Advice for future 175 Sport owner

[OlyS4]

Hi all, we are in the market for an 18-19ft ski/runabout boat and I am looking at Sea Ray 175 and 185 Sports. I have a few questions for current or past Sport owners. I grew up with Sea Ray's, my parents owned a 19ft ski boat and then upgraded to a 268 crusier. I've always loved the quality of these boats, it's time to get my family into boating and I'd like to keep our budget around $20k-$25k. My searches at that price level are turning up 2009-2010 models.

1) What is the difference between the 175 and 185 Sport models? They are both 18ft, correct? Is there an engine or performance difference?

2) Are there any well known issues/fixes/recalls with these models I should be aware of while looking?

3) What is an acceptable amount of engine hours vs. price for an '09-'10 model?

4) Any advice from a current owner, or tips? Anything you wish you would've know before purchasing yours? Are these solid, reliable boats?

Thanks!

 

[ZZ13]

I have an '09 175 which I absolutely love. To give you a price reference, I bought it used at the end of the 2009 season for $16,300. It had 30 hours on it. The 175 only has one engine type - the 4 cyl 135hp. The 185 is only very slightly larger but has a 6 cyl engine option. Most everyone would recommend the 6 cyl 185 over the 175, especially if you plan to do any water sports. No real known issues to worry about, that I know of. I would think you should be able to get an '09 now with under 100 hours for well under $20k. Offer at least 20% less than asking price. That's my 2 cents.

 

[Dave 205]

Welcome to CSR and back to boating with your family.

The Sea Ray corporate website has great archives on specs for all recent past boats. They basically archive each model year's web pages, so you can compare and contrast any features.

At your price range, you may as well be at your dealer looking at new and get the full warranty and new boat smell. See the posted prices on my dealer's website - and the posted prices are above what you can walk out the door for:

http://www.omahamarinecenter.com/Pa...ageId/25914/view/InventoryList/Inventory.aspx

Since you seem willing to do legwork looking at used, you could have bought my boat in your price range, and moved up to 21', V-8 power, lots of storage and elbow room, and a nifty anchor locker - the lack of which seems to be a bane of every 175 / 185 owner on this forum. I also got a tandem trailer with upgraded wheels, spare, and more. The clincher, my boat had a mere 43 hours on it, and is in like new condition. It fits my family of 5 and a few guests much better then a 175/185 would. Don't get me wrong, a smaller boat may be perfect for your operating budget, situation, etc. But, for your money, you can definitely move up in a near new used model. You grew up on 19', smaller could feel tight. A bigger boat will get you a much better ride, smoother power, quieter operation - things that can really affect long term enjoyment. My extra 1,500 lbs. of lake hugging weight seems to make a real difference.

If you tell folks on this website what you want to do with your boat - number of people, ski, tube, wakeboard etc., what kind of towing your vehicle can handle, your price range / operating budget, your storage situation (what your garage will hold if you are going to garage it), you may get a lot of good tips on what might fit your lifestyle.

Lots of folks here will vouch for Sea Ray quality. It's a popular brand, many of the bits and pieces are a step up from brands like Bayliner, like most modern vehicles, its put together pretty well. Like Toyota and Honda have their occasional clunker, you'll find a few weak points on your boat - Nuthin's perfect.

I live in a somewhat weak boating maket, we don't have a lot of local water. But, Sea Ray is a fairly dominant brand here, you feel like you are in a local club at the lake, and if pride in your boat is a part of you, you'll feel pretty good matched up against many other brands.

Good luck with your search, and feel free to pepper us with questions. There are a lot of active members on this forum with great advice.

 

[Sluggo33]

If I had it all to do over, I'd go with the 185 instead of my 175 for a few reasons, but I'll answer your questions the best I can.

1. The 175 is actually 17'6" LOA, and the 185 is 19'8" LOA. The 175 comes with the 3.0L Merc, and the 185 comes with the 3.0L Merc also, but you can upgrade to the 4.3L Merc.

