Hello! I think I found my new boat, but looking for guidance

Now that you have seen the boats at Spring Brook you should check out the listings at Chicago Sea Ray, Munson Ski & Marine (right across the road from Chicago Sea Ray) and Munson Marine. I found prices to be more competitive up in the Chain of Lakes area due to the larger market (30,000 boaters in the Chain of Lakes area). They are all located within a few miles of one another so you could visit all three in less than 3 hours to compare their boats to what you have seen closer to home. If you end up buying a boat up there and delivery cost is not covered, then it will run you around $500 to bring it down to either Seneca or Ottawa.

The one boat at Spring Brook I seriously considered before buying my Mariah from them was the 25' Crownline. Crownline just avoided bankruptcy in June so I believe is back producing boats in Frankfort, IL. It's a nice boat but a little too small for us at the time. I am sure you can get it for less than the asking price which would put it below $20K.

Another consideration if you are financing is if the boat has a bed, head, and galley you can write off the interest for taxes. If you are paying cash then this would not be a consideration or have no plans to overnight on the boat.
 
So Charheep what's going on with your boat search?
 
The fiance had knee surgery, so I have been putting my focus on that lately. But I have one I am very excited to look at. its over a 2 hour drive, so i am planning on taking a weekend trip up there once we can both sit in the car that long and stay the night. It is at Skipper Bud's, and they seem to have a few SR's that i want to see. But this one is the one I am most interested in and eveytime I look at the article, I like it more and more.
http://illinois.skipperbuds.com/Pag...eId/9033/view/Details/1989-Sea-Ray-280DA.aspx

I am hoping in the next few weekends, to go see this one in person.

The only thing I am worried/concerned about is the twin 5.7L and the fuel burn.

Any input on this one?
 
Looks like a lot of boat for $20K. Ask if the boat has had an engine alignment check in the past year. If it was a trade in, I'm pretty sure Skipper Bud's would have check it. If it is a brokered boat probably not. Someone else will have to provide some data points on fuel consumption on a boat that age with 5.7L twins.
 
Can you explain what "
Looks like a lot of boat for $20K." means? Do you think the price is fair?

I emailed the dealer almost 2 weeks ago, but I havent heard back from them. I wll call them when I know what weekend I can make it up there, but I would have thought i could have email dialougue by now with them.
 
It has several grand worth of electronics including radar that appear to be fairly recent. This is a bigger and better equipped boat than what you were looking at originally certainly anything at Springbrook around that price. If you haven't heard from Skipper Bud's yet then call Terry Anderson of Chicago Sea Ray at 847-815-4302 and tell him Bob Emery gave you his number. Specifically you are interested in the '89 280DA up in Pewaukee and could he help you.
 
The 280 is a much better boat than the 268. Just hang out on it on the hard with your fiance and it will be clear.

The best way to find the right boat for you in this price range is to see/climb all over as many boats as you can. Talk to everybody you can get a hold of. Every sales person will give you a different spin based mostly on the boats they have on the lot. Soon, the b.s. from the facts will begin to emerge and you will "know" the right boat when you see it.

Always make friends with all the brokers you meet. We looked at 25 or 30 boats over an entire winter for our first boat. One day, the phone rang and a dealer told me about a boat that he knew of at another dealer in another state was exactly what I was looking for. It was. We knew it on the spot and it was a fantastic boat. We were hooked on boating for life.

P.S. This first boat was a 270 Sundancer! Perfect first boat.
 
Thanks Bob and Jack-
I will call Terry this week once I get a weekend free and head up there. I have looked at some, and starting to get a feel of what I like and dont like, but I know enough that I dont know enough. So some research, a survey and mechanical survey and a sea trial is definetly in the books. And since I am passing a few dealers on the way from Aurora, to Pewaukee, I can stop and look at some more boats.

My fiance asked me if I get that boat (or any boat) from Pewaukee, how are we going to get it to our marina (probably starved rock marina). I would like to cruise it home, but I dont know how long that will take, or if i should have it shipped via truck. Again, my Jeep Wrangler wont tow this and I dont want to even try. Any ideas?
 
charheep said:
...My fiance asked me if I get that boat (or any boat) from Pewaukee, how are we going to get it to our marina (probably starved rock marina). I would like to cruise it home, but I dont know how long that will take, or if i should have it shipped via truck. Again, my Jeep Wrangler wont tow this and I dont want to even try. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

I am having mine semi-trailered down to my marina in Wilmington/Channahon. If you looked at the gas you would burn and the time it would take coming 150 miles or so down Lake Michigan and the Illinois Waterway hauling is a much better option. It would probably cost around $500-$600. CSR charged me $450 to haul my Mariah from Seneca to Round Lake for a trade check.
 
Sounds very reasonable. Somehow in my mind truck shipping should be lots of $$$. But for roughly 1k, thats worth it.

Now the last thing I need to find is the fuel burn with the twin 5.7's. I dont mind paying for gas, but it would be nice to hear what type of money I will be looking at.
 
I have a friend that has the same boat. It was never barrier coated or botom painted and now havs blisters in the gel coat. Have it surveyed and then decide.
 
The main thing is a survey if you don't know what your looking for the surveyor will be able to shine some light on your fuel economy also.
All the point's prior are very good ones to keep in mind and have looked at.
Good luck.!!!
 
If there is anything in the St. Louis area that interest you, I would be happy to check it out for you. There was a nice 250 Dancer of that era that recently sold. Also, a 300 Weekender that just sold for $10,500, the drives were due to me replaced, but it ran great and the genny ran good as well. Also it needed new eisenglass. But for the price it was a great boat.
 
I have an email in to the broker asking for more information. I emailed him last Monday. Should I call him or send a follow up email? Or just wait longer? I dont want to come across as a jerk.

I plan on a survey once I settle on one.

-Skolbe, my fiance's family lives near St Louis (O'fallon) so I might just expand my search to that area. If I see something, i will let you know. thank you for the offer!!
 
I'd call if only to see if the boat is still available.
 
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