First boat purchase, considering a 1997 230 BR

B

BikePilot

New Member
Jan 3, 2012
11
Apollo Beach FL
Boat Info
Boatless, but looking!
Engines
Boatless
I am looking to buy my first boat and would love your advice! I'm moving to FL in a couple of weeks and will have a house on a deep-water channel just off Tampa Bay with a boat lift. I figure it wouldn't be right to live there and not have a boat:smt101 The lift is rated for up to 10k lbs, though is a bit old so I probably should not get too close to that limit. I'd be comfortable up to 6k lbs.


I'd want to be able to putter around in the bay, pull skiers, tubes, boarders etc., tool over to whatever waterfront restaurants are in the area, take friends out (it'd be good if the boat could comfortably tote up to 6 people and maybe uncomfortable take 8 safely). I don't fish at all. Nothing super-serious for the watersports, just playing around in general. I don't think we'd have any desire to spend the night on the boat. A head would be nice, but not necessary.


I'm handy and can do basic fixing up, but don't have a lot of time to do major work and don't want a project boat. I don't mind paying a mechanic to give it a once-over before I plunk it in the water.


I spotted a Sea Ray 230 Bow Rider Signature Select, 1997 vintage, with the 330hp 7.4LX MPI and a Bravo III drive (300hrs on boat/motor/drive) that really caught my eye. Price is right ($6k) and condition seems to be mostly good (canvas is a bit weathered and it needs drive servicing--seller says mechanic says the shift bellow should be replaced soon--otherwise it looks good). Other than the bellow, it is advertised as "ready to go" with a fresh oil change and new water pump. My budget is up to $10k and ideally I'd love to be in the water for around $7k. So if I got this for $6k I wouldn't mind spending around $1k to spruce it up. I really like the idea of the big block and Bravo III as I'd much rather have more power than I need and run at part throttle most of the time than have a boat that struggles when loaded with lots of people. I would like an older, but solid boat. Something that won't need constant attention, but isn't so nice that I'd feel bad leaving it on the lift in the sun, running it in salt water and that sort of thing.


Any thoughts on this model? Things to consider, check, etc. when evaluating? I do not yet know the history for maintenance or salt vs. fresh water, though most things in this area seem to be salt (and I'll be using it in salt).


I've been around boats a fair bit, but have never owned my own (a couple of friends have Sundancers (a 340 and 280) I've been out on, worked on, and piloted several times). Any advice on the buying process? Should I get it surveyed? Does a survey typically include the hull and engine system or just the hull?


I don't intend to trailer the boat and this one does not come with a trailer (though the seller has a trailer I can borrow to tow the boat to my place). I do have a F250 diesel that should tow most things and my dad lives in FL and has an F450 that I can use as well so hauling the boat to my place isn't a problem.


The boat is currently on the seller's trailer. Pictures of it below:
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Thanks very much!
 
Hi!

Welcome to CSR! Glad you could join in the fun, and good luck on your purchase. Please do all the due diligence work before buying, though. On a cautionary note, search on posts here by a the CSR member "friscoboater". Look for a thread entitled "*Boat rot repair nightmare* started by Dicor. Friscoboater bought a 1995 Bowrider that he thought was in excellent shape, only to get it home...and found what he called a nightmare. You can watch all his rebuild videos, too - very informative, but something you may not want to get into. Could be a very excellent boat for you, probably it will be. But please do - or have someone do - a very thorough inspection of the craft, mechanical and hull. Once you are satisfied, then go for it! The price seems reasonable for a '97 230BR without a trailer. I have a 1992 200BR, and have been thoroughly satisfied. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

John
 
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Yes, a good surveyor should be able to give you peace of mind about the boat you are looking at. It will be money well-spent, in my opinion.

Good luck, and keep us posted!
John
 
I bought a 9 year old boat two years ago from a MarineMax dealership after seeing only pictures because I believed then and still do that it was a good deal. They had to do a lot of engine work to get it ready and even then we had mechanical problems which caused the boat to be inoperable the third and fourth times we put it in the water. However, since those issues have been fixed, it has run great in the 39 trips since then.

The boat came with and continues to have some wood rot problems, particularly the large carpet-covered wooden divider that separates the battery compartments from the passenger area. I'm sure that is not unusual for a 12 year old boat which is kept under a canvas cover but it is something you have to stay on top of. On our last trip, the latch which keeps the sunpad down broke and it flew up and ripped some screws from the hinge which holds it down and broke the straps on each side which keep it from falling completely backwards. The screws came out I believe because of rot in the wood on the bottom of the sunpad. The strap and screws were easily fixed and this was not a big deal but as a result I lost several life jackets (luckily the cheap orange ones) which flew out of the boat on the highway. I just bring it up as an example of how the age of the boat and the resulting deterioration of components can result in unexpected problems.

