290 sundancers 1994-midyear 97 "We need a thread"

Congratulations Eric. You made a great choice. I looked at the other boats you mention and the sterndrive 290 of the vintage you chose is a winner. I'm betting you have a water heater also. Is there a breaker for it on the power panel? If so, you've got one.
 
Thanks a lot guys.

There is no switch in the hot water spot on the A/C panel. Just a blank circle. Strange. The boat has a factory genset & A/C but no hot water heater. I checked the archives on Searay.com, and in 94 the hot water heater was a stand-alone option.

How much do you think it would cost to add a hot water heater?

Considering this boat had new FWC Mercruiser 4.3 MPI's installed in 2005, is $33.5k a decent price for a 94? The fact that this boat has 05 220hp engines really attracted me to it. I just had someone tell me that the engines/drives add very little or nothing to the value, and I am paying too much.
 
I would say that if the price is at the low end of that year 290, then you probably got a good deal, since the new engines would be your "discount". On the other hand, if you are a light user, older engines would have been fine provided they were well maintained.
 
EricW said:
Here's the listing:

http://www.boats.com/listing/boat_d...locale=US&sm=3&toLength=29&ftid=0&man=sea+ray
Click to expand...

Very clean nice boat! Lots of years of use left on her. However, if it were me, I'd go up to a 1997 year 290 if you could find one for close to the same money (albeit without the new engines). I bought my first 290 in 1999 and it was a 1995 model year, and a few years later I sold it and bought a 1997 model to get the vacuflush head (first year it was available). I wrestled with the raw water head on the '95 290 and could never get the smell to go away. This was likely a lot due to the hot temperatures and the sea water in Charleston, so your situation could be very different. The vacuflush head completely eliminated the smell. I also decided to upgrade boats because I needed a windlass since my wife had a few close calls with the anchor line (we anchor out a lot), and because I came to the conclusion that because we anchor out a lot, the generator was a great thing to have. Again, all personal preferences. We had a great time with the '95 290, but the '97 was for us a big improvement.
 
Sadler --

Thanks a lot for the reply.

I do wish this boat had the vacuflush head -- and hot water heater. It does have the windlass & generator, at least.

I keep thinking that the 2005 twin 4.3 EFI's are a pretty big plus for this boat. The trailer is a big plus, too. Not many 290's have trailers.

Oh well -- decisions, decisions. I'll see how things go Thursday. I can still back out if I am not happy after the survey & sea trial. I will just lose the money for the survey.
 
What has the 290's been up to? Had new throttles put in mine and now the lake is too flooded to get it in. It's going to be a short season for me.
 
Time,

I need new shift / throttle controls as well, mine are shot. Weather has not been good for boating in our area until last week when we got away for 3 nights and next week we are going for 4 nights around Lake St. Clair and up to Sarnia - can't wait.

Jeff
 
I will let you know how my new shift / throttle controls work out. Some day the water has to go down!!!!!!
 

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Time I have a couple of questions for you since your boat and mine are pretty close in that they are very stern heavy with twins and a gen.

Have you extended the trim tabs to help get the stern up? We were out in pretty calm water the other day and I noticed that it is not so much forcing the bow down but when I feel the stern come up a little I pick up 1.5 knots with no throttle adjustment. Bennett website says it should have 24" x 12" but they are definitely not that wide and I don't think you could fit that width on the boat.

What props are you running? SeaRay website says they should be 13.75" x 21p. I would assume this is a 3 blade prop. Mine are 4 bladed and without my notes I think they are 15" x 16p.

What RPM and cruise speed do you run? I'm generally at 3500 rpm and depending on the water between 18.5 and 21.5 knots. I achieve 4600 rpm wot which is right in the range.

Thanks
Jeff
 
bouttime said:
What props are you running? SeaRay website says they should be 13.75" x 21p. I would assume this is a 3 blade prop. Mine are 4 bladed and without my notes I think they are 15" x 16p.

What RPM and cruise speed do you run? I'm generally at 3500 rpm and depending on the water between 18.5 and 21.5 knots. I achieve 4600 rpm wot which is right in the range.

