Any Pros and Cons are Appreciated - Looking to buy 2002 320 DA 350/300 V-Drives

[boomerpilot]

I appreciate any pros and cons you can share about the 2002 da 320 with 350/300hp with v-drives. Very interested-are these engines enough power are do they work hard for cruising?

Thank you!

 

[Espos4]

I can’t comment on the power but if you are doing your own service, get a good look. A 320 with V drives can be a tight fit as has been reported somewhere here on club Sea Ray.

 

[Ididntdoit]

Run the boat loaded as you will use it in a sea trial and judge for yourself.......some that own them say they are fine.....others upgraded to a 340 shortly after purchasing one.......I have run 2 with the 6.2s and I would never want one - cruise is at over 4000 rpm and it takes a while to get on plane.....I can only imagine what its like with 350s....The '03-'08 340 is a similar size, but the little extra beam allows big blocks - the boat levitates on to plane, holds it at a low speed and is truly one of sea rays finest....

 

[Fill Ess]

Bilge access on the 320 with v-drives is wicked tight if you've ever seen one (compared to I/O).

 

[Windjammer]

Drive both. The 340 with 8.1's is one sweet ride (i'm prejudiced).

 

[Golfman25]

I appreciate any pros and cons you can share about the 2002 da 320 with 350/300hp with v-drives. Very interested-are these engines enough power are do they work hard for cruising?

Thank you!

You going from a 330 express with straight shafts? The 320 V-drive will be in another universe with respect to engine access.

 

[Fill Ess]

Check out the bilge access with stern drives

 

[FootballFan]

We were pretty set on a 320.

After looking at a few, then looking at 340's - decided hands down the 340.

Next was evaluation of which power option. Rode on boats with each option, once again the difference became very clear - 8.1's.

Never regretted the decision. One of the most popular boats SR ever built (03-07).

 

[ttmott]

I appreciate any pros and cons you can share about the 2002 da 320 with 350/300hp with v-drives. Very interested-are these engines enough power are do they work hard for cruising?

Thank you!

"Hard Cruising" I'm not sure what that exactly means but assuming long distances at cruise speeds fully loaded. Meaning, not pressing the engines above their maximum torque RPM but you are running them right there all of the time. With that said it is all about torque the engine produces. That boat with the small block engines is really not ideal for "Hard Cruising". You'll be well into the throttles to achieve what you are asking. Bright flame from a small candle is a short lived candle. You really need the bigger torque at lower RPM's from the big block engines to lumber that boat easily on plane and stay way below the pain zone for the engines. Fuel? "Hard Cruisers" don't discuss fuel.
This is a common sporty discussion on the 400DA/410DA between the 7.4, 8.1 gasoline and 31xx diesel engines.

 

[Groucho]

I have a 2004 320 with 6.2's and V drives. The power is fine and I run mostly full fuel and water tanks. Not sure if I would want a smaller engine. I had a friend with the 5.7's and he didn't complain though.

 

[Highliner]

Slowest cruise speed will be about 3800 RPM and 23 knots so the engines work hard with that combo. With that said, while not a rocket ship it will get you where you are going. The engine room is very tight.

I would say if you are a stickler for power go with a 340 but the 320 is perfectly capable of cruising.

If the boat youre looking at happens to lack a generator this drops quite a bit of weight in the stern and improves performance.

 

[boomerpilot]

You going from a 330 express with straight shafts? The 320 V-drive will be in another universe with respect to engine access.

When I bought the 330 Express I thought the same thing that engine access would be great. But with the narrower beam on the 1995 generation boat those 454's are pretty tight in the engine area. Thanks for your comment I understand.

 

[boomerpilot]

Run the boat loaded as you will use it in a sea trial and judge for yourself.......some that own them say they are fine.....others upgraded to a 340 shortly after purchasing one.......I have run 2 with the 6.2s and I would never want one - cruise is at over 4000 rpm and it takes a while to get on plane.....I can only imagine what its like with 350s....The '03-'08 340 is a similar size, but the little extra beam allows big blocks - the boat levitates on to plane, holds it at a low speed and is truly one of sea rays finest....

I understand about the 340. This 320 attracts me because it has been in heated storage for 12 years and only has 140 hours. The gremlins that may be awakened after that sleep are another story.

