footitis----moving from a 230DA to a 270

[ks65609]

Looking at moving up in size from our 93 230 DA to a 92 270 with at 5.7 Bravo 2. The 270 has about 820 hours, a good "above average " survey, new canvas and carpets.

The boat is some distance from us and we have not physically inspected it as of yet, however comments from both the broker and marina manager where the boat is moored are very positive.

Any advice on what to look for in this particular model would be very helpful.

As well, any other tips would be very much appreciated. We enjoy our 230 however looking for a few more creature comforts such as full head etc. Majority of cruising is (week long trips) is with my better half and myself. We are in our early sixties.

Thanks
Ken

 

[EricW]

The 92 270 is a great boat, and there are no problems specific to this model that I am aware of.

The 92 270 is the same boat as the 89-91 250. The hull length is 25'0" and length w/ platform is 26'9". So, this boat is 3 1/2 feet longer and 6" wider than your 230. Not a large jump in size, but a good upgrade if you plan to trailer the boat regularly. 6" more width doesn't sound like much, but it will make a big difference in space and stability -- at rest and running. This is just my opinion, but I would go a bit larger if you're not going to trailer or you have a tow vehicle to handle a bigger boat.

I would make sure the boat is equipped with options like A/C and a hot water heater. An anchor windlass is another great option to look for.

The 5.7 in this boat performs just OK. The Bravo II drive is great for the boat and helps make the most of the engine due to low gearing and a large prop. The boat will have adequate power, but it will not perform as well as the 230DA/5.0 combo you have now. Many of the 250/270's do have the optional 7.4.

A boat survey is a good idea. He will check everything, including the hull & deck for moisture penetration.

Some may disagree, but 820 hours on the original engine is pretty high and would have me a bit concerned --- partially due to engine wear, but also due to internal engine corrosion. I assume the engine does not have closed cooling? I would check to see if the exhaust manifolds/risers/elbows were replaced recently. Do a compression check on the engine cylinders, and watch the oil pressure gauge closely when you run the boat. Make sure the boat can hit 4400-4600 RPMs at full throttle. GPS speed should top out at least 35 MPH.

Good luck on your upgrade!!

 

[ks65609]

EricW.

Thanks very much for your detailed response. Good information. Another question.

How does a 1988 268 Sundancer with a 7.4 Merc and Alpha one set up compare.

Ken

 

[JerryS]

Ken: I have read some of your earlier posts where you were looking for advice. Now, you are back again. So, I'm trying to figure out exactly what it is that you want from a boat. I have a feeling that you yourself are not quite sure. You say that you and your wife are in your early sixties, boat on Lake Erie and occasionally like to do a week on the Trent-Severn. The Trent you say is 3+ hours drive time. So, you live around London? And, you want more creature comforts, but, you don't want to sink a ton of money into a boat. And you want a boat that you can trailer to the Trent - once in a while. So, you are not retired, therefore cruise time is limited to maybe a week or two. Am I getting close?

Hmmmm, boats are pretty expensive in Canada. But, eventhough the Canadian dollar is strong presently, if you buy a US boat, then you have to pay a 20% import tax? Is that right. Have you considered looking into that to see if it would be cheaper or about the same to buy a US boat and pay tax vs buy a Canadian titled boat? I'm just curious.

Anyhow, let me tell you what my wife and I did which may help you along. We live in Georgia, but, like to cruise the Canadian waters - specifically the Rideau. When we do go to Canada, it is for a month to six weeks. We did the "Triangle" once. We are retired and broke-send donations:grin:

Okay, enough comedy. Our dilemma was that we wanted to be able to boat on our local lake, but, occasionally cruise the Rideau. So, we wanted as much comfort as we could get in a trailerable boat. And it had to be a SeaRay and we weren't going to sink a ton of money into a boat.

Seven years ago, we decided on a 1990 270da with genny and air. That boat has an LOA of 30'6" and a beam of 9'1". It is a little oversize, but, not much. (Like almost being pregnant). The reason that I went after that specific boat is that it has a port side companionway which makes the mid berth usable as sleeping quarters. And, we do use that instead of the V-Berth. On a long cruise the V-berth ends up being a storage area. And, the boat has everything that we need. Hot water heater, microwave, 2 burner cooktop, shower, head with waste tank, fresh water tank, genny, air, etc. So, for us, it is good. It was not worth a lot of money when I bought it and it is worth a little less now. (In terms of boat costs).

