I think I figured out why I have trouble getting on plane...

[floriduramax1]

And my truck weighs around 7500lbs :wow: This 280 is HEAVY!! The trailer is overloaded :smt021 I knew the advertised 8600lbs dry weight was a little off...but damn!!

And this is how she looked loaded and ready to head south...except I pulled all the canvas off....

 

[Vince_nj1]

Sea Ray has the dry weight of my 320 listed at 13,800. When I pulled it out of the water last year (1/8 tank of fuel, empty water and empty holding tank) the lift operator told me the strain gauges had the boat weight at 17,000. With full fuel, water and people on board, I am probably just shy of 20,000.

 

[JimFromMD]

I'm getting hauled this weekend for some bottom work while we're on vacation. I'll ask them to note the weight of the boat when they pull her out. Now I'm curious too! My 300DA is supposed to be 12,500 dry.

 

[Bucit]

It looks like it's making the truck squat! So, if your truck wieghs 7500#'s then your saying the boat fully loaded is around 14,000#'s minus the trailer weight?

Boat- 8600
100 gallons of gas - 700
28 gallons of water - 224
gear - 750 -1000

Total weight - 10,274 to 10,524

Where's all the extra weight coming from?

 

[CV-23]

Maybe that's why a lot of trailer tires are blowing! My trailer is good for 12,500lbs and my 270 is suppose to weight 6800lbs dry.....glad I have some wiggle room! A few 270 owners here say I'm at 12,000 total with all fluids full and trailer. I know my empty steel trailer is 2200lbs. If I had a genny she would weight more. I wonder if the 6800 includes my AC unit? I need to get her on scales...I figure I'm at 11,500lbs with full water, gas and stuff. The 454 gets on plane with four aboard no problem....I use the tabs with six adults. Twin 350's would be nice, Mike.

 

[Gunn]

Wow! :wow: I already knew my trailer was overloaded (came with the boat), but now with your numbers in mind....whew.

And I have her on a boat lift rated for 12,500 which I thought gave me a good cushion!

 

[Bucit]

And I have her on a boat lift rated for 12,500 which I thought gave me a good cushion!

My 280 sits on a 10,000 lift. I used to own a marine construction company and know that the only difference between most 10k and 13k lifts are the width (bigger boats have wider beams) but it seems like I'm still pushing it.

 

[floriduramax1]

It looks like it's making the truck squat! So, if your truck wieghs 7500#'s then your saying the boat fully loaded is around 14,000#'s minus the trailer weight?

Boat- 8600
100 gallons of gas - 700
28 gallons of water - 224
gear - 750 -1000

Total weight - 10,274 to 10,524

Where's all the extra weight coming from?

Actually it's sitting in a hole. When on the road we are quite level. I have a Cognito leveling kit on the front so any load makes it look like it is sagging. I have no idea where the weight is:huh: That 8600 must be with a single engine. I know a big block weighs more than a 4.3 but you have to keep in mind the 2 extra manifolds and everything else!

 

[Bridog]

I'm getting hauled this weekend for some bottom work while we're on vacation. I'll ask them to note the weight of the boat when they pull her out. Now I'm curious too! My 300DA is supposed to be 12,500 dry.

Jim, I'd be curious to see that as well. Please post here and on the 300DA thread. Thanks, Brian

 

[MonacoMike]

Actually it's sitting in a hole. When on the road we are quite level. I have a Cognito leveling kit on the front so any load makes it look like it is sagging. I have no idea where the weight is:huh: That 8600 must be with a single engine. I know a big block weighs more than a 4.3 but you have to keep in mind the 2 extra manifolds and everything else!

Dry weight is a stripped down "dry" vessel. Add for twins, gennie, windlass, rode, all your gear, electronics, tools, safety equipment and all that other stuff we fill these boats with. We have something in every crevice, I bet you do too. It ALL adds up. I do not know my trailer weight, it is similar to yours, my "dry weight" is 6500 lbs, the trailer boat combo is 11,000 with full fuel, half water, and empty waste tank. That is a whopping 2-2.5K over the spec or 38% of the vessel weight is added. MM

 

[susanandlance]

Hey Donnie, my trailer registration says the trl weighs 1700#

 

[floriduramax1]

Hey Donnie, my trailer registration says the trl weighs 1700#

That's about what I figured.

