Ck111484
Member
- Oct 13, 2015
- 63
- Boat Info
- 1986 Sea Ray 270DA - project boat!
- Engines
- Twin Mercruiser 470's
First, a quick history - been a boater all my life, my family had a 20', 26' and then a 37' while I was growing up, all Sea Rays.
We sold the 37 Sundancer with the intent to upgrade to a 54', but the economy turned and we were left boatless.
Then, ~10 years later when I was through college and back home, I got the itch to be back on the water, so I bought a '93 Four Winns 215 Sundowner, and have had it for four seasons. It wasn't in great shape when I got it, and I greatly enjoyed bringing it back to life, updating it and getting it running right.
This is how it looks today:
But as usual, I got the itch for something bigger, something I could be comfortable in bigger water to take trips on and sleep 4-6 people comfortably, etc., and the older Sea Rays really caught my eye, specifically the 270DA and Amberjack, so I started casually looking.
Browsing Craigslist one day, I came upon an '86 270DA for $1000. The story was that the seller had recently purchased it from the original owner, who winterized the boat in 2003, began building a house, and never got around to touching the boat again. So it had essentially been sitting, winterized, for 12 years.
A few years ago, he decided to put it on a trailer and keep it at his house to avoid marina fees; the seller only wanted the trailer it was on, and didn't have time to take on the project himself; and the boat was absolutely filthy and in a very rough state so he was selling it cheap.
But, it had always been marina maintained, was basically the boat I wanted, seemed very structurally solid, and being a detailer as a hobby, I could see that through the dirt there was a great boat.
I thought about it overnight, and when I began to consider the logistics of storing it, transporting it, the incredible amount of work it would be, and not even knowing if the motors were good a potential money-pit, I texted the seller the next day and told him I was going to pass. After a few hours, he texted me back, and told me that he really wanted me to have the boat. Apparently he had promised the original owner that he would sell it to someone who would get it back in the water, and he could see the excitement and enthusiasm I had for it, and just thought I was "the guy". He told me he'd sell it to me for $500 and if I detailed his boat and 2 of his cars.
I told him I wasn't sure; but then things began to fall into place. It turned out that my buddy had no problem keeping it next to his detail shop, and I found 25 cinder blocks on Craigslist for $20, and the seller was more than willing to deliver it to the shop and help me put it on blocks.
So, I went for it, and am now the owner of an '86 270 Sundancer!
She's got the twin Mercruiser 470's (wouldn't be my first choice but oh well - I've read about the upgrades and plan on doing them after I make sure they run, and they're the 190hp versions).
Here's right after we blocked her:
More to follow.
We sold the 37 Sundancer with the intent to upgrade to a 54', but the economy turned and we were left boatless.
Then, ~10 years later when I was through college and back home, I got the itch to be back on the water, so I bought a '93 Four Winns 215 Sundowner, and have had it for four seasons. It wasn't in great shape when I got it, and I greatly enjoyed bringing it back to life, updating it and getting it running right.
This is how it looks today:
But as usual, I got the itch for something bigger, something I could be comfortable in bigger water to take trips on and sleep 4-6 people comfortably, etc., and the older Sea Rays really caught my eye, specifically the 270DA and Amberjack, so I started casually looking.
Browsing Craigslist one day, I came upon an '86 270DA for $1000. The story was that the seller had recently purchased it from the original owner, who winterized the boat in 2003, began building a house, and never got around to touching the boat again. So it had essentially been sitting, winterized, for 12 years.
A few years ago, he decided to put it on a trailer and keep it at his house to avoid marina fees; the seller only wanted the trailer it was on, and didn't have time to take on the project himself; and the boat was absolutely filthy and in a very rough state so he was selling it cheap.
But, it had always been marina maintained, was basically the boat I wanted, seemed very structurally solid, and being a detailer as a hobby, I could see that through the dirt there was a great boat.
I thought about it overnight, and when I began to consider the logistics of storing it, transporting it, the incredible amount of work it would be, and not even knowing if the motors were good a potential money-pit, I texted the seller the next day and told him I was going to pass. After a few hours, he texted me back, and told me that he really wanted me to have the boat. Apparently he had promised the original owner that he would sell it to someone who would get it back in the water, and he could see the excitement and enthusiasm I had for it, and just thought I was "the guy". He told me he'd sell it to me for $500 and if I detailed his boat and 2 of his cars.
I told him I wasn't sure; but then things began to fall into place. It turned out that my buddy had no problem keeping it next to his detail shop, and I found 25 cinder blocks on Craigslist for $20, and the seller was more than willing to deliver it to the shop and help me put it on blocks.
So, I went for it, and am now the owner of an '86 270 Sundancer!
She's got the twin Mercruiser 470's (wouldn't be my first choice but oh well - I've read about the upgrades and plan on doing them after I make sure they run, and they're the 190hp versions).
Here's right after we blocked her:
More to follow.