Sea Ray vs Chaparral

[Alex D]

Cobalt is great but the rpice difference is just not worth it in my book. If I had to go and look at a bow rider or similar sport boat I would look at Regal and Four Winns, perhaps also Sea Ray, but for Sport Boats I'd prefer those two brands. Reason is the design and the quality. I think they still have the edge on Sea Ray these days, but that is just a personal opinion from my experiences. Regal and Four Winns have also excellent customer service ratings.

 

[keokie]

I've seen some of the newer Cobalts taken apart. They seem to be losing their emphasis on quality.

Formula is a great brand to look at in this category. However, considering all the issues (style, quality, price point, resale, etc.), I'd go with Sea Ray.

 

[Tonka Boater]

<deleted>

 

[Weave]

I have looked at some of the newer Regals as well and thay are REALLY sharp and appear to be built well.
I haven't seen one of their new "fastdecks" in person but the layout looks really nice.
I'm just not a fan of the picklefork design.
If I was buying a sportboat I would certainly have Regal on my short list before Four Winns but would probably have Chap on there.
I looked at a '06 FW 220 with 13 hours and the cup holders were already rusting and had come loose among other finish issues. Didn't like their trailer either. I think they manufacture their own trailers
Thats how we ended up with our Sundeck and couldn't be happier (unless we had a bigger one!) She suits our needs perfectly.

 

[avguy]

I'm a little surprised no one but myself has mentioned Crownline. Of all the boats we considered the Crownline was pretty close to the Searays. We just didn't happen to like the way some of their features were integrated.

 

[FYN409]

I owned a 87 20' Regal before my Sea Ray and I was impressed with it. I would definitely consider another Regal if I was looking. I have been impressed with the Crownlines also. My parents were looking at a 26' Crownline this summer. We looked it all over and I liked what I saw. Fit an finish was good, as well as longevity. If I am not mistaken Crownline was a spin off of Regal back in the mid 90's.

 

[chuck1]

I'm a little surprised no one but myself has mentioned Crownline. Of all the boats we considered the Crownline was pretty close to the Searays. We just didn't happen to like the way some of their features were integrated.

Crownline was my number 2. Had we gone the cuddie route. It was a Crownline CCR 275 with.

 

[douglee25]

What no one has mentioned here is the fact that a boat shows or looks only as well as the owner takes care of it. Many people may purchase a lower priced boat because they can't afford a more expensive one. Take that a step further and they can't afford to take care or maintain it either. Many who own Sea Rays can and do take very well care of their vessels. Take that same boat and give it to someone who doesn't maintain it, and it will look exactly like any lower priced boat will over time.

My advice is to spend some intimate time with each boat on your list and decide for yourself what you can and can not live with. In the end your due diligence should make you quite happy with your purchase.

Doug

 

[rondds]

I'm a little surprised no one but myself has mentioned Crownline.

You don't have to sell me on Crownline. Meet Lil'KrissyII...

 

[Weave]

Good call on the Crown's ....there is a dealer near us and they hold up very nicely.
See more of their cruisers on the river than runabouts. Both are very nice none the less

 

[surfinjoe]

I will tell you that the SeaRay dealers are the best! I take my boat to Colony Marine in St. Clair Shores, MI and they have always taken GREAT care of my boat.

SeaRay stands behind their product 100%! I just took my 220 SD in for service and SeaRay covered every minor repair that I pointed out (and one that I did not point out - thanks Colony). I have never seen a SeaRay that did not stand the test of time. I have seen a lot of other boats that can not say this. The other thing I know is that SeaRay does not use wood stringers or subfloor in their designs.

Another + for SeaRay is that they treated me like a king for both my 180 Sport as well as my 220 SD. Again, superb dealership, superb product!

 

[Dirtguy]

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.

I own a Sea Ray and believe that it's a fine product. However, I do believe that it's true that nobody here will knock a Sea-Ray even if their own experiences aren't good.

I have NOT read any stories here about "The Dark Years," when Brunswick first took over Sea Ray. It seems that people place their hands over their ears and go, "La, La, La."

In the Brunswick family, there are offerings on both ends of the scale. Maxum i wold think is in the same range as SR. I'd look at an Albermarle for my needs.
Personally, I'd look for a hardship case on a used boat, as the inittial markup isn't worth the hit. And a quality product doesn't need much warranty ..

dg

 

[fragmag]

I personally like the pickle fork design that the sunesta offers. But the Sea Ray holds up better.

 

[skolbe]

It is my understanding that Crownline is a spin off of Celebrity. Crownlines are nice - built very much by hand. I have been in the factory. They do back their boats up very well and have good customer support.

 

[marcopolo]

I have a 2006 Chaparral 276 Ssi for sale in Virginia if you have any interest.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2006/Chaparral-276-Ssi-1987975/Norfolk/VA/United-States

Thanks for your note, but no thanks. The 276 is just too big for my needs. Good luck selling!

 

[marcopolo]

What no one has mentioned here is the fact that a boat shows or looks only as well as the owner takes care of it. Many people may purchase a lower priced boat because they can't afford a more expensive one. Take that a step further and they can't afford to take care or maintain it either. Many who own Sea Rays can and do take very well care of their vessels. Take that same boat and give it to someone who doesn't maintain it, and it will look exactly like any lower priced boat will over time.

My advice is to spend some intimate time with each boat on your list and decide for yourself what you can and can not live with. In the end your due diligence should make you quite happy with your purchase.

Doug

Sounds like great advice Doug. Thank you!
Mark

 

[spimik]

Cobalt is great but the rpice difference is just not worth it in my book. If I had to go and look at a bow rider or similar sport boat I would look at Regal and Four Winns, perhaps also Sea Ray,

You have to drive a COBALT to get it, Specs, price, looks aside. When you drive it, you get it. Cobalt owns the 21-29' sector. End of discussion.

Four Winns is not even on the same planet.

 

[Starvin48]

...so since this thread has been hijacked to he!!, I have a great question:

When were the "Dark days" for Sea Ray (since I read about them in this thread)? I would like to know which year and model boats in the 37' and under category are good and which are carp.

Thanks!

 

[highslice]

Cobalt is great but the rpice difference is just not worth it in my book. If I had to go and look at a bow rider or similar sport boat I would look at Regal and Four Winns, perhaps also Sea Ray,

You have to drive a COBALT to get it, Specs, price, looks aside. When you drive it, you get it. Cobalt owns the 21-29' sector. End of discussion.

I would beg to differ. I would put the construction and fit and finish of our 270 against comparably sized Cobalts. I will admit that their carpet is nicer, and they have some components that may be a little better, but then again, some not so much. The Cobalt 272 doesn't drive or ride as well as my 270, and the layout sucks.

As for Four Winns, I drove their H260. We liked the looks, and the fit and finish seemed okay at the boat show. But when we got it on the water, what a POS. I was afraid it was going to break in half, the hull flexed and groaned so much. And when I threw it into a turn at 30 MPH we just kind of skipped across the water, no bite at all.

I have a friend with a Chaparral 276 SSx, new this year. They love it. I have been impressed with it so far, very solid in rough water. Nice fit and finish and components. It doesn't handle as well as our 270, and it's not as quick, but it's also 900 pounds heavier. We'll see how it stands up over the next few years.

 

[250SLX]

I priced my 250SLX against the 252 Cobalt and given the same equipment and options, it came in 15% higher in price. Not saying they do not make a great boat but it is not worth 15% more than a Sea Ray.