Prop Pockets vs Open Props

[hottoddie]

Nope....you gotta think of a better excuse than that. The 340EC draws 29"....the 390EC draws 28". Since the power is the same, unless you are smart and go look for a 3208 powered 390EC, operating costs are the same, insurance is based on insured value, not length, so the only real cost difference between the 340 and the 390 are services you have to purchase by the foot. Do yourself a favor....go look at a 390EC and a 340EC on the same day. There is so much more space, the 2 ft difference in beam makes the 390 seem like its 10 ft longer.

As far as shallow water use, we pretty much live off the back of our boats in the summer.....I anchor off shore, then back out on the beach and set a stern anchor leaving the props over deep water and with the 390, I was usually knee deep off the back of the platform. In fact, had my boat has 3208's instead of 7.4's, I would still own it.

The 3208 Cats will run a 390 to a 22-23 knot cruise vs 18-19 for the 454 gassers. The Cats will burn about a third less fuel as well. Aside from those 2 advantages any boat with diesels will cost more to buy and will cost more to fix when something breaks. I guy at our yacht club with a 42 ft Carver motor yacht had a 3208 fail and needed to replace it with a factory reman. Tough engine swap and it came to 47K. Had a beer with him over the weekend and he said wishes he never bought a boat with diesels. The choice comes down to useage and preference. If you run long distances and 100 hours a year then you can justify the diesels. If you run 50 hours and don't too far or too fast then gas makes sense.

As far as other operating costs the extra 5 ft will cost you $200-$500/year in slip fees and you will spend 25% more in fuel. For me that's about a grand a year and I think it's worth it. Also if you are a DIY kind of person the gassers make even more sense. JMHO

 

[Island Express]

My previous boat was a 1985 st. tropez with small blocks. my current boat is a 1990 390 ec with big blocks.
low speed handling and reversing has no comparison between the 2 boats. the st. tropez handles much better than the sea ray.
thats the only thing I liked better about my wellcraft over my sea ray.
just my opinion.

 

[sbw1]

Prop pockets are not such a big deal as you get used to them and become a better skipper. Big props that are widely spaced with big rudders improve things a great deal. The 340 will not fall into the category as being great around the dock, but it is manageable. The thing about the 340 that has not been mentioned is fuel consumption. Figure .5 mpg. It was known a gas hog when it first came out. I ended up buying a 370 later that was not great on fuel but it was noticeably better than the 340. The older 340s were also very prone to headliner stains as they pretty much all leaked. Good layout overall with the typical annoying issues of that era. Check the stringers and transom before getting to far into a deal.

 

[oldancer]

The tunnels are nice to keep the props a little shallower, but serve little other purpose. Cavitation? Not a low-speed problem, cavitation has to do with boiling the water due to flow issues and typically is a high-speed / high-suction issue.

I prefer diesels over gas, safety and efficiency, simplicity and durability. The 3208 CAT is a decent engine but is somewhere between a gas engine and a heavy-duty diesel, I've had some issues with the 3208 but none terminal, and they seldom wear out but can be killed with oil and coolant issues or abuse. Treated properly if under 390hp it will last thousands of hours.

I can't say that I've been able to feel the difference between the 50DA and the 48FB in handling with the same CAT engines and props being that the DA has big tunnels, the bigger difference in handling is made by rudder size and the spacing between the engines. SeaRay has a tendency to put small rudders on their boats, compare them out of the water to a big-water boat rudders and you'll see it's significant. Rudders can be used in low speed maneuvering, when you have the skills and spend some time learning. full-over rudders with cross-shifted engines can crab a boat or spin it on its midpoint better, but for the occasional boater it is far better to leave them straight to avoid the trouble that will quickly occur if you mess it up. We now have rotating powerheads beneath the boats to create the same vectored thrust, I love slipping a boat sideways into a tight slip or backing out straight with a strong cross-current using the rudders and engines, ... get puzzled looks from the dock hands who think you must have thrusters.

The only way to really assess which boat's handling really suits you and your type of boatiing is a sea-trial, find a diesel with two big props for big water and long trips, small prop gassers are better for occasional use (cheaper maintenance and less draft) and shallower / river use.

 

[BonBini]

Thank you all for the valuable info. My home work tells me both boats are close as far as power, beam & weight. Sea Ray seems to have a deeper dead rise!

Old 390EC’s are defiantly affordable in gas power. However; it seems the cost of the 3208 option, (even used) is what I’m looking to get the 340 for!

 

[fwebster]

That is about right...but its all relative. You pay more on the front end, but the boat doesn't depreciate .....hardly any at all considering that it's 25 year old boat....and you get all the premium back when you sell or trade. If you plan to keep it, with your experience, you can expect the 3208's to cost next to nothing to maintain, whereas, you are looking at $4000+ every 5-6 yers for exhaust castings with 7.4's. The diesel 390EC is one of the true values in boats.....treat her right, make it look nicer when you sell than when you buy and you can probably boat in a 39 for nothing.

 

[docofthebay]

I looooovvvvveeeee my diesel 390!
My diesels have performed flawlessly the 2 years I've used them. Instant starting every time. Ungodly amounts of torque. Low speed maneuvering is simply a matter of bumping in and out of gear, throttle not required.
And the boat itself is very roomy. The master cabin has a closing door, separate shower.......
To quote the commercial from the '70s "try it, you'll like it"

 

[oldancer]

It would be a good idea to have the CATs surveyed by someone who KNOWS the 3208s, they are a good engine if in good condition.

The injection pumps fail, I believe that mine cost $3500/each about 10 years ago, if its over ~390hp they have some head/valve problems, be sure that the cooling system is properly maintained with CAT coolant and SCAs checked at least annually, and an oil analysis is an excellent idea, a meticulous owner will be able to show you the analysis results from the past few changes to verify the engines' condition. A good one should idle with 65psi of oil pressure hot.

The block is no longer in production, you will need reman parts if you need an engine.

I do love them, they are the small-block Chevy of medium-duty diesels IMO, but be sure that they are sound and also that anodes have been maintained.

 

[Carver370]

That is about right...but its all relative. You pay more on the front end, but the boat doesn't depreciate .....hardly any at all considering that it's 25 year old boat....and you get all the premium back when you sell or trade. If you plan to keep it, with your experience, you can expect the 3208's to cost next to nothing to maintain, whereas, you are looking at $4000+ every 5-6 yers for exhaust castings with 7.4's. .

Not so up here in The Great Lakes. If I had to make a choice between the two in a salt environment I would pick the Diesel in a hearbeat. The diesel 390 will cost 2-3 times the price of a nice 340...

 

[Jeepers]

Had a 1985 st. tropez with big blocks. Now havw a 1989 390ec. Granted the wellcraft was quicker than snot but other than that there is no way i would ever go back. It's almist like having a second home. Lots of room, at dock and sea.