 

[boomerpilot]

I have a 2004 320 with 6.2's and V drives. The power is fine and I run mostly full fuel and water tanks. Not sure if I would want a smaller engine. I had a friend with the 5.7's and he didn't complain though.

That is great to hear, Thanks for the guidance.

 

[boomerpilot]

"Hard Cruising" I'm not sure what that exactly means but assuming long distances at cruise speeds fully loaded. Meaning, not pressing the engines above their maximum torque RPM but you are running them right there all of the time. With that said it is all about torque the engine produces. That boat with the small block engines is really not ideal for "Hard Cruising". You'll be well into the throttles to achieve what you are asking. Bright flame from a small candle is a short lived candle. You really need the bigger torque at lower RPM's from the big block engines to lumber that boat easily on plane and stay way below the pain zone for the engines. Fuel? "Hard Cruisers" don't discuss fuel.
This is a common sporty discussion on the 400DA/410DA between the 7.4, 8.1 gasoline and 31xx diesel engines.

My question is, do the 350's with 300hp work hard when at cruising speed? _20-22mph/knots? Are they loud and laboring at cruising speeds?

 

[boomerpilot]

Slowest cruise speed will be about 3800 RPM and 23 knots so the engines work hard with that combo. With that said, while not a rocket ship it will get you where you are going. The engine room is very tight.

I would say if you are a stickler for power go with a 340 but the 320 is perfectly capable of cruising.

If the boat youre looking at happens to lack a generator this drops quite a bit of weight in the stern and improves performance.

Ne genny in this boat and yes we are only looking for cruising speeds.

 

[srdancer90]

I owned an 04 320 with the 350 mags. The boat will cruise at 3500 rpm, however, the performance will increase if you change from the standard 3 blade props to 4 blade 18x18 DQX.(They need not be nibral.) the boat will jump out of the water quicker, and performance will be 1 mph less at the top end,also a little better handling around the dock.( Since the props are in a pocket.). Here my negative for that boat with no genset. It will be a hard boat to sell, most buyers are looking for that boat to have a generator.Now, if you can purchase it significantly at a lower $ buy, then you will mitigate the possibility of a resale on your part. Here's is the next negative, if you are a taller ( 6 ' 3+) individual, then your feet will hang over the end of the bed,it can be done but it is annoying. I now own a 340, yes there is a difference in the two boats,but, there is a great difference in the $ cost.

 

[Golfman25]

I owned an 04 320 with the 350 mags. The boat will cruise at 3500 rpm, however, the performance will increase if you change from the standard 3 blade props to 4 blade 18x18 DQX.(They need not be nibral.) the boat will jump out of the water quicker, and performance will be 1 mph less at the top end,also a little better handling around the dock.( Since the props are in a pocket.). Here my negative for that boat with no genset. It will be a hard boat to sell, most buyers are looking for that boat to have a generator.Now, if you can purchase it significantly at a lower $ buy, then you will mitigate the possibility of a resale on your part. Here's is the next negative, if you are a taller ( 6 ' 3+) individual, then your feet will hang over the end of the bed,it can be done but it is annoying. I now own a 340, yes there is a difference in the two boats,but, there is a great difference in the $ cost.

Being on the Great Lakes the genset will be a 50/50 proposition. Half will want it. Half will view it as another annoyance that needs to be winterized. Ran into a bunch of boats where the genset didn’t work because it was never used.

 

[midexp]

"Hard Cruising" I'm not sure what that exactly means but assuming long distances at cruise speeds fully loaded. Meaning, not pressing the engines above their maximum torque RPM but you are running them right there all of the time. With that said it is all about torque the engine produces. That boat with the small block engines is really not ideal for "Hard Cruising". You'll be well into the throttles to achieve what you are asking. Bright flame from a small candle is a short lived candle. You really need the bigger torque at lower RPM's from the big block engines to lumber that boat easily on plane and stay way below the pain zone for the engines. Fuel? "Hard Cruisers" don't discuss fuel.
This is a common sporty discussion on the 400DA/410DA between the 7.4, 8.1 gasoline and 31xx diesel engines.

Yes there is. Perfect opportunity to plug my video on the gas vs. diesel topic.