Looking at a 370 Sedan Bridge?

A

an86carrera

New Member
Jan 28, 2010
10
Bradenton, FL
Boat Info
1993 370DB
Sedan Bridge
17' Montauk
Engines
454 straight drive inboards
E-TEC 90
Hi to all, first post

I am going to look at a gas powered 1993 370 Sedan Bridge this weekend. I have had many boats but would like opinions and what to look for and what to expect if I buy it.

I have owned many boats before Now I own a 22' Proline and a Whaler 17' Montauk. I have owned large boats before (36' Uniflite ACMY) So this is not all new to me.

What to inspect
Fuel mileage to expect
Problem areas
Thanks,
Len
 
Hi Len
Welcome to the board! Is your chosen 370 gas or diesel? There are a few out there with diesel, which would be preferable. The 370 is about as large a SR sedan bridge you'd want with gas engines. It's a good boat with solid (ie: not cored) bottom so you don't need to worry as much about problems below the water line. Some SRs have had problems with water in the coring around portholes, but I'm not sure if that is a known issue with the 370.

Since we likely have the same engines, similar weight and wind resistance, I can give you some numbers that I have compiled over the years with this boat. I cruise at around 19mph and burn 30gph (on Floscans). For a 40 hour season, I'll average about 22gph overall (a fair amt of idle speed time factored into that number). I know you have experience feeding a larger boat, but if your prospective is a gas boat, be prepared for gas-pump shock, esp since you're moving up from outboards!

Not too many sub 40 foot DBs here but you'll no doubt get lots more advice and info from other folks on the board in short order. GOOD LUCK!
RON
 
Len, I had a gas powered 1992 370DB before I got my SD. I thought it was a great boat with a huge salon for a 37' boat. Only problem was speed and maneuverability. If I remember correctly my boat ran around 18 knots at 34-3600 rpm and burned a hell of a lot of fuel doing it. I got real bored one time on an ocean run from Cape May to Atlantic City and pushed it up to 3800 rpm for whole trip and sucked up close to 40 gph. I always made sure my engines, props, bottom were all perfect but the boat was just too slow for me. The maneuvering issue could be overcome be using the throttles but we all know how careful you need to be when you start doing that. The prop pockets combined with engines so close to each other you can hardly fit your arm between them, and a good bit of windage made that boat a handful. Other than that it was a great boat. My wife is still mad at me for selling it. Good Luck, Mark
 
We currently own a 1995 370DB and like it a lot, but I've never owned a bot of this size before, so I can't offer any comparative remarks. Overall, I'd agree with Sea Ray Mark. In my experience, I've found it to be responsive in terms of maneuverability. But a stiff breeze can make for challenging docking, as it does have a lot of windage. When I encounter those conditions, I make sure my bridge windows are all wide open (weather permitting), to cut down some of the windage.

It does burn a lot of gas, but that's really only an issue if your motoring to distant destinations often. And as Mark points out, the engine room is tight.

From a positive perspective, we love the space and I love the view from the bridge. And, I've not had any hull or structural issues. It seems well built and solid.

I do wish, however, the cockpit was larger, and the swim platform was wider, but those aren't huge issues.

One last note, its a lot of boat to polish and wax.... but that's going to be an issue with any bridge boat that size.
 
Thanks for all of the replies. We have decided to put a deposit on it and have a survey and sea trial performed on Wednesday. The boat was pretty clean and well maintained we will know more after the sea trial.

I have owned many boats before but never a Sea Ray, I am hoping they are as good as everyone thinks.

Len
 
The 370DB is very load sensitive, so for your sea trial be sure you load the boat as you would normally have it loaded for your use.

Most 370DB sellers will show the boat as light as possible so check the fuel and water levels, then put as many humans onboard as necessary to equal full fuel (6 lbs/gal) and water (8 lbs/gal) and position them about where the fuel/water tanks are located. Next, take along the number of people you would normally carry with you. Hold your ground....the broker or seller isn't going to like you loading up the boat.

