Sea Ray 48 Motor Yacht

[Acordant]

I'm thinking seriously about buying a 2004 48 Motor Yacht. I live in South Florida and the boat would sit at my dock in the back yard. Does anyone have any light they could shed? The boat would be used for trips to the keys and the Bahamas and maybe a tour of the west coast of Florida. I love to cruise and now that I'm retired, I'd like to go for longer periods and in comfort, Does this boat handle ok in rough water? Would it be up to some island hopping?
I'm a little concerned about resale (who knows? It could happen) because of the shape. I think Sun Seekers do better down here and my backup is a 2002 Sea Ray 510 Sun Seeker.
I'm new here and I don't know all the rules yet. If I posted in the wrong place, please forgive me.
Thanks,
Acordant

 

[Converse48]

Acordant-

This model (which you can see I own) is one of the more divisive models Sea Ray has ever made. As such, the resale value is way less than that of, say a 480DB. Of course, what this means to you is that you can buy one cheap! Just realize that it is not as popular as some other models and buy accordingly.

As with everything, there is some truth and some prejudice cooked into people's perceptions on this boat. My bias is obvious because I own one, but I think I am pretty objective about it.

You will hear from some very experienced people (cough~ Frank W ~ cough) that the boat is not good in a four foot beam sea. Ok, then, maybe that's true. I've been in as much as three foot beam seas and they were, well, three foot beam seas. Beams seas always suck. The level of suckiness was no worse than (and arguably better than) my previous boat which was a 44DB. The helm in the 480MY is at a lower point than that of a DB, but higher than that of a DA. To the extent to which you believe/perceive that the low center of gravity of a DA is better, you can't then postulate that the higher center of gravity of a DB is better. See what I'm saying? Bottom line is that this is still a big heavy boat that handles waves/weather well. Now, would I use it to run inlets and out to the canyons on a regular basis? Hell no. That's not what this boat is made for. But island hopping? Bring it on. The prior owner of my boat took it to the Bahamas for a winter and managed not to sink.

So what's the deal? Well, I will admit that it is odd looking for a Sea Ray, which are typically known for their styling (or at least they have been). The way the built this boat going up, up and up from bow to stern only to drop off so quickly makes people say that it looks like a sneaker. And frankly, one really can't argue that point. Note my screen name.

On the plus side:

- the fully enclosed air-conditioned/heated helm deck is outstanding. Visibility from the helm is first rate. The entire exterior of the boat (except the swim platform) is all on one level. Access to decks for line handling from the helm is ridiculously easy. Yet the wing doors keep out the elements if you like.

- the interior is enormous. The "second" stateroom is what almost every Sea Ray under 55 feet calls the master. The master stateroom on this boat is absolutely colossal. I have stayed in four star hotels with lesser accommodations. You need to be on a 60+ foot boat of today to find room like this. And the fact that is is separate from the rest of the sleeping accommodations offers certain benefits (insert picture of my hottie here). There is storage everywhere, including the "basement" which is where the laundry and (easily accessible) hot water heater are located along with enough storage to choke a horse. The third stateroom is not the roomiest, but my son loves it because it is dark, quiet and cold. What more could a fifteen year old want?

- access to everything is excellent and well thought out. The vacuflush pumps are right there staring you in the face when you go down into the bilge. Filters are easy to access. Water pumps, cable masters, windshield wiper motors… all well thought out with good access. Except, of course, for the port side water pump/impeller… but most boats have that problem. Someone may try to tell you that you need to cut a hole in the side of the boat to change the engines. Not true. IF they need to, they can come out through the cabin roof (this is per none other than Captain Rusty who is a closet sneaker fan). A downside on this point is that there is no "dirty" access to the ER, it is only through the salon. So you need to be super careful when doing oil changes etc.

- there is minimal canvas on the boat, only side windows on the helm deck, and no soft tops of any kind. Me likey.

- All model years are powered by Cummins QSM-11s. A reliable power plant that is widely used and still in service.

When I bought this boat I conducted a long search, and not just for Sea Rays, with the following criteria:
- At least ten years old (it's a depreciation thing)
- Under fifty feet (my slip is 53' LOA max, sneaker is 50'5")
- Three staterooms
- TRULY Air conditioned helm with hardtop and minimal (ideally no) canvas
- CAT 3196s need not apply

You can find ten year old 480DBs but rarely without 3196s (that will change soon as the QSM-11 was added to that model in the 03-04 time frame). And that said, the indoor/outdoor space of the 480MY is second to none and better than that of any DB. It's more like a DA with a hardtop.