One thing to consider on those old boats is their lack of an extended swim platform. After using ours for just a few times I really did not like the fact that there was nothing on top of the outdrive, making it easy to hurt yourself by falling on it. With kids coming in out out of the water a lot I soon decided to invest in a $1500 (including tools to install) swimplatforms.com swim platform.
I also had a second battery put in after having some early battery problems which nearly left me stranded in a remote location. I've also upgraded the stereo, although I didn't spend a ton (less than $300 total). I added trim tabs and a 4 blade SS prop which have greatly improved the boat's performance.

My point is that you may want to look for a later-model, more-expensive boat which has some of these add-ons already on it. Not having a trailer may actually be a blessing as I know I have had to put almost $1000 (new crossmember, new led lights, new jackstand, new tie-down straps, 3 new tires and a new spare and mount, etc.) into my trailer over the past two years, but I trailer everywhere I boat including as far as 2 hours away so I have to trust it.
 
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Thanks! It is really helpful to hear how it went for you. I did expect some rot here and there under cushions and that sort of thing. Its annoying I'm sure, but that I can deal with as needed. I do not want to deal with rotted stringers, transom or anything all that structural.

I hadn't even thought about the swim platform length, but now that you mention it, it is rather short on this 1997 model isn't it? Most of the boats I've been on were from the 1980s and had teak swim platforms. I looked up your reference for the aftermarket platform and sure enough they make one for the 230 http://swimplatforms.contentpros.ne...Ray/SeaRay230BowRider/tabid/2700/Default.aspx . If I can get a newer sea ray for a few thousand more I'd definitely consider it. If it'd be several times more expensive I'll have to make do with the older boat or buy a smaller boat (or cheaper brand)--I will look around some more.

It is my hope that performance on this particular model would be ok as-standard (330hp and bravo III). I've piloted and skied behind an early-1990s 23' Chaparral cuddy cabin boat with a 5.7 and an alpha and found its performance sufficient for my purposes, though it did have trim tabs. I didn't realize those weren't standard on most all boats in this category--more to think about.

It will be all adults in our 20s (and soon early 30s:wow:) on the boat so no kids to worry about for a while. I think I'd like to try out boating in this price range, then maybe upgrade after a couple of years if it sticks. Also I don't know how long I'll be in FL (I really love mountains and would jump at the chance to open a Denver branch for my company) so don't want to get super-invested in boating at this point.
 
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You sound like you have realistic expectations. I just wanted to give you a first-hand account of my experiences and costs. If I had it to do over I think I'd still go for the "buy a less expensive older boat and subsequently add/enhance its features" approach rather than spending more money up front on a newer boat. One really nice thing about the older SeaRays is that they tend to have wider beams than the newer ones of the same length. Mine is more than a foot wider than my friend's 2007 185 sport which means more room to move around and store stuff. If nothing else, I have learned a ton by doing all the things I've done to my boat plus I got to customize the boat the way I wanted it. Good luck to you and happy boating whatever you decide to do!
 
Thanks, provided this particular one is around when I get to FL in a week or two I'll definitely pursue it further, sounds like just what I want.
 
Welcome aboard
 
Bike Pilot,

I have owned my 230 since new.

A few points:

Make sure this is a '97 model by checking the last two digits of the hull ID# located under the rubrail just inboard of the starboard ski tow/lifting eye. The last two digits should end in 97. The reason I suggest this is because the '97-'00 models should have a more gentle stern sheer line as the rubrail drops aft vs. a sharper, more pronounced break as shown in your picture (see my sig. pic. for example). The boarding ladder should be enclosed for this generation of 230s. The ladders on the earlier models were mounted externally on the swim platform. Once again check the Hull ID # to confirm the year model. Maintenance records would be a plus. A full hull survey should be conducted. The sunpad base is an area subject to rot as it is constructed from wood and most tend to dry off on the sunpad as they enter the boat. The stringers on my '99 are composite, not sure on this model. Mine also has a fiberglass floor liner with snap in carpet. A full engine survey should be conducted by a cert. MerCruiser mechanic. He should pull the drive inspecting the bellows U-joint, shaft, gimbal bearing, drive coupler, looking for corrosion and etc. The exhaust manifolds/risers should be inspected internally. A compression test would also be wise. The engine should be able to hit the wide open throttle range during the sea trail. The drive should shift in and out of gear smoothly. In addition you should not hear any excessive growling from the drive area as you turn left to right. I assume this boat was slipped at some point since it has bottom paint. There should be a one inch break between the transom assembly and bottom paint.

