Searay bashing?

People will actually bash the make of another man's boat... or car/truck... or otherwise? ... well that seems totally pointless...
 
Hi All,

This is my first post on these forums as we are in the process of purchasing a 1993 300DA.
There are some things I found unusual with a boat with head and shower namely no holding tank.

Hello way down under there!
If it does not have a gray or black tank, you can probably add one easily enough.
Have you looked at the Sea Ray archives for that model to see what options were available on tanks and how they were configured into the boat?
 
Our Sea Ray is going to be 21 years old in a few days. With 750 hours, it still runs like a top and almost all the accessories still work since built. The previous owner did normal maintainence and we are very happy with our boat. I own two other Glastron Carlsons which are nice sporty boats so I was looking for a sporty cruiser. The Sundancer has a very sleek look for a 29ft boat. The Sea Ray rigging and build is done very well for a 90's boat, which I read was the dark days of boat building due to the economics of the time. All of our interior and exterior seating is original and still in better shape than most 10 year old boats. For what I paid for her, I would never spend the money, or have the money, for a 2000 model. The older models are a real value due to a good build. I have had people comment on me owing a Sea Ray like I'm rich or better than them but that's not the case at all. I bought the nicest, biggest boat I could afford and it's a 1990......I'm good with that. Most people think it's newer because it's so nice. I'm good with that also. One of my friends just bought a 1999 Bayliner 28ft cruiser and picks on me and a 2005 260 Sea Ray owner when we all raft up....he always asks if it's ok to dock with the Sea Ray Club. We know he's just kidding and he does have a nice boat. I looked at WellCraft, Chris Craft, Glastron, Crownline, Larson, etc but just liked the Sea Ray better. I must admit I did not look at any Bayliners and four of my friends own newer models with no troubles. The 90's were not good years for most boat builders but I felt safe buying a Sea Ray. I just went for the most bang for the buck, Mike.
 
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OK, I'm new here but not new to boating. I've been away from serious boating for several years now but I'm thinking about getting another small cruiser (34-37'). I've been looking at older sedans and have run across several nice Searays in my price range. From what I've seen, I'd certainly consider a SR but a lot of boating sites that I've visited have had plenty of SR bashing. I can't seem to get any specific issues but there seems to be a lot of people that look down on SR for some reason. I thought the best place to get a response would be from Searay owners so...what say you?

I wouldn't worry about other peoples opinions if I were you;

I have had several brands of boat over the years but only bought one brand twice.
That was because 'I' liked what I saw and compaired it too.
For me it was firstly down to looks/condition and layout in the first instance followed closley by how it would fit the kind of boating I do.
It helped when the admiral gave her seal of approval and she went on the usability of the 'living quarters'.

My next boat will be a Sea Ray 340/375 DA with Yanmar deisels and a blue hull 2005 or later (already done the homework) because for us it is perfect, Still small enough (just) to launch and retrive on my own and leave sitting out of the water on a trailer when not in use (lowering maintainance costs), the perfect layout for our family inside and out and affordable just (one day soon) for us to buy without compromising our standard of living.

Draw up a list of what it is you want in a boat (as if buying a house) and go see whats out there.

For me, Sea Ray make a well designed and constructed boat and include many of the bells and whistles other brands leave off the inventry. I will buy another but it wont stop me looking at other brands, I just havent seen anything come close to what I want other than another SR.
 
I've owned Tollycraft, Bayliner, Campion, Baja, Chris Craft, Owens, Trojan, Vanguard, Brentwood Bay, Bertram (probably missed some brands) plus everyone I know has a boat pretty well so I've seen a lot.
The salty west coast conditions are not the easiest on a boat so I've experienced first-hand how some brands deteriorate. I'm on my 5th Sea Ray because they hold up as well as any and better than most.
That's all to do with the general quality of the boat. The styling ranks high on my list too.
To sum it up; if you were looking for a higher quality, better looking boat, you may be shopping for a while.
Just my opinion...
Cheers.
 
