Newbie aboard..1979 SRV240 Flybridge

[Lugnutz]

Hey Gang,

Thought I would drop in and give a quick hello and tell you about a new adventure I am undertaking.

I’m not new to the boating world as I have had other boats over the years. Mostly 17’ or smaller bowriders or smaller aluminum fishing boats.

After going out into the ocean on a charter boat and spending time sitting on the docks watching people bring back larger fish, I decided that I had enough lake fishing and sitting on the docks, and it was time to move up to a larger boat.

After spending some time looking at many pictures of boats, I decided that I really liked the older See Ray lines with the Flybridge. I have been looking for awhile now and finally found one. It’s a 1979 SRV240 with a Flybridge. It has had the same owner since the early 1980’s and it had spend the majority of it’s time in Alaskan waters.

Sadly, it’s been sitting since the mid 1990’s and needs lots of clean up. It has moss growing in the window tracks and the paint is badly oxidized. It is powered by twin Mercruiser 140’s that are dead (rainwater inside) and the outdrives are in an unknown condition.

I will have lots of questions in the future but, for starters, I am wondering what you guys might think about this question. I am wondering if the money that would be required to rebuild the existing drive train would be better spent towards repowering it with a set a V6’s and newer outdrives? :huh:

 

[electricaldoctor]

Hey Gang,

Thought I would drop in and give a quick hello and tell you about a new adventure I am undertaking.

I’m not new to the boating world as I have had other boats over the years. Mostly 17’ or smaller bowriders or smaller aluminum fishing boats.

After going out into the ocean on a charter boat and spending time sitting on the docks watching people bring back larger fish, I decided that I had enough lake fishing and sitting on the docks, and it was time to move up to a larger boat.

After spending some time looking at many pictures of boats, I decided that I really liked the older See Ray lines with the Flybridge. I have been looking for awhile now and finally found one. It’s a 1979 SRV240 with a Flybridge. It has had the same owner since the early 1980’s and it had spend the majority of it’s time in Alaskan waters.

Sadly, it’s been sitting since the mid 1990’s and needs lots of clean up. It has moss growing in the window tracks and the paint is badly oxidized. It is powered by twin Mercruiser 140’s that are dead (rainwater inside) and the outdrives are in an unknown condition.

I will have lots of questions in the future but, for starters, I am wondering what you guys might think about this question. I am wondering if the money that would be required to rebuild the existing drive train would be better spent towards repowering it with a set a V6’s and newer outdrives? :huh:

Welcome aboard Lugnutz. :smt038 At the risk of sounding like a nit picker, lets get you started off on the correct foot by pointing out a very important typo. "Sea Ray" is the correct spelling my friend. Now, if I was to entertain the thought of repowering a boat + installing newer outdrives, I don't think that I would be doing this to a circa 1979 boat. Have you done the math on this? Are you a mechanic? Can you do all or most of the work yourself? Can you source out the engines, drives + all of the other required parts & materials on the cheap? I sincerely wish you good luck with your project. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

~Ken

 

[Spookeay]

More to the point.
What are the Floor, Stringers & Transom like?
This is where I would start.

 

[Lugnutz]

Thanks guys.

I do all my own work. Been in the automotive repair field for 25 years and have been doing the work on my own boats, friends and families for the last 10.

I have wood working skills and some fiberglass but not combined together.

I will pick the boat up next weekend. I did some poking around and the floors seemed okay. Honestly, I’m expecting to do some wood/fiberglass repair as that’s just the way it seems to be on the older boats.

As far as sourcing the drive train, I have not spent a lot of time looking for new packages but it just dawned on me that boats sell on auctions around here pretty cheap, as the owners go missing or bank repos.

I just look at things as a big picture. I could spend 20k on a newer boat and not really know what I am getting and have to do some repair work to it or and I usually do some custom work to make it the way I want. Or, I can start out with something that’s rough and spend the same 20k, make it the way I want and know what I have when it’s done. I have read plenty of the posts, and it seems that hidden maintenance items or structure repairs are always found even after a good surveyor has inspected it. I think we can all agree that a boat is a money pit to some extent.

 

[KRB64]

[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]...I just look at things as a big picture. I could spend 20k on a newer boat and not really know what I am getting and have to do some repair work to it or and I usually do some custom work to make it the way I want. Or, I can start out with something that’s rough and spend the same 20k, make it the way I want and know what I have when it’s done... I think we can all agree that a boat is a money pit to some extent.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

That's my philosophy whether it's boats, vehicles, farms, houses, etc. Unfortunately this also means I have more projects than I know what to do with... But I usually end up with what I want and how I wanted it. Plus it makes for great dream times.

As far as the money pit - I prefer to think of it more as a "wishing well" instead - Throw money in and convince yourself you are reaping your wishes!

Welcome and like Spookeay said, check the stringers and floors (she should know LOL). Has it sat in the water this whole time or just out side uncovered? I can't imagine how harsh Alaska winters could be on an unprotected boat...