I am not telling you buy the boat that I bought, I'm just letting you know what our thinking was at the time.

I am throwing this out to maybe get you to think about what you really want out of a boat. I grew up on Lake Erie, so, I know how treacherous that lake can be. It can bite you real bad in a hurry. I am in my sixties, I don't want to boat on those waters and even if I did, my wife wouldn't put up with it. So, I have to boat at the admirals comfort level or I minds well just sell the boat. Since you live on Lake Erie, but, want to drag your boat off to the Trent, it seems like you want to cruise rather than boat in the lake.

I can't drag a boat around much longer so it is either forget Canada or buy a second boat and leave it in Clayton, NY or Alexandria Bay. If I did that, it would be a 30-34 footer with air and a genny. I hope that some of this rambling might help you noodle out what you really want.

If you want to look at our cruise log, here is a link: http://sites.google.com/site/rideaur/rideaucanalhomepage

 

[EricW]

.....How does a 1988 268 Sundancer with a 7.4 Merc and Alpha one set up compare.....

The older 268 is one more size larger than the 92 270. The size names get confusing due to the transition to integrated swim platforms. The 268 is 26'8" without the bolt-on platform, so really 1'8" longer than the 92 270. All that additional length is in the cabin -- the 268 has a V-berth AND a dinette, while the 92 270 just has the large V-berth/dinette combo. The 268 is a great boat.

JerryS has the 90 270, which was renamed the 290 in 1992. This boat replaced the old 268, and is about 6 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the 268. The 1990 270 has the integrated platform, while the old 268 has a bolt-on platform.

The 268 with the 7.4 is a great boat/engine combo. Cruises easy in the upper 20's, and tops out around 40. The Alpha One drive, however, can be a problem on the big 268 with a big block 7.4. There was a pretty high failure rate, and Mercruiser stopped putting the Alpha behind the 7.4 after a couple of years.

The 92 270 you are looking at is a pretty good upgrade for you, -- but IMHO the 1990-1993 270/290 (like JerryS) is an ideal stepup for you. Just a bit bigger than the 268, but has the integrated platform and newer styling. Still not hard to trailer with the 9' beam. Runs great with the standard 7.4 and Bravo drive. Not too heavy (5800-6300). Definitely a lot more cabin room than the 92 270 you are looking at. And, most of the 270/290's will have A/C. Some will have generators. Prices on the 90-93 270/290 are down in the upper teens.

I used to have an 89 220 DA. When I stepped up to my 290, I knew I wanted to add the separate dinette and have 3 separate cabin spaces. I knew that if I had only gone up 1 size to the 250/270, I would regret it. I am delighted with my 290 for the most part -- sometimes I wish I went bigger.:grin:

So many choices. Take your time, and I wish you luck on your search.

 

[Don Sr]

+1 on a 1990 270 DA

 

[JerryS]

Definitely a lot more cabin room than the 92 270 you are looking at. And, most of the 270/290's will have A/C. Some will have generators. Prices on the 90-93 270/290 are down in the upper teens.
So many choices. Take your time, and I wish you luck on your search.

Ken: Picture of interior (with a little upgrade work):

BTW: Previous boat was an '89 230WE

 

[ks65609]

Ken: I have read some of your earlier posts where you were looking for advice. Now, you are back again. So, I'm trying to figure out exactly what it is that you want from a boat. I have a feeling that you yourself are not quite sure. You say that you and your wife are in your early sixties, boat on Lake Erie and occasionally like to do a week on the Trent-Severn. The Trent you say is 3+ hours drive time. So, you live around London? And, you want more creature comforts, but, you don't want to sink a ton of money into a boat. And you want a boat that you can trailer to the Trent - once in a while. So, you are not retired, therefore cruise time is limited to maybe a week or two. Am I getting close?

Hmmmm, boats are pretty expensive in Canada. But, eventhough the Canadian dollar is strong presently, if you buy a US boat, then you have to pay a 20% import tax? Is that right. Have you considered looking into that to see if it would be cheaper or about the same to buy a US boat and pay tax vs buy a Canadian titled boat? I'm just curious.

Anyhow, let me tell you what my wife and I did which may help you along. We live in Georgia, but, like to cruise the Canadian waters - specifically the Rideau. When we do go to Canada, it is for a month to six weeks. We did the "Triangle" once. We are retired and broke-send donations:grin:

Okay, enough comedy. Our dilemma was that we wanted to be able to boat on our local lake, but, occasionally cruise the Rideau. So, we wanted as much comfort as we could get in a trailerable boat. And it had to be a SeaRay and we weren't going to sink a ton of money into a boat.

