Opinions on my first boat

T

TNENGR

New Member
Apr 25, 2010
4
Georgetown,Tn
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I am so new at boating that I haven't purchased my first boat yet. After talking with people at work and doing a little research I have determined that the Sea Ray Sundancer is the way to go and I have found a boat that I believe I would like. Here is where I need everyones help. The boat I have found is a 270 with twin 4.3 mercruisers and a 5 kw generator. This is where I am a little confused. Some people say the twin engines are great for steering while others say it is too much weight in the rear and the boat will have a hard time planing out. Any opinions would be great because I really don't know:huh:

Thanks
 
My opinion, for what it's worth, is this: if this size boat works for your boating needs, and you can get it for what you think is a fair price, then go for it. It's nice to have 2 engines, even though you have to feed and care for them. I've found that its not how fast I can get from point-to-point, but enjoying the trip. Dropping the hook in a cove and chillin' is just therapeutic for me, so I don't worry much about the time to plane, anyway. You'll have a genny to power the AC, and keep the wife and kids from overheating during the summer, and warm them on chilly fall days. I guess its all in what your reason is for getting the boat in the first place. Good luck in the quest, and welcome to the forum.
 
The real disadvantage of twins is the maintenance cost. There is no such thing as a "multi-engine discount". Maintenance costs are basically double for the engines.

In general, a boat with twins will have more power than a boat with a single. .and the extra power more than makes up for the extra weight. One can argue if two V6's equal a single big block. . . but that is another question.

Bottom line: Take the boat out for a spin. There is no substitute for a seatrial.
 
I have the same boat with a single 7.4l engine. For our family of four it works fine. We take week long trips down the tenneessee river easily. When the kids get older that will not be as easy. On inland waters the redunancy if a second engine is not as important as off shore cruising. It may be though that unless you want to transport a boat then local availabilty may be more of a factor. A generator is nice and not common on a boat as small as the 270.

John
 
Wellsounds like you found the right boat for you then I say go for it. That is the same boat I would like to have for a cabin cruiser. Big enough for a family of four. All the creature comforts. But small enough to trailer and go puddle jumping in more then one lake
 
Gen set which you already mention. If you go that route, be sure you get the heat/air system (which I'm guessing is pretty much standard with a 5KW genny). This will greatly improve your comfort on the water and allow many of the conveniences of home as well.
 
First welcome to our family of boaters. my only thought is for your first boat your are going to have to learn quickly how to navigate are "pretty big boat". This is going to be your biggest challenge. learning how to use the twins and not the wheel to dock you boat and move it around in tight quarters will be you biggest challenge. If this is your first boat IMO I would pay to have it looked at by a marine inspection service. Or make sure you get a written warrenty from the dealer. What year 270 is it? I would also recommend that you have an extensive "boat ride" prior to purchase. Good luck..
 
For you first boat, I would keep it simple... One engine no generator with a 7' boat. Maintenance may cause you to pull your hair out. I may consider an extra set of batteries and an inverter. Definately get a windlass...
 
I had this boat with a single eng., and no genset...no easy answer. The single was a dream for maintenence, plenty of room down there. Fuel consumption was good. With twin eng. and a genie I would NOT want to be the person working on this boat. It will however be easier to operate,faster, and more expensive for fuel and maintenence. Also in my opinion this is a good size boat to get started and you might want bigger in 1 or 2 years.
 
I have this same set up with a single and I understand your concerns... I agree with all of the advice about the benifits and disadvantages of having a single engine. to fill up the 100 gal tank with my single costs me about $450 so you may want to keep that in mind when you make your purchase. I keep mine in at no less than 3/4th of a tank before i top her off to keep the sting down at the pump. Also someone mentioned trailering this boat in an earlier post. If this is the wide beam 270 you will need a pretty serious towing rig and special permits to tow her in most states. if you are going to keep the boat on the trailer I would suggest going with the slightly smaller and less beamy 260 with a single engine and gen. I boat in galveston bay so there are times when having two engines would offer me some piece of mind as I head out to the deep stuff, but I think that the fuel costs concerns would take the "What if" concerns place! thats why westmarine sells Tow insurance for a couple hundred bucks a year! :thumbsup:
 
Fuel is not the issue. . . maintenance is the issue.

If you run at idle alot, like in no wake zones, then YES you will burn more fuel with two engines vs one. If, however, you are running at cruise alot you will find a few things;

1) A twin engined boat will run at lower RPM than a single engined boat. This means the engines will last longer.

2) If you run WOT, then yes. . .two engines will burn much more fuel than one engine. You will more likely also go faster :) If, however, you are running most often at "cruise speed", with the boat just on plane with no tabs, then in each case the boat you will be using "similar" horsepower, and hence similar fuel consumption. (I say "similar" because there is a bit more drag and a bit more weight associated with twin engines -> but this is only marginal in my view).

In terms of "reliability". . . there are common mode electrical and fuel issues that can take out BOTH engines on a boat. So even with twin engines I have tow insurance.

