44' 1994 & 46 1988

[JC3]

O.k. Guys, if you have been following my boat buying adventure here goes: Went to florida and looked at about a dozen boats, o.k. my wife said it was 6 but it felt like more. For one reason or another we did not find anything we liked except a 1997 40' SR that we are seriously thinking about. This mornng a broker called and said he had an immaculate 46' 1988. looked at pic's and boat does look well maintained. I know, i know looks can be deceiving but he tells me they are a true representations. New two boat owner(55 SR). Then this afternoon MM salesman calls and says they just took in a 1994 44' with about 600 true hours( northern boat) and the boat is pristine. Pic's also look good. Any thoughts on these two models. JC

 

[fwebster]

Not to give you a short answer, but I answered the 460EC question earlier this week for someone.....have you tried searching for info.?

Let me know if you can't find what you need.......

 

[sbw1]

I'm not a big fan of the older 46 although we did consider buying one around 1990. I still see that boat as it is stored where we store our current boat. Glad, we passed. It has Detroit Diesels which are generally a PITA and significant rot issues which the owner deals with on an ongoing basis. The 44 has a pretty good layout and I believe it is a much better built boat. If it has the fabric headliner look for stains and you will see where it leaks. SRs of that era pretty much all leak, especially around the windows. The hulls also flex and there may well be leaks around the forward berth. If you see new headliners this may be a clue that leaks were extensive. Walk around the forward deck near hatches. Do they flex? If so, could be some rot in the core. Also check the limber holes with a hammer. The sounding should be sharp, not thuddy. Does the boat have dripless shafts? It needs them. The limber holes should also be glassed. It was not built that way but a good owner would have done it to protect the stringers. We owned a 93 37 Express which was of similar build quality and used it for 11 years. We enjoyed the boat, but it was a high maintenance vessel that was not really up to the choppy seas we experience so often on Lake Michigan. The 44 has a great layout if it's the one with the side guest cabin. Also has a nice cockpit for entertaining.

 

[JC3]

Frank, I tried e-mail but came back (error). Please check your PPM. SBW1 Thanks for the reply. Have had all kinds of contacts today. Hopefully will find the right one. Alot of people really donot seem to like the 46' mid 80's models but i got several e-mails and one phone call from some owners of the 88 and 89 models and they like them. One owner said the later models improved and said if the detroit's had good maintance that he strongly disagreed with people, and his was running great at 2000hrs. The 1994 44' windows changed from 1993. Again guys i cannot tell you how much i appreciate your help! jc
SBW1: How was the ride of the 44'?

 

[sbw1]

The 44 ride is not bad but not great. We get short steep waves on Lake Michigan and the entry on a 44 is not fine. Therefore it does pound and cabinets open down below unless you really slow it down. In following seas it's much better but the rudders are a tad small so running inlets requires a person with experience to keep things from getting "interesting." In relatively flat seas SRs of this size are really good runners.

 

[JC3]

SBW1 Thanks alot. That doesnot sound to good for my use. I run the Bahama Banks and they have tended to have small but close waves, 2 to 3's every 4 to 5 sec. Our Glacier Bay 2685 was built for those but is toooo smallllllll! Looking for much larger afordable cruiser thus the Great Search goes on. Thanks SBW1