New to Boating

[TEAML4]

Hello Sea Ray club members.
I hope everyone had a nice holiday so far.
Well I got the itch to buy a boat, had it for quite sometime.
I just looked at a 2005 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer.
Boat looked in great condition and had every option that my family and I were looking for.
The hesitation I have is some reviews I saw about the boat were a little on the negative side. Stuff as silly as "it feels as if it's going to tip over".
Being new to boating I have my concerns as it is, but if anyone has any information on the 2005 260 Sundancer I would appreciate any information, bad or good..
Thank you !!

 

[Quint4]

Welcome TeamL4 !

In the future name your thread a bit more to the point....like "looking at a 260DA need pros & cons"

We have many 260DA guys on here, hopefully they chime in.

 

[TEAML4]

Welcome TeamL4 !

In the future name your thread a bit more to the point....like "looking at a 260DA need pros & cons"

We have many 260DA guys on here, hopefully they chime in.

Thank you Quint4 for the welcome and the suggestion on the string. Appreciate it.


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[NotHerDecision]

Welcome to the group. I cannot specifically comment on a 260 but here are a few of my general opinions. 1. Most likely you are not buying your dream boat if this is your first boat so choosing a Sea Ray is a great choice because selling it will be easier just due to the popularity. 2. The best advice I ever received is this, buy your second boat first. That being said, if you will let the group know what options and layout/engines...etc is important to you, we can help narrow it down to specific models. 3. Sea Ray parts and service is one of the best in the industry. If you need a part or mechanic you can find it!

Welcome again and early congrats!


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[importmonkey]

As others said, the more we know about what you're looking for, the more we'll be able to help.

That said, I started with the 260DA because it had all the options of a bit boat in a pocket size and still trailerable. We love it. It gives us every bit of freedom we want. It can be a tow to water boat or a weekend getaway. We've spent a number of days on her, both in a slip and on the hook. It's also a friendly boat to learn on. It won't get you into too much trouble, it's very forgiving, and the cost of ownership is much lower than other bigger boats.

The biggest concern is that it will make you want to go bigger very quickly (depending on how you use it). This is where we are. We use it as a weekend home and as such, want to move up already.

As to the top heavy...yeah, I guess it can be. You have to consider where you'll be boating too. On the Potomac, she's great. We stay on the Bay, which if you're not careful, can get sketchy at times. You become more mindful of the winds and tides, which is good. Other bigger boats would sail through the waves unlike the 260. This is due to size. With the 8'6" beam, 28' length, shallow draft, and 7,500# weight make it proned to feeling wakes and waves. Far cry from other boats that are over 11' in width and 20,000# in weight which draw 40" of water.

Every boat is a sacrifice. The highlights of the 260 can be its downside. It IS the best boat in its class, however. Just my opinion.

FYI, details of my boat are in the classifieds section and there is another 260 Dancer there too. Would be good points of comparison for the one you saw.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Team 4, welcome to CSR. I haven't read all the responses but one thing to consider is the waters on which you will be using your future boat. The 260 is very well suited for inland waters and some of the sheltered coastal waters but may not be suitable for some of the more open waters. I've never owned a 260 so can't comment anything beyond this, so please pay attention to the comments of those who own or have owned one.

 

[Ike]

Team4,You have to consider what GoFirstclass said. Where are you going to use it? I see you are from New York. There are a lot of boating areas in that state and they are all different. Boating on the Hudson or Lake Champlain is not like Long Island Sound. Same goes for the Finger Lakes or the Thousand Islands. If it's a trailerable boat then it is going to be a compromise. Narrow beam, higher superstructure. So it will not be as easy riding as a boat that is the same length but 2 or 3 feet wider. That doesn't mean it is unsafe. I'm sure Sea Ray did stability calculations and tested the model before they put it in production. But all boats are designed for a specific use and certain types of waters. As some one said this is a boat for inland protected waters rather than open waters like Long Island Sound or Lake Erie.