 

[floriduramax1]

Dry weight is a stripped down "dry" vessel. Add for twins, gennie, windlass, rode, all your gear, electronics, tools, safety equipment and all that other stuff we fill these boats with. We have something in every crevice, I bet you do too. It ALL adds up. I do not know my trailer weight, it is similar to yours, my "dry weight" is 6500 lbs, the trailer boat combo is 11,000 with full fuel, half water, and empty waste tank. That is a whopping 2-2.5K over the spec or 38% of the vessel weight is added. MM

My biggest complaint is the dealer I bought from! They should know about the "dry weight" specs and either weighed the boat or calculated to get the right size trailer! I argued with them when I first got the boat because I could tell it was heavy by the way it pulled behind my truck. I just wished we had a scale closer and I would have weighed it then and made them get me the right trailer

 

[JimFromMD]

Jim, I'd be curious to see that as well. Please post here and on the 300DA thread. Thanks, Brian

Should be an interesting experiment. I just looked at the spec sheet for my boat and did fuel/water/waste (just as water) weight calculations as follows:

12,500 ---Dry Weight
1,050 ---170 Gal Fuel
293 ---35 Gal Water
234 ---28 Gal Holding Tank

14,077 Total... Adding 1000 for gear, which seems like a lot, should be in around 15,077 pounds. Seeing as though my lift is rated for 15,000... I may be closer to the limit than I thought.


Will report back.

James

 

[JimFromMD]

Should be an interesting experiment. I just looked at the spec sheet for my boat and did fuel/water/waste (just as water) weight calculations as follows:

12,500 ---Dry Weight
1,050 ---170 Gal Fuel
293 ---35 Gal Water
234 ---28 Gal Holding Tank

14,077 Total... Adding 1000 for gear, which seems like a lot, should be in around 15,077 pounds. Seeing as though my lift is rated for 15,000... I may be closer to the limit than I thought.


Will report back.

James

Foiled again! This shop had a forklift that could haul my boat unlike my usual repair shop. No way to weigh her with the forklift.

 

[tdappleman]

Interesting thread -especially with being in the market for a boat lift soon! Brings up a question - how much buffer should you plan into a lift capacity? I was looking at a 12000 lb four piling lift but this one has me thinking I want some additional buffer.

 

[floriduramax1]

Interesting thread -especially with being in the market for a boat lift soon! Brings up a question - how much buffer should you plan into a lift capacity? I was looking at a 12000 lb four piling lift but this one has me thinking I want some additional buffer.

Not sure on the "buffer" zone. Have you scaled it loaded yet? On another note, your description says you have 235hp 4.3's. How did you get the extra 15hp? Mine are only 220 and I would love to have an additional 30hp!

 

[susanandlance]

Hey Donnie, 4.3's were never rated 235 h.p. from mercruiser that I remember....I had a new s/r 180 1995 yr w/4.3 vortec it was rated 190 hp, the older 4.3's were rated 205 h.p but that was crankshaft hp not propshaft hp, the 95 year was 190 prop shaft hp.

 

[tdappleman]

Not sure on the "buffer" zone. Have you scaled it loaded yet? On another note, your description says you have 235hp 4.3's. How did you get the extra 15hp? Mine are only 220 and I would love to have an additional 30hp!

I haven't had mine on the scale - a friend with twins so similar configuration minus air had his on the trailer -half water and fuel and it was 11,100. His trailer was a triple axle so I'm assuming I'm right there with him +/- a few pounds.

For the engines, it originally had the 4.3 LX with 4 barrel carbs rated for 190hp. I repowered this winter to new engines and the builder specs them at 235 - unsure of all they do but they say different heads, valve sizes and pistons. No idea how to really validate the information but the engines do run great. I now can cruise at 28-31mph at 3000rpm instead of 3200-3300 and get on plane much quicker. Top end remained about the same but I haven't pushed them much yet since I only have about 20 hours on them so far. Getting on plane with drives fully down, tabs down and WOT is about 7 seconds with 2 adults, 2 teens and half fuel and full water. The old engines would struggle to get on plane unless everyone was either near the helm or in the cabin depending on wind/waves.

 

[390pi]

So I weighed my '92 290DA...

Came up with 11,120# on the trailer. Yikes! (Trailer rated for 10,500GVW)

trailer: 1850#
all the gear, anchor chain, provisions: 350#
water half full (15 gal @ 8#) 120#
waste full (13 gal @ 9#?) 117#
half tank gas (50 gal @ 6#) 300#

Total=2,737#


Searay brochure states 5,800# (radar arch adds another 300#?) Is this with standard power?
Boat has 4.3s/A-1
No generator
No A/C
Boat has every available small option listed on the brochure

11,120#-2,737=8,383#

For comparison, the late model (2001) 280DA that I looked up says 8,000# dry (the 280 is almost the same dimensions except 5" wider)

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