370 EC owners

[flymost]

I am looking at purchasing a 1997-2000 model 370EC and wanted to get some information from those with experience on them.

The ones that I am looking at have the 300 or 350 HP CAT's, no tower and around 500-1000 hours on the motors.

I primarily have three questions:

How is the boat going to perform? Specifically, what kind of cruise can I expect and what kind of fuel flow (I have heard about 21 knots and 14gph fuel flow). Also, how does the boat perform offshore? Like, will my wife be able to sleep while I cruise in a 2-3' head sea?

What is this boat going to cost me to maintain? I am currently on my 7th outboard trailerable boat, and I know that maintenance is going to cost a lot more, but how much? I can do a fair amount of work myself, but will still need to have the bottom cleaned, repainted and such. I am thinking expensive oil changes, bottom cleaning, bottom painting every other year or so? Shaft seals every once in a while? How about the Gen, AC, water systems and such? Are these systems going to cost me a bundle on a boat of this age?

And lastly, what do I need to look out for? What do I not want, what should have been replaced by now, and what is an impending nightmare?

So far I am very impressed with the boats that I have looked at. If it performs as well as it looks, then hopefully I will be fishing out of one soon.

I guess that I should give you an idea of our primary use. I am looking for a boat to overnight out of Houston at about 100 miles out fishing for tuna and diving the Flower Gardens with just 2-4 people.

Thanks for your help.

Rob

 

[rldustyc]

Just bought a 1999 370 ec and brought it back from Port Aransas. I did a bottom job on it in Rockport house of boats great place to work on your boat by the way. It is very important to keep the bottom clean this boat will not plane with a dirty bottom. The boat cruises about 30 mph and get pretty good mileage we burned 120 gallons going 200 miles. The cost of maintaining the boat is a little high but worth it the cats 3116 last forever when properly maintained. Also note the starboard tank feeds the generator and the pickup tube for the engine is not all the way to the bottom of the tank you have about a 25 gallon reserve for the gen to run. Oil change, filters and coolant levels need to be check often. You can get a maintenance schedule from the Cat web site that has the time and amounts fluids need for the engines. You may spend a little more time on maintenance but less time repairing. I had a 24 Grady with twin outboards before this boat and I am pleased with it so for. Hope this helps we have our boat in South Shore Harbor Clear lake.

 

[flymost]

Thanks, I actually looked at the boat that you bought. Your speed and fuel consumption is quite surprising. Did you take the boat out in the gulf much? If the ride in the gulf chop is decent I'll be joining you as a new Sea Ray owner soon.

 

[JB1150]

I have a 1988 Sea Ray 340 EC and am also looking at moving up to a 1997 to 2000 370EC. Does anyone know if this boat had some of the water intrusion problems that some of the larger boats reportedly have. Also could anyone provide some fuel burn rates for the CAT 3126 - 420 HP in this boat.