Looking at a 2001 260br

[Bigjohn141]

Hey guys,

New to the forum and Sea Rays but not to boating. I’m looking at a 2001 260 signature select bowrider at a local dealership here in Oklahoma. I went and looked it over yesterday and it seems to be in pretty good condition for the age. Hour meter says 211 on it, no gel coat issues to speak of, I am guessing it came from a coastal area due to the presence of a vhf radio, but doesn’t appear to have been stored on the water. Only real issue with the interior is the usual edge of the back center seat where people have probably been stepping on it while getting in the boat. All the covers, filler cushions, Bimini, and table are still with the boat. The one point I am questionable on is that the EFI on the 7.4 merc has been replaced with a Edelbrok intake and Demon carb. I have read that this can be a horsepower “upgrade” on big blocks since the early EFI systems were pretty crude. It’s priced at $17,500 which seems reasonable compared to other examples and especially in the current market. This is definitely on the upper end of boat size for me since I would pull it with a newer 1/2 ton pickup. Any advice or concerns that I should watch out for?

Thanks

 

[JimG]

It does look very good for a 19 year old boat.

VHF radio does not mean coastal area... I have one on my inland boat. They are good for hooking up with friends for a raft up too.

Best of luck and welcome to CSR.

 

[Andy S.]

I replace the EFI on my 210 BR With a carb system when I had to replace the motor. Best decision I made. No more troubles with electronics. No starting issues either.
$17,500 seems right for that model and year. Make sure your bellows and outdrive is good. The upper unit can have gear wear on a 20 yr old boat... check it out first.

 

[Bigjohn141]

I replace the EFI on my 210 BR With a carb system when I had to replace the motor. Best decision I made. No more troubles with electronics. No starting issues either.
$17,500 seems right for that model and year. Make sure your bellows and outdrive is good. The upper unit can have gear wear on a 20 yr old boat... check it out first.

The bellows are definitely on the list of inspection items. I sorta looked yesterday and noticed the exhaust boot has been replaced by the tube style so I’m hoping it was all serviced recently. The outdrive didn’t have any excessive play and no weird noises when I spun the props by hand. A lake test would also happen before purchasing.

 

[Stingrayaxe]

Nice looking boat. Good Luck.

 

[Espos4]

The lake test should be a good long run, not just a 5 minute ride.

 

[El Capitan]

Run at WOT for at least 3 minutes. Come to a stop and turn engine off. Wait 4-5 minutes then try to restart. If good attempt WOT again for a minute.

This will expose any latent fuel delivery and tuning issues.