Advice on 2000 240 Sundancer

jason78

jason78

Active Member
TECHNICAL Contributor
Sep 3, 2008
3,662
Fort Mill, SC / Lake Wylie
Boat Info
1997 20 Outrage
Engines
200 Merc Offshore
In my unending quest for a boat, I have now run across a 2000 240DA. It has the 5.7EFI 260hp engine. Not sure on outdrive but am assuming a B3. As some may know I have been dead set on a 225WE but am considering this 240DA. I was wondering if anyone with this boat and/or engine could offer some feedback. I am also wondering what the main difference is between the 5.7EFI and the newer 350MAG MPI. This boat is 5500lbs dry as opposed to 4700lbs dry on the 225WE. The weight to hp ratio is my biggest concern. I would like to be able to pull a tube, a single skier or wakeboard with several passengers on board. Will 260hp do the trick? Many have told me 260hp will do fine on the 4700lb 225WE but no less. I am hoping someone with the same boat/engine combo can offer some feedback. Thanks! Jason :grin:
 
We owned a 2000 Maxum 2400SCR, very similar boat. It had the 5.0 MPI with an Alpha One outdrive. With just the wife and I she did great. Adding 2+ more adults made it a challenge getting her up on plane.

I would think the 5.7 on that boat would be fine.
 
burwellj78 said:
In my unending quest for a boat, I have now run across a 2000 240DA. It has the 5.7EFI 260hp engine. Not sure on outdrive but am assuming a B3. As some may know I have been dead set on a 225WE but am considering this 240DA. I was wondering if anyone with this boat and/or engine could offer some feedback. I am also wondering what the main difference is between the 5.7EFI and the newer 350MAG MPI. This boat is 5500lbs dry as opposed to 4700lbs dry on the 225WE. The weight to hp ratio is my biggest concern. I would like to be able to pull a tube, a single skier or wakeboard with several passengers on board. Will 260hp do the trick? Many have told me 260hp will do fine on the 4700lb 225WE but no less. I am hoping someone with the same boat/engine combo can offer some feedback. Thanks! Jason :grin:
Click to expand...
Hop over here: http://www.clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=436
Tons of info. As far as pulling skiers with several passengers, sure, as long as they are all about 50lbs. each.:grin:
Good luck!
 
I had the same boat you are looking at last year. 2000 240 da with 5.7 260hp. Mine had a BravoII on it. The boat was great and was nice for the wife and I. It had plenty of power. The difference between the 2 motors I believe is 40hp. I don't believe the 350mag was offered in 2000. The only reason we upgraded was that we sleep on it every weekend from May 1st through mid October and wanted a little more space and heat and A.C. Presentation had an older 240 that he had for years and I know he skied and tubed behind it. Good Luck.
 
beerman said:
.... Presentation had an older 240 that he had for years and I know he skied and tubed behind it....
Click to expand...

Wow, Scott has an excellent memory.

“Addicting” is the single word I would use to describe the 240 Sundancer.

The 240 Sundancer we had was a 1998. The 1998 is actually a bit smaller and lighter then the 2000. However, we also had the 5.0 EFI, not the bigger 5.7L EFI. We had the Alpha I gen II drive. I ran a 17 pitch cupped stainless steel prop.

These engines, the 5.0L and 5.7L V8’s both start life as identical GM manufactured small blocks V8’s. Stroke is identical. Bore is bigger on the 5.7 by, well,...7 liters / 45 cubic inches. Mercury will not provide tork curves but GM does. If you do some research you will find the 5.7L has more tork, or low RPM power then the 5.0. This additional tork will be negated by the increased size / weight of the 2000 240 Sundancer versus the 1998.

Note, if the boat you are looking at had the 6.2L V8, tork at the low end is identical on the 5.7 and 6.2 so when it comes to pulling a skier or time to plane, neither of these two would have a advantage.

Believe it or not, the 6.2 L small block also starts life as a GM small block V8 and gets modified by Mercury. In this case, Mercury engineers did a pretty good job.

The engineers that worked on this project were the same team that made the engine for the original Corvette ZR-1 circa 1986. Bet you did not know Mercury made that engine, did’ja? Although engine production was done at the Mercury plant in Oklahoma, engineering was done in Fond du Lac. I remember sitting in my piece of crap 1977 Corvette at the Fond du Lac airport watching the thing rip up and down the closed airstrip. I had a buddy that got to ride along when they set up a closed track at the local tec college, at the time called MPTI. He told me the ride was so bumpy his head actually hurt. Back to boating engines……

The 6.2 has some more aggressive internal parts that allow it to rev higher and allow a longer stroke so it has an increase in hoarse power at the high end, or wide open side of the curve.

