douglee25
Well-Known Member
Well after my '98 Sundancer 250 fell through due to a frozen outdrive plug, my search was on for the next boat. I realized a couple things after the 250 deal fell through.
1. The 25' just wasn't going to be big enough for my personal needs.
2. I was less than impressed with the bravo III drive and the corrosion that I've seen on many of them.
Note: See high resolution of both boats attached.
After looking I found two boats that I've been contemplating. One was a '97 Sea Ray 270 Sundancer and the second was a '97 Larson 270 Cabrio (stepped hull). Without boring you with the small details, I will give you some of impressions. Granted these impressions were with the boats that I personally witnessed.
1. Option for option, the boats were almost identical. (7.4l, AC/Heat, windlass, spot light, vacuflush, v-birth, aft cabin, galley single stove, microwave, etc). The one reason why I gave the nod to Larson is because they use the Volvo drivetrain as opposed to the Merc drivetrain. Personally I'm a fan of the Volvo set myself. The Volvo duo-prop outdrive was spotless. I could literally eat off of the motor and drive. This doesn't have much clout, but the Larson also had a 6 CD changer and a GPS included (~ $600 to $800)
2. The interior nod goes to Sea Ray. I've always been impressed with the finish on the interior of the Sea Ray's. When comparing the cushions between the two, the Sea Ray appears to have more support and slightly better fabrics/styling. Overall, the Larson's interior isn't as lavish, but it's quite functional.
3. The exterior/helm nod goes to Larson. The only reason for this is because the Larson was actually prepped and ready to show for sale. The Sea Ray had yet to be detailed. The vinyls appeared very comparable between the two. I would also give the Larson the nod for engine comparment access. The Larson has one hatch that raises up with the help of hydraulics, whereas the Sea Ray has three separate sections that must be lifted up and stowed out of the way. The Larson also has brand new canvas and glass. The Sea Ray will need replacement within 2 years.
4. The hull nod goes to Larson. Not only was the Larson already buffed to a mirror shine, the bottom was painted as well. The Larson also has the stepped hull design which allows for faster speeds and more stability in rough seas. I was less than impressed with the prep job that had been done initially on the Sea Ray before whomever decided to bottom paint it. The paint was just peeling off, obviously because the wax wasn't stripped correctly and the hull wasn't scuffed prior to paint.
5. Pricing is a toss up. Both were priced to sell within a few bucks. Comparing NADA pricing on both, the Larson is priced about $6k less with options and a trailer.
6. Resale nod goes to Sea Ray. The Sea Ray name stands strong because they make a good boat. Despite this, I believe you're paying more for the name upfront, only to sell at a higher price later on. Net profit/less between the sales of both the Sea Ray and Larson say 5 years from now will probably be identical.
7. Warranty nod goes to Larson. The dealer is providing a 30 day/30 hour warranty where the Sea Ray is a private sale with no warranty. I figure this is pretty bold of the dealer because you would figure any buyer will put test the boat out quite well within 30 days from the point of sale.
To give you some more details, the Larson was a dealer boat (not brokered) and the Sea Ray was a private sale. The Larson is ready to drop in the water where the Sea Ray is going to require at least four days to clean/buff/change fluids, etc to get it sea worthy. The owner of the Sea Ray actually didn't even clean out the boat over the winter. Everything from linens to condiments for sandwiches were still in the cabin. The glass panels were just thrown in and weren't separated by sheets or anything. The owner did know what he was talking about, but he just wasn't as an avid boater as I am.
If I found a comparable Sea Ray that was as clean and ready to go as the Larson, I would expect to pay another $6-$7k over the Larson. I am trying to avoid buying a boat based on the name and buy it based on it's condition, options, and functionality. I think the Larson fits the bill.
Doug
1. The 25' just wasn't going to be big enough for my personal needs.
2. I was less than impressed with the bravo III drive and the corrosion that I've seen on many of them.
Note: See high resolution of both boats attached.
After looking I found two boats that I've been contemplating. One was a '97 Sea Ray 270 Sundancer and the second was a '97 Larson 270 Cabrio (stepped hull). Without boring you with the small details, I will give you some of impressions. Granted these impressions were with the boats that I personally witnessed.
1. Option for option, the boats were almost identical. (7.4l, AC/Heat, windlass, spot light, vacuflush, v-birth, aft cabin, galley single stove, microwave, etc). The one reason why I gave the nod to Larson is because they use the Volvo drivetrain as opposed to the Merc drivetrain. Personally I'm a fan of the Volvo set myself. The Volvo duo-prop outdrive was spotless. I could literally eat off of the motor and drive. This doesn't have much clout, but the Larson also had a 6 CD changer and a GPS included (~ $600 to $800)
2. The interior nod goes to Sea Ray. I've always been impressed with the finish on the interior of the Sea Ray's. When comparing the cushions between the two, the Sea Ray appears to have more support and slightly better fabrics/styling. Overall, the Larson's interior isn't as lavish, but it's quite functional.
3. The exterior/helm nod goes to Larson. The only reason for this is because the Larson was actually prepped and ready to show for sale. The Sea Ray had yet to be detailed. The vinyls appeared very comparable between the two. I would also give the Larson the nod for engine comparment access. The Larson has one hatch that raises up with the help of hydraulics, whereas the Sea Ray has three separate sections that must be lifted up and stowed out of the way. The Larson also has brand new canvas and glass. The Sea Ray will need replacement within 2 years.
4. The hull nod goes to Larson. Not only was the Larson already buffed to a mirror shine, the bottom was painted as well. The Larson also has the stepped hull design which allows for faster speeds and more stability in rough seas. I was less than impressed with the prep job that had been done initially on the Sea Ray before whomever decided to bottom paint it. The paint was just peeling off, obviously because the wax wasn't stripped correctly and the hull wasn't scuffed prior to paint.
5. Pricing is a toss up. Both were priced to sell within a few bucks. Comparing NADA pricing on both, the Larson is priced about $6k less with options and a trailer.
6. Resale nod goes to Sea Ray. The Sea Ray name stands strong because they make a good boat. Despite this, I believe you're paying more for the name upfront, only to sell at a higher price later on. Net profit/less between the sales of both the Sea Ray and Larson say 5 years from now will probably be identical.
7. Warranty nod goes to Larson. The dealer is providing a 30 day/30 hour warranty where the Sea Ray is a private sale with no warranty. I figure this is pretty bold of the dealer because you would figure any buyer will put test the boat out quite well within 30 days from the point of sale.
To give you some more details, the Larson was a dealer boat (not brokered) and the Sea Ray was a private sale. The Larson is ready to drop in the water where the Sea Ray is going to require at least four days to clean/buff/change fluids, etc to get it sea worthy. The owner of the Sea Ray actually didn't even clean out the boat over the winter. Everything from linens to condiments for sandwiches were still in the cabin. The glass panels were just thrown in and weren't separated by sheets or anything. The owner did know what he was talking about, but he just wasn't as an avid boater as I am.
If I found a comparable Sea Ray that was as clean and ready to go as the Larson, I would expect to pay another $6-$7k over the Larson. I am trying to avoid buying a boat based on the name and buy it based on it's condition, options, and functionality. I think the Larson fits the bill.
Doug
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You will want to buy a new GPS, just because. 
