Thinking About Buying a Used Sea Ray

NCCamper

NCCamper

Member
Jan 20, 2009
154
Charlotte, NC
Boat Info
1992 200 BR
2013 Ford F-150
Engines
5.0 LX w/Alpha 1 - G2
Hi Gang,
We want to get into boating, and have been looking for a short time. I have found a 1998 Sea Ray 18'. The owner is asking about $5K for it, trailer and "goodies" included. I looked at the boat yesterday, and it looks good, but will need a little TLC. My main questions are:

1. The owner keeps it in the water 100% of the time, and has for about 2 years. It's in a freshwater lake in NC. So I won't be able to look below the waterline. Any issues with being in the water full-time, all year?

2. It has a 3.0 Mercruiser. He says it's an inline 6. Can this be correct? Is this motor generally considered to be a reliable one?

3. He hasn't winterized this season. Should I be concerned about this? The coldest temps have been so far is down into the low teens.

4. He says the capacity is a max of 8, but would feel more comfortable with 6. I looked for a plate on the boat that shows the weight capacity, but couldn't find one. Is it fair to say that the weight limit wold be 1000#.

5. What other questions should I ask? The owner is currently living about 4 hours from where the boat is located.

As I mentioned, I am new to boating, and I don't know what I don't know. Owner says he has always performed routine preventative maintenance, and has a regular mechanic who does all the maintenance.

The main use for this boat will be just some pleasure cruising, runabout sort of stuff, with maybe an annual vacation that would include boating the Atlantic ICW, around Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Perhaps I may also use it for some skiing, tubing, etc.

Any advice/help you can offer is appreciated.

Thanks,
NCC
 
Thanks! Very helpful information. It looks like the specific model I am looking at is the 180BR-SS. A nice little boat.

NCC
 
1. Does the boat have bottom paint? Even in fresh water, leaving an unprotected boat in the water for extended periods of time can cause problems. Hull blisters are not uncommon. Could be signs of hull repairs as well. If you’re serious about this boat, ask the seller to put the boat on the trailer for a few minutes. Can’t be that much of an inconvenience. You should check the condition of the outdrive as well.

2. The 3.0L is almost certainly a 4-cylinder engine. The 4.3L would be a V-6. The 3.0L has been around for years and is considered a reliable engine. There are a lot of them out there, so parts and repairs are not an issue. I might be a bit concerned that someone who claims to have done a lot of routine maintenance did not know how many cylinders his engine had.

3. Not winterizing a boat can be a big problem. If the boat is still in the water, you may be OK as water provides an insolating effect. Does he normally winterize the boat, but didn’t this year? Did you witness the engine running?

4. Check the spec sheet.

5. See below:

Ask the owner if he has any maintenance records. See if you can talk to the “regular mechanic.” I would also strongly recommend hiring a professional surveyor to look at this boat and have a sea trial (test drive) if possible. It’s 10+ years old. The 180’s are relatively simple boats, but there are still a few things that can go wrong. A few hundred dollars now may save you some significant money and aggravation down the line.

I can’t really address the price this package. You should have a feel for what similar boats are selling for in your area.

The 3.0L is a fine little engine and will pull a skier, but you’ll have to keep the weight on your boat down. You may also find that an 18’ bow rider is a little out of its element in some near-shore environments.

I’m not trying to scare you away from this boat, I just think you need to know a little more about what you’re buying for your money. If the boat checks out OK and you’re comfortable with the price, go for it.
 
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When I bought my boat, as part of my negotiations, the PO and I agreed that I would pay for an "annual service" on the O/D. It was in the water when I saw it too. I also wrote down on the offer, "if there is any work needed other than a recommended annual service, he would either pay for the repairs or consider the offer null and void".

When they hauled the boat for service, they found the O/D to be shot, completely corroded. I was fortunate that the PO wanted to sell the boat so bad, he agreed to pay for a replacement O/D.

Make sure you cover yourself, it's a buyers market. A survey on that age of boat(any for that matter) is a great investment.
 
I agree with the above about having a professional survey done.
I know its only five grand...but, it can easily become five more in repairs.
Most boaters have learned to do alot of DIY because boats are not cheap to repair and maintain.
At the very least have a knowledgeable boater/mechanic take a look at the motor,drive and steering.

Also, there are soooo many boats for sale. Look around before spending your hard earned cash.
Good luck.
 
Hello Again!

Thanks to Scott, John, Wish2fish, and Todd for the replies. Some things noted above I have seen before, but many I had never even thought of. As it would happen, the owner has called me, offered the boat at a lower price (4.5 BU's now) and offered to have the craft "surveyed" by his regular mechanic. That said, I want him to pull the boat so I can inspect the hull, and also want to try and get him to take me out in it. Hopefully, he can produce some regular maintenance records. Only issue is, he is 4 hours from the boat, and the trailer is in a 3rd location. We will see what happens...

Thanks for all the tips, and keep them coming if you have any more.

NCC
 
I'm not an expert at this (yet) but here is what I say from what I've learned and you've already gotten alot of good info from the others.

1. The owner keeps it in the water 100% of the time, and has for about 2 years. It's in a freshwater lake in NC. So I won't be able to look below the waterline. Any issues with being in the water full-time, all year?