While we're spending your money & time, maybe a couple Cummins 4BTs would fit???

 

[Lugnutz]

That's my philosophy whether it's boats, vehicles, farms, houses, etc. Unfortunately this also means I have more projects than I know what to do with... But I usually end up with what I want and how I wanted it. Plus it makes for great dream times.

As far as the money pit - I prefer to think of it more as a "wishing well" instead - Throw money in and convince yourself you are reaping your wishes!

Welcome and like Spookeay said, check the stringers and floors (she should know LOL). Has it sat in the water this whole time or just out side uncovered? I can't imagine how harsh Alaska winters could be on an unprotected boat...

While we're spending your money & time, maybe a couple Cummins 4BTs would fit???

Hmmm, A wishing well?? That sure sounds better than a money pit…LOL!!

It was a trailered boat, was only in the water when being used, and I’m sure it sat outside when not in use. The prior owner brought it to Washington in 1995 and has sat on the trailer since.

I drug it home on Saturday. Pretty dirty and the inside is really cluttered with “stuff” I have to clean it out before I can get to the floors enough to check things out.

I started looking for a set of 3.0 engine blocks, as I’m sure it will need them at the very least and also looking at the 4.3 V6’s to do as a comparison. I had not thought about the 4BT’s but now that you mentioned it I’ll have to look into that. I have a 6BT in my truck and I have done some work on a Marine version as well. Thanks for suggestion.

 

[velooce]

Have fun and good luck with your project. Nehalennia (Todd) posted about someone in Monroe, Washington liquidating oldstock Mercruiser parts from engines to outdrives.

 

[JEMCO]

Welcome aboard lugnutz,
Sad to say I understand your logic about putting money into a boat that you like.
I'm doing the same with mine -
So, have lots of fun - and don't forget to post lots of pictures - mainly before and after shots.
Regards
Jim

 

[KRB64]

...I started looking for a set of 3.0 engine blocks, as I’m sure it will need them at the very least and also looking at the 4.3 V6’s to do as a comparison. I had not thought about the 4BT’s but now that you mentioned it I’ll have to look into that. I have a 6BT in my truck and I have done some work on a Marine version as well. Thanks for suggestion.

Seems like I remember reading somewhere that the 4BT wouldn't spin fast enough to put a hull on plane? Outa my element when it comes to boat conversions but I sure like the simplicity and reliability of my 6BT - just not the weight...

 

[lucky enuff]

Good luck! Lets see some pics.

IMHO, I would consider going with the 165 inline 6 in place of the 140. I have the same boat, and the 165's are GREAT motors. It's just a chevy 250 with some marine parts. You can find a couple mercruiser 165's...they are around. You can also gey away using a Chevy 250 as long as it was a truck motor. It needs to be out of a truck....not a car. That way it will have the ear in place for the marine motor mount and the cam on the truck motor is fine for marine use and won't need changing. Just change the freeze plugs over to brass.
I put new outdrives on from SDI and they have been great so far!

 

[Lugnutz]

Seems like I remember reading somewhere that the 4BT wouldn't spin fast enough to put a hull on plane? Outa my element when it comes to boat conversions but I sure like the simplicity and reliability of my 6BT - just not the weight...

The weight issue was the same thing that I came up with. It's hard to verify or get accurate information but, I found some figures and they seemed to weigh 100 pounds or more than the 4.3 V6's do and so I stopped there.

 

[Lugnutz]

Good luck! Lets see some pics.

IMHO, I would consider going with the 165 inline 6 in place of the 140. I have the same boat, and the 165's are GREAT motors. It's just a chevy 250 with some marine parts. You can find a couple mercruiser 165's...they are around. You can also gey away using a Chevy 250 as long as it was a truck motor. It needs to be out of a truck....not a car. That way it will have the ear in place for the marine motor mount and the cam on the truck motor is fine for marine use and won't need changing. Just change the freeze plugs over to brass.
I put new outdrives on from SDI and they have been great so far!

Hey lucky enuff

The more time I spend thinking about engine options the more I narrow things down to what I want to accomplish. I have considered rebuilding the 3.0’s that’s in it now to swapping a set of 165’s into it. For about an hour I looked at a set of Cummins 4BT diesels engines until I discovered the weight would put me into the V8 range.

I like the thought of the older boat with the newer technology theme. So, at this point I am leaning towards the 4.3 V6’s and fuel injection. I still have to work out wiring harnesses, computers, sensors and a few other details but, it’s doable and, from what I have been able to find the weight is within 100 +/- pounds to the 3.0’s plus, parts are plentiful.

I searched older posts looking for information or other people who had a boat similar to mine and I ran across yours. I looked at your pictures, even though they are the same model number mine looks a bit different than yours.

