Sea Ray vs Chaparral

M

marcopolo

New Member
Oct 23, 2008
13
Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
Boat Info
2009 Sunesta 244
Engines
Volvo 4.7
I'm looking seriously at a 230 Sundeck and a Sunesta 244. We boat at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, both boats have local dealers. Does anyone have thoughts or comments about one or the other boat? Thanks in advance for your help.
 
i am sure you can get the same power plants,, look at the hardware,,i know on my 84 260,, the stringers are not just timbers on edge,, i would think sea ray is a better engineered boat
 
Dave S said:
I don't much care for the bow design on the Chapparal.
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We looked at the Chappparals before we bought the sundeck & I didn't like the design of the bow either. I think Fourwins is Searay's biggest competitor in this catagory. Look closley at both & I think you'll see a huge difference.
 
Marcopolo.
It may just be me, but since you are on a Sea Ray forum I don't think you are going to find many people that recommend a Chaparal:huh::grin:.
What made you look at the Chaparals? When we were looking the lower cost caught our eyes, but after looking harder the fit and finished of the Sea Ray and the resale value of the 240SD sold us. Not sure if you are thinking about your next boat, but have you looked at the resale prices of the Chaparal?
 
Four Winns isn't a Sea Ray competitor any more than a Kia competes with Lexus. If you want a boat the is cheap and looks good when new, look at the Four Winns. you want a boat that retains its resale value better than any competitor and lasts then buy a Sea Ray.

I don't do much with small boats but on the Chapparel, look at a 5 year old one and a 5 year old Sea Ray and you will see a definite difference in how the boats hold up.

In this day and time, even buying a GM product you need to also question how your warranty is going to be honored. What if they or any boat manufacturer files bankruptcy? business is slow, but I'm not worried about Sea Ray begin there when I need them. I think it is more about the long run than which boat is cheaper on the front end.
 
Tim,

Most here will tell you that the SR is the better boat. Afterall, this is a SR board.

Nearly 10 years ago I looked comparable models from Chap.(2330 as I recall) and Crownline (225BR). In short SR and my local dealer did a better job in my opinion than Chap. and the local local dealer. For example, when I opened the hatch of the SR 230 I did not find fiberglass chards in the bilge, the engine compartment, ski locker and other "hidden" areas seemed to have fiinshed off just a better. Seating materials and bimini fabrics were of a higher quality as well. So that was simply an initial impression. Chaparral may have improved their QC over the last 10 years.

Well ten years later my boat still has the original interior, bimini top and the gelcoat still shines up quite nicely. I'm also dealing with the same dealer and they continue to carry Sea Ray. Chap. has changed dealerships and the line disappeared from our local market at least once over the last ten years. In addition, when I had a complaint about a cosmetic issue regarding the glove box assembly SR took care of it even though the boat was two or three years out of warranty. I would compare your local dealerships in the same manner and see how long each has carried their respective lines. Also, check out the general condition and professionalism of each dealership.

On a different note, Sea Ray's styling generally stands the test time. I am not sure you would be able to say the same about the Chaparral Sunesta a few years from now even though you may truly like the styling. Cobalt tried the pickle fork bow a number of years ago and dropped that model after about two seasons. However, MasterCraft seems to be making a go of it.

Good luck.
 
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A guy in our marina just got a new Chaparral. It's a bigger model and every time he walks from one side to the other it leans so much everyone jokes it's going to roll over. I would hate to try to drive it with several people on board. Everyone would have to have assigned seats for weight distribution and please...no walking around while we are moving.
 
fwebster said:
Four Winns isn't a Sea Ray competitor any more than a Kia competes with Lexus.
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I was told that by one of the Searay sales guys when we bought our boat from them. I certainly would not take anything a salesman tells me as gospel but it really surprised me he said that as I would have thought Crownline was a lot closer to Seary in the fit & Finish catagory.
 
I guess everything you read on a forum is relative to some circumstances. While we call Middle Tennessee home, we've done all our boating in Florida for a long time. My boat is under a covered slip within eye sight of the forklift bays so I see most everything they store in dry stack. I'm not a brand basher, but the boats that seem to hold up worst under the Fla sun are Four Winns, Chapparel and low end (Kia-priced) fish boats.
 
I cannot speak for resale or how their older boats hold up over time and would never dispute Frank's assessment based on what he has actually seen, but strictly in terms of fit and finish, I have found my Four Winns to be comparable to my Sea Rays, if not superior in a few areas. When I was shopping my current boat, I thought the Chap was going to be a real contender until I boarded one and instantly saw quality differences that crossed the brand off my list. I have found Four Winns sport boat owners to have brand enthusiasm on par with many of the owners here and those who have cared for their boats have had good success in the long run.

Of course this thread was never about Sea Ray vs. Chaparral vs. Four Winns, but since the comparison was brought up, I thought it was worth chiming in. That said, if I were to ever purchase another sport boat in this class, Sea Ray would be the one to beat based on my personal experience (I LOVED my SD) but Four Winns would definitely get a good look. I have been very pleased with my boat and dealer experience (the Sea Ray dealers I have dealt with in the past, barring the one who sold me my 260DA, turned me off to ever dealing with them again).

Best of luck in your search...
 
Did you post this question up on the Chaparral Message Board? You might get a different slant there.
http://forum.chaparralboats.com/

I know I'll get a lot of heat for this one, but for OBJECTIVE information with no slant, check here...
http://www.jdpower.com/Boats/ratings/large-runabout-(20-29-ft.)-ratings

Cobalt has been winning this contest since they started rating boats. SR and Four Winns and Chaparral rate similarly.

Personally, I think at resale, it'll be easier to unload a SR b/c it is a household name, even among landlubbers.
 
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I've owned both Sea Ray and Cobalts and find the fit and finish as well as the long term quality to be comparable.

If I needed a boat in the size range they make, I'd buy another Cobalt tomorrow.
 
marcopolo said:
I'm looking seriously at a 230 Sundeck and a Sunesta 244. We boat at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia, both boats have local dealers. Does anyone have thoughts or comments about one or the other boat? Thanks in advance for your help.
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Hi marcopolo
We have now been on SML for 5 seasons and I know all the boat dealers there ... We looked at all major brands when we first bought our Four Winns 248V and we also looked very hard at Chaparral. I'd be glad to discuss more in detail, but here are my initial comments;
- All and any Chaparral boats I have seen and surveyed are significantly below Sea Ray quality levels. Theya re outright poor in how they are rigged and finished and after looking at them and considering them a few times I do not believe I would ever look at a Chap again.
- WHe we last looked in 2004 and 2006, there was definitly something going on between the dealers and the Chap factory. Forums were overflowing with customers who had issues and could not get resolution from their dealer or the factory. the worst possible scenario when you own a boat.
- SML does not have a good Chap dealer !!!
- SML has one of the oldest and best Sea Ray dealers in the nation and we love the brand and the service we get at SMYC.

For me from a quality perspective and dealer /service perspective I would not even waste a trip to look at a Chap and go with the Sea Ray.
This comes froma person who has owned and would not hesitate toa gain purchase a Four Winns if the constellation was right. So I am not "Sea Ray" blind.
 
The clear winner in this category is COBALT. Hands down, year after year. Drive a Cobalt in this size category and find out what JD Power already knows.

Sea Ray rules the roost over 30', but Cobalt has put down some firm anchors in the 21-29' category. I wonder how their new 37 will stack up.

Good Luck.
 
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