Seven years ago, we decided on a 1990 270da with genny and air. That boat has an LOA of 30'6" and a beam of 9'1". It is a little oversize, but, not much. (Like almost being pregnant). The reason that I went after that specific boat is that it has a port side companionway which makes the mid berth usable as sleeping quarters. And, we do use that instead of the V-Berth. On a long cruise the V-berth ends up being a storage area. And, the boat has everything that we need. Hot water heater, microwave, 2 burner cooktop, shower, head with waste tank, fresh water tank, genny, air, etc. So, for us, it is good. It was not worth a lot of money when I bought it and it is worth a little less now. (In terms of boat costs).

I am not telling you buy the boat that I bought, I'm just letting you know what our thinking was at the time.

I am throwing this out to maybe get you to think about what you really want out of a boat. I grew up on Lake Erie, so, I know how treacherous that lake can be. It can bite you real bad in a hurry. I am in my sixties, I don't want to boat on those waters and even if I did, my wife wouldn't put up with it. So, I have to boat at the admirals comfort level or I minds well just sell the boat. Since you live on Lake Erie, but, want to drag your boat off to the Trent, it seems like you want to cruise rather than boat in the lake.

I can't drag a boat around much longer so it is either forget Canada or buy a second boat and leave it in Clayton, NY or Alexandria Bay. If I did that, it would be a 30-34 footer with air and a genny. I hope that some of this rambling might help you noodle out what you really want.

If you want to look at our cruise log, here is a link: http://sites.google.com/site/rideaur/rideaucanalhomepage

JerryS

Well yes, you are pretty much spot on with your assumptions and I am having a hard time deciding the next move. For sure I want to go big enough as it will be my last chance to make a change.
However, as I read your post and later ones it looks like the 92 270 may not be the right choice even though it comes highly recommended by those who know the boat.
Thankyou
Ken

 

[ks65609]

The older 268 is one more size larger than the 92 270. The size names get confusing due to the transition to integrated swim platforms. The 268 is 26'8" without the bolt-on platform, so really 1'8" longer than the 92 270. All that additional length is in the cabin -- the 268 has a V-berth AND a dinette, while the 92 270 just has the large V-berth/dinette combo. The 268 is a great boat.

JerryS has the 90 270, which was renamed the 290 in 1992. This boat replaced the old 268, and is about 6 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the 268. The 1990 270 has the integrated platform, while the old 268 has a bolt-on platform.

The 268 with the 7.4 is a great boat/engine combo. Cruises easy in the upper 20's, and tops out around 40. The Alpha One drive, however, can be a problem on the big 268 with a big block 7.4. There was a pretty high failure rate, and Mercruiser stopped putting the Alpha behind the 7.4 after a couple of years.

The 92 270 you are looking at is a pretty good upgrade for you, -- but IMHO the 1990-1993 270/290 (like JerryS) is an ideal stepup for you. Just a bit bigger than the 268, but has the integrated platform and newer styling. Still not hard to trailer with the 9' beam. Runs great with the standard 7.4 and Bravo drive. Not too heavy (5800-6300). Definitely a lot more cabin room than the 92 270 you are looking at. And, most of the 270/290's will have A/C. Some will have generators. Prices on the 90-93 270/290 are down in the upper teens.

I used to have an 89 220 DA. When I stepped up to my 290, I knew I wanted to add the separate dinette and have 3 separate cabin spaces. I knew that if I had only gone up 1 size to the 250/270, I would regret it. I am delighted with my 290 for the most part -- sometimes I wish I went bigger.:grin:

So many choices. Take your time, and I wish you luck on your search.

EricW.
Excellent information regarding dimensions. I for sure was not aware of Sea Ray's change in LOA and the fact that this 92 270 is actually a 250. The advertised length of the 92 270 is 28 ' 6 " which I assume includes the pulpit and without is 26 ' 9 " according to Sea Ray's web site information. I do another search for 90-93 270/290 models both you and Jerry are suggesting and see what I find.
Also it seems you like the 88 268 over the 92 270 ?

 

[ks65609]

Ken: Picture of interior (with a little upgrade work):

BTW: Previous boat was an '89 230WE

Jerry, absolutely gorgeous.
What more can I say other than thanks again. My wife is going to love this.
Ken

 

[BonBini]

I'll have to agree with the comment on a small block engine in bigger boat with big hours on it. That engine is most likely used up. Look for a big block. A 7.4L will cruise a 27 footer effortlessly.