Good luck. That's it for now. This one should move swiftly with the 7.4/B-III combo.
 
Thanks very much, especially for noting the possible model-year discrepancy. I pulled up the brochure for the '96 230 and it looks more like the picture from the seller's add of the supposed '97. Is the difference from the '96 to the '97 a large one? I know the '97-2000 was a different design from prior years, just don't know how different and what the differences might mean in terms of overall experience.
 
All the comments about an older boat and wood apply well. Make sure you know what you are getting into. At some point - maybe the mid 2000's, most of the wood goes away. A fiberglass floor and snap-in carpet are a must in my book. A big swim platform is better then smaller, and gets a lot of use in my case. Mine is all fiberglass and completly moulded in. Excellent.

With a budget of 6-10k, and your age, you are on your first of hopefully many fine boats. I boated as a kid, but got back into it this year with kids of my own. I found a 2006 model, virtually unused, and always garaged that has been a ton of fun. But, I've learned a lot about newer boats, and have seen some areas where I'd probably like to upgrade - head and tower in my case, maybe a little more room. And, of course, I've found them at a price below what I paid!

So, my advice would be: If you are not interested in too much of a project, make sure you have a survey and get a boat that is fun right out of the box. You'll learn a lot, and then you can upgrade to the boat that fits your needs if you don't quite hit the mark the first time around.

Good luck and have fun.
 
Bike Pilot,

We are talking more in terms of refinements, such as a concealed swimplatform ladder, nicer windhshield frames, better interior materials, possibly different construction methods and etc. It is quite possible that the boat you are considering is a '97 model as SR does have some overlap between model years. Just check the hull id #.

Good luck and happy hunting!
 
Thanks very much. I'm still stuck in DC for work so my dad is going to go by and take a look at the boat for me today. He's going to check on the year as per your directions and take lots of pictures. I'll report back what he finds!
 
My dad looked at the boat. It was manufactured in 1997, but is definitely a 1996 model. It also does not have the 330hp MPI engine as advertised, but a 300hp engine with a carb. Risers and manifolds have not been replaced that anyone was aware of so they'd need to be done as well. It also is a regular version rather than a signature version. Lots of little stuff didn't work, like the gauge to indicate drive height, some of the speakers, etc. Bottom paint was flaking off and in poor shape as was the paint on the outdrive. Overall it seems like a boat that has been neglected, but isn't so far gone it couldn't be brought back to serviceable condition. I'm going to look around some more and then work on this further once I'm in FL for good in a couple of weeks. Thanks very much for all the info, I'm sure I'll be back with many more questions!
 
Seems to me that you dad did a good job of the initial inspection. I'll suggest that you sit with a pencil & paper and estimate the cost of bringing the boat up to your expectations of "serviceable condition". Add that number to the sale price & then look for a better maintained boat at that price point. In my limited experience, we, as first time boat owners are hit with enough unexpected expenses as it is. Don't start off in the hole with a boat that needs a couple thousand dollars in needed repairs.

I'm not telling you not to buy this boat. Just chiming in & hoping to shed some light.
Good luck & welcome to CSR!
 
Thanks, I plan to do just that. My dad did an amazingly detailed inspection of the boat-hugely helpful :smt038

One other thing that didn't work was the trim tabs.
 
Welcome to the area! I think a 21-24' BR or SD would be perfect for what you want to do. You should be able to find one in decent shape in your price range. I would definately pay a good surveyor or mechanic to look it over and check out the engine (and take him on the test ride). I paid a mechanic to inspect our boat when we bought it and he charged me $150 and wrote out an estimate of needed repairs, the seller deducted $2000 off the price based on the inspection report as it needed new manifolds/risers and a bilge pump.

I wouldn't go much smaller than a 21-24' as you will need to cross Tampa Bay to get to the gulf beaches and most restaurants and it can get choppy going across the bay.

Happy hunting!!!
 
Thanks very much! For reference, how does your Sundeck 210 do crossing the bay? I would like to visit the gulf beaches and some of those islands at the inlet to the bay. Beernutz, thanks, lots of options for sure!

I also just saw a 1999 260BR on CL that I might take a look at in a couple weeks (if still available). How big is too big? I don't want something too cumbersome for skiing/tubing. I'm not concerned about docking/driving it--I parked my buddys' sundancers without too much trouble (27 and 34' I think they were). I've never driven a boat pulling things before though (only skied a few times before friends' boats--the biggest I think was a 23' Chaparral cuddy). I also spied (don't shoot me!) a couple of rather spiffy looking mid-1990s Formula 252 bowriders...

My landlord says the boat lift is good for at least 26" and 6k lbs (rated for 10k).
 
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