1st time buyer advise wanted - 04 260 sundancer...

S

sealizard

New Member
Jan 19, 2013
2
Florida
Boat Info
SX 230 Jetboat
Engines
jet
im looking to buy my 1st cabin cruiser and im nervous of what im getting into. any advise on what to expect in terms of maintenance, warnings, add ons, etc???

many thanks in advance!

SeaLizard
Miami, FL
 
Be exited, not nervous! A cruiser opens up so many new boating experiences!

Welcome to CSR!
 
Spend time searching this forum, it's a treasure chest full of info.
One thing you will read a lot about here is hiring a marine surveyor before you buy a boat. If you start out with a pig in the poke it can drive you to the poorhouse quickly and could destroy your desire to be a boater. I've got a '98 270DA and love it, welcome to the site.
 
Welcome from Ohio!!!!! I felt the same way about a month ago. I purchased my first SR 300WE. Spend the money to get a surveyor it will make you feel better. Good Luck!!
 
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Here's a summary of a collection of what I think is good advice:

1. Figure out what type of boating you want to do (overnights, long cruises, day trips only, fishing, etc) and with how many people on a regular basis (yourself only, couple only, family of 6, etc)
2. Research a little on what size, shape, cost of cruiser you can buy based on that
3. Buy it (use a surveyor)
4. Don't change anything the first year, just fix stuff (if its used, there will be stuff that needs to be fixed, mostly minor if a good surveyor did their job well) and learn all about the boat.
5. After a year of use, then make your list of modifications based on what you found you'd like to change and what you've learned about how the boat operates and is built.
6. Take anti-twofootitis medication on a regular basis - that malady haunts many of us
 
Rent what you feel you want to buy first. What may seem correct on display may not be what you really want. A boat for sale will have most of the gear off it so it feels bigger. Once you load a boat up it may not be the size you really want.
A 26 footer is a good learning boat and after a few years you may feel you want to upgrade.
If you are married take a boating course along with your wife on navigation and how to drive one. Not a good idea to try to teach her how to handle a boat yourself unless you are a saint and have training paint on the boat.
 
We bought a 2003 260DA last year and I wish the surveyor would have caught sliders on the top of the door. That sliding door to get down below is a horrible design and has a few sliders that work their way loose. When they need replaced, supposedly you need to take the window off, the console off, and then the door to replace the track / sliders. I was quoted a 2k fix, one of the 2 sliders fell off and the other is hanging on by a thread.
 
Whatever you think is the perfect boat add 5 feet. I remember sitting on the 260 thinking this will be the perfect boat... We had it for 4-1/2 years. But boats shrink in the water.
 
Ha ha that is so true - we've had a 260 for 8 months and it's shrunk by at least 30% since we bought it. We find ourselves looking at 35' and saying "that should be big enough".
My only tip would be to try and get every conceivable option you might want at purchase (e.g. generators, sounders, radios etc) , doing it afterwards is expensive, stressful and a PITA.
 
Giles91 said:
Ha ha that is so true - we've had a 260 for 8 months and it's shrunk by at least 30% since we bought it. We find ourselves looking at 35' and saying "that should be big enough".
My only tip would be to try and get every conceivable option you might want at purchase (e.g. generators, sounders, radios etc) , doing it afterwards is expensive, stressful and a PITA.
Click to expand...

+1 on that
Make a list of everything you 1) Need can't do without 2) would like 3) doesn't matter.
As said above options are expensive as an add on genset, windlass can be 1000's . Find the boat you like and see if you can rent one for a day or at least spend a lot of time on it imagining yourself and family being comfortable.
 
Whatever you do, use your boat... Its a big investment, and more you use your boat the happy you will be... Go everywhere, bring spare parts (hose clamps, thermostat, tools, pull ties, duct tape, glue, canvas snaps) Watch the weather and be flexible..
 
Our first cruiser was a 260. Nice boat, but we should have listened to the salesperson when he was pushing us to get a boat with a broader beam. Expensive error.
 
Shtmetal said:
What size motor is in that 260?
Click to expand...
I bought a used 2004 260 in 2006 300hp/350 engine with 96 hours on meter...used it ,,,enjoyed it,,WIFE Hated Narrow beam and TOp Heavy.Action...now have 2007 290 AJ with all options and 130 hrs on motors..DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!and HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
 
The surveyors will do a good job checking the engines, gears, cables, genny, and making sure the hull is sturdy and not water damaged. However with mine I realized after I bought her, that the little things in the cabin can add up, and can be used to negotiate if properly checked. He did check some, but not all of it, and certainly was a learning experience...