2. I've had a few issues with mine thus far, but nothing "major". Things that they (dealer and searay) say are "normal". For example my engine tends to diesel more than I think it should. No biggie, I just let it sit and run for a few minutes before shutting down. However, that said, with my most current issue, it may be enough to turn me away from SeaRay as far as my next boat goes. You can read about my most recent issue on this link....

http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/46139-Oh-no!!!-Wrong-grease-!-!-!-!

3. I'm not sure what an "acceptable" amount is. I hear from people that about 25 hours a season is "average". I put more on my boat. It's an 08 that I bought at the end of 08 and I have about 125 hours on it. As long as it's been well maintained I wouldn't OVERLY worry about a few more or a few less hours here and there. Also, I'm not sure about price either. I bought my 08 175 at the end of the season in 08 (august) brand new for $17,500.

4. Like I said before, if I had it all to do over I would have just shelled out the extra money for a 185. The 185 has some built in features I think that are a little more nice than the 175, and it comes with a swim platform. I think overall the 185 would have met my boating needs a little better than the 175. But that's just me.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[OlyS4]

Welcome to CSR and back to boating with your family.

If you tell folks on this website what you want to do with your boat - number of people, ski, tube, wakeboard etc., what kind of towing your vehicle can handle, your price range / operating budget, your storage situation (what your garage will hold if you are going to garage it), you may get a lot of good tips on what might fit your lifestyle.

Good luck with your search, and feel free to pepper us with questions. There are a lot of active members on this forum with great advice.

First of all, thank you all for your responses so far, this is a great forum! :thumbsup: I have a family of 4, kids are young at 7 and 4 so having something we can grow into is a good idea. I also think a swimstep is a priority so the 185 is sounding better. Also sounds like I can probably get an '09 or '10 for less than $20k. A solid boat for less money is fine in my book.

I don't need or want a wakeboard tower, this will be their introduction to boating so probably some tubing and maybe some skiing. If skiing and wakeboarding become more of a priority down the road, I would most likely look for a boat more tailored to that. Mostly just exporing lakes on nice weekends, maybe the Puget Sound a bit as well.

I just really want to get back out on the water, when you grow up with it (also owning personal watercraft before starting the family) you know what you're missing :smt001. My tow vehicle is rated at 6000lbs max, but I'd like to stay well below that weight because I'd like the option of hauling the boat over the Cascades to Eastern Washington in the summers. I want a trailor with surge brakes as my towing brake capacity is only around 1500lbs.

I would like to stay 20ft or under, as that is a really managable size when you have a young crew :smt001. It'll be mostly me doing all the trailoring, etc, with some help from my wife so I'd like to avoid the frustrating boat launch sessions with a boat that is too large for us to easily handle. I would like the option of taking some friends out from time to time as well. What is the seating set up in the 185's like/how many people can you safely and comfortably carry?

Maybe with this additional info on my situation, it will be easier for people to chime in.

Thanks again!

 

[ZZ13]

Just to be clear on the LOA. The main LOA difference between the 175 and the 185 is the length of the swim platform. I measured out the cockpit/bow space of both before I bought and the difference was measured in inches. That said, the most popular Sea Ray sport (if I remember my last Sea Ray magazine right) is the 205. Its a good compromise of space, power, and weight for softer rides, yet still fairly easy to put in and out of the water if you trailer. Might consider checking what's for sale (year/hours) in your price range for that model, although it sounds a foot longer than you want to go. There is a 195 Sport model that is right around your 20 foot mark. Sounds like any of the 175/185/195 will meet your needs. Go sample each model and see which one makes you smile the most.

Also, I can put 4 adults and 2 kids in my 175 (its rated for 900 pounds passenger weight). Not much room to move around but everyone had a comfortable seat and the performance of the 3.0L with the Alpha drive was just fine when fully loaded. So a V6 185 would be just fine as well.

