Express to Sedan Bridge advice

D

DebtStar

Member
Dec 4, 2006
91
Rochester, NY
Boat Info
2007 320 Sundancer
Engines
350 Mags w/Bravo III drives
We've had our 320 'Dancer for 6 seasons now and have really enjoyed it. But in the summer I like to use the boat as my "home" office and realized whenever I needed air conditioning or quiet to make a call, I'm down in the cabin with no sunshine and no view. So we're looking at moving to a 37' to 43' sedan bridge as an option. Recently saw a used Meridian 391 and while the level of finish was not quite up to Sea Ray standards, we were impressed with the layout and the ability to see outside from most every seat on the boat.

The biggest concern I have (you may tell me I should have others) is the boat has 8.1 HO gas engines instead of diesels. My question is whether it is underpowered which I'll get a feeling for with a test drive, but I'm also concerned about my ability to sell the boat in the future if most buyers are looking for diesels in this class boat.

Any and all opinions are welcomed! Any general insights on Meridian (above and beyond what searching existing threads has told me) would also be great.
 
Here's my opinion. One family in our boating group bought the 381 Meridian below new in '04 and still has it today. We've boated with them every weekend for almost 10 years so I feel like I've seen the good and bad. No question the fit and finish aren't up to Sea Ray standards but it isn't bad either. The interior has a nice layout and is well appointed, and, it has held up exceptionally well in my opinion. his boat came with a 250' all chain rode which surprised me but no forward wash down. They have taken great care of it and are just as anal at keeping the gelcoat in as good as shape as the rest of us and as a result, it looks fantastic. It has a nice bridge layout and fair amount of room. Here's what I do hate: the non-skid is terrible. painful to walk-on and a pain in the a$$ to clean. don't like the swim platform underneath design as it hard on anything tied off the back (jet skis, RIBs, etc); the steps up to the bridge are steep and awkward but you get used to them. I also hate the cap (bridge) overhang as it makes transiting aft to fore or vice versa a bit awkward, especially if you need to move forward quickly. The 381 is 22,000 lbs dry iirc. Although their boat tops out at 35+, it is a 22,000lb, 40 ft gas boat and that is a no go for many buyers looking for a good size sedan bridge. structurally, the boat seems sound. It rides great and handles chop well. Other than a few battery chargers, I can't think of any major problems he's had with it, certainly no more or less than all the SR's that have come and gone. all in all, I have a positive view of Meridians. They get value-driven people into bigger boats much less painfully. But, you do need to have reasonable expectations when it comes to resale. so, its a pay me now or pay me later kind of deal...no free lunches.

Re Irie from stern close.jpg
 
The gas vs. diesel depends on how you use the boat. If you boat local and travel at hull speed most of the time then gas is fine. If you travel long distances and put on alot of hours then diesel becomes more important. If you don't need diesel then paying 30k more for the boat @6% interest will add $1800 year to your payment. Also, I don't care what they say diesels cost more to maintain.
 
I am in that market right now, looks like we have found our boat (Silverton 41) but we did look at several Meridians. I don't think gas engines in a boat that big are worthwhile. I test drove a few and the diesel models were much nicer. I liked their layouts on the single station models, kind of messy with a lower helm. I also noticed that the 2006+ boats were just a bit more beamy and finish was better. Just my opinions....
 
My boat (used) with diesels would of cost me a minimum $25k more. For what I paid ,the same boat only a year later with diesels are selling for almost $50k more .thats $50k in gas im burning up. But if I where taking two week trips all summer it would be for sale.
 
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I saw a Meridian at the NY Boat show in January, then went directly on to the Sea Ray's. I have to say that there wasn't really a noticeable difference in fit and finish between the two brands. That being said, I did feel like Sea Ray has come down a bit in that department, and the difference would have been clear a couple of years ago.. Anyway, the 341 Meridian I was on was a real nice boat. I do think that a 391 with gassers is probably not worth it. In the end you'll get more than what you paid in the price difference for diesels when it comes time to sell. There is probably a lot smaller market of people looking for a boat that size with gas engines as opposed to diesels. There was a 34' Carver at the same show. It too seemed like a lot of boat for the money (relatively speaking). It was a brand new design, and the rep told me that they built it to compete directly with the Meridian, and that their 39 would be coming out very soon. You might want to look in to the Carver too. From what I remember the diesel option in the Carver was a little cheaper in the 34. Not sure if that will translate in to the 39 too.
 
The other factor to consider in the gas vs. diesel choice, is range. I have not idea what the implications are for this specific boat, however a fellow boater has a gas 38' from another brand. When doing larger trips, his boat becomes a limiting factor. The equivalent 38 with diesels has a significantly larger range per tank. Depending on how you boat - it may or may not be meaningful.

Paul
 
JVM225,

I saw the Carver 34 Fly, to which you refer, at the NYC boat show. Honestly, it blew me away. If it hadn't said Carver on the hull I would have thought it was an Italian manufacturer. I couldn't believe how big it felt for a 34. My boat is 45ft and the Carver 34 didn't feel that much smaller. It was gas powered but seemed like a perfect boat for the owner looking to get into a flybridge with more room but might not be ready for a bigger boat. They were asking 289K at the show. At least, that's what they quoted me.

