My first full day at the helm of a 340

[magster65]

A 2000 5.7 mag mpi / v-drives. I thoroughly enjoyed the boat... handled nice, a great cruise, roomy, nice layout, user friendly, took the whitecaps fairly well and easy as pie to dock in his tricky little corner spot.
I was keen on a buying a newish 280 / 290 but I'm daydreaming about a 340 now (a little bit).
It's a beautiful thing but I don't know if I need that much boat.

 

[osd9]

V-drives in a 340DA.....with small blocks.....I don't know about that.....but hey, that's just me!!!!

 

[rcknecht]

I have the same boat, 2001, with 7.4 MPIs. We love the boat. Get the biggest boat you can afford, it will save you money in the long run...

 

[Summerwind]

34 with 5.7s? Are you sure?

 

[trit21]

Isn't a 2000 340 da the same as lets says a 2004 320 da, in which case they do have 5.7's in the 04' 320's.

 

[Daytripper]

5.7L VD Engines were standard in the 1999 340DA. In 2000 the book lists the 7.4L VD engines as standard. Although it is possible that a very early 2000 model year boat would have used the 5.7L's:smt001

 

[magster65]

V-drives in a 340DA.....with small blocks.....I don't know about that.....but hey, that's just me!!!!

Why? It planed out nice and was at a good clip at 3200 rpm... and it'll turn over 4500.
600 hp seems like adequate power for that hull... isn't it?

 

[Larry]

Why? It planed out nice and was at a good clip at 3200 rpm... and it'll turn over 4500.
600 hp seems like adequate power for that hull... isn't it?

Sea Ray did not make the 340 with 5.7 V Drives, there were a handfull of 5.7 Stern Drives. I don't know what you were getting for your speeds in your sea trial, but I am sure that small block motors would not plane this boat at 3200 RPM... They may have marginal HP but do not have the torque needed to move this boat with the efficiencies of a V Drive. Either someone did a half-ass repower of this boat, and decided to save a few grand, or someone gave you mis information as to the boat or the power. Maybe the boat was a 310 DA and they said it was 34 LOA?? Are you sure it was V drive and not stern drive?? I am sure a 340 with a 5.7 V Drive will not do the numbers you stated (3200 cruise & 4500 WOT), sorry but something is a mis....

 

[Pseudomind]

...Maybe the boat was a 310 DA and they said it was 34 LOA??...

From what little I know, I tend to agree with Larry here.

Post all of the Hull ID here, I know the last part of my Hull ID ends with 380DA-603

And look at my info and you will see I have a...

Good luck with whatever turns out, but from what I have read I would be a bit hesitant until I had all of the answers.

:thumbsup:

 

[Daytripper]

Right out of the Sea Ray Brochure for 1999 stated T-5.7VD as standard power in the 340DA. When productions roll from one model year to the next in June it is possible that a very early 2000 MY boat would still have the same power.

Although, I do not know why we all insist on bucking horns to say what is right or wrong. Clearly the owner of this boat is quite satisfied with the performance and truly that is all that really matters.

http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company1729/1C1_27_74DERNWYA003.pdf

 

[JV II]

Clearly the owner of this boat is quite satisfied with the performance and truly that is all that really matters.

Actually, the owner never said anything about whether he/she was satisfied with this boat. Just sayin.

 

[Larry]

Right out of the Sea Ray Brochure for 1999 stated T-5.7VD as standard power in the 340DA. When productions roll from one model year to the next in June it is possible that a very early 2000 MY boat would still have the same power.

Although, I do not know why we all insist on bucking horns to say what is right or wrong. Clearly the owner of this boat is quite satisfied with the performance and truly that is all that really matters.

http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company1729/1C1_27_74DERNWYA003.pdf

Please understand my intentions, I am only trying to inform someone that is showing interest in a 2000 340 DA that something is wrong with the data he is presenting, I am not saying it is his fault, just that the seller my be giving incorrect information to a prospective buyer. He sates that 5.7 ltr. mag engines were cruising @3200 RPM (speed??) and has a WOT 4500+ anyone that is familier with this boat will tell you that there is something wrong with this data. Even in 2001 when Sea Ray started offering the 6.2 ltr. motors any owner will tell you there RPM when at cruise was over 3700 when just at a 22-23 kt. cruise.

Based on this data there is somthing that we are missing...


If this is a 340 and it had 5.7 V drives in it, it would be a noticable under performer

 

[osd9]

V-drives in a 340DA.....with small blocks.....I don't know about that.....but hey, that's just me!!!!

Why? It planed out nice and was at a good clip at 3200 rpm... and it'll turn over 4500.
600 hp seems like adequate power for that hull... isn't it?