If it's housed at a boat yard, meet the mechanic who worked on it, gather what information you can. Did the owner save maintenance receipts, or was he a do it your selfer? Is it in salt water? If so when were the risers and heat exchangers last changed? If it's a cabin cruiser with sinks, and head, pressurize the water system, use the sinks and make sure the pump turns off and it doesn't keep running (otherwise there is a leak in the system) Flush the head, does it seal tight again and retain water? Does the vacuum pump turn off after 30-40 seconds? Turn on the heat and ac if it has one, check the filters to see the condition that they're used in. If it looks like they haven't been changed in 10 years, then you have an idea of how well they kept up with the rest of the boat. If the compressor is cooled by fresh water, check the flow on the outside that it's strong and steady. Lift up the mattress on the bed and check for mold or rot, mattresses can soak up a lot of moisture in a hurry especially if it's used on cool nights with the heat on. Have the surveyor look behind the switch/fuse panel and check the wiring for burnt or frayed connections. Voltage test the batteries, then voltage check them again with the onboard charger engaged (assuming it's hooked to shore power it should read higher than 12 volts indicating it's working) Also check the acid/water levels, and what year they were installed. 4 marine batteries will set you back 4-500 dollars or a half tank of fuel :). When sea trailing and you're sitting at idle is the exhaust water clear and free of soot, oily residues, or any metallic sheen? Sometimes it goes over looked with the excitement of taking your prospected boat out for a ride , but is a good indicator of leaks.

Just keep an eye on the surveyor and make sure he is doing a thorough run through, some will just hit the major items, and others will do it all, but a list of the little things above can help hedge against spending your gas money after the sale.

I'm not the most knowledgable person, but the buying experience is fresh in my mind, and thats what i learned. Hope it helps. Buying can be frustrating but the memories and fun to be had are well worth it. Let us know how it goes.
 
I loved my old 26, but I was single then and it was just the dog and I. After awhile I found her to be a little small. The 26 didn't handle well in the wind and you could feel every wave even in the slip. Mine was under powered with a single 350. Others here have explained to get her surveyed, and you should! My neighbor has the same boat but from the late 80's. He has twins and the extra weight and power is very nice. He would trade up in a second if he could. It's amazing what two feet wider and longer can do for a boat. I've had mine 6 months and I'm looking at a 34', I'm taking meds to cure my fever....
 
Good morning everyone.

First post here, but I've been reading for a short while around here.

This is exactly what I'm gonna go check tomorrow too, a 2002 260DA. :D I've looked at a '99 270 and it's a lot bigger in the cabin which I like a lot. But the 270 is 9'2" @ beam vs 8'6" on the 260DA - bigger & heavier (7500 lbs vs ~6200). So yeah, if you wanna delay your "2-foot-itis" symptoms, I guess going bigger as other suggest would be better. Hahaha, pls notice that I'm still on "the same boat" as you're - on a look for a new cruiser still.

Based on my case, I would also add one more consideration: would you trailer your boat or dock/storage? In my case I need to trailer my boat back home to save the monthly slip fee since I do have more than enough room in the back yard. So my max limit would be a 260, or 270 really if I really want to push it.

Good luck & have fun searching.

Nhi
 
I love my 260DA. We trailer it so it's been very flexible to take to the lake, Puget Sound or drive closer to destinations, then launch near the San Juan islands and Canada.
Whatever you do, YES, get a survey. There is a '99-'04 260DA thread that we started a few years back. There are several projects that we all shared there.
The-official-99-04-260DA-Sundancer-thread
 
Friends of ours has a 2006 260/350 Bravo III and love it.....just the two of them. I don't like the mid cabin setup or small V-Berth/Dining. Our 270 is much larger inside with a 9ft beam and really is a 290. Our 454 does burn alot more fuel though. The 260 does have a real nice cockpit layout, stern storage and walk through windshield, Mike.
 
We got our 2003 260 last year and love it. The big question is will it fit you needs in both size and affordability. We regularly used the boat for weekends for the four of us. I have two boys that sleep in the aft and it's just right for now with me and the wife sleeping in the vberth. I already planned that in a few years we will probably outgrow this boat as the kids get older but in the meantime we are enjoying it and look forward to another season on the boat. Keep in mind that the bigger the boat the bigger the expense. We were originally considering a 310/320 and choose to go with the smaller 260 for a couple of reasons. 1) It was already going to be much larger than our past boat and 2) We would keep a lot more of our money -not only from the purchase but also taking gas, maintenance, insurance and docking into consideration. With our current boating expenses we really don't have to worry using the boat and that makes it a lot less stressful and more enjoyable. I have heard about many people overbuying and basically not being able to afford to run the boat regularly then taking a loss trying to get out of it.

Now as far a purchase consideration, as was previously posted, make a list of your must have options. For me A/C was a must have on the 260 and limited our choices but would have been a fairly expensive option later. If your searching online, call the owners/brokers and get out to see the boats. They all look pretty in the online pictures and you will learn a lot by seeing them in person. When you finally select the boat your offer should be subject to inspection, survey and sea trial. Try to be there for the survey and sea trial and ask a lot of questions. Compare your own inspections to that of the surveyors and make sure about everything you have a question about. You may also want to keep in mind that a survey does not usually include the engine mechanical components and you may want to have that inspected by a marine mechanic. In both case you want to uncover as much as possible and negotiate any items not previously disclosed into the final purchase price.

Now, expect there to be things found that are needing attention, after all it is a used boat. You just don't want to make a costly mistake acquiring a boat requiring more money than you want to invest in it. In my case my post survey negotiations saved me more than the cost of the survey so don't be intimidated by the cost. The seller will also realize that the survey is the opinion of a professional and will come up again in any sale if they do not negotiate a sale with you.

Then when all is settled, relax, enjoy the good times and use the boat as much as you can.
 
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