Good luck with your survey and sea trial.............
 
I've not found ours to be particularly load sensitive, but I do typically have to run full trim tabs when I have four or more on board and an otherwise typical load and want to cruise on plane. And, I've not found it to be tippy with a full load on the bridge but I have noticed that if I have someone heavy sitting in the corner of the cockpit that the boat will tend to list that way at speed. When that happens, I'll either ask them to move to the center, or use my trim tabs to compensate.

Frank, is your observation true of all 370 DBs or certain vintages? And, could you describe what you mean by load sensitive? Is the impact to speed or stability?
 
Your first sentence is exactly what I am talking about:

"..........but I do typically have to run full trim tabs when I have four or more on board and an otherwise typical load and want to cruise on plane."

"The original poster is doing a sea trial on a boat for sale. My comments are relative to that situation since most 34/35/37DB owners realize that the boat will run a lot better when as much removeable weight as possible is off the boat. I would be really surprised if the boat in question has full fuel and full water when he sea trials it. Since you run them a good bit if the time with full tanks, then that is how he needs to sea trial the boat.

A fully loaded 370DB is going to be much more stern heavy and slower to get on plane than one that is empty and the buyer needs to be sure he is comfortable with that performance. Add some bottom growth and a full load of passengers and that becomes the norm. The difference when compared to a 370DB that is lightly loaded and the only passengers are a buyer, a surveyor and a broker is dramatic.
 
Frank, I agree with your advice as I usually do but I think the effect of a full tank of water can actually help the planing characteristics of this model. When I had my 1992 370DB about 5 years ago I was frequently reaching out to Merit Island Sea Ray for advice and was lucky to come across Jim McDonald who ran the assembly line in 1992 and sea trialed a lot of the 370DB's built there. He felt the the boat ran better with a full water tank since it was locate in the bow under the forward bunk and the extra weight of 80 gallons helps keep the bow down and reduced the amount of help it needed from the tabs. I guess the extra weight can have both a positive and negative effect in this case.:huh: What that boat really needs is a pair of 3116's. Mark
 
My boat is a jackrabbit with 1/4 fuel and 1/5 water. I run with as little water as possible (enough to wash a few dishes and hose off from a swim) and that's IT. I don't know how much tab I have down but I need 8 seconds of deployment prior to making the jump to light speed, then I back off to get a good running angle based on the amount of liquids below decks. My sig pic is cruising RPM (around 3350), tab as described above and FULL FUEL (little to no water under the forward berth).
 
Thanks again for all the info.

Heading out first thing in the morning. There will be at least five on board. I am hoping it all goes well, it is a really good price but the owner will not fix anything so if it fails the survey or sea trial on anything expensive the deal is off.

I will give you all a report and some pics soon.

Len
 
Good luck Len. Looking forward to lots of pix!
 
Nice! Congrats! Do you have any engine room pictures?

Anything show up on the survey?

Doug
 
Len-
I like the way you operate:
Find it.
See it.
Like it.
Try it.
Buy it.
No B.S..
I'm sure the seller appreciated that too.

Boat looks sharp, and those performance numbers, both speed and consumption, aren't too shabby!

Congrats!
 
The deal went very well for me and the seller he priced it 20k under the next lowest price on the market, they took my 2000 Proline on trade for exactly what I paid for it 5 years ago.
The survey was mostly positive except for a few rusty clamps, a dripping faucet (which has now stopped) out of date flares and the 17 year old radar would not turn on.
So now we have a 2 bedroom addition on our house that cost about half of stone and mortor plus this will be fun.

Len
 
Len: CONGRATS and good luck! Don't be a stranger around here. We need more Pre-Clinton and Clinton-era sedan bridge boats! I wish my spotlight had that much chrome still on it!
 
I've been enjoying this thread...thanks for the pics & video. Boat looks great! I would like to get a bridge boat someday.
 
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