Am I crazy? Looking at a Non-Sea Ray!!

[psubill78]

As much as my wife & I tried to avoid the whole 2-foot-itis nonsense by jumping into a 34' as our first boat, we are already determining what we like/don't like about our boat. We are looking at the '99 - '02 Cruisers Yachts 3870.

We just can't find a SR with the features we love about this vintage model:

1) mid-cabin with door - with larger beds
2) 2 heads / showers
3) Great beam
4) walk thru windshield
5) great storage
6) clean helm layout

We are really impressed with the SR build... are we really making a crazy thought here looking to leave SR!!

Has anyone left Cruisers Yachts, or had this model and found issues?

 

[Quint4]

I have been on a few Cruiser Yachts and they were impressive.

 

[src]

When we were looking in the 27-29' range, Sea Ray ended up near the bottom of the list, because the cabin layout just wasn't something that would work for us. In the end, the right boat for you is the right boat for you. Even though we ended up in a Sea Ray, it's not because of "Sea Ray Uber Alles", but because it was the right boat.

 

[jason78]

Not crazy at all, you have to find the boat that works best for you and your budget. You have some good points. I only know a couple people with Cruisers and they seem to be pleased with them. My observations are the fit and finish is not quite up to par with Sea Ray. Have not really liked the layout in the ones I have seen and the exterior styling leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. You have some good points with the beam probably being the most significant. At some point in the 90s SR narrowed the beam on their cruisers, I presume for performance reasons and the advantages/disadvantages of that decision have been discussed here before. No doubt you can get more boat for your buck with a Cruisers but that also means they don't seem to hold their value as well Sea Ray; at least based on what people seem to ask for them in my region.

Have no idea about company support from them however I am not sure I have owned any product new or used that I got as much support years after the sale as Sea Ray has given me. I guess the future of that is up in the air at this point but I will give them credit for their support thus far.

Good Luck!

 

[tdschafer]

What are you nuts man???

Haha, just kidding. I lovely Sea Ray but because of the layout, looks etc. If they don't have what you desire it's absolutely fine to look elsewhere. If Cruisers fits your list of needs and price point, so be it. One of my best boating buddies has a Bayliner and as much as I may bust his chops a little (no malice intended) in the end I tell him it's the boat that works for him. We dock side by side most weekends in the summer over at Fire Island. If it gets you out on the water it's ok in my book!! Best of luck with the search!

Todd


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[psubill78]

The only boat that SR has come out with that I am truly in love with would be the 370 Venture, but out of my price range !!!

 

[JVM225]

The Cruisers is a real nice boat! I don't think you can go wrong with it.

 

[Tonka Boater]

You're not nuts for looking at other brands...you're nuts if you buy another brand though Just kidding.... It depends on what you're looking at and how you are comparing. I looked at a 1950 Chris Craft U22 Sportsman yesterday. My loyalty is with Sea Ray but WOW! That was a beautiful boat and I won't feel bad if I pull the trigger because this is a different boat in a different class.

My opinion on Cruisers vs. Sea Ray: Sea Ray holds up better over time than Cruisers. My wife's cousin owns a 3870 of the vintage that you are considering and I know it very well...they keep it on the St. Croix and we've spent a lot of time on that boat. They take good care of it and it has a good layout, etc. I think it's cheap though. Sea Ray builds a better quality vessel with better components and they hold up very well over time. You can't say anything bad about Cruisers but Sea Ray is just better.

My $0.02 since you asked.

 

[Bryank]

Would you consider a 2000-2003 Sea Ray 410DA? Aside from the walk thru windshield, this boat meets all your criteria.

Having said that, don't be afraid to look outside of Sea Ray. I owned three Sea Rays over 8 years before moving to a 2004 Formula 34 PC. I owned that boat for 8 years and loved it but we outgrew it. Unfortunately, Formula didn't have a boat with the layout we needed so we looked at Cruisers, Regal and Sea Ray before buying the 410. Gotta get what works best for you...


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[kaz911]

If I had not got a good deal on the 310 - I would have chosen Chaparral first - SR 2nd - and Cruisers 3rd. Chaparral is better build quality (IMHO) and uses better components than SR. Cruisers are assembled better - but helm & exterior design is usually quite "old fashioned" - and components chosen are very year dependent. Interior on the Cruisers I have seen are flawless though and holds up over time extremely well.

SR flaws in general I think are - very messy cable installations and too many self tapping screws where it should have been nut/bolts.

 

[390x]

A lot of people have drank the Sea Ray Kool-Aid and think that they are the only boat out there. I've spent a LOT of time around Cruisers Inc boats of the year/model you're looking at, and the layouts are fantastic, and the build quality is first rate. They do many things better than Sea Ray IMO. You will not go wrong with one. There is nothing cheap about a Cruisers Inc.

 

[rcknecht]

I like the Cruisers, unless you spend time in the Ocean. Traveling with my friends with Cruiser in the Ocean they took much more spray and their ride did not compare to my Sea Ray. I believe it was due to the shape of the bow. But you are in the great lakes and don't typically experiance 5-7' seas... The Cruisers are very nice boats. I also like how Tiaras are made, but there are so many Sea Rays, that I believe you can get a better deal, if the boat meets your needs. Moving up from your 310, I would consider a 410 DA with Diesels as an option if it would meed your needs and budget...