But, I have actually run into an issue with the boat and now I am uncertain of the year. The prior owner told me that he has never had a title for it and the people at DMV say that older boats were not required to be registered in Alaska. There is no HIN stamped into the transom and I always thought they started stamping from 1979. So, it will be a bit before I can determine what year it really is.

Here's a couple of pictures. The paint is really oxidized but I took some rubbing compound to a spot and it cleaned up really nice.

 

[KRB64]

Well at least you have the right tow vehicle.

What rubbing compound did you use. That spot looks nice.

I think they quit using the teak platform around 1980+/-. Seems like our '78 240 has the HIN in the transom, I'll have to look.

 

[tdappleman]

You definitely have your work cut out for you. For the engines - I think the 4.3's are great engines but I'm a bit biased! If you go EFI than you eliminate my only issues which are carb related. My engines are original and run great, use no oil, strong & even compression on all 12 cylinders and have ~675 hours on them now. For drives you may want to look at Sterndrive Engineering - good prices and a 3 year warranty and are new vs. being rebuilt or in used/unknown condition. For Alphas you can get the entire drive for about 1200 each.

Keep us posted on your progress - looks like a fun project. Boat has great lines!

 

[Lugnutz]

Well at least you have the right tow vehicle.

What rubbing compound did you use. That spot looks nice.

I think they quit using the teak platform around 1980+/-. Seems like our '78 240 has the HIN in the transom, I'll have to look.

Didn’t know there was any other tow vehicle…LOL!!

The rubbing compound was called Starbright, and it’s actually for boats.

I read somewhere awhile ago that they started stamping the HIN in 1979. When I went looking for the info again I found that every boat was stamped starting in 1973. The title of the trailer was stamped 1972 and somebody penciled it out and wrote 1973. I looked at the old Sea Ray brochures and the 1972 model looks similar with the exception that there are no windows in the hull and the sides on the fly bridge are different. So, I am thinking it’s somewhere in that time frame.

I will spend some time in it this weekend cleaning it out and will look around inside to see if I can find anything resembling a number.

 

[Lugnutz]

You definitely have your work cut out for you. For the engines - I think the 4.3's are great engines but I'm a bit biased! If you go EFI than you eliminate my only issues which are carb related. My engines are original and run great, use no oil, strong & even compression on all 12 cylinders and have ~675 hours on them now. For drives you may want to look at Sterndrive Engineering - good prices and a 3 year warranty and are new vs. being rebuilt or in used/unknown condition. For Alphas you can get the entire drive for about 1200 each.

Keep us posted on your progress - looks like a fun project. Boat has great lines!

Hey Travis,

I have the 4.3 2Bbl in my 17 Reinell bow rider. It goes pretty good, not bad on gas consumption and it been very reliable. I am very pleased with it.

I am trying to open up the available amount of floor space and that’s another reason I decided to go with the 4.3. In theory it should be shorter than the 3.0 and really shorter than the 165 straight 6. Everything is still on paper right now but, I plan on spending time in it this weekend cleaning it out and taking a bunch of measurements to figure things out.

I am planning on redoing the transom anyway and figure that would be the time to convert the drives. I have worked on a Mercruiser and the Volvo Cobra SX models. I really, really.... like the SX drives, and when the time comes for the drives I am hoping to have found a set of DP’s. :grin: I will need to find the flywheel cover and gimble assembly before I can do a mock up but, I usually stumble onto the parts as I need the. Hopefully this works out the same.

I will post more pictures this weekend.

 

[KRB64]

Our '78 240 has the same hull windows.

 

[Lugnutz]

Well, the mystery is solved. I found the tag under the steering wheel. It’s a 1972 model and it looks like it was production number 740. The Sea Ray brochure from that year calls it a SRV 240 Sportbridge. Although, it looks a little different than the brochure maybe it was an after thought.


I filled 3 big trash bags full of trash while I was in there, and also found the captains log book. Looks like they had a lot of fun, and drank a lot of beer…:grin:

 

[lucky enuff]

I love the idea of the shorter motor & thus the smaller footprint! Newer technology is a bonus too. Keep us up to date. Sounds like a real ambitious project!!

I have a new engine sitting on the stand just awaiting spring...looking forward to playing!!

 

[bluegoose]

Well, i can't believe i finally found someone that has pretty much the same boat i do! I was beginning to wonder if my boat was a freak of nature!! Looks like you are starting out a little further behind than what i did. I have the single 5.8 with the trs drive- Mine was out of water for quite a few years supposedly, but did come across a little soft material in the back where the drive bolts up. Some minor work, and mine seems nice a solid now. I would love if you could send me a picture of the flybridge area. When i got mine, there were no seats up on top, but did bolt a newer seat out of a sea ray, and made a little flip seat for the other side. Just be nice to see what exactly it looks like. If you need any info or have any questions on stuff, let me know and see if i can help you out with what i know. Good luck with the project and love to see your progress along the way!