340 Sundancer NEW to ME!

[Scottzzzy]

Ok, butterflies aside my wife and I are going to look tomorrow at what may very well be my 1st cruiser and our next Sea Ray! Now, being a good student here at CSR I have been burning up the search button for items to look at while I am there. Here is the info on the boat:

2000 Sea Ray 340DA, powered by T-7.4 310HP V-drives, 270 hours, Salon B seating, Cherry Vitrecor interior, sandstone counter tops, fully loaded lake boat. Enclosure canvas, 4.5 Westerbeke generator, ac/heat, Raytheon Electronics package, GPS, Loran Nav 398, Raydata Multifuntion-Depth, speed-temp, cockpit refrigerator, bilge heater, current annual services, clean, fresh ready to go! One owner, freshwater only, always in covered slip (Allatoona Landing)

So I already am checking the following:

I AM getting a survey if all checks out
Riser manifolds and NOT the log style (refit)
Leaks around openings and rails, fittings
Cleanliness of bilge
All systems functioning
Last impeller change
Last bottom paint
Documentation, paperwork always makes me happy
Tach and Speed at WOT
Shifting smoothness

So, I am looking for those items to check that only come with the experience of being an owner like you guys. Any recalls (manifolds on the Horizons) I should check?

Anything you could offer would be great and appreciated!

Thank you!:thumbsup:

 

[billnpat]

Going through M.M.??,broker??, private???

Boat sounds nice, luck to you :thumbsup:

 

[Quint4]

That sounds awesome! There is a 340 that docks across from me....beautiful boat.

 

[Scottzzzy]

Going through M.M.??,broker??, private???

Boat sounds nice, luck to you :thumbsup:

MM is brokering the sale I think. :smt101

Looks very good on "paper".:smt100

 

[Ka1oxd]

What ever you do, pay for a survey. It is well worth the money and potential aggregation.

 

[my3sons]

Nice boat, sounds like it's got it all! Good Luck!

 

[Larry]

It sounds like your paying attention... Better to pay attention now then pay($) later!

Hope it checks out well for you....

 

[Southpaw II]

Take your camera (I know this sounds obvious) and take pictures of everything....everything. Because, when you get home, there will be a million questions in your mind about,,,was it this way or that way. You wil see or read about other boats, and try to remember if this boat had a particular feature or not. Take a pic of the buttons on the dash, for instance...and lots of shots in the bilge. If the boat is out of the water, get lots of pics of the bottom. When you get home, will you remember if the bow rail had any dings or bent places in it? You get my point.

Also, write down the answers to the questions you ask. Because...if you are shopping hard, you should ask so many questions there would be no way to remember all the answers.

If you haven't already done it, go to the archive section of the Sea Ray website and print off the brochure and spec sheet for the boat.

Good luck. This is a great model boat....one of the best SR made.

Don

 

[VinceR]

We love ours. They are very good cruising boats.

 

[HUMPH]

We just missed the same boat before we found the 320. The funny thing is the buyer was on this forum and I chatted with him. I hope you got a great deal and if everything works out you'll have a great boat!

Pay for engine surveys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[M&M's_Beach_House]

Good luck, let us know how everything goes and specifically what you learn would be helpful to me. We are looking at the same model and year boat to upgrade. What you learn would be very helpful to share if you had time.

 

[Scottzzzy]

Good luck, let us know how everything goes and specifically what you learn would be helpful to me. We are looking at the same model and year boat to upgrade. What you learn would be very helpful to share if you had time.

Oh I will. Everyone is so helpful on here I want to return the favor as best this newbie can. I appreciate the picture idea too, I will snap away and post some on here if I see something wierd. We have looked at quite a few, but most a year or 2 newer. The one thing I noticed is the pricing is all over the place and hard to really nail down to more than just what you are willing to spend, period. We have given up the blue hull cause it seems to push the cost of the same boat up 20K, and its not worth it to me since everyone in my house disappears when it is "boat care" time!

Any other ideas? I still have a few hours!:wow::smt101:wow:

 

[JediJD]

If you need a surveyor give a shout. I paid Michael Griffin about $1000 to do a total inspection that included value estimates and he ran compression tests...etc.

Also, I suspect one of the great Allatoona investments of all time in a 340 would be to call Carter Chapman and see if you can bribe him to give the boat a once over.

 

[rcknecht]

I would recommend a compression test on the engines in the generators... Make sure the new exhaust system was installed... My 2001 had a new engine, and a complete engine overhaul of the other engine and a new exhaust systems installed in 2001.... Marine Max had the record of the maintenance... The engine hours are low, so the new exhaust system may not have been installed....

