1999 Sea Ray Sundancer 330

[Tenebrous]

Hi guys.

I'm looking at getting into boating .. my business is finally turning the corner and I'm on the market for a sea ray.

Through some personal relationships, I have an opportunity to put a bid on a 1999 Sea Ray Sundancer 330. The boat is in legal limbo right now, but is basically available. It was used locally, mostly on weekends. The engines were recently rebuilt and it appears to be in relatively good condition, except for one big problem: the port engine suffered some major event when the current caretaker went to start it after leaving it sit for a long time. It runs, but backfires and sounds awful. I am told that it will likely need to be replaced entirely.

I am having the boat surveyed by a surveyor and a mechanic in a few days. I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice on (a) whether it's wise for me to look at a boat like this, (b) a fair price, (c) what kind of expenses to expect in the way of maintenance and such, and (d) anything else I should know?

As I said, I'm a newbie, but I want to get my sea legs. Any advice would be apprreciated!

 

[rondds]

Answers to all of your questions depend entirely on what the mechanic's diagnosis wind up being. Also depends on the price you can get the boat for. Do a search on boats.com for similar model year and options and see what asking is for a boat like this. You might want to come back here with the full report from the mechanic and then ask again. If you had to long block the bad motor, expect to pay around $3K for a reman. You'd likely need to have the heads redone - a buddy of mine just paid around $700 for that job (same engines - I'm assuming you have 7.4L). Then there's the labor. It's a pretty big job so the price of the boat has to reflect the work that needs to be done IF (and I stress IF) the engine really does need to be replaced.

 

[Tenebrous]

Thanks Rondds. I'm going to look on boats.com right now. I think I can get the boat for around $20,000.00 based upon my conversations thus far. Everything may change after the survey on Friday. Once I get a report on everything I'll post the details!

 

[rcknecht]

20K is an good price if you have to change both engines. A very good price, if you have to change one engine... If you don't have to replace any engines, your even farther ahead ahead... Figure $8K if you have have buy a new generator...

 

[skolbe]

If the rest of the boat is in good shape. I think 20k is a awesome price. But that is based on the rest of the boat coming back fine in a survey.

 

[Tenebrous]

Thanks fellas .. as soon as I get the survey done I'll post an update!

 

[rondds]

That's a bargain! I'm guessing this boat, in good to excellent condition, would fetch around $40-50K - more if the economy didn't suck so bad. Good Luck!

 

[tdschafer]

A little over a year ago these boats were running $65k-$70k. Thats when I started looking for mine. They have come down a bit as all things have thanks to the annointed one and his socialist economics. The price around my area now is upper $40's to low $50's. Sound like a good price if all else is good. Todd

 

[rcknecht]

The downside of getting a good deal is everything else seems so expensive... Maintenance, Fuel, slip fees... Need to plan for the other costs too...

 

[Tenebrous]

The downside of getting a good deal is everything else seems so expensive... Maintenance, Fuel, slip fees... Need to plan for the other costs too...

Everyone keeps warning me about this. I don't have a great idea of an idea what to expect. I know the slip is going to be absurd, and fuel obviously too with a ~200 gallon tank.

Maintenance?

 

[rcknecht]

Everyone keeps warning me about this. I don't have a great idea of an idea what to expect. I know the slip is going to be absurd, and fuel obviously too with a ~200 gallon tank.

Maintenance?

I have spent just under $7K in maintence in the last year, and that was just for parts, my labor.

 

[Alegria]

Yep $20K is a really good price given you get a clean structural survey. Like Todd mentioned they are running low $50K for a good example of that model.

One thing is that 99 is the last model year for that boat. In 99 the 340 used the same hull but different interior and cockpit. So that is something to consider. Also your right slip fees are going to be out of this world in Miami...

But that price... Makes it tempting... Also worry about shaft seals and rudder re-packing... If you have to take the engine out that is the time for new shaft seals...

Best of luck to you!

 

[rcknecht]

the 99 has dripless shaft seals...