Thinking about 1999 230 Bowrider

veeman5

New Member
Jul 12, 2010
4
Greenwood Lake, NY
Boat Info
Boatless
Engines
Boatless
I'm considering purchasing a 1999 230 Bowrider with about 100 hours on it for $6,500. Does anyone have any thoughts about this particular boat or the price? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!
 
My first question would be what is wrong with the boat at that price. I have the 210 version and have seen them anywhere from $12,000 to $16,000 range. Seems the 230 would be higher than that. What engine, what shape is the boat in? 100 hours seems low for that year boat, mine low at 165 hours when I bought it 3 years ago, but the season here is short. I have averaged 38 hours per season over the last two seasons.

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1999-Sea-Ray-230-BR-Signature-96972589

Here is a 97 on boat trader for $15,900 asking price.
 
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The boat is listed to be in good condition with the Mercruiser 310 hp engine. I'll be taking a look in person today. Please let me know if you have any suggestions regarding what to look out for.

Thanks for your help!
 
I had pretty much the same boat. Loved it.

I agree with the others that the price appears too low.
 
Just saw the boat on Tuesday. The hull and interior are in decent shape. The engine seems to rust on it in a bunch of spots. The "catch" is that this boat has been sitting on a driveway since 2003. The current owner's partner had been working on replacing various hoses, electrical lines, etc., untill he passed away unexpectedly 2 weeks ago. I've hired a marine surveyor to inspect the boat today before proceeding with a decision. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Veeman,

I have owned my 230 since new and I have truely enjoyed the boat. It has many great aspects as it planes quickly with little bow rise, rides well, has a nice layout and etc. I could go on and on.

Based on your brief description, I would want to make sure this is a solid boat. What exactly is "decent shape" and where is the rust on the engine? Do you have any pics? When looking at a boat, I generally do a thorough walk around, noting the condition of the gelcoat/hull, looking for nicks, and looking for exposed areas of fiberglass. I do the same for the interior looking in all the compartments, nooks, and etc. Here I am looking for moisture, wood rot, and the condition of the soft goods, panel and etc. The same applies for the trailer. Does it appear to be in good shape? Once the boat is off of the trailer have a good look at it also. What is the overall condition of the trailer? Are the bunks in good shape? Do the brakes work? Is the attaching hardware in reasonable shape?

Also if you decide to move forward with the deal and agree upon price with the seller. I would certainly want to sea trial the boat before hiring a surveyor or have him along for the ride or a buddy who is familar with boats. In short, you would want to make sure all systems are working as advertised. You will also want to make sure the engine runs smoothly and is able to hit it's wide open throttle range. The outdrive should not make any out of the ordinary noises while shifting, turning and trimming. The propeller or propellers should be in good shape. Does the outdrive and transom assembly have heavy signs of corrosion? Is the skeg in good shape? The bilge should remain dry as well. In addition to surveying the hull, you will also need to have a certified MerCruiser mechanic have a look at the engine, compression and etc.

At $6,500 I would not expect the boat to be pristine by any means. You may have a diamond in the rough or something that could be very expensive to get back up to speed. Simply perform your due diligence and see what you have.

Good luck.
 
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Thank you everyone for your words of caution and encouragement. After reading the surveyor's report, I decided to go ahead and purchase the boat ($6500 for the boat and $1500 for the aluminum tandem trailer).

The surveyor and the owner of the marina that I am docking the boat at were both in agreement regarding the merits of the deal (completely independent of each other). I am looking forward to learning as much as possible about my new boat in the next few weeks. Please let me know if you have any idea where I can find a copy of the owner's manual and additional info. The Sea Ray web site doesn't list this specific model's manual online for some reason.
 
Congrats and post a pic. Do you know where the secret storage compartment is located? You may try calling SR. Perhaps they have a pdf of the manual.
 
I had the 1998 model and we loved it.. with the 350 you should expect 52MPH if the motor is in good shape .. that is what mine would do GPS real speed
 

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