting information. The boat will be stored inside, unheated. The space should stay above freezing but no guarantee. I imagine its unlikely to see much use throughout the winter but I always like the option to be able to use it on some random warm days in the late fall or early spring. If the motor is stored trimmed down and I keep fuel stabilizer in it, is it ok to run it a few times throughout the off season without fogging it each time? I always hold out as long as possible on winterizing my other boat with hopes of some late season use and it rarely happens but we do get some nice days even into December. We had 60s in January this year!
If you're going to be using it every now and then, I wouldn't worry about fogging it. Just make sure you keep up on the stabilizer - double dose if you want. While proper fogging does help to keep things "oiled" on the inside, the main benefit is to protect the injector tips from fouling due to gas going bad and gumming up.

Freezing temps won't bother the OB as long as the engine is vertical.
 
The maintenance side makes sense. I was told OB wouldn't last as long as I/B, gas vs gas similar power. This is swaying me towards OB, it seems like they are quite expensive though. Again, could be more misinformation.

The price of sterndrives is increasing (EPA catalyst requirements) and the price of outboards is decreasing. I don't think there is much of a difference between comparable new boats when comparing sterndrives and outboards.

For used boats outboards are more expensive. When I purchased my current boat the NADA value for the outboard was $7000 and the NADA value for the same boat with a sterndrive was $5500. This is driven by supply and demand, with the outboard powered boats being in higher demand and lower supply.
 
I was told by a mechanic that you only need to fog the engine if it will not be run for more than a year. I haven't fogged my engines for the last 10 years with no ill effects. My engines sit for 6 months over the winter.
 
I was told by a mechanic that you only need to fog the engine if it will not be run for more than a year. I haven't fogged my engines for the last 10 years with no ill effects. My engines sit for 6 months over the winter.
That's incorrect. There is no specific timeframe. It is only really referred to as "extended layup". Is fogging "necessary"... no. But it is a best practice type thing. The ill effects from not fogging would be cumulative, not immediately noticeable (such as slowly losing compression over time). Just think about it logically... it can only be better to coat what you can with a light grade of oil to help keep corrosion at bay. The difference in fogging/not fogging is certainly minimal - but again, it's a best practice thing.
 

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