Looking at...

[Throbulator]

A bunch of Sea Rays;
'87 250 Sundancer $7500
'85 250 Sundancer $6500
'83 270 (?) Sundancer $7900

I've had a number of ski boats, but nothing this old, or a cruiser. Plan to do mostly fishing / exploring in southern California. Anything special to look for? Are these boats prone to wood rot? All three have Mercruiser 5.7L I/O's. I'm more familiar with direct drives.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Captain Crispy]

1) I/O's require more maintenance than straight shafts, especially if the boat has been or will be stored in the water. Inspect the outdrive bellows for splits and cracks. You will have to turn the wheel hard over then go down and look at the boats, then do the other side the same way. Boats should be replaced every 3-5 years whether they need it or not, more frequently if the boat is stored in barnacle-prone water.

Loosen the drain plug at the bottom of the drive just enough to get a little lube oil out. If the oil looks cloudy or creamy, then there is a water intrusion problem. Could simply be the seals around the drain and air vent plugs, could be a bad gasket between the upper and lower half. Either way, water in the outdrive is bad.

With the outdrive all the way down, spin the prop with your hand. It should spin in either direction if the boat is in neutral. List for noise in the drive system. You will hear something, but it should be very faint. You are listening for bad U-joints and gears.

With the outdrive amidships, grab the top and swivel it back and forth it should be firm to barely moving without moving the steering wheel. You are feeling for worn gimbal bearings.

Closely inspect the transom around the the outdrive and everywhere else that something goes through. Tap the transom gently with a plastic screw driver handle, and listen for changes in the sound. If water has gotten into the transom, it will cause the wood in the transom to rot, creating voids in the hull. This will cause a hollow sound when you are tapping away.

 

[mwph]

1.) Its probably too much to expect service records on a 20-25 year old boat but it sure would be nice.
2.) Maybe a tad out of my league but I'm going to pass on an 83 270DA with a 5.7. That may be a little too much boat for a 20yr old 5.7/B2.

Allthough Crispy makes some good points...

3.) Get a professional survey that includes both a lengthy sea trial and an inspection on land. Maybe even a seperate survey that would include engine/drive issues like compression & oil analysis.

 

[Throbulator]

Thanks for the info. Bought a 1997 Wellcraft 23 walkaround..

 

[K-9]

:smt021

Thanks for the info. Bought a 1997 Wellcraft 23 walkaround..