Get a survey done of the boat and engine by someone qualified to do it.


2. It has a 3.0 Mercruiser. He says it's an inline 6. Can this be correct? Is this motor generally considered to be a reliable one?

Can't answer this one but looks like others have.

3. He hasn't winterized this season. Should I be concerned about this? The coldest temps have been so far is down into the low teens.

This could be bad, see answer to question 1

4. He says the capacity is a max of 8, but would feel more comfortable with 6. I looked for a plate on the boat that shows the weight capacity, but couldn't find one. Is it fair to say that the weight limit wold be 1000#.

no capacity plate? As far as I know that's against the law, atleast in florida it is if stopped you would probably get a ticket for not having it. 8 people on an 18 foot? I have a 24 foot and I wouldn't put 8 people on my boat 6 would be the max for me to feel safe, but for 18 I can't see putting 6 and definitly not 8 people.

5. What other questions should I ask? The owner is currently living about 4 hours from where the boat is located.

As I mentioned, I am new to boating, and I don't know what I don't know. Owner says he has always performed routine preventative maintenance, and has a regular mechanic who does all the maintenance.

Does he have records of all this? If so it should jive with what a surveyor would find when he/she looks at the boat for you.
 
NCC,

Please, do not rush into this. Look at plenty of boats. Who knows, maybe you'll come across one that is even bigger/better/nicer while still being in your price range.

Look on yachtworld.com, craigslist, anywhere you can think of. go look at them. research them. Ask questions here. there are always comments (good, bad, and ugly) on just about every model.

Again, i have to stress, don't rush into the first boat you see. second, if you find one you think is a keeper, get a survey done by a professional that will be working for YOU!

good luck and enjoy your search!
 
Another thing to check if the boat has been kept in the water and the trailer is in a separate location, is the brake system on the trailer if applicable. The PO of my boat kept the boat in the water during each season, only trailering it from the ramp to the marina storage yard in the spring and then again in the fall. I was so impressed with the condition of the boat and engine, that I neglected to properly inspect the whole trailer.:smt021 The first couple of times trailering the boat went fine, what i thought was a normal clunk from the surge breaks was not normal. Luckily these were short trips to the ramp close to the house. I had it looked at prior to the first long trip, 500 miles round trip, to make sure everything was ready for the trip. Needless to say $1000 and a new break system later, I know to check that on the next boat I purchase. Had to replace the actuator, breaklines and drums.
 
I would look on Boat Trader.com. You can find a much better boat for the price. If he says it's an inline 6 he has no clue about the engine. No winterization. No good. Remember boats are a dime a dozen. Wait for a better deal. With spring coming you can bet there will be. Take a look at Lake Wylie Marina if you are in this area or Lake Norman Marina. Both Sea Ray dealers. They are great to work with.
 
The boat is actually on lake Wylie right now, by the way, Den23.

I will take the advice and keep looking and see what else is out there, in addition to this one.

Thanks,
NCC
 
Hey NC Camper talk to Jim Pinkham at Lake Wylie Marina 803-831-2101 he will put you in a nice boat and is just super to deal with. I purchased mine from him. I have a 07 185.
 
NCC<
One thing I didn't see answered is the 3.0L question you posed. It's a pretty durable motor. It is only an inline 4 cylinder though, not a 6. Since you didn't post it, My guess is that it's a 175BR. If that's true, the 3.0L is ok, but a 185BR with a 4.3L is a much more responsive boat. It also "feels" like a bigger and beefier boat, because it is. For a little more money it would be moreover what I would recommend. That 4.3 is a great engine and offers more HP and smoother cruising characteristics.

Like others have mentioned there are so many boats on the market right now and people needing to get rid of them. Be picky and look around.
 
Hi Todd,
The mystery of the motor will hopefully be revealed tomorrow. We are going out in it tomorrow, and task #1 is to see this motor in action, and to solve this conundrum. The owner insists it's a 3.0L, but is even more insistent that it has 6 spark plugs. Everything I have learned here in my short time here, is that the 3.0 is an I4. I think he is right on the number of plugs, and wrong on the engine size, but who knows? He may not even know the difference between a spark plug and an O2 sensor. I will know by this time tomorrow.

Thanks again! This group has been very helpful.

NCC
 
And now for an update...
We went for a trial run this afternoon. The mystery of the motor? It's a 3.0L, so he was wrong (and probably just didnt know). Here is what I learned:

1. Power steering is not working.
2. Tilt/trim not working.
3. Speedo is not working properly.
4. On the port side of the engine, there is a reservoir that is empty. I can't tell for sure what this is. Is there a reservoir in the engine compartment that supplies the stern drive? I just don't know for sure.
5. It's noisy! Not something-wrong noisy, just noisy.
6. The trailer looks almost brand-new, all aluminum.

I guess I was underwhelmed. The performance was sluggish, and the bow sure stuck up out of the water, and couldn't be helped since the trim isn't working. I am wondering when that gets repaired, if that will improve performance? Owner said he would have his mechanic repair it all, but I think I will pass. This just isn't enough boat for us.

Any opinions?

Thanks for all your advice.
NCC
 
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