New Sea Ray Owner

R

RonG

New Member
Nov 14, 2011
178
Cape Cod
Boat Info
2014 210 CC
Engines
Yamaha 150 4 stroke
Hi all,
I'm new to the site and this looks like a great forum. I did an impulse buy on a 2000 260 DA at the end of this season and besides a sea trial on a very calm river I have no experience with the boat out on the ocean and have no idea what to expect in terms of ride and handling. Was hoping to hear from others on what your experiences are in like 2 to 4 ft seas. I read in other forums that the boat is top heavy and doesn't handle well and sea ray made changes to the design for that reason. Any truth to that? Thanks!
 
Welcome RonG... I'm sure the 260 owners will help you with your questions. CSR is a great resource so enjoy...

Oh congrats on the new toy...
 
Welcome... I took my 95 250 in the ocean in 7' seas and she did fine... 2/4' is no problem... The boat can take the rough seas better than the crew...
 
RonG said:
Hi all,
I'm new to the site and this looks like a great forum. I did an impulse buy on a 2000 260 DA at the end of this season and besides a sea trial on a very calm river I have no experience with the boat out on the ocean and have no idea what to expect in terms of ride and handling. Was hoping to hear from others on what your experiences are in like 2 to 4 ft seas. I read in other forums that the boat is top heavy and doesn't handle well and sea ray made changes to the design for that reason. Any truth to that? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I would recommend that you spend a lot of time getting used to your boat and get some open water experience before you tempt fate in 2 to 4 ft seas, which have a nasty habit of become 6 to 8 ft seas.
Just my opinion.
 
If you set out in water that will prevent you from drinking coffee under way you may not be happy. If you start out drinking coffee and the wind picks up to the point you spill it you should have time to find calmer water. We had a 28 footer and in 4 foot waves we looked fo a place to go until the wind went down. A boat like yours will allow you the speed to find calm water if the wind picks up.
We always made sure all gear was secure when we started out as there is no time to secure things in rough water. Still do that even in a bigger boat.
 
welcome to the club. The boat is a little to narrow, but it does not handle to bad. Last season I hit some really nasty waves 4-7 ft, small craft advisory in lake Michigan. I had multiple waves going over the bow. It was a very wet ride, but it handled well in the waves.
 
Thanks everyone. Just to clarify....my experience is with a 22 ft center console which got bounced around a lot in heavy boat traffic and wind. I'm sure the 26da will be much better than that but read some crazy stuff on the hull truth that said stay away from the 2000 260 because it is top heavy and bounces around a lot. Anyway thanks for your help.
 
I've been very happy with the handling. Keep in mind that we're dealing with a trailerable boat (8'6" beam) so in comparison to a wider boat there would obviously be a difference. But to say that there is something wrong with the design, that's quite a stretch. I've been out in heavy weather and I think it handles very predictably.

Since you're coming from a lower (not as high off the water) boat, you'll certainly notice a difference. You might even feel like you're leaning over more than you are used to. Well, the higher up you are off the water yes you, yourself, are leaning more for the same degrees of list. But the two boats are still basically rocking the same amounts. This would be true of any narrower beamed, taller boat. But, there is nothing inherently wrong or unsafe with the boat's handling. I feel very secure in it. Actually, let me say that my wife feels very secure. If she's feeling secure, then everything is A-OK. I've done a lot more boating in foul weather than her with all sorts of boats - both bigger and smaller - some without an engine. So I'm more comfortable in rougher weather than her. But, if she's feeling safe in rough weather in this boat, then it's a good boat.

If you haven't already, check out this thread: http://clubsearay.com/showthread.ph...thread?highlight='09-'04+260+sundancer+thread
 
Thanks everyone. I really like this forum. Just to copy in what I read...here it is...


DO NOT BUY THAT SEA RAY!!! that boat is a piece of sh*t. i used to work for a marineMax dealer in jersey. i have driven those boats and they suck. they are to top heavy and are very rolly polly. we had a customer buy one and the day of delivery, took the wife out and she said, no way and they traded it back in that day on a 290 SLX. i like sea rays just not that one. thats why they stopped production on that boat, it is garbage. you cant get it to ride level even with the trim tabs, it will flop back and forth. good luck
 
Seems like someone has a bug up their butt. It went "out of production" because it was in the lineup from '99 to '04. Every three to six years Sea Ray completely redesigns their models - especially the runabouts and small cruisers. My boat rides very stable and level and I don't even need the tabs. I do use the tabs as they are a very useful tool - but the boat does very well without them. I would seriously question that person's expertise in this matter. Strike that... I have no question in my mind at all in regards to his/her ineptitude based on that statement.
 
That was in regards to the '05 - '09 260DA. It was a very quick time-to-plane hull and required a little more knowledge and finesse. Once the "learning curve" was overcome, it was a very manageable hull design. Search for posts by Dave S. - he wrote some very educational posts regarding the '05-'09.
 
I like mine. I wouldn't buy an '05-'08 for the reasons the uneducated MM tech said. He's clueless on the '99-'04 models. In now way is it as unstable as he states. There are some adjustments with the trim tabs as will an cruiser with an 8'-6" beam, but I'm very happy with the ride ours gives us.

Granted these are calms seas but she's as smooth as silk. I've been in 5'-6' ers in this boat and I was never worried.
[video=youtube;vjKGAXc37-M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKGAXc37-M[/video]
[video=youtube;QrqjfSc7fDE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqjfSc7fDE[/video]
[video=youtube;rATsK5Sc-bg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rATsK5Sc-bg[/video]
[video=youtube;jrtJb-0Y7Zc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrtJb-0Y7Zc[/video]
 
Ron, congrats on the new Sundancer, and on finding CSR.

One thing I would suggest to you, if you haven't already done so, please take a boater safety course. It's required in WA and many other states, and usually gets you a 10%-15% discount on your boat insurance.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Was my thought also that this guy didn't know what he was talking about and is nice to hear from you basically confirming it.
Nice video on the nehalennia!
 
My 270/290 has a 9ft beam and they say it's a long skinny boat. I only use my trim tabs to correct passenger load or people walking around while on plane. My friend has a 2006 260 and he runs it fine. He said it has a bit top heavy feeling. I thought it rode fine. We took them for a ride in the 270 and he thought it was very stable. Enjoy your 260!...Mike.
 
Well I'm an other 2001 260DA owner that has no complaints at all about the boat. Coming from a '94 230 DA the 260 is much more stable and alot easier to handle.
I've been out in 4 to 5 foot seas and other than the occasional splash of water over the windshield all was fine. Ok my wife didn't like that too much but I put the canvas up after that and all was fine.
For me it is the ideal boat. I trailer my boat so the newer 260's were ruled out because of the extra 2000 lbs of weight. It's big enought for myself, my wife and dog to go on a three week trip without costing a forture to run.
 
A 2001 260 Sundancer is 6300 lbs. and a 19 degree deadrise ! A 2006 260 Sundancer ( I own one ) is 7500 lbs. with a 21 degree deadrise ! The 2006 will ride better ( A lot more stable ) with the added weight and deeper V . KBYK
 
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