 

[Dave 205]

I'm not sure what an "acceptable" amount is. I hear from people that about 25 hours a season is "average". I put more on my boat. It's an 08 that I bought at the end of 08 and I have about 125 hours on it. As long as it's been well maintained I wouldn't OVERLY worry about a few more or a few less hours here and there. Also, I'm not sure about price either. I bought my 08 175 at the end of the season in 08 (august) brand new for $17,500.

I spent two years discussing hours, and I would agree with Sluggo. 25 is average, especially if you don't live on a lake. Anything under about 250 total hours is fairly low hours in most opinions.

I also think a swimstep is a priority so the 185 is sounding better.

My tow vehicle is rated at 6000lbs max, but I'd like to stay well below that weight because I'd like the option of hauling the boat over the Cascades to Eastern Washington in the summers. I want a trailor with surge brakes as my towing brake capacity is only around 1500lbs.

I would like to stay 20ft or under, as that is a really managable size when you have a young crew :smt001. It'll be mostly me doing all the trailoring, etc, with some help from my wife so I'd like to avoid the frustrating boat launch sessions with a boat that is too large for us to easily handle. I would like the option of taking some friends out from time to time as well. What is the seating set up in the 185's like/how many people can you safely and comfortably carry? !

You will want a swim platform - it's a great feature.

My old Durango is rated to 5600 lbs. and my boat loaded up tops at about 4,600. I agree, I like some margin. The Durango handles it like a champ. But, I don't deal with mountains. Be prepared for some shockingly poor gas milage! I've never heard of brake towing capacity. I"ve always figured that your towing capacity means that you can tow, stop, whatever, that amount of weight. When I was shopping boats, it seemed like boats under 19' were usually not fitted with surge brakes. I can't speak with certainty about the smaller Sea Rays - but watch out and make sure you know what you are getting. I have surge brakes and could not imagine life without them. At some point, I think about 3,000 lbs., surge brakes become law. Maybe that plays to the Brake capacity you are talking about - yes, my Durango can tow to 5,600 but it requires surge brakes to manage it. If you think you will do a lot of towing, a tandem trailer provides a lot of piece of mind regarding blowouts. But, again, the smaller boats are not usually on tandems. Make sure you have a spare no matter what you get, trailer tires are hard to find on short notice on a Sunday night.

Your first launching / getting off the lake experiences will be a riot, and I'm pretty organized and have a good reliable boat. You will find some real human comedy at the ramp, and some boats that are not seaworthy. The best advice I got is never go faster then the speed you want to hit something. I grew up on 15'-18' boats, and my 21' seemed like a bit of a beast, but I got used to it very quickly (in love, frankly). I tried tying off at the dock and getting my trailer, but that was a mess. My wife has become very proficient at bringing the boat up VERY slowly and coasting up on the trailer. We have "Straight Lines" (boat guides) on our trailer, and they are a huge help. My wife can see her target from across the marina, and we've never banged the trailer. Your crew is young, my 8 year old isn't a lot of help yet, by my 11 and 14 year olds have been a ton of very enthusiastic help. Boating is a great family activity, and I can't help but think it brought us closer this summer.

 

[Dave 205]

That said, the most popular Sea Ray sport (if I remember my last Sea Ray magazine right) is the 205. Its a good compromise of space, power, and weight for softer rides, yet still fairly easy to put in and out of the water if you trailer.

Sea Ray claims on its website that the 205 is the most popular boat sold in its size class. I think the smaller Sea Rays outsell it. I can attest, the 205 is a pretty managable boat. It also has a nice size swim platform. I think you owe it to yourself to go to a dealer and sit in a 185 and 205 and compare. The kiddos will grow fast.

