290DA vs 280DA vs 310DA

Presentation said:
I found with the 280 that going 40 MPH beats the crap out of everything in the same ruff conditions. The best ride, other then going about 6 MPH and plow, is to do the same thing as in the 240, tab down (lower bow) and keep the drive all the way down and slow to about 22-23 MPH. The 280 is no smoother or rougher then the 240 was.
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Presentation,
Thanks for your reply. I'm surprised and in a way disappointed that you feel not much difference in the ride between 240 and 280, even thought, 280 is much bigger and heavier. This is one of the key elements that I’m concerned about. So far, based on my demo rides we’ve noticed that even 300 doesn’t feel like a big and steady boat, but 320 felt very nice. I guess, a much comfy ride can only be achieved from boats that are about 13,000lb and greater.

I do pretty much the same thing with tabs and the drive to prevent the boat from jumping all over and control the ride.

As for the gas/mileage, do you feel that you can get about the same distance on a single tank in 280 as you did in 240?


Alex.
 
Because one of my dock mates is considering a new 280DA, I had a chance to go on a sea trial with him last Sunday. I don't know how much I can add to this thread, but I will give you my impression of the 280DA on our inland lake and also make some comparisons to my current 260DA. There was a lot of boat traffic on Sunday and some pretty choppy water caused by wakes from other boats. There were four of us on the 280DA for the sea trial. This boat was equipped with the single 496 and a B3.

Planing was a no brainer. With no tabs and moderate throttle the 280 planed with little bow rise and got up on plane quickly. It was noticably better than my current 260DA.

The ride in choppy waters was pretty smooth without a lot of side to side sway and no pounding. We were able to maintain a 25 mph cruise speed and it felt pretty darn comfortable given the choppy waters. My 260DA would have to cruise at around 10MPH in the same type of water to get the same ride.

Power.......the 496 is a relative "screamer" in this boat. We didn't try out top end but I feel confident that it will top out in the mid 40s.

Handling...............in a word..........UNBELIEVABLE! The salesman cranked the wheel over full lock at 25 mph and the boat just turned without any trouble at all.

Docking.............with a single engine I am not sure it was any easier than my single engine 260DA but just the same it was no problem.

After testing the single engine B3 I wouldn't hesitate to get one for our lake. But if I were boating in waters where having the security of twins is important then I would opt for twins.

The cabin layout trumps just about anything else out there in this size range. The cockpit, while roomy leaves somethings to be desired. There is no underseat storage and the two rear seats are too low to suit me and I found them very uncomfortable.

All in all the 280DA is a great boat.
 
I have a dumb question:

Do the newer Searays with mercruiser engines have raw water cooling, or closed loop cooling?

The brochures on SeaRay.com don't specify, which implies raw water cooling right? But I don't even note closed loop cooling as an option. . . am I missing something? :huh:
 
Wouldn't an important feature like closed loop cooling be something to advertise in the boat specs? I am under the impression that this is not standard on the newer 5L, 5.7L and 396mag enignes?

I was just on the Mercruiser website (gosh, thursday nights can be boring). . .and they are trumpeting this "sea core" system. Wouldn't SeaRay pick up on this as an option or call it out as a standard feature?

Just asking. . . .I have no money for a new boat, and my current engines purr like happy kittens when running. :smt038
 
BrentJones said:
Ok, I've been very adamant on choosing an earlier model 280DA (2001 - 2003 model) for my next boat, but I'm starting to open my mind more. I've been looking at the 2000-2001 290 and generally like it too. I do think the 280 has softer lines and arch than the 290, but that is becoming less of an issue for me. What I have decided I like about the 290 over the 280 is the wider beam. It seams like there is a bit more space on the 290, in the cockpit and the cabin. A small thing I like too is the double helm seat versus the bucket seat. Its like having the bench seat in the pickup truck, the wife or kid can sit up there next to you while cruising.

One drawback about the 290 is that there are a lot with white interior. I've been trying to get over this, but I don't like white cabinets at all. There are a few out there I've seen that have the cherry color, but not many. The other concern is that it doesn't have a walkthrough windshield. I'm not sure how much space there is to walk around, I haven't actually been on a 290, but it doesn't seem like much. The 290 price wise has been very similar for more boat. And while looking at the 290, I'll occasionally come across a 2000-2001 310 that is in the 70-80k price range and I start to think that may be a good option. But then I fear the burn cost of pushing a 310 vs the 290 or 280. Somebody mentioned that there is no such thing as an effiecient boat, but still, the 290 and 280 will be less of a gas strain than something larger. So with that said, what are some suggestions or other things to think about in deciding on my next boat???
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I would not consider any of these. In my opinion Sea Ray is not competitive until you get to the 340DA (maybe 320DA) under 30 ft. there are much better cruisers (in terms of space utilization and utility) for the money than what Sea Ray offers.
 