Plus that you need to consider what you are going to use it for? Cruising, fishing, water skiing? the list goes on, but not every boat is suited to everything. So you need to decide first what you are going to use it for, and where you are going to use it, and then decide whether or not this boat fits that scenario.

 

[bbwhitejr]

We just finished our 3rd summer on ours. We have 4 very large inland lakes within 90 mins of our house and love the ability to choose where to spend our time. We stay on the hook most nights so the gen and AC were a must. No windlass is not a big deal for us as the exercise is good. We have outfitted ours with the ability to charge and use our cell phones and other electronics including TV just like home. Tippy-to a new or nonboater, yes. However, bring her up on plane and "play" with it. It will not turn over. Initial investment and cost to operate are super reasonable especially if you do your own maintenance.

We love ours.

Bennett

P.S. spend the time to thoroughly read the 260 Sundancer thread started by Dave S.

 

[trflgrl]

Welcome!!

I'm still a relative newbie myself....a comment like "it feels as if it's going to tip over" isn't silly, as it can be a good indicator of various things: the boat may not be well suited for the environment, the pilot may not be operating the best way for the conditions, or both!

My baby's got back (over 10k lbs fully fueled, with an 11' beam) and I've done a couple of things that made her feel like she was going to tip over. Those were controlled situations on calm water so I could get the feel for how she rides, and I learned a few things to avoid. IMHO we should always keep in mind ANY vessel can tip over--but operating properly for the conditions greatly reduces the likelihood.

In other words, reviews are good, but may not be as black and white as you'd hope. As others have noted, context is meaningful, as is experience level of the person giving the review. There may be some CSR members in your area (or even folks at the marinas where you're viewing boats) who would be happy to take you out on small water vs. big water so you can feel for yourself--take advantage of such opportunities if they arise.

And if you're truly, truly new to boating, it's a great idea for anyone who plans to be piloting to take a boating safety course, and to hire a captain for hands-on lessons with your own vessel, no matter which boat you choose. (Doesn't hurt for others to take it, either, especially if there's anyone who will be with you regularly and may serve as deck hand or have to help out in an emergency.)

I'm still planning to take lessons from a captain, myself--have heard from multiple members here how much they learned from experienced captains.

 

[Blueone]

We had a 2005 260 for a couple of years. I have seen that comment of being tippy on here before. From my experience boating on the Cheseapeake at the time I never noticed it. It was a great boat all around.

 

[Ike]

"it feels as if it's going to tip over" isn't silly

No it's not silly. It's a valid question. in my 25 years of working in Boating Safety with the Coast Guard, that was a very common question. People would say, "my boat feels tippy. Is it safe"? However, new comers need to learn, along with taking a boating course, about stability in boats. A boat may feel "tippy", but that doesn't mean it is unstable. It is very common for some boats to feel tender (that is the word to use rather than tippy) but to actually gain stability as they heel over a little. This is more common in sail boats than power boats. Most boats have lots of what is called reserve stability. That is, the righting arm (the force tending to right the boat) gets bigger as the boat heels. Under normal conditions the boat will heel only so far and then won't go any farther without some large force acting on it. That is not to say you can't capsize your boat. You can. But that is why you need hands on training by someone with experience, and you need to take it slow and learn your boat's capabilities before you push it too far. See stability on small boats.http://newboatbuilders.com/docs/stability.pdf
There are different types of stability as well. There is static stability when the boat is standing still or moving slowly and dynamic stability when the boat is moving fast. Dynamic stability is particularly important in planing boats because when the boat is up and running you don't want it doing crazy things like nose diving, or swapping ends. Probably the most common form of this that we have all seen a boat doing (hopefully not our own) is porpoising. Porpoising is usually all about weight distribution. Occasionally it is a bad design but not often. keep asking questions and keep learning. I have over 60 years experience in small boats (and ships) and I am still learning. No one knows it all.

 

[importmonkey]

Someone said, I think on here, that it's always narly the first time. Then you realize the boat (and you) will be okay. You're fine from then on out...until she goes a bit further and you get nervous again. But then you get comfortable with that...and so on.