Top end speed on our boat was about 40 MPH so it’s not a go-fast boat but not bad. Time to plane was 7 seconds with a reasonable load. Our normal passenger count was 2 adults and 3 kids and lots of stuff in every available space. With this combination I could pull up my wife on 1 ski.

If this boat you are looking at has the same drive and propeller as we had, I would expect your numbers would be similar to ours.

The wake is big for skiing so do not plan on slalom course runs. However this big wake at low speed is idea for tubing. We could trim and tab down and hold plane at 17 MPH however I would need to keep one hand on the throttle to hold us there.

Basically, we loved the boat. It got us addicted to the lifestyle known as cruising.

One drawback on the 240 Sundancer is its balance, or more accurately, its lack of balance. The boat has trim tabs. I ran with on hand on the wheel and one on the trim tabs. Although this sounds crazy, over time it becomes second nature. Expect some frustration at the beginning as you get use to this. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle. Once you get it, you get it. I sure don’t miss this with our 280. The 280 is a self balancing boat when compared to the 240 Sundancer.

The 240 Sundancer is not for everyone. Be honest with yourself. If you do not plan on sleeping onboard, if performance is more important to you then room and comfort, if you don’t like re-adjusting the trim tabs constantly, this boat may not be for you.

All boats are a compromise. The 240 Sundancer is no exception. For us, it was the right size, performance, and economy at a point and time.

Although many on this website would look down at our current 280 Sundancer as a little boat, it’s ‘our’ bigger boat. The 240 got us addicted to the cruising lifestyle, and for that, I have only fond memories of the boat. But be warned, it sucked us into wanting more comfort and amenities that only a larger boat will provide.

This is why I say the 240 Sundancer is addicting. To a degree, the 240 Sundancer is the ‘crack cocaine’ of cruisers. It gets you hooked, then you want more.
 
I have the 5.7EFI and Bravo III on my 2000~260DA. I think it's ideal. I think tubing would be OK, but waterskiing for adults may be poor.

Anyway, best of luck
 
Jason

Are you looking at the 240DA just listed by Lake Wylie Marina? http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2000-SEA-RAY-240-Sundancer-93970874

If so that boat is docked right behind me and I am somewhat familiar with it. It's in good shape from what I know of it. It will probably perform "adequately" with that motor and it's priced right as well considering it's a low hours boat.

Dave
 
Dave S said:
Jason

Are you looking at the 240DA just listed by Lake Wylie Marina? http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2000-SEA-RAY-240-Sundancer-93970874

If so that boat is docked right behind me and I am somewhat familiar with it. It's in good shape from what I know of it. It will probably perform "adequately" with that motor and it's priced right as well considering it's a low hours boat.

Dave
Click to expand...
If it's all Dave says it is, ( and i trust Dave), it sounds good, w/trailer!
I paid 30 for mine 3 yrs ago. 240 hrs and a POS trailer that I dumped $600 in to.
Get a survey!
 
Shining said:
If it's all Dave says it is, ( and i trust Dave), it sounds good, w/trailer!
I paid 30 for mine 3 yrs ago. 240 hrs and a POS trailer that I dumped $600 in to.
Get a survey!
Click to expand...

I agree, Looks really very nice.
 
Actually, if you look at the sixth picture, you can see Dave's boat out in front of it coming towards it. :grin:
 
There is a 225WE for sale at a MM in south western FL, I cant remember which one, if you're still looking. IIRC, it was relatively cheap and looked to be in alright condition from the pictures.
 
As always, thanks to everyone for the great advice! That is the boat I was talking about. I got am email on Thurdsay that they had a deposit on it so it may be gone. Anyway, I learned long ago that what was meant to be will be. I will probably check back mid-week. Since I have never had a "nice" boat before and now that I have two kids, I am not too sure exactly how I will be using the boat. I like the 225WE because it seemed like at 4700lbs at 260hp it would be capable of some watersports. I get the impression from everyone's comments that the 240DA would still be able to do watersports but on a more limited basis due to the weight. I will have to admit the extra roon in the DA is nice! I guess I will wait and see what happens with the DA and just keep looking if it is gone. Thanks again to everyone!! Jason :smt001
 
I like Presentations comments. Very thorough and accurate. The 240 Dancer is very different from a 225 weekender.

I'm partial to Dancers and I think Sea Ray has done a very nice job with the 240-260's.

No question the 225 will have better balance and be a better watersport boat. However, the comfort factor of a Dancer is significant. If you want to do a little of everything, I would rather do watersports with a dancer than sleep on a weekender.

Still, I understand the need for performance, which is how the 502 got in my 260. I may part with her if you have any interest in the older style.
 
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