Funny thing: Now a days Sea Ray, Bayliner and Meridian are all made by the same folks and in some cases the same factory.............

Built side by side on different lines but not to the same standard. Been there- seen that.

This has been discussed before. Someone on here who had not even been to the plant tried to say I was full of it because a friend of his had been there 6 years ago before they were even being built together for a press conference or something like that and heard there was no difference.
 
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Mines a 76 year model and I can still walk into the dealer and get parts for it. Try that with a Baysinker of the same year. When I redid the interior the stainless screws came out and went right back in without stripping and the paint still shines. (Slid off the bow after the Admiral waxed it last summer and left my knee cap skin on the dock boards.)
Check out my redo pictures in my profile.

The engine has plenty of power to launch it out of the water like a rocket. I think I could break ice with it the way it plows through the waves or other boaters wakes.
The V bottom boat is every bit as stable as the tri-haul glaspar of the same length
I once owned.

I love this boat and have no need to trade up at this time.
 
My 220 Sundeck will reach 5 years old this February and I can not count how many times at gas stations fueling up I have had folks walk up, look the boat over and give me a compliment on how nice it looks. It is not a flashy boat, no bright red paint job but it looks good. I still enjoy going to boat shows and dropping in at a boat dealers everyone's in a while and kicking the tires of other brands and I have yet to find another brand that I would jump ship for.

Best of luck in your search. :thumbsup:

Agree completely with this statement. My boat is 12years old now and I am constantly getting compliments on how it looks. Most people are shocked when I tell them how old it is.

I was not shopping for a brand specific when I bought the boat, but it was evident to me that the sea ray brand was the most attractive in timeless style and quality that holds up over time.

I own both a BMW X5 and a MB SL55. I wish they were built as well as my boat. They would be in the shop much less.
 
Sea Ray in my opinion is the best overall production boat. The bashing seems to me like picking on the big guy. If they werent a threat to all the other manufacturers or I guess Dealers as the this case may be they would just tell you how great their product was. I have owned several Sea Ray's in the last several years 28 38 42 and the latest 580 Sundancer. I have never had any major problems and find them to be a very reliable boat.
 
I bought our Sea Ray off of the show room floor, in 1988, it still performs as if it were new, and we get compliments about that boat everywhere we go. :grin:
 
Eww. My wife had a nissan before we were married. It was a piece of sh** that we got rid of ASAP. Thing was so crappy that the rear view mirror was useless at any speed over 50 MPH. The engine's buzz would vibrate the mirror so much that reflected image was very blurry. The dealer said, "They're all like that." I've no experience with Hondas, but I know someone with an Acura TL and it's an econobox with leather. The engine buzzes and vibrates the car like a truck. Actually, the engine in my truck, a Navigator with nearly 300,000 miles, is smoother.

On the other hand, they're inexpensive, unlike a Sea Ray.

Bad analogy.

Best regards,
Frank

Your friend is the exception. AWD TLs with the tech package are great automobiles. Lots of smooth power and reasonable fuel economy. I've owned a new Acura every other year since 1986. I've only had trouble with one and the company replaced it at 19,000 in an even exchange for a brand new one of the same model. I'll be buying a new TL this May.
 
We have one of the older boats at our dock, yet she looks and is kept up as one of the nicer ones on the dock. We take great pride in our boat. Any day we can spend on the boat is a GREAT DAY, and if she gets us to and from the dock on her own EVEN a better day. Although 2011 may be our last season with her; we just need to get a little bigger boat and a little wider beam.
 
I've had several Chaparrals, one Wellcraft and two Sea Rays. I never buy new boats or cars. I like to look at the older examples of any manufacturer to judge their quality. Search the markets, older Sea Rays in good shape are available in big numbers throughout the size ranges. This speaks to me of overall quality.

After having a Sea Ray, I went back, I wasn't even considering another brand this time...
 

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