So it comes down to use. On the one hand, I often get accused of using my boat as a "floating condo", and this is true to some extent, I just about live on the boat in the Summer. But she is no dock queen… last year alone we logged over 1,200 nautical miles including trips in the Ocean. But most of my time is spent on the fairly docile upper Chesapeake Bay. I WILL take this boat to the Bahamas without a doubt. Just a matter of time.

So bottom line: It's ugly. It's not for every body, nor is it the perfect boat (only the 450DA is the perfect boat--- love ya Frank!). People will tell you you're an idiot. IF (and only you know that) it is right for you, buy it right and it will serve you well.

Dissing the sneaker is a very popular stance, and hey, I'm the first to admit that it's ugly. But more people come up to me and whisper "I like the sneaker", as if it is some kind of sin.

On a side note, I had the pleasure of giving a tour of the Sneaker to the President and Marketing VP of Sea Ray at Atlantic City last year. They were both quite impressed! Also, Capt. Rusty was kind enough to join me that weekend as a guest and he can speak to the gracious accommodations of the VIP quarters. And Turtle got the dark room...

 

[Acordant]

Acordant-

When I bought this boat I conducted a long search with the following criteria:
- At least ten years old (it's a depreciation thing)
- Under fifty feet
- Three staterooms
- Air conditioned helm with hardtop and minimal (ideally no) canvas
- CAT 3196s need not apply

Thanks for the feedback. Oddly, I had exactly the same criteria list that you had. Strange that we'd narrow it down to the same boat.
I don't mind getting a bit beat up in rough seas. I don't mind having an "ugly" boat. I don't even mind people thinking I'm an idiot (lots of folks think that now). What I want is a fairly stable, deep V that can handle a decent day to Bimini and to arrive there with a condo. I don't want a large cuddy cabin. I want the most spacious, luxurious, comfortable cabin made in a boat that I can single handle. Being underway is just a necessary evil to get somewhere nice and chill out in comfort.
Here's a link to the one I'm looking at:
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2004-Sea-Ray-48-Motor-Yacht-102007794
I'd love to hear your ideas on it.
Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Converse48]

Dude!

The hydraulic lift is the one thing that I wish I had… This boat has it. My boat is equipped with a flying trapeze rig that I need to use to take the dinghy with me. Again, ugly but effective.

And with that as an asking price, I'd say that's a good start but you can get it for less. You are in Sea Ray's back yard over there, so I'm sure you can get the full service history on this particular boat. And for what it's worth, the deadrise on the 480MY is 15 degrees and it is carried from stem to stern. This is the same deadrise as the 480DB, but the DB is 1,900 lbs heavier dry (40,400 vs 38,500). I'm sure there are other differences in the hulls, but both are the same in terms of deadrise. And again, you won't get "beat up" in this boat by any stretch.

Also, I single hand this boat almost exclusively. Even when I have other people on the boat, I prefer to just do it myself (as in right the first time) than have "help" from my crew.

And the reason that we both landed on the same boat with the same criteria is that there a few, if any, boats that meet these ridiculously narrow criteria. We are very demanding, us thick-skinned sneaker owners.

Good luck in your search. I may have occasion to find myself down Port Canaveral way as I have a very good friend who lives there (you know who you are). Would be happy to come take a poke around this fine vessel someday.

 

[rondds]

Tim, did I miss the picture of the hottie? Not showing on my screen...

 

[mistercomputerman]

This one's for you...

 

[Acordant]

And with that as an asking price, I'd say that's a good start but you can get it for less.

I must be doing something wrong. There are about 4-5 other similar 48 Motor Yachts around and they're all asking $60,000+ more. The owners of this boat are unwilling to come down 10% which I thought was a fair price.
I'm not in a terrible rush to buy it so I'll wait them out. Who knows, something else may turn up. But, I have definitely decided this is the boat for me.

 

[Converse48]

Here you go Ron…

This is Lisa's "perch" on the sneaker.

And Accordant, have a broker run comparables for you of real sales, not asking prices. I'm thinking you should be able to get that boat for 210-225.

People who want more are dreaming and/or their boat is not really for sale.

 

[bahamabreisus]

Mistercomputerman. I'm glad my hood ornament doesn't look like that. I'd hit every dock, piling, marker, boat, wall in front of me.

 

[mistercomputerman]

Mistercomputerman. I'm glad my hood ornament doesn't look like that. I'd hit every dock, piling, marker, boat, wall in front of me.

You and me both, brother. You and me, both...

 

[NorCal Boater]

I don't care how good she looks, she needs to lose the heels.

 

[bahamabreisus]

Yeah, they could mark the deck

 

[Quint4]

You guys are getting picky.