Decisions, decisions, some helpful advice needed

B

BiGPaC

New Member
Aug 23, 2009
5
Hello all,

First off, great site, seems to be lots of great information.

I am currently looking at a 1985 Sea Ray Sundancer 250.

Price is 4500.00, will negotiate on that.

Boat will be trailored. I believe the weight is approx 4650 lbs. I currently have a 2005 Tahoe with the 5.3L, I am thinking this would be right at the limit of my vehicles ability to tow, any opinions on this??

Also, anything I should know about this boat or look at specifically? It has about 1000 hours on a 350 motor, which I know is alot, but is it too much?

Any help or tips are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jason
 
1000 hours on a 350? Depends entirely on how it was run and maintained. Keeping rpms at 3000 to 3100 max with regular maintenance, and 3000 to 4000 hours is not unreasonable. The outdrive will require lots of ongoing attention. Can't help you with the towing question.
 
On the towing side, the Tahoe should be sufficient (the 250 is a lot of weight...with fluids and stuff!) but you are not going to be overpowered. If your area has a lot of mountainous terrain to traverse, I suspect you might be downshifting uphill. If your Tahoe did not come with a tow package, you might consider an inexpensive transmission oil cooler if you are going to tow it regularly. Of equal importance is the braking system though...if you are on the edge of the design standards for the vehicle, be sure all of the components are in good shape.
 
The boat weight that you sea in the archives or wherever, is the standard boat without any options. Add extra batteries, hot water, etc., and you will find the weight is substantially more. Add to it fuel, water and the "stuff" you throw in for a weekend and you will probably add another 800 to 1,000 lbs. Add the trailer weight in and you are probably pushing 7,000 lbs. We towed our 87 250 DA with a 3/4 burb with a 454 and 4:10 rear axle. It has a tow rating of 10,000 lbs. Don't forget to add any weight that you put inside the tow vehicle as well! The burb was a good match except the one time it rained in the 8 years that we towed it. It didn't have any weight on the front end and panic turns in the rain were a shorts changing experience. I don't know what the tow rating of your Tahoe is(7,000?), but I used the 80% rule meaning I tow 80% of the tow vehicle weight rating to extend the life of the vehicle.

Our 250 DA had a 454 Magnum in it. It was a great motor for the boat. I'm sure a 350 would work well if it's not loaded with a lot of "stuff" that can be tucked away. Keep it light, use your trim tabs and you'll be fine.
 
Thank you Sundancer, that is helpful information.

I am looking to use this boat for fishing almost exclusively, and the reason this one looks so good is that the entire cockpit is wide open. There are no seats/benches except for the captains chair and passenger, which each have a reat facing seat as well. I understand about the added weight, I would do my best to run as empty as possible until I was close to the marina, but that is never any guarentee.

Would you agree that 3,000-4,000 hours is not unthinkable in that motor set-up? I am guessing since the motor is a little bit on the smaller side (def. no 454) it was probably up in the higher end of the rpm scale for a good portion of its 1000 hours. Problem is the guy who is selling it, doesn't really know its history...

Thanks again for the good info, I will keep you all posted, so keep the info coming.

Jason
 
The 454 that I had cruised comfortably around 3,000 rpms if it was empty and around 3,300 when it was loaded down. That seemed to give it the best cruise for most conditions. I'm sure a 350 would run a few more rpms, but I have no idea how many. I'd guess it would be another 3 to 500 to match the torque produced by the 454. I'm sure someone that has one will chime in here and give you the answer you are looking for.

Care and maintenance can carry and motor to 1,500 or 2,000 hours and beyond. At least it's a 350 and can be easily rebuilt or replaced. Make sure you get it surveyed including the motor.

Good luck with the purchase and keep us posted!
 
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We ran a 350 well over 3,000 hours on a 26 foot express. The new owner got hundreds of additional hours out of it before I lost track of the boat.
 
There are always exceptions but over 3000 hours without issues sounds more like a diesel. I have always told people on a gas engine to expect to start replacing items at 1000 hours and rebuild at 1500 that way if it goes beyond then great but if not then you are prepared. I would be conservative in this case since past maintenence and running history or unknowns.

John
 
BTW for a fishing boat why not get a center console with an outboard, if you can find one affordable?

John
 
Loneranger said:
BTW for a fishing boat why not get a center console with an outboard, if you can find one affordable?

John
Click to expand...

My wife and three year old like the idea of a small cabin, it would also be nice to be able to cruise over to catalina island and spend the night on the boat.

99% of my time in private boats has been spent fishing a center console, I agree they are great fishing platforms. I think however in this case, this would make my family more happy, and thus give me more time on the water...

Jason
 
BiGPaC said:
My wife and three year old like the idea of a small cabin, it would also be nice to be able to cruise over to catalina island and spend the night on the boat.

99% of my time in private boats has been spent fishing a center console, I agree they are great fishing platforms. I think however in this case, this would make my family more happy, and thus give me more time on the water...

Jason
Click to expand...

Cool... good reason.

John
 
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Thanks for the link kybishop, now I am convinced that the boat that I am looking at is not a Sundancer, but a Cuddy Cruiser 250, which looks to be even more geared towards fishing than the Sundowner. It also appears to weigh even less than originally thought by about 500 lbs, which is good news for me.

I am going to take a look at this boat in person this weekend, anything I should look for in particular. I am going to try to get it surveyed, but it is about 4 hours away from me and in a little tiny town, so not sure if that is going to be possible...

Thanks again guys,

Jason
 
I have a 245 Cuddy fisherman. I think the 250 is very similar in size and weight. I pull mine with a 1/2 ton Suburban without any real problem. I would not want to pull it in the mountains however. I don't go very far. Right now I don't go at all since the boat needs repair. So, it depends on how far and what terrain...and how often.
 
BiGPaC said:
My wife and three year old like the idea of a small cabin, it would also be nice to be able to cruise over to catalina island and spend the night on the boat.

99% of my time in private boats has been spent fishing a center console, I agree they are great fishing platforms. I think however in this case, this would make my family more happy, and thus give me more time on the water...

Jason
Click to expand...

A good friend once told me...find a way to make the wife happy on the boat, and your in... This philosophy is so true. As long as you keep the family happy and meet their needs on the water, the rest is easy :grin:
 
Thanks guys for the series of replies. Unfortunately, do to a series of events beyond my control I was not able to look at the boat this weekend, so I am going to have to try to reschedule if it is still available. (Wish the darn thing wasn't 3.5 hours away...)

I will keep you all posted.

Thanks again for all the info,

Jason
 
I agree with the Lone Ranger, 4000 hrs on a gas engine with no problems must be one in a million, I am sure you can find a comp boat in your price range with less hours, and less potential headaches, I always have my clients get a good survey and gravitate towards a boat where the owner knows the full history.
 
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