Here's a picture of the Carver 34 Fly.

-Port
 
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When we were looking at going from a 330 Dancer to a flybridge boat we were initially looking in the 40'-45' range. From what I heard at that time, at 40' a boat with gassers isn't worth much. Nobody wanted one because they're noisier than the diesels, more spendy to run, and have the limited range problem mentioned above. People "in the know" pretty much said that if you're moving to a flybridge boat and you're going to be buying a boat that was around 35' or more, you want diesels.

As to the cost of maintaining diesels, I've only had one maintenance issue and that was with my genset. I haven't had any issues with the engines but I keep clean oil in them and burn clean fuel. The Racors take care of that for me.

I've looked at the Meridians and liked what I saw. They're not a Sea Ray and if you look at the fabrics, carpets, headliners, cabinet materials, etc., you can see the difference. I can't speak for models built in the last 3-5 years though because I haven't looked at them.

As to the Carvers, I like the Voyager series but I think the ugliest boats ever built were Carver Mariners. I hope nobody who reads this is a Mariner owner and gets offended, but they look like a Clorox bottle on its side. The term Butt Ugly comes to mind. The Voyagers are more to my taste in boat style and they have decent layouts I'm not a fan of that 34 Carver flybridge boat....it just doesn't lite my fire.
 
Debster

We moved up from a 330DA 7.4L VD a couple years ago to a 400DB with 300hp Cat's. Fuel burn is equal or better with almost twice the weight. At 20-21 knots the cruise is a little slower than the Dancer but considerably better than a Gas 40. We could not be happier with the upgrade. We have looked at Meridian in the past and loved the layouts but we have been happy with Sea Ray quality and resale. Good Luck!
 
Thanks to all for your insights and experience! So here's what I'm taking away from your thoughts:

- Meridians are not up to Sea Ray standards but are decent boats with styling and design that some people prefer
- we take 1-2 30 mile trips a year plus 1 longer trip every 2 years or so. If you consider that to be mostly local, short trips, then the gas engines may be fine, but...
- when it comes to resale time, I may have trouble finding a buyer and see a greater depreciation than if it had diesels

So it sounds like I would have to get a really good price on this boat in anticipation of having to sell for a lower price in future. Perhaps I should just pass on this one.

Thanks again. This has really helped me move from emotional to logical decision making!
 
I too am a big fan of the looks, layout and price of the new Carver 34.

Once they are around for a couple of years and the verdict is in on them, a used one might be very hard for me to pass up...assuming the "reviews" are all good of course
 
I think you might be looking at it from the wrong angle. If two identical boats were for sale, one with gas and one with diesels, you would expect to buy the gas boat for a lot less money. If you bought it, and several years later wanted to sell it and the diesel boat happened to be for sale, you'd sell your gas boat for about the same PERCENTAGE less than when you bought it as the diesel boat owner would.

I don't think the rate of depreciation for a gas powered boat would be significantly different from an identical diesel powered boat. So let's say that you paid $50K for your gas powered boat and the diesel boat sold for $75K. If your gas boat depreciated 15% while you owned it you'd lose $7,500. Let's say the diesel boat depreciated only 12%. His loss would be $9,000.

So who came out on top?
 
Thanks for the perspective Gofirstclass! I understand what you're saying and it makes sense with the assumption that I could find a buyer who wanted the gas boat vs paying more for the diesel. Honestly, it was your earlier post that made me conclude that finding that buyer might be a problem. I know you can sell anything as long as you're willing to let it go for what someone is willing to pay. I'll have the opportunity to test the diesel and gas versions of this boat soon. The last thing I want to do is sit on my next boat and be thinking "I wish I would have...". So if I'm happy with the performance of the gas boat, I'd have to see if they are willing to part with it for what I'm willing to pay.

Thanks again!
 
My one "great" piece of advice to someone who is looking at a boat is this.....


"The wrong boat at the best price in the world is still the wrong boat."

Price alone does not turn the wrong boat into the right boat.
 
A year ago we bought an older (84) Taiwanese 52' CPMY. We moved from an '89 340da. (Serious case of 18 footitis) We are looking for a long term and long range full-time live-aboard and as much as I like Sea Rays there was nothing in my price range that offered the type of space this boat offered. The survey last March came up with $11,000 of engine work that needed to be done on the 3208 Cats. These engines only had 2200 hours but the repairs were caused by some deferred maintenance. Fortunately, the seller picked up the tab. Our plan is to take off and cruise for about 5 years so we needed the range and reliability offered by well maintained diesels. However, If our plans had only included staying here in the Sacramento Delta with an annual trip to SF Bay I would not have hesitated to buy a 400 SD with gas engines. As someone said I could buy a lot of gas for the money spent on maintaining these engines. Don't get me wrong....these Cats run awesome but I am way anal when it comes to the maintenance of these engines. I feel that if you buy this boat and use it as you say you might and then try and sell it when you finish with it, you will find a buyer. It will be someone just like you that needs or wants out of the "hole" but does no plan to travel great distance. The biggest problem I think you might experience is to get a boat that size and realize you have something size capable of longer trips but you aren't going to have the engines. I would keep looking. There are plenty of diesel boats that will give you everything you are looking for.
 
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