My previous boat was an 01 290 DA with twin 5.0 MPI BIIs. Generally speaking I liked the boat but wanted something bigger.
Performance was great, fuel efficiency was good ( for a boat). I didn't like the stern drives because of the maintenance involved. The lack of walk thru windshield was no big deal as the boat had a windlass and there was more than enough to walk around the side (carefully). There are pros and cons to this feature. Twer it me, I'd be looking for a 310 with v-drives.
 
Alex D said:
BrentJones said:
Ok, I've been very adamant on choosing an earlier model 280DA (2001 - 2003 model) for my next boat, but I'm starting to open my mind more. I've been looking at the 2000-2001 290 and generally like it too. I do think the 280 has softer lines and arch than the 290, but that is becoming less of an issue for me. What I have decided I like about the 290 over the 280 is the wider beam. It seams like there is a bit more space on the 290, in the cockpit and the cabin. A small thing I like too is the double helm seat versus the bucket seat. Its like having the bench seat in the pickup truck, the wife or kid can sit up there next to you while cruising.

One drawback about the 290 is that there are a lot with white interior. I've been trying to get over this, but I don't like white cabinets at all. There are a few out there I've seen that have the cherry color, but not many. The other concern is that it doesn't have a walkthrough windshield. I'm not sure how much space there is to walk around, I haven't actually been on a 290, but it doesn't seem like much. The 290 price wise has been very similar for more boat. And while looking at the 290, I'll occasionally come across a 2000-2001 310 that is in the 70-80k price range and I start to think that may be a good option. But then I fear the burn cost of pushing a 310 vs the 290 or 280. Somebody mentioned that there is no such thing as an effiecient boat, but still, the 290 and 280 will be less of a gas strain than something larger. So with that said, what are some suggestions or other things to think about in deciding on my next boat???
Click to expand...

I would not consider any of these. In my opinion Sea Ray is not competitive until you get to the 340DA (maybe 320DA) under 30 ft. there are much better cruisers (in terms of space utilization and utility) for the money than what Sea Ray offers.
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I don't know if you have read any of the other threads I've been in, but I have been considering a Four Winns 298 Vista. I don't care for the Regals and my wife doesn't like the older 310s. What other suggestions do you have?
 
Brent ... I agree. Even though regal is a good quality boat, tehir cockpit setup always left me wondering and I never liked it.
The FW 298 Vista is a MAJOR BARGAIN for what they cost now on the used market. It has more room than a 280/290 Dancer, is relatively fast with twin 5.0s. They are a bit of a wet boat in chop (spray), but ultra solid in all repsects and the cockpit has a great set up too.

When I said 310, I meant the FW 310 Vista a great boat and very fast, but maybe too new for what you want. IF you want to trailer the 288 Vista works, even though she has a 9'6" beam. the newer versions finally have a front berth and cockpit space and cabin layout are fantastic, only the mid berth is a bit smallish. Earlier 288s had a convertible v-berth with seating and the dinette, so if you want to entertain, the earlier version is better, if you want to overnight, the later version is better. The 288 is fast and with twin 5.0s this is a 50 mph boat.

The FW 328/338 Vista might be too big for what you want, but you get a boat close to a 340 dancer for a lot less money. the 328 has outdrives, the 338 has inboards and is a rarer find.

Let me know if you have moer questions.

Cruisers YAchts also makes a very affordable and roomy boat the 280 CXi, unfortunately she's a little short on power, but the cabin is extremely roomy. The biggest 28 footer cabin I have evenr seen!! Good for two people, but sluggish with a load of people.
 
the other boats mentioned are fine until you consider permformance and power. Pack 8 people on the FW and get on a plane. I just bought the 280 DA and have a family of seven. We have spen several weekends aboard and are planning a 17 day trip later this month.

I couldnt be happier with the SR 280 DA.
 
smanier said:
the other boats mentioned are fine until you consider permformance and power. Pack 8 people on the FW and get on a plane. I just bought the 280 DA and have a family of seven. We have spen several weekends aboard and are planning a 17 day trip later this month.

I couldnt be happier with the SR 280 DA.
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the 288 Vista with twin 5.0s will outrun a 290 dancer with the same engines anytime. The 298 Vista will be a little heavier and top out at 45 mph. FIve people gear and fule on a 298 V and you'll plane in 8-10 seconds depending on conditions, but you get so much more boat than a 280 can ever be. There is no comparison between a 298V and a 290, they are simply a whole size apart.
 
I'm not a big performance guy. Yes, I do want the power to get up on plane, but top end is not important. I usually never run my 240SD much above 3000rpm. The folks in the bow don't care to be blown away. We cruise to our destination and camp out for the day.

The other thing too, is that we usually don't have more than the three of us. Only a few times a year do we have a full load. How does the single 496 do with the 280? I thought that would have a little trouble with a full load.
 
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