Questions of buying a new Sea Ray 260 Sundancer

Hi,

This will be my first be my first boat, though I've boated with others many times. I've looked at many websites, read as much as I can, and I've narrowed my search to a couple brands: Sea Ray and Cutwater. I need to tow the boat short distances, I live in Arizona, and will occasionally use it for weekend trips so air-conditioning is something I'm definitely interested in.

When configuring a Sea Ray 260 Sundancer on the company site I notice that you can order the boat with AC, but no option for a factory installed generator is offered. Does this mean that the AC is for dockside plug-in only?

It is also not clear if the quoted price of the 260 includes a trailer or not. I wondered about this since no trailer option or price was listed.

Also, is the bow thruster worth the $6,000 price tag or will I do just fine without it?

For those of you who own a Sea Ray 260DA, are you happy with it or do you wish you'd moved up to the 280? Do you feel like the cuddy area is adequate? Any input about your own experience with a 260 would be appreciated. Thanks!

Dave

Dave

I'd recommend you get on the 260 and 280 if you can and determine which is a good fit. I started with a new 240 and two years later traded to a 350.

If there's no generator the AC won't work away from the dock. That's how my 240 worked.

You probably don't need a bow thruster on a 260. I will say there's a dramatic difference in handling between a single engine boat and twins. I found the 240 a pain to dock in the wind and my 350 is a breeze. It all comes down to how comfortable you are handling the boat.

If I recall the Sundancer line is not priced with a trailer. This is something you'd have to ask your dealer.

The 260 cabin is kind of small.

The cabin is small, but I think they all are after a while. We love ours. We have the generator and trailer. You will need a 3/4 ton truck to pull it, but it pulls and loads fine and we have a blast with ours. If you are sold on trailering, I believe the 260 is as big as you can trailer without a permit. We love to spend weekends on the hook so the gen for the AC is a must. Good luck!

Bennett

Thanks for the replies so far guys! I was hoping I could do some light duty trailering over flat areas with my Ford F-150 that is said to have an 8500 lb. towing capacity. I know I'm at the limit, but need to wait a while before moving up to a 3/4 ton.

Really like our 260 -you get a lot of bang for your buck in this boat .
Would not add the bow thruster but AC and windless are a must
Get the 350 mag -plenty of power .
We don't have a generator and don't miss it -just plug in .
Cabin is well equipped and fine for 2 adults and a small child for a weekend but is cozy .
We spend more time outside so it's not a big deal
Next step up for us will be 33-35' when college is done and we spend more time cruising .
260 is a Great weekend boat for a couple that has limited maintenance and upkeep but has all the systems of a larger cruiser for creature comforts
If you've got weeks aboard at a time in mind or need to entertain more than 4 or 5 regularly look bigger -310 or 350 .
That's my humble opinion .

It will be mostly for my wife and me, though we may take out another couple for an afternoon. If I were to go with a larger boat I would be limited to one lake...not ready for that yet. While I'm at it, what do you guys think of the Cutwater enclosed cabin boats?

New fiberglass boats are very, very expensive these days. Have you considered a newer used Sea Ray 260DA and a bigger (used) tow vehicle? I imagine you could do both for the price of a new 260.

I would not even think of towing a 260DA with an F150 myself. You need to factor in an extra 1-2000 pounds with the dry weight of the boat due to fuel, water, and other "stuff" that you need on a boat..............and don't forget to factor in the weight of the trailer too.

we have a 2015 260 and had a 2011 260. Its a perfect size for day cruising and fun on lakes or bays. That said , the cabin is on the small side but doable for short stays. The a/c works only on shore power without a generator, if you are ordering new I would suggest the dynamic running surface because you are constantly adjusting the tabs while under way. As far as towing goes, I wouldn't with a F150, even with my f350 you still feel all that weight when braking and going around curves.

FYI, to all that are reading this, the newer 260DA is smaller than the 260DA's from '99-'09. The newer 280DA is close to the those 260DA's... just a little bit wider. But I agree with Dave that given your specific F150's trailering number, I'd be a little worried about it. The newer F150's, sure, but given your 8,500lbs it sounds like an older model and you will likley be OVER your limit most times - but do the math and see where it comes out to.

Yes, no generator option on the 260DA which means A/C only when you're on shore power. The 280DA has a genny option - but that would be way over your towing limit. No bow thruster is needed on the 260DA, nor the 280DA, although they are options. They are easy enough to control in tight situations with out it.

Correct, trailers are not included as the boats get bigger. If the math works out to be at least "OK", don't skimp on the trailer. I would strongly encourage a triple axle with EOH brakes.

Boy, you're looking at two different style boats here! Both very nice boats, but definitely designed for different purposes. The Sundancer is more on the sporty side of cruising, while the Cutwater is more primarily designed for cruising. With the Cutwater having a hull closer to a displacement hull, it will the edge in comfort at slow to medium speeds. With the diesel engine, it has the edge on MPG. But, of course, you need to factor in the actual selling prices of the two and also how much cruising you will do. Meaning, if the diesel comes at a premium, will you do enough cruising to recoup the savings in fuel economy.

Personally, I like the styling of the Cutwater, and similarly styled boats - such as Back Cove and Hinckley, but neither of those have models to suit your needs. That's where the Cutwater fits in - if memory serves, it even comes with a custom trailer... even trailering lights built into the boat, itself?

Given the design differences between the SR and CW, your best bet is to really examine how you're going to use the boat and then physically get on them. In "most" cases, a typical Sea Ray buyer would not "comparison shop" a Cutwater, and vice-versa.

Oh... Another thing to consider is availability of parts and service on the boat/motor/trailer. Sea Ray has a very large dealer network with multiple options and venues to be able to help. I can't speak for CW. I don't think this should be your primary concern, but it is at least something to weigh in on.

For the price of a cutwater, you can probably buy a truck and sea ray.....

I being that the new 260 is roughly the same size as my 240 I can tell you that the person I bought my boat from used a 1/2 ton pickup. He said it struggled and was glad he never towed far. I use an f250 and I definitely know the boat is back there.

Lot's of great replies and info here! So, I'll probably be buying a 3/4 ton diesel truck at the same time, esp. since there will be occasional trips to Lake Powell. One poster mentioned that there is little in common between the Sundancer and Cutwater. I'm looking for a quality towable boat that can do 35+ if needed but will also sleep two for weekend trips. The new Cutwater 24 and the Sea Ray 260DA will both do that. All my friends in AZ tell me that air-conditioning is a must. I may just have to scrap the idea of a sport boat and redirect my interest to the Cutwater 26 that has free-standing air conditioning. Lot's to think about.

Quality towable boat, capable of 35+mph, AC, pulled by a 3/4 ton diesel, will sleep two for weekend trips=260 Sundancer.

Hook it up to a Duramax diesel with an Allision Transmission and what more could you ask for!:smt038


Bennett