 

[Boatweiser]

Take your time and make the decision that is best for you boating needs and your wallet. In a boat this size the wallet matters (cost, maintenance, RESALE and the ABILITY to resale) but its still about the boating and how your and your family/friends want to enjoy the boat. If there is a better layout and you are happy with the value proposition then who cares what name is on it? This winter I was in the market for a boat that provided a bunk set up for my growing family. Sea Ray just doesnt offer one in a 40' late model Sundancer. My search started with Sea Ray Sedan Bridges. Then Meridian 391's (very cool boat and a good value think Chevy vs Cadillac or Toyota vs. Lexus). Then I moved on to a Regal 4020 Sport. Fantastic layout with all the bells and whistles, not the build quality of SR but not the price tag either. Im not off shore boating so the build quality wasnt as high a priority. But the wife decided she didnt like it as much as the SR we had. So on to the the Cruiser lines. REALLY nice boats. Well built and some great features. Ultimately we really looked hard at the Cruiser line and was very impressed. I do caution that I did not like the feel of the boat underway however. I couldn't put my finger on it but it felt like a lighter smaller boat than my SR even though it was the same LOA, Beam and weighed 6klbs more! Long story short - take your time, dont worry about the label BUT take a test run and really get to know the boat. You will make a good decision - All boats are better than cars just like all beers are better than a glass of water! Best of boating to you and your family/friends!

 

[Kameroo]

Not nuts at all. We found a Silverton that was exactly what we were looking for. The interior fit and finish is a step under Sea Ray, but it's built like a tank and handles very well. Definitely shop around.

An advantage in buying Sea Ray is they produce a good product in large numbers, so resale is a little easier.

 

[Glen S]

We just went through this when we sold our 400DA this spring. We did end up with another Sea Ray but it was not a single brand search. I have to say the Cruisers and Regals were impressive and in some areas I think way ahead of Sea Ray. There were some very clever features they have added that Sea ray seem to have not thought of. I also love the walk through windshield on an express boats - great feature. And I really like the seperate aft cabin vs the SR mid cabin - better privacy. In the end the Sea Ray may be slightly better build but they are all mass produced and don't kid yourself - the Sea rays are build to a budget just the same as a Cruisers or Regal are. I think they are comparable quality so it comes down to what layout works best for how you boat. Enjoy the hunt - we did!

 

[MonacoMike]

But you are in the great lakes and don't typically experiance 5-7' seas...

What???

The Lake Michigan sea conditions are worst in October and November, when, lakewide, wave heights of 5 to 10 feet are encountered about 35 percent of the time. In October, S through SW winds are most often responsible, while by November W through N winds often generate rough seas. Seas of 10 feet or more are encountered 3 to 5 percent of the time from November through March. Extreme waves of 20 to 22 feet have been encountered. During the spring, high seas are infrequent, but 5- to 10-foot seas develop 15 to 30 percent of the time in the S and 20 to 40 percent in the N. Summer seas climb above 10 feet less than 1 percent of the time, while those in the 5- to 10-foot category drop to less than 20 percent in June and July. By August, the fall buildup begins.

MM

 

[JimFromMD]

If I had not got a good deal on the 310 - I would have chosen Chaparral first - SR 2nd - and Cruisers 3rd. Chaparral is better build quality (IMHO) and uses better components than SR. Cruisers are assembled better - but helm & exterior design is usually quite "old fashioned" - and components chosen are very year dependent. Interior on the Cruisers I have seen are flawless though and holds up over time extremely well.

SR flaws in general I think are - very messy cable installations and too many self tapping screws where it should have been nut/bolts.

A friend of mine had a Chaparral signature 28. It was fast and light, but also came up short when the seas got tough. Sadly, he installed a RD218 radome on his "Radar Arch" and after two outtings bouncing around it started to shimmy and shake. Turns out the arch was for looks not actually holding a RADAR. He ended up having to tear the arch off (because it was structurally compromised) and had a powder coated aluminum arch built like you would see on a amberjack. Anyawy.... guess we can all take shots at each others brands, but in the end... it comes down to personal preferences, layout needs/desires, and budget.

I am by no means a SR only guy, or cruiser-style only guy. I eventually hope to have a sport fish / convertible syle. Found a good deal on this boat, and really enjoy it so far. It meets my needs, and maxes out my berthing options at my current location. Anything more would require a significantly larger investment at the pier.

 

[RollerCoastr]

Traveling with my friends with Cruiser in the Ocean they took much more spray and their ride did not compare to my Sea Ray. I believe it was due to the shape of the bow.

No doubt about it. CY makes the most of the beam with the convex hull shape and those narrow side decks, but the entry is also significantly different. I haven't noticed that hull being "wetter" than a comparable SeaRay (it could be), but the dynamics are certainly different. The bow sends spray much further out, and the CY gets UP on plane and seems to ride on top of the water. It's efficient, and fast in the right waters, but it also finds waves that other boats ignore. FWIW, the evolution of this boat included the 420 Sport Coupe, which was renamed the 430 Sport Coupe. (just in-case anyone thought that the stretching model game was exclusive to SR) Note however, that as the numbers on the side grew larger, the bolted-on swim platform became integral to the hull.

Rod, watch what you say about our wimpy Great Lakes here... This week Erie's forecast had 6-9 footers, and those aren't gentle ocean 9 footers - they'll beat you up!

 

[psubill78]

Would you consider a 2000-2003 Sea Ray 410DA? Aside from the walk thru windshield, this boat meets all your criteria.

I assume you mean the 400DA? That doesn't have a door on the aft stateroom, does it?

 

[dpmulvey]

Cruisers has a very nice lay out. Can you walk up and down the gunwales? Do you need to? Thump the side of a Cruisers and the side of a SR. Lot of difference. Check the weight on a 380 SR and a 38 Cruisers. Is there a huge difference? What was left out to make that happen. See if you like the height of the swim platform. The single level is nice, but comes at a price.

As others have said, it has to work for you.

Good luck.