Thanks
Jeff
Click to expand...

I run 14x19p 4 blade props and get to 4200-4300 at WOT. Cruise seems to be best at 27-28mph (on GPS) at 3500RPM

Hope that helps.

-Chris
 
Help,1995 290 7.4BIII vrs. 1996 290 twin 4.3 alpha.s 270 7.4MPI BIII, HELP !!!

Hi my name is JIM ,Ive been a searay owner since 1989, I sold my 1991 370 da, in 1997 to send the kids to college, now thier done and im back but its just the wife and i so we want to cut expences(with this economy)

Now im torn between a 290 da with twins and a 290 with single, To cut expences the SINGLE would be great but mostly worried about plaining Its a 1995 290 da ,powered with a 7.4BIII , this boat is brand new, the other 290 is a 1996, with twin 4.3 counter rotating props but not as clean, Can i get some opinions on the running of both these power configurations, I like the cabin volume of the 290, and the dinette area .

I also found a 1997 270 da with 7.4MPI BIII with trailer,also like new. I dont know which way to go! I believe the expences will be less. My boating will be limited to weekends (before i boated every day, we moved in on the 370da in the summer,my buisness was up the street from the marina) now we are far away with limited time ,any imput on alll thee boats would be helpful Thanks
 
No worry about planing with a single 7.4l 290. I've had two of these models, both with singles, and both plane easily and quickly. Top speed is around 40 mph.
 
Just looking for some more 290's I have not been posting on this site much. But want to get back to it.
 
Hello
I just joined this group having just bought a 99 290 Sundancer. Is this the right thread or in there one for later models (they all look alike to me!)?

Joe
Great Lakes
 
Don't feel bad I missed it by two years with my '92.
 
TIME WELL WASTED said:
Looking for 290 sundancer owners 1994-1997

Sold my 1992 250 Larson Hamton last June had it for seven years.

Now I have A 1995 290 sundancer twins an gen.
Bougth it Nov. 4th Had to take home an winterize.
I did a test drive in July made an offer.
He called an said come an get it Nov. 1st.
I hope we like it come spring. Can't wait!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Howdy from Lake Powell. My wife and i have a 1994 w/o the arch. We are going on our 6th season with this boat. The boat has twin 4.3 mercs,Westerbeke 4.5, AC,Microwave. I have over 1000 hours on the motors and 800 plus on the genny. This has been a great boat for us and the only negatives are working in the motor compartment as there is alot of stuff crammed in there with twins and the gen and 5 batteries. Seems like every trip i need to check or add something down there. This next trip i am adding a washdown pump for hosing /cleaning/ boarding from the beach and will just use a hose run to the bow and strapped to the rails until i haul it home in October. I then plan to run a permanent water line into the anchor locker and then plug in the hose there. Happy boating from the LADYG
 
Bringing back an old thread. I'm hoping that there's some people out there feeling some love for this model. Any happy (or unhappy) owners still out there?

I have had this boat for 2 years now. I replaced my 89 220DA that I had for 10 years and loved it. (that was my first boat)

I wouldn't mind hearing some likes and/or dislikes of this model versus eariler/later DA's of the same size.

Here's what I like: raised helm with aft cabin underneath (versus under a port lounge), wide side decks, roomy bunks, roomy head, 3 deck hatches, cabin sofa (vs booth dinette), open aft cabin that converts to seating, overall roomy cabin, pretty large fuel capacity.

Here's what I don't like: cramped cockpit, cramped bilge, very stern heavy with twins/genny, no walkthru windshield, low headroom under arch, small holding tank, small swim platform.

I probably have more for both categories, but that all I can think of off the top of my head.

Overall, I'm happy with the boat. It was the right boat at the right time at the right price for me. I always second guess myself -- should I have spent more and gotten the late 90s 290? Or went a bit smaller and gotten the late 90s 270? Or how about a mid 90s 300 with V-drives for a tad more money?

Any current or past owners want to talk about the 94-97 290?
 
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