 

[Dave 205]

Before 2006, the 205 Sport was the 200 Sport. The attached ad is for a 200 Select - the luxury version. 75 hours and $21,900 before negotiation, and a trailer that would meet your road needs. If I didn't already own my boat, I'd probably be looking at this:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/boa/2624582483.html

Here is the 200 Select on the Sea Ray website. Beautiful boat and models!

http://www.searay.com/Page.aspx/pmId/43698/pageId/10250/view/Overview/Past-Models.aspx

There are some awesome used boats out there. Takes a little looking.

 

[quailrunner]

Sea Ray claims on its website that the 205 is the most popular boat sold in its size class. I think the smaller Sea Rays outsell it. I can attest, the 205 is a pretty managable boat. It also has a nice size swim platform. I think you owe it to yourself to go to a dealer and sit in a 185 and 205 and compare. The kiddos will grow fast.

I started w. a 175 (135 hp) and upgraded to a 185 (190 hp) for the engine. Huge difference for all sorts of towing and for the large swim platform, which we now see as essential. I strongly second the quoted comment above; as your kids grow you will want some extra elbow room (I only have one kid, technically, but every weekend I seem to have 2-3 extras, and I might be upgrading in the next couple years as my son gets older). The difference between the 175 and the 185 was the *power* and the swim platform.

As for hours, we live on the lake for a time each summer, and 40-50 is what we've been putting on.

 

[dutchman]

Like mentioned several times, it has so much to do with personal preference.
I can't argue with size either, since some of our friends have bigger boats, and they all seem so different. Bigger and heavier do ride smoother when it gets rough out.
That being said, I'm quite happy with our 175. It fits my needs perfectly. Normally there are 4 people on board. We use the boat in 3 small lakes, so I'm always hauling it around and always back home for the night. It maneuvers quite easy and can even push it around in my garage by hand.
I don't have issues with room, since we don't pack food for 3 days, over night clothes, 4 wakeboards, etc. etc.

I looked at the bench seat in the 175/85 and IMO it was just too cramped for space. For more room and the bench, the 195+ looked way better. My 175 has 2 swivel buckets and the jump seats by the eng comp, which give it lots of interior space.

The 3.0L isn't the most powerful, but it is a good motor for the size of the boat. Again no issues pulling skiers, tubes, etc. and top speed is around 43.

Pricing is obviously all over the board, depends on where you are. I purchased my 2008, in August of 2009. The dealer had several 175's in a big size market, so they wanted to move them. Brand new off the lot for under $15,000, and that included a trailer with disc brakes.

One thing I noticed in the SR was all the little things. Gelcoated engine bay + storage compartments, hyd strut to hold the doors open, nicer seats, to name a few.

So long story short, you need to figure out what you're going to use it for. Where you will be boating. Then go out and sit in a few and figure out which suits your needs the best. But least of all, don't worry about the SR brand. I have boated for 25 years and this being my first SR, it seems to be be a quality product.

 

[beernutz]

One thing you might consider is an older Sport. The thing I like about my 190 in comparison to my friend's 2008 185 is that my beam is 8' 5" while his is 7' 3". The extra width is nice especially as you add more people on the boat because the more people the more gear you tend to have. I've had 8 people (4 adults 4 teenagers) on mine a couple of times and while it was cozy, it wasn't cramped.

My boat also weighs significantly more than his which I think improves stability but of course likely means lower mileage. Mine for example came with a tandem trailer while his is single axle.

IMO there is a lot of good advice from the previous posters on this thread.

 

[beernutz]

Before 2006, the 205 Sport was the 200 Sport. The attached ad is for a 200 Select - the luxury version. 75 hours and $21,900 before negotiation, and a trailer that would meet your road needs. If I didn't already own my boat, I'd probably be looking at this:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/boa/2624582483.html

Here is the 200 Select on the Sea Ray website. Beautiful boat and models!

http://www.searay.com/Page.aspx/pmId/43698/pageId/10250/view/Overview/Past-Models.aspx

There are some awesome used boats out there. Takes a little looking.

That is a very nice 200 Select and since it is in Omaha you can likely assume fresh water use only.