However. . .how many people have run on "mildly overheated" engines to avoid the tow of shame? Come on. . .raise your hands. . .you know that you will always "push it" on a single engine boat to try to nurse it home. Calling for a tow is NOT your first option. With a twin engine boat. . .you are FAR more inclined to simply shut down a hurt engine and not push it. No waiting for a tow. No angst from the crew. (This is why I always carry a few extra drinks on board) :)

- - - -

OK. . .you can tell I really like twins.

Except in Spring. I am doing two bellows replacements this year :(
 
What year 270? A lot of differences over the years so it can change opinions. I have a 96 270 with twins - and absolutely love it. The 4.3's are very reliable and have good power and decent economy for marine engines - mine currently have ~640 hours. I can't imagine room for a generator in the engine compartment - but would love to see pictures of that setup.

Overall the performance is good - I cruise at ~3200 RPMs at 28-31MPH depending on weather conditions. Top speed at WOT is 41-42MPH on GPS. Maintenance is something to consider as it is obviously higher with twins. You'll have basic engine maintenance costs - tune ups, oil changes or repairs and also basic drive maintenance - double the water pump and drive fluid changes/maintenance. If you can do this yourself then you save a huge amount over what a dealer or service center will charge.

The comment on Sea Tow is partially how I look at it - I've had to limp home a couple of times on a single engine. I was able to handle the issues both times - one was a carb which ended up having a slight crack and requiring replacement and the other was a water pump impeller which decided to go shortly after leaving the dock. Nothing serious but Sea Tow is always a good idea - if nothing else for the peace of mind. I've not had to use it yet - but I would NOT abuse my boat to avoid that assistance call.

Good luck! And good choice narrowing it down to Sea Ray!
 
"A twin engined boat will run at lower RPM than a single engined boat. This means the engines will last longer."

Although this sound like an undisputable law of the "conservation of energy", it's not really true in the real world.

Boats with twins do not last longer than singles.

If a boat is big (heavy) enough to require twins to push it through the water, twins are the answer. As in the commonly seen debate here on CSR between gas/diesel decisions....there is also that middle ground of boat sizes that could use either single or twin motors.

It all boils down to personal preference and how you plan to use the boat. For the guy that goes through hundreds (or thousands) of gallons per year, fuel cost is a big concern. If you zip accross the lake to raft up or to anchor...who cares how fast the fuel burns, if a tank lasts 2 months.
 
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First off thanks for all the input and your willingness to help out the new guy. Both boats that I have found are 2000 models. The boat with the twin engines has 683 engine hours on it and roughly 500 hours on the generator. The single 7.4L engine boat has 330 hours on the engine and 480 on the generator. The odd thing is that the twin engine boat is priced $7000 lower than the single engine boat which is private party. I have set up appointments for this Sunday to try both of them out and see first hand what the difference is and will let everyone know what I figure out.

Again thanks for all the input, any knowledge I can gain will definitely help me make a better d.ecision
 
If I were ever going to downsize, that 270 with twin 4.3's and a genset would be the exact boat I would want.

Yes, you're going to have more maintenance costs with twins, but look at how much that is going to cost. Sounds like a lot but it really isn't. I change my own oil and each oil change on my twin 5.7L's takes 5 qts of oil plus filter. Each engine costs about $15-$17, figuring 5 qts at $2.5 plus $3 for the filter. (Fram at Shucks = 2/$7.)

Other than that you'll have a tuneup every couple of years. I just had both mine tuned with new plugs, points, distributor caps and it came to $375, including labor for the guy to tune them.

The HUGE advantage to having twins is maneuvering the boat in tight spots. There is no comparison between a single engine boat and one with twins when it comes to docking, rafting up, putting it in a slip, etc. The ability to "split the shifters" to maneuver the boat is fantastic.

To picture this in your mind, consider what it's like to have both hands on a shopping cart. If you want to turn left you push forward with the right hand. If you want to make a very sharp turn left you pull backwards with the left hand and push forward with the right hand. On a boat with twin engines you would be doing those exact same moves with the shifters. Once you get used to having two shift levers it's a breeze and all your boating buddies will be jealous of what you can get your boat to do.

IMHO the advantage of having twin engines to maneuver the boat will more than offset any increase in fuel consumption you MIGHT have.
 
Just a word of caution on Fram filters.... I'd stay away. The filter elements are not reinforced internally and can/do collapse and restrict oil flow and pressure. They also do not use quality parts on the anti-drain back valve material and the oil bypass valve (plastic!). There are reports of them changing to the valve material and bypass valve material but haven't seen that proven by the many oil filter studies out there. The redesign is supposed to be the Tough Guard - the Extra Guard adds Teflon which Dupont has come out against using in engines. Too many quality filters to choose from like Wix (also Napa Gold), Purolator One(also most Motorcraft) and of course Mercruiser - just not sure who makes that one.
 
So much for the Twin Engine one. They sold it today. I guess I waited to long to pull the trigger. I will look at the single engine one on Sunday and maybe keep looking around.
 
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