43 sea ray inquiry

[Cosmo]

I'm new to the Sea Ray world having just sold our 36 Uniflite-gasser. Jones'ing for another boat, I came across a 1988 43 sea ray sedan in my area. She has 375 hp Cats. I'm new to the turbo diesel arena. What can I see for cruise speed and consumption?

What should I be looking for in terms of leaks or quirks the 43 had/has? I like the huge cockpit- something our aft cabin didn't have. Sea handling characteristics, etc. Any other ideas or tips are appreciated!

 

[fwebster]

You are most likely describing the 43/44CV ...i.e. convertible. They came with 3208 Caterpillars which are great engines. The CV's are built like tanks but ride low and tend to be wet in a decent sea. They are not quick boats.....20kts maybe. Very forgiving boats, handle well in tight spots with no bad habits. some of them have experienced leaks into the cabin from the bridge, which can be troublesome leak to stop.

 

[Cosmo]

Good info. For us, anything over 10 knot is fast. We didn't go fast in our Uniflite. Can you run the 'cats slow without doing harm? We're not go fast boaters. I'm looking at the 43 for the 'sea ray' name, quality and comfort.

 

[fwebster]

Most modern Sea Ray hulls have a comfortable cruising spot just under planing speeds and before you begin to get much bow rise. Each hull/engine combination is different, but my 45oDa has a similar hull but no pockets compared to the 43/44CV. We run a lot at 1400-1500 rpm because we are in a high traffic area inhabited by rentals run by tourists with no boating experience. 10-12kts is comfortable, you have good control, not much wake and low exposure to liability concerns. That gets us a fuel burn in the 6-8gph area.

As long as you have enough rpms that the turbos are producing some boost, the Cats love it. Just avoid prolonged idling (under 800 rpm) which causes excessive valve train wear.