 

[Dive Girl]

We bought our 2000 340DA in July, last year. We love the boat!

 

[Scottzzzy]

Whew! Now I know why everyone hates us salesguys! So I went to check out a couple of boats and the one that is well within my range is nice, but has some questionable items. It is the one I listed in the OP of this thread.

Negatives

1. MUCH older lady and her husband bought it new in 2000, so she knows little about the boat. He passed 10 mo. ago
2. Newer port engine (140 hrs) Starboard (340 hrs)
** This bothers me a bit
3. She does not have much if any documentation about regular service her husband had done. (MM locale at Allatoona gone now)
4. Bottom Paint does not know (Freshwater boat)
5. Impellers does not know
6. Fridge inside has some rust in the bottom (would have to go)
7. no bilge heater (small space heater in there now)
8. Dirty and dusty inside and out (you can tell she can not do anything with the boat herself) Needs cleaning BIG time
9. Looks like some mildew down in the compartment for the AC/Heater. It works good but she does not run it you can tell now.

Positives
1. You can tell she wants this boat gone :thumbsup:
2. It is a lot of boat for the money already
3. No leaks on the headliners inside and around windows
4. All items functional
5. Boat would be pristine with a good cleaning and detail
6. Bilge is clean and interior not too bad (could use runners)
7. Seems to run and idle very smooth (nasty day so no real seatrial yet)

Only thing I can think of is hit her with a super low number and lean heavy on the fact she has no documentation. Hopefully she bites and with a little negotiation have the money to pull the boat and do the items that concern me before splash day. OF COURSE after a thorough survey.

What is you guys input on the pros and cons? I would not be thinking about this if it was not already such good deal.
Now for pics:

 

[thirtydaZe]

looks nice and clean from your pics. good luck!

 

[Southpaw II]

Sounds like you might have a good opportunity on this boat. The 310HP MPIs were the base engine on this boat, and I would suggest getting some input from other owners on CSR about their experience with these engines, especially how they perform under load. This boat will not be lightning fast, but no V-drive is....the positive is that it will not burn the fuel that the 380HP Horizons do.

Mercruiser and Sea Ray can provide you with the info you want re: any warranty work that was done. I would assume bottom paint will be needed soon, as well as service. The cost of these items could be a bargaining chip when it comes to negoitating price.

Cosmetic items are easily addressed.

Good luck.

Don

 

[Windjammer]

Scottzzzy,

If the original owner's name was Amos McEver(sp?), I know some stuff about this boat that may be of interest to you.
PM me if you want the details.

WJ

Whew! Now I know why everyone hates us salesguys! So I went to check out a couple of boats and the one that is well within my range is nice, but has some questionable items. It is the one I listed in the OP of this thread.

Negatives

1. MUCH older lady and her husband bought it new in 2000, so she knows little about the boat. He passed 10 mo. ago
2. Newer port engine (140 hrs) Starboard (340 hrs)
** This bothers me a bit
3. She does not have much if any documentation about regular service her husband had done. (MM locale at Allatoona gone now)
4. Bottom Paint does not know (Freshwater boat)
5. Impellers does not know
6. Fridge inside has some rust in the bottom (would have to go)
7. no bilge heater (small space heater in there now)
8. Dirty and dusty inside and out (you can tell she can not do anything with the boat herself) Needs cleaning BIG time
9. Looks like some mildew down in the compartment for the AC/Heater. It works good but she does not run it you can tell now.

Positives
1. You can tell she wants this boat gone :thumbsup:
2. It is a lot of boat for the money already
3. No leaks on the headliners inside and around windows
4. All items functional
5. Boat would be pristine with a good cleaning and detail
6. Bilge is clean and interior not too bad (could use runners)
7. Seems to run and idle very smooth (nasty day so no real seatrial yet)

Only thing I can think of is hit her with a super low number and lean heavy on the fact she has no documentation. Hopefully she bites and with a little negotiation have the money to pull the boat and do the items that concern me before splash day. OF COURSE after a thorough survey.

What is you guys input on the pros and cons? I would not be thinking about this if it was not already such good deal.
Now for pics:

 

[mquiet]

First congrats, I bought the same boat last year. A 2000 sundancer 340 with 7.4 (310hp). The boat cruises about 20-25 on the ocean. My family loves the boat and it was our upgrade to the Crusier family. I think you will love it and will have years of great times. Looking over your positives and negatives, you seem to have it all square. Like others, the survey is huge. Focus on engines, dry bilge, and solid report when hull is hammered. Then repack all screws and holes to reseal.

Best of luck:thumbsup:

Matt