 

[ks65609]

We have owned many boats and as IKE says so appropriately " no one knows it all". I would like to add a couple of thoughts based on my experience which I hope are helpful.
-do your due diligance to make sure you understand the style of boating you wish to do both short and long term
-be sure to get hands of training
-if your boat has hydraulic trim tabs make sure to learn how to operate them (over adjustment while on plane can have radical and unnerving results)
-buy the biggest boat your budget will effectively support and be sure to consider ALL expenses

 

[Ebsteffner]

Hello Team4,
We've had our 2002 260 since 2005. We have loved it. Got 1200 hrs on it and have never had anything except a water impeller break. (my fault) Been in some bad storms on some big water but never felt Ilike it was going to turn over. If you've found a good deal on a 260, go for it! Enjoy. Ed

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[Nick70]

Do you sleep with the AC/generator running? I had mine running one night because my shore power was out. The CO2 alarm actually went off..pretty scary. I just finished my first season so kind of inexperienced. I just assumed since it was a factory installed generator, I wouldn't have a problem. I love the boat though. Finally got the mounts for a new 21" TV dome too! Thanks for the prior advice

 

[Nick70]

I just had the absolute best summer ever, after buying my first boat. A 2006 Sundancer 260.
i really can't say enough good things about it. But to address the the tippy feeling..the first time I took her out, she did list noticeably to starboard. Luckily I had an experienced boater with me and he showed me the trim tab controls. After a little adjustment, she was level and on plane. It's all just a matter of learning about your boat. Still, I've only just scratched the surface. Like others have said, be mindful of the conditions you plan on going out in. This boat can take you places in open water but it's not going to handle rough seas like a 30+footer. Study weather, charts, tides, and gas points.
it is a wonderful vessel, beautiful, reliable, and capable taking you and your friends and family out for awesome cruises.

 

[chrishick]

We had a 260SD and actually named her "Tip-Sea". It's really not that bad and with some practice and getting to know how your boat handles it's really a non issue. That being said, the happiest day of my wife's life was the day we sold that boat. The tipping motion is amplified due to the cockpits height above the water and she could just not get over her fear. Coming onto a plane you are always going to lean one way or another and need to adjust the trim tabs to level things out. The trim tabs don't react fast enough to eliminate the lean instantly. Our 280BR still leans over, but because we are much closer to the water it doesn't bother her at all on that boat. My buddy had the same problem with his 240DA and is the primary reason he upgraded to a 290SLX.

So I guess what I'm saying is the 260DA does lean and is very controllable, but if your wife has the same fear as mine did you my not be a happy boater.


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[Stee6043]

Do you sleep with the AC/generator running? I had mine running one night because my shore power was out. The CO2 alarm actually went off..pretty scary. I just finished my first season so kind of inexperienced. I just assumed since it was a factory installed generator, I wouldn't have a problem. I love the boat though. Finally got the mounts for a new 21" TV dome too! Thanks for the prior advice

Generators and their use is likely one of the most passionately debated topics on this forum. Do a search for some very entertaining reads that can also be, at times, highly educational. The general consensus seems to be that you can do whatever you want with a diesel generator at no risk to life or property regardless of use case. Alternatively, you are generally regarded as mere seconds away from certain death when using a gasoline generator while stationary in anything but a gale force breeze. Your mileage may vary...

 

[bbwhitejr]

Just my opinions and experience...we run our gen all night every night on the hook which averages 30+ nights/year. We purchased another CO detector and have never had either go off. I only use my tabs when I have more than 4 people on the boat and those are the only times. OD trimmed all the way in and start trimming to about 60-70% once on plane never using the tabs. Dave S. details this perfectly in the 260 thread. That is where I learned.

Bennett

 

[trflgrl]

Generators and their use is likely one of the most passionately debated topics on this forum. Do a search for some very entertaining reads that can also be, at times, highly educational. The general consensus seems to be that you can do whatever you want with a diesel generator at no risk to life or property regardless of use case. Alternatively, you are generally regarded as mere seconds away from certain death when using a gasoline generator while stationary in anything but a gale force breeze. Your mileage may vary...

:smt043