About that Trailblazer... I pull my 268 with a 1/2 ton. Had to beef up rear springs to a 3/4 ton rating. It still isn't real fun. Your gona need a bigger truck.

 

[ks65609]

I'll have to agree with the comment on a small block engine in bigger boat with big hours on it. That engine is most likely used up. Look for a big block. A 7.4L will cruise a 27 footer effortlessly.

About that Trailblazer... I pull my 268 with a 1/2 ton. Had to beef up rear springs to a 3/4 ton rating. It still isn't real fun. Your gona need a bigger truck.

Thanks.
I am starting to think the same thing about the 5.7.
Trailering--I think I am just about done with it. Having a blow out and changing a tire in the rain in the middle of Toronto just before the 400 exit off the 401 is something I would really prefer not to do again.

Thankyou for your input.
Ken

 

[CV-23]

I also have a 1990 270 and it's "the" boat as far as I'm concerned. It's the most bang for the buck. I did not want twin v6's but the constant steering correction off plane is a pain...common on single IO's. I would consider a Bravo III change just to eliminate the steering issues. On plane she runs perfect but really drinks fuel. The 1991 270 is identical to the '90 but prices were higher. The 1992 290 was even more money. I am very pleased with the 454 but twin 350's would be perfect but a tight fit, Mike.

 

[ks65609]

I also have a 1990 270 and it's "the" boat as far as I'm concerned. It's the most bang for the buck. I did not want twin v6's but the constant steering correction off plane is a pain...common on single IO's. I would consider a Bravo III change just to eliminate the steering issues. On plane she runs perfect but really drinks fuel. The 1991 270 is identical to the '90 but prices were higher. The 1992 290 was even more money. I am very pleased with the 454 but twin 350's would be perfect but a tight fit, Mike.

Mike, thanks for the input. I have begun my search for a 90 270 and hoping the pricing is not more than I can swing. We shall see.

Ken

 

[Quint4]

Look for 90 & 91 270s and 92 & 93 290s........same boat.

 

[ks65609]

Look for 90 & 91 270s and 92 & 93 290s........same boat.

Thanks Quint4.

I have found a 90 270 not too far from me with twin 4.3's. Not really looking for twins but since the boat is close will go and have a look.

 

[JerryS]

Thanks Quint4.

I have found a 90 270 not too far from me with twin 4.3's. .....will go and have a look.

Ken: Don't expect the interior to look like mine. BTW, I have pulled a boat through Toronto, in the rain.... and it ain't no fun! Who designed that!:smt009 I'm just glad I didn't have a blow out.

BTW: There is member Bob C who may be near you. His boat is at Port Glasgow on Lake Erie. He has a nice 1990 270da (White/Blue). He has re-done his interior. You may want to look him up in the member list and contact him. I'm sure that he would be glad to show you his boat.

 

[ks65609]

Ken: Don't expect the interior to look like mine. BTW, I have pulled a boat through Toronto, in the rain.... and it ain't no fun! Who designed that!:smt009 I'm just glad I didn't have a blow out.

BTW: There is member Bob C who may be near you. His boat is at Port Glasgow on Lake Erie. He has a nice 1990 270da (White/Blue). He has re-done his interior. You may want to look him up in the member list and contact him. I'm sure that he would be glad to show you his boat.

JerryS.
Thankyou very much for more very helpful feedback. I will follow up on your suggestion.

 

[ks65609]

Thanks again to all who have responded so well to this post. Just a few more questions:

I have found a 88 268 with the 7.4, no trailer, and very very clean according to the add. No hours posted. Price is $14900 cdn

Also a 90 270 with twin 4.3 lx in excellent shape, according to the add, with 615 hrs. Price is $21995 cdn

Both units look very good however have not yet viewed either.

The 90 is a bit of a stretch financially however this will be our last boat and I have to do it right.

I think I prefer the single engine, however with a larger boat concerned with docking and manouvering in tight places. I understand twins are easier. I like lots of room in the engine bay for maintenance, cleaning etc. I do not like the wandering at slow speed either but I can deal with that.

Certainly the message in the responses favours the 270 but the 268 looks pretty good as well.

Thanks
Ken

 

[Don Sr]

I paid $14 for my 90 270 two years ago at Sea Ray of Knoxville. It looked new when I first saw it. It had 700 hrs. I would not go with the 268, you will miss the extra room.