I've owned two 330DAs...a 1993 and a 1998.....both big block V-drives.....both of those boats were offered with small blocks. The 330DA from that era are similar to the 1999 340DA....actually, I'm pretty sure the 1998 330DA and the 1999 340DA were the same hull.

Anyway....my comment wasn't wether or not the small blocks were offered, it was more along the lines of....that combination wouldnt' be my first choice in a 340DA.

I would advise that you insist the owner/dealer load the boat with fuel and water and then grab 6 close friends to go for a boat ride before you say that you are happy with the performance.....that would be more typical. If you can't get them to fill the tanks with fuel, then grab 12-14 of your closest 200 pound friends and have them sit in the cockpit during the test ride....that'll simulate full fuel nicely.

Then there's the maint aspect of I/O's......were these alphas or bravo?

 

[The W.A.V.E.]

TVD-5.7L (T-260 hp) MERCRUISER INBOARDS
TVD-350 MAG MPI(T-300 PHP) MERC. INBOARDS
TVD-350 MAG MPI HORIZON (T-300 PHP) INBOARDS

these were the three options for small blocks in the 1999 340. Someone said earlier that a very early 2000 model may have them as well. Otherwise you had 2 diesel options and 3 7.4l options to choose from.

Im not saying the boat doesnt have the small blocks with vd's however as someone stated the rpm's stated dont add up.

Just my $.02

 

[Alegria]

Yes the 1999 340 is exactly the same as my 97 330 from a hull standpoint and worlds different then the newer 340's. My 330 is only around 11,800 dry which is even lighter then the newer 320's. Always surprised me why the boat is so light compared to other models.. Same beam, windows in the hull... made me feel a little better when Frank pointed that out in another thread!

 

[magster65]

Hey! What happened to my happy thread!?
Firstly I should point out that this is a friend of mine's boat and he's not trying to sell it to me. I was meaning to state that I'm buying a bigger boat and was daydreaming about a 34 instead of the 280 / 290's... thus the happy thread. I decided to call him about the 'details' since there is some legitimate questions there. I'm curious too.
My pal is the second owner
The year; it was bought new in 2000 but the hull is a '99. The boat has the original 5.7 mag mpi's on v-drives with 550 hours on them. The gps read just over 25 mph while were at 3200 rpm. I saw this with my own eyes. I gave it more throttle and it sped up but it isn't my boat so I put it back to 3200 rpm, his preference, for the best fuel economy. At that speed the boat is cleanly on the step so there was no reason to push it further anyways. The 4500 rpm is a number that he said the boat will get if it's clean (which it is now) and relatively empty... so yeah... full fuel / water, 8 months worth of growth and a dozen fat guys with coolers full of beer will change that in a hurry :lol:
In any event, I can certainly see the attraction to a 340... :thumbsup:

 

[Bodkin Creek George]

I agree with Scott. Lets all be happy and enjoy!!!! I must admit however as an owner of a 2004 340DA, I can't imagine trying to run a 16,000 lbs. dry weight boat on much less that 8.1 V-Drives. That's just my 2 cents worth and I rarely run over 3500 RPMs.
George

 

[magster65]

This has me confused a bit...
Why is it hard to imagine 2 x 300 hp mag mpi's powering this? How much extra h.p. is used up dragging the big blocks around I wonder?
There's very little feeling of dragging the stern at any speed with the smaller engines...
Keep in mind that I haven't had the privilage of a 340 w/8.1's.
I'm asking :smt100
Is a couple mph worth the extra fuel?

 

[JV II]

I agree with Scott. Lets all be happy and enjoy!!!! I must admit however as an owner of a 2004 340DA, I can't imagine trying to run a 16,000 lbs. dry weight boat on much less that 8.1 V-Drives. That's just my 2 cents worth and I rarely run over 3500 RPMs.
George

I see your point, but I thought we already determined that the 1999/2000 340 is not the same as a 2004 340, nowhere near 16,000#, and has a shallower deadrise?

 

[Alex D]

I see your point, but, I thought we already determined that the 1999/2000 340 is not the same as a 2004 340, ways nowhere near 16,000#, and has a shallower deadrise?

The 1999 - 2002 340DA (actually there are few 2003 built 2002 models around!) is 1500 lbs. lighter (dry weight) than the 2003 - 2007 340DA, mainly because the new style has lots more wood in the cabin and the cockpit with all the molded cockpit fiberglass adds much weight. Even a 1999 - 2002 340DA with small blocks is an iffy proposition.There is not that much difference in the need for power to run well between the old and the new 340DA as some folks might assume and the boats are not different from a performance and behavior standpoint. I can tell you that from experience with mine and having a couple small block 2000 and 2001 340DA's with v-drives (6.2 MX engines though) in the marina. The 